View Current

Medals and Executive Dean's Awards Policy

This is not a current document. To view the current version, click the link in the document's navigation bar.

Section 1 - Purpose

(1) This policy states the requirements of Charles Sturt University (the University) for recognising students’ academic achievement by awarding the Charles Sturt Medal, University Medals and the Executive Dean’s Awards.

(2) This policy ensures that students’ academic achievements are recognised and celebrated in a manner that is fair, consistent and aligned with the University’s values.

Scope

(3) This policy applies to staff and students of the University, including students enrolled in courses delivered in partnership with third parties.

References

(4) Where supporting documents are referenced in this policy, they will be listed in the associated information tab.

Top of Page

Section 2 - Glossary

(5) For the purposes of this policy, the following terms have the definitions stated:

  1. Academic year – means the period from the start of the first session to the end of the last session in the University’s annual cycle of teaching. All subjects with the same year in their term, offering or session code are considered to be sessions in the same academic year, regardless of their start or end date.
  2. Coursework course – means a course leading to a qualification at Australian Qualifications Framework level 8 or below, or a master’s course with no research component or with a research component weighted at less than 66% of the total credit points required to complete the course. Coursework courses lead to the award of an undergraduate certificate, undergraduate diploma, associate degree, bachelor degree, bachelor (honours) degree, graduate certificate, graduate diploma, or a master by coursework.
  3. Grade point average – means a student’s average grade over a defined study period, based on the calculations stated in the Assessment Policy.
  4. Higher degree by research course – a course leading to a qualification at Australian Qualifications Framework level 9 or level 10 in which a research component makes up 66% or more of the course volume of learning. Higher degree by research courses lead to the award of a master by research, professional doctorate or doctor of philosophy.
  5. Integrated bachelor (honours) degree – means a degree in which a bachelor and bachelor (honours) are combined as a single course.
Top of Page

Section 3 - Policy

University Medals

(6) University Medals are awarded to eligible graduating students to recognised outstanding academic achievement.

(7) The following table states the types of University Medals, the numbers of these awarded each year, the eligibility criteria and who awards the medal.

Medal type Number awarded each year Eligibility criteria Awarded by
Undergraduate University Medal No limit
The student must:
  1. be graduating from a Charles Sturt University bachelor degree or an integrated bachelor (honours) degree course;
  2. have completed at least 64 points of their study for the course at the University; and
  3. have achieved a grade point average of 6.75 or higher.
Executive dean or delegate
Postgraduate University Medal
No limit
The student must:
  1. be graduating from a Charles Sturt University master by coursework or master by coursework and dissertation course;
  2. have completed at least 64 points of their study for the course at the University; and
  3. have achieved a grade point average of 6.75 or higher.
Executive dean or delegate
Bachelor (Honours) University Medal
Up to one per faculty per year
The student must:
  1. be graduating from a Charles Sturt University bachelor (honours) course of any duration (including integrated honours);
  2. have completed at least 64 points of their study for the course at the University;
  3. have achieved class 1 honours and at least one examiner of the graduand’s thesis or dissertation must have recommended a mark of 90% or higher; and
  4. have the faculty’s highest mark for their thesis or dissertation.
Executive dean or delegate
Higher Degree by Research University Medal
Up to one per faculty per year for a master by research graduand
Up to one per faculty per year for a doctoral graduand
The University Research Committee will determine the eligibility and assessment criteria, which may include details of publications or presentations given during the candidature, prizes or scholarships won during the candidature or attestations of excellence by the examiners.
Deputy Vice-Chancellor (Research and Engagement) or delegate

(8) The executive dean or Deputy Vice-Chancellor (Research and Engagement) may seek approval from Academic Senate to award more medals in a given year than what is stated in the table at clause 7.

(9) Where an eligible graduand is from a course taught by more than one faculty, such as a double degree or a degree with a major taught by a school in a different faculty, they will only be awarded one University Medal by the faculty that manages the course.

(10) Where a graduand would otherwise meet the criteria for an Undergraduate, Postgraduate or Bachelor (Honours) University Medal but is found to have committed misconduct at any time during their enrolment, the executive dean will consider this and may decide to withhold the medal.

(11) The Student Misconduct Rule 2020 authorises an executive dean to see any misconduct finding against a student enrolled in a course offered by their faculty so that this can be considered in any decision about university or faculty prizes.

(12) Where the recipient of a University Medal is later found to have committed academic misconduct during their studies for the relevant course, the Provost and Deputy Vice-Chancellor (Academic) or the Deputy Vice-Chancellor (Research and Engagement) may decide to withdraw the award and the graduate will be required to return the medal.

Charles Sturt Medal

(13) The Charles Sturt Medal is awarded annually to one coursework student from each faculty, and recognises both academic achievement and public service consistent with the University’s motto ‘for the public good’.

(14) Recipients for a Charles Sturt Medal must:

  1. have graduated or be eligible to graduate from an undergraduate or postgraduate coursework course in the relevant calendar year;
  2. have received or be eligible to receive an Undergraduate, Postgraduate, or Bachelor (Honours) University medal in the relevant calendar year; and
  3. demonstrate a significant commitment to the public good.

(15) One Charles Sturt Medal per faculty per year will be awarded by Academic Senate.

(16) Where a graduate has received a Charles Sturt Medal and is later found to have committed academic misconduct during their studies for the relevant course, Academic Senate may decide to withdraw the award and the student will be required to return the medal.

Executive Dean’s Awards

(17) Each faculty will issue Executive Dean’s Awards to eligible continuing or graduating students to recognise outstanding achievement in coursework courses.

(18) Students are eligible for an Executive Dean’s Award where they complete a minimum of 32 points of subjects in an academic year with a grade point average of 6.0 or higher (or H1 grade for any honours dissertation or thesis subject) for the subjects contributing to the point calculation.

(19) The Medals and Executive Dean’s Awards Procedure provides further information on how eligibility for the Executive Dean’s Award is calculated.

(20) The executive dean of a faculty may decide to award an Executive Dean's Award to higher degree by research students who meet the eligibility criteria in their coursework subjects, or to any student in their faculty they determine merits the award.

(21) An executive dean may decide not to issue an award to a student who meets the eligibility criteria but has been found to have committed academic or general misconduct during the year or session the subjects were completed; or for any reasons that the executive dean considers sufficient to withhold the award.

(22) The Student Misconduct Rule 2020 authorises an executive dean to see any misconduct finding against a student enrolled in a course offered by their faculty so that this can be considered in any decision about university or faculty prizes.

(23) The executive dean may decide to withdraw an award if the student is later found to have committed academic or general misconduct during the academic year or session(s) the subjects contributing to the award eligibility were completed. In such cases, the award will be removed from the student’s record and any publication of award recipients, and the student will be required to return the award.

Presentation of medals and awards

(24) Undergraduate and Postgraduate University Medals will be presented to graduating students at their graduation ceremony or in absentia, depending on how they have chosen to graduate.

(25) Higher Degree by Research, Bachelor (Honours) and Charles Sturt Medals will normally be presented at the end of year graduation ceremonies or in absentia. However, recipients may elect to receive their medal at a graduation ceremony in the following year, see the Medals and Executive Dean’s Awards Procedure.

(26) The Medals and Executive Dean’s Awards Procedure provides information on the presentation of Executive Dean’s Awards.

Australian Higher Education Graduation Statement (AHEGS)

(27) Charles Sturt Medals, University Medals, and Executive Dean’s Awards will be recorded on the student’s Australian Higher Education Graduation Statement (AHEGS) once they have graduated from the course:

  1. for which they received the University Medal; and/or
  2. in which they completed the subjects for which they received the Executive Dean’s Award.

(28) Where a University Medal or Executive Dean’s Award is withdrawn by the executive dean because the student is found to have committed misconduct, the medal or award will be removed from the student’s record and a new AHEGS will be issued.

Appeals

(29) An appeal can only be made on the basis that:

  1. there is evidence that there has been a failure to provide procedural fairness in a decision to award a medal or award; or
  2. decisions have been made on the basis of incorrect or missing data, such as late results.

(30) Appeals against decisions regarding University Medals, Charles Sturt Medals or Executive Dean’s Awards may be submitted to the University Ombudsman following the processes in the Complaints Procedure - Students.

Top of Page

Section 4 - Procedure

(31) See the Medals and Executive Dean’s Awards Procedure.

Top of Page

Section 5 - Guidelines

(32) Nil.