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'Indigenous Board of Studies' - Membership and Terms of Reference

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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.

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Section 2 - Glossary

(4) For the purpose of this document:

  1. Board – means the Indigenous Board of Studies.
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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. Two School of Indigenous Australian Studies academic staff at Level B or above (nominated members)
  3. Two Indigenous Australian academic staff at Level B or above (or their nominated delegate) from each of the Faculties (nominated members)
  4. An Indigenous student enrolled in a course of the University (nominated member)
  5. Academic Lead (First Nations Curriculum) (ex officio member)
  6. Sub-Dean, Learning Technology and Delivery (ex officio member)

(6) Right of audience and debate will be granted to the following:

  1. Chair, Academic Senate
  2. Executive Dean, Faculty of Arts and Education
  3. Indigenous academics at Level A
  4. Academic staff of the School of Indigenous Australian Studies at any level who are not members
  5. The Board may invite a course director, subject convenor or subject coordinator, head of school or associate dean to attend for specific agenda items.
  6. The Board may invite other staff or students to attend for specific agenda items or to observe the Board.

(7) Administrative support will be provided by the Administration Officer, School of Indigenous Australian Studies.

(8) 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.

Terms of office

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

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

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Section 4 - Functions and responsibilities

Member responsibilities

(11) 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.
Note: The classification of these subjects must have been approved by the Board before they are submitted to Faculty Courses Committee meetings for consideration.

Advisory role

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

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Section 5 - Meetings

Quorum

(13) A quorum is half plus one of the full membership of the Board.

Meetings

(14) The Board will meet 12 times a year.

(15) In order to provide feedback and allow sufficient time for any changes, meetings will be held at least 10 days before the relevant Faculty Courses Committee meetings.

(16) In exceptional circumstances, the Chair may make a decision on behalf of the Board or use flying minutes to enable the board to make timely decisions. Such decisions will be presented for ratification at the following meeting of the Board.

Agendas and minutes

(17) Agendas are circulated to the Board one week prior to the Board meeting.

(18) Minutes of the Board meeting are circulated to Board members. Minutes of the meeting are reported to the University Courses Committee.

(19) Agendas and minutes of the Board are published on the appropriate University webpage to inform the Academic Senate and University community generally.

Conflicts of interest

(20) 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

(21) Changes to these terms of reference and membership must be approved by the Academic Senate.