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Terms of Reference (Council approved) - Standing Committee of Convocation

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Section 1 - Overview and Objectives

(1) The Standing Committee of Convocation is established by the Council to support the meetings of Convocation by:

  1. performing the Functions of the Standing Committee of Convocation (see Section 3);
  2. reporting to the Council any proposals which Convocation considers appropriate with respect to the interests of the University; and 
  3. upholding and promoting the effective discharge of functions of the Convocation under the Act and the By-law.

(2) The objectives of the Standing Committee of Convocation are consistent with the function of Convocation as set out in Section 17 of the UNE By-law 2005, that is, to submit to the Council such proposals as Convocation considers appropriate with respect to the interests of the University.

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Section 2 - Members of Standing Committee of Convocation 

Membership

(3) Membership of the Standing Committee of Convocation comprises between 14-15 members:

Members elected by Convocation:

  1. the Chair of Convocation (Chair);
  2. Six (6) graduates of the University;
  3. Four (4) current and former staff of the University:
    1. 2 persons including current or former academic staff; and 
    2. 2 persons including current and former professional staff;
  4. Two (2) members who are either a current or past member of Council or a member of Convocation who has been invited by Council to be a member of Convocation

Ex-officio Member(s):

  1. UNE Vice-Chancellor and Chief Executive Officer or nominee;

Co-opted Members

  1. A member Co-opted by the Chair of Standing Committee on the recommendation of the Standing Committee where necessary to ensure diversity of the membership of the Standing Committee consistent with clause (7).

Membership Term and Selection, Co-opted Members and Vacancies 

Membership eligibility

(4) At any given time, a person can only be eligible to be a member of the Standing Committee (or an elector for members of the Standing Committee) in one category of membership as below:

  1. A Member invited by Council (includes either a person who is or has been a UNE Council member or a person invited by Council to be a member of Convocation), will only be eligible for membership of the Standing Committee of Convocation as a ‘Member invited by Council’ (regardless of whether they were also an academic or professional staff member or graduate);
  2. A current or former academic staff member (who is not eligible for election as a current or former Council Member) may only nominate for membership of the Standing Committee of Convocation as an academic staff member (regardless of whether they also undertake professional staff work, or are a graduate);
  3. A current or former professional staff member (who is not eligible as either a current or former Council Member or a current or former academic staff member) may only nominate for membership of the Standing Committee of Convocation as a professional staff member (regardless of whether they are also a graduate); 
  4. A graduate, who is not eligible for election as a current or former academic or professional staff, may be eligible to nominate for membership of the Standing Committee of Convocation as a graduate member;
  5. For the avoidance of doubt, any member of Convocation may nominate for election as the Chair of Convocation and all members may vote in the election for the Chair of Convocation.

Nominations for Membership

(5) Nominations for membership of the Standing Committee will be open for 3 weeks and called for by:

  1. email to all staff and all alumni or former staff or Council members for whom UNE has current details;
  2. email to persons who register to attend Convocation meetings; and
  3. postings on UNE official social media and news webpages.

(6) All nominees for membership and members of Standing Committee of Convocation agree to uphold the UNE Code of Conduct and Complete a Fit and Proper Person Form.

Gender representation and diversity objectives 

(7) Membership should comply with the Gender Representation on Decision Making and Advisory Committees Policy but more broadly, and to the greatest extent reasonably practicable, reflect other dimensions of the diversity of UNE Convocation.  The Chair should ensure that the deliberations of the Group draw as fully as possible on the diversity of the Group.

Elections

(8) Elections to Standing Committee of Convocation will be held every 2 years, and approximately six months before a member term is due to conclude;

(9) A Notice of Election and request to register to vote will be open for 3 weeks and supported by:

  1. email to all staff and all graduates or former staff and Council members/invited members of Convocation for whom UNE has current details;
  2. email to all members of Convocation who register to attend Convocation meetings; and 
  3. postings on UNE official social media and news webpages.

(10) Nominees for election and persons registering to vote will be asked to confirm which category of membership they fall into and provide permission for UNE to email them to vote.

(11) Voting will be open for 3 weeks and will be via secret ballot using a UNE approved tool. Members with the most votes within the relevant category or subcategory of membership will be elected.

(12) The University Secretary is the Returning Officer for elections and may appoint one or more Deputy Returning Officer(s).

Membership Term

(13) Members of the Standing Committee of Convocation will be appointed for a 2-year term and may be subject to reappointment up to a maximum of 3 terms of service.

  1. To avoid a complete change in membership after the first term of office, in the first election only, the terms for candidates will be staggered with the person(s) with the highest votes in the category being elected for a two-year term and the person with the next highest votes be elected for a one-year term.

(14) A membership position becomes vacant if a Committee member:

  1. is absent for two consecutive ordinary meetings of the Committee without leave of the Committee; or 
  2. absent for four consecutive ordinary meetings of the Committee; or 
  3. the member is subject to a successful motion that they be removed due to a breach of the UNE Code of Conduct; or 
  4. resigns.

(15) In the event of a vacancy, and on the recommendation of the Committee, the Chair may co-opt a member of Convocation to fill a vacancy.

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Section 3 - Standing Committee of Convocation Functions

(16) The Standing Committee of Convocation has the following functions:

  1. Approval functions: Nil
    1. For avoidance of doubt the Standing Committee of Convocation is an advisory body.
  2. Advisory Functions:
    1. To advise the Chair of Convocation on the business and procedures of Convocation; and 
    2. To advise the Chair of Convocation in regards to the proposals submitted by members of Convocation for consideration and in regards to the agenda of a meeting of Convocation.
  3. Communication Functions:
    1. The Chair of Standing Committee of Convocation will:
      1. communicate to Council the proposals of the meeting of Convocation endorsed for submission to Council; and 
      2. communicate with members of Convocation (in relation to meetings and agendas of Convocation), proposals to Council and any responses from the Council to proposals.
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Section 4 - Protocols for Standing Committee of Convocation

Meetings

(17) The Standing Committee of Convocation will meet up to four times per year.  The Standing Committee of Convocation may transact routine or administrative business via flying minute.

Quorum 

(18) A quorum is a majority of the total number of members of the Standing Committee.

(19) A decision of the Standing Committee of Convocation requires a simple majority of support of the Committee members.

Circulation of minutes

(20) Minutes of the meetings of the Standing Committee of Convocation will be circulated to members as soon as possible after the meeting and the Chair of Convocation will make a report of the business of the Standing Committee to members of Convocation.

Secretary 

(21) The University Secretary and/or nominee will act as secretary and provide administrative support to the Chair including preparing minutes, attendance and membership records and be responsible for recordkeeping consistent with the UNE Records Management Rule.

Authority and Compliance

(22) The establishment of these terms of reference is consistent with Section 14(7) of the University of New England Act 1993 (NSW) which provides that “The Council may establish a Standing Committee or such other committees of Convocation as it considers necessary”.

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Section 5 - Definitions and interpretation 

(23) Words and phrases used in this document have the following meanings, unless the context requires otherwise:

  1. Convocation has the form as set out in section 14 of the University of New England Act 1993 (NSW) and the functions as set out in By-law 16 of the University of New England By-law 2005 (NSW).
  2. Graduate is a person who has completed the requirements for a course and has had their award conferred on them by the University Council.
  3. UNE Act means the University of New England Act 1993 (NSW).
  4. UNE By-law means the University of New England By-law 2005.

(24) Section 14(1) of the University of New England Act 1993 (NSW) provides that the members of Convocation include:

  1. the graduates of the University;
  2. the members and past members of the Council of the University;
  3. the present and past full-time members of the academic staff of the University and other such members or classes of members of the staff of the University as the by-laws may prescribe;
  4. such graduates of other universities or other persons as are in accordance with the by-laws, admitted as members of convocation.

(25) By-law 16 of the University of New England By-law 2005 provides that the following are prescribed as members of Convocation for the purposes of section 14(1) of the University of New England Act 1993 (NSW):

  1. staff whose period of service with the University is at least 12 months;
  2. staff who are invited by the Council to be a member of Convocation or who are part of a group of staff that is invited by the Council to be a member of Convocation; and 
  3. such persons whom the Council considers to have given outstanding service to the University or to be specifically qualified to advance the interests of the University; and 
  4. such persons may only be admitted as members of Convocation by Council resolution.