• Section 1 - Establishment
• Background
• Purpose
• Section 2 - Glossary
• Section 3 - Membership
• Alternate student member
• Alternate chair
• Terms of office
• Section 4 - Functions and responsibilities
• Member responsibilities
• Advisory role
• Section 5 - Meetings
• Quorum
• Meetings
• Agendas and minutes
• Conflicts of interest
• Variations

Section 1 - Establishment

(1) Academic Senate established the Indigenous Board of Studies on 3 December 2008 (AS 08/156) on the recommendation of the Director, Centre for Indigenous Studies as a sub-committee of the Academic Programs Committee. The Academic Senate approved that the Indigenous Board of Studies would be a sub-committee of the Curriculum, Learning and Teaching Committee on 9 March 2011 (AS 11/14). Following disestablishment of the Curriculum, Learning and Teaching Committee by the Academic Senate on 21 November 2018 (AS 18/127), the Academic Senate approved that the Indigenous Board of Studies would be a sub-committee of the University Courses Committee on 3 July 2019 (AS 19/67).

Background

(2) Charles Sturt University (the University) has a responsibility to ensure good governance of its teaching and learning activities. These responsibilities must align with the University's regulatory obligations under the Higher Education Standards Framework (Threshold Standards) 2021.

Purpose

(3) The purpose of the Indigenous Board of Studies is to advise on Indigenous Australian content in undergraduate programs of the University and development of Indigenous programs.

Section 2 - Glossary

(4) For the purpose of this document:

1. Board – means the Indigenous Board of Studies.

Section 3 - Membership

(5) The members of the board will be the following:

1. Head, School of Indigenous Australian Studies (chair) (ex officio member)
2. Pro Vice-Chancellor (Learning and Teaching) or nominee (ex officio member)
3. Two School of Indigenous Australian Studies academic staff at Level A or above, nominated by the Head, School of Indigenous Australian Studies.
4. Two academic staff at Level B or above (Indigenous Australian where possible) from each of the faculties, nominated by the executive dean.
5. An Indigenous student enrolled in a course of the University nominated by the Student Senate in consultation with the Chair, Indigenous Board of Studies.

(6) The chair may grant to any staff member of the University, the right of audience and debate for a specified period of time.

(7) The chair, in consultation with the chair of the University Courses Committee, is responsible for inducting and overseeing the ongoing professional learning of members of the board.

Alternate student member

(8) The Student Senate may nominate an alternate Indigenous student member to attend meetings of the Indigenous Board of Studies at which the nominated student member is unable to attend.

Alternate chair

(9) In the event the chair is unable to attend a meeting, they may appoint an acting chair from the list of members identified in clause 5b-d. 

Terms of office

(10) Nominated members of the board will hold office for a two-year term.

(11) The Head, School of Indigenous Australian Studies will nominate academic staff of the school at Level A or above as members of the board on a rotating basis.

Section 4 - Functions and responsibilities

Member responsibilities

(12) Members of the board shall have responsibility for:

1. guiding processes for developing, designing and approving Indigenous Australian content,
2. approving the classification of subjects as Indigenous Australian content, including the following as defined in the Indigenous Australian Content in Courses and Subjects Policy:
   1. Indigenous Australian studies
   2. hybrid Indigenous Australian studies
   3. discipline-specific Indigenous Australian studies
3. periodically monitoring the subject outlines of subjects classified as Indigenous Australian studies, discipline‐specific or hybrid Indigenous Australian studies, and subject outlines of other subjects that contain Indigenous Australian content,
4. giving formal advice to Executive Deans and Faculty Courses Committees about proposed changes to Indigenous Australian content including subjects, modules, teaching and learning activities, assessment tasks, assessment processes, benchmarking and resources, and
5. giving informal advice to course and subject design teams designing Indigenous Australian content.

Advisory role

(13) The board will advise on the inclusion of Indigenous Australian content in undergraduate programs of the University and development of Indigenous programs.

Section 5 - Meetings

Quorum

(14) A quorum for a meeting will be the chair plus three members of the committee.

Meetings

(15) The board will meet a minimum of 5 times a year and report outcomes of meetings to the University Courses Committee.

(16) The chair may convene additional meetings if required.

(17) Meetings will be published by the Office of Governance and Corporate Administration in an annual schedule of meetings, approved by the Academic Senate.

Agendas and minutes

(18) Agendas and minutes for the meetings of the board will be prepared by the Office of Governance and Corporate Administration.

Conflicts of interest

(19) Where a member has a perceived or material conflict of interest, they must declare this to the chair and at the board meeting before the item of business is discussed.

Variations

(20) Changes to these terms of reference and membership must be approved by the University Courses Committee.