(1) This Rule is the Election of Staff to Academic Governance Committees Rule 2024. (2) This Rule commences on 12 March 2024 under resolution CNL190/11. (3) The purpose of this Rule is to set out the process for election of academic staff and general staff to Charles Sturt University (the University) academic governance committees. (4) This Rule does not apply to: (5) This rule is made under the authority granted to the council under section 32 of the Charles Sturt University Act 1989. (6) Nil. (7) The notes in the text of this Rule do not form part of this Rule (8) Headings do not form part of this Rule. (9) The University Secretary or their nominee is the Returning Officer for all elections conducted under this procedure. (10) The decision of the Returning Officer is final on a matter concerning: (11) To enable the Returning Officer to conduct an election, the Returning Officer may make use of such assistance as that officer considers appropriate. For that purpose, the Returning Officer may appoint at least one Deputy Returning Officer to assist in the conduct of the election. (12) For the purposes of this Rule, the Returning Officer may authorise a Deputy Returning Officer appointed under clause 5 to exercise any specified function of the Returning Officer under this Rule. A function exercised by a Deputy Returning Officer is taken to have been exercised or performed by the Returning Officer. (13) The Returning Officer must keep (14) A person who fulfils the qualifications to have their name and address entered on the roll of academic staff electors and the roll of general staff electors is eligible to participate in an election. (15) The Returning Officer must remove from a roll of electors the name and address of a person on being satisfied that the person is no longer eligible to have their name and address entered on that roll. (16) Nothing in this Rule prevents the Returning Officer transferring a person's name and address from one roll of electors to another if the person is eligible to have their name and address entered on that other roll. (17) The qualification for a person to be eligible as a candidate for election as an academic staff member of a committee is that the person's name is currently entered on the relevant roll of academic staff electors at the close of nominations for the election. (18) The qualification for a person to be eligible as a candidate for election as a general staff member of a committee is that the person's name is currently entered on the relevant roll of general staff electors at the close of nominations for the election. (19) An academic staff member whose name is currently entered on the relevant roll of academic staff electors at the close of nominations for the election is qualified to vote in an election for an academic staff member of the relevant committee. (20) A general staff member whose name is currently entered on the relevant roll of general staff electors at the close of nominations for the election is qualified to vote in an election for a general staff member of the relevant committee. (21) The term of office of a person elected as an academic staff member or a general staff member of a committee shall be as determined by the committee's terms of reference. (22) The manner of filling casual vacancies shall be as determined by the committee's terms of reference. (23) The Returning Office shall determine how an election is to be conducted. (24) Should the Returning Officer determine to hold an election via an electronic voting platform, the voting platform must: (25) An election to elect the academic and general staff members of a committee is to be conducted by using a compulsory preferential system of voting. (26) When conducting an election the following timetable will be followed: (27) When an election is necessary to elect members of a committee the Returning Officer must publish the notice of election in such manner as the Returning Officer considers appropriate, such as by use of the University website or noticeboards. The date that the notice of election is first published by the Returning Officer is deemed to be the date that the notice of election is published as required by this Rule. (28) A notice of election must: (29) A person may self-nominate as a candidate for election. (30) A nomination form must be completed and must be lodged with the Returning Officer before the time fixed for nominations to close. (31) A candidate may provide a written statement of not more than 150 words. The statement may specify: (32) The Returning Officer has the right to edit the statement and will distribute the statement with each ballot paper. (33) The Returning Officer must reject a completed nomination form that does not comply with this clause or if the candidate is not eligible for election. If the Returning Officer rejects a nomination form then they will advise the candidate of this. If the date and time for nominations to be received has not closed, the Returning Officer will invite the candidate to resubmit a new nomination form, provided that candidate is eligible for election. (34) A candidate may also provide a photograph of themselves to accompany their statement, a photograph that includes any University badging will be rejected by the Returning Officer. (35) If the number of candidates nominated for an election is not more than the number of vacancies to be filled, the Returning Officer must declare the candidate or candidates to be elected. (36) If the number of candidates nominated for an election is more than the number of vacancies to be filled, the Returning Officer must conduct a ballot to fill the vacancies. (37) If there are no valid nominations for election to a position on a committee, the position is to be filled by an eligible person in a manner to be determined by the committee. (38) All ballot papers must specify the names of the candidates. (39) The Returning Officer will determine randomly the order of candidates on the ballot paper. (40) An election is not invalid if at the time when nominations for the election close or on polling day, the name of a person who is entitled to have their name entered on a roll is omitted from that roll. (41) An election is not invalid if a person whose name is on a roll did not receive a ballot paper or did not see a notice of election. (42) An election is not invalid if: (43) An election is not invalid if the Returning Officer was unable to comply with the Timing of elections as referred to in clause 26. (44) Each candidate for election is entitled to nominate one scrutineer to be present at any counting of votes. If a candidate chooses to nominate a scrutineer they must do so two working days before the close of voting. (45) A person is qualified to be appointed as a scrutineer only if the person is a member of the academic staff or general staff of the University. (46) A candidate for election is not eligible to be appointed as a scrutineer at the election. (47) It is the responsibility of each scrutineer to attend at the scheduled time and date of counting of votes. The Returning Officer may proceed with counting of votes and compilation of results at the scheduled time and date regardless of whether a person appointed as scrutineer is in attendance. (48) Scrutineers are entitled to raise objections to the conduct of the count and the compilation of results, including raising questions, but must otherwise follow the directions of the Returning Officer at all times. Failure to do so may result in their exclusion from the counting room. (49) This clause applies to the following persons concerned with the conduct of an election: (50) A person to whom this clause applies must not disclose, or assist another person to disclose, any information as to how any particular elector has voted at an election. (51) As soon as practicable after the closing of polling at an election, the Returning Officer and those appointed by the Returning Officer to assist with the conduct of the election must, in the presence of such of the scrutineers as choose to be present, examine the ballot papers cast at the election. (52) The Returning Officer must reject any informal ballot paper and count the formal ballot papers. (53) If, before the declaration of the poll for an election, a candidate at the election dies, or becomes no longer eligible for election, the election is to proceed as if: (54) Counting of votes will be conducted in accordance with the optional preferential system for the distribution of preferences. A candidate is successful if they receive an absolute majority of votes. In this clause, "absolute majority of votes" means a number greater than one half of the total number of formal non-exhausted ballot papers counted. (55) If, at the stage when only two continuing candidates remain, those candidates have an equal number of votes, the Returning Officer must determine by lot which of them must be elected. The determination by lot is to be conducted as follows: (56) The candidate so elected is taken to have received an additional vote. (57) Nothing in this Rule affects the terms of office of those persons who, immediately before the commencement of this Rule were members of an academic governance committee. (58) Nil.Election of Staff to Academic Governance Committees Rule 2024
Section 1 - Preliminary
Name of this Rule
Commencement
Purpose
Scope
Authority
Glossary
Notes and headings
Section 2 - Rule
University Secretary to be Returning Officer
Rolls of electors to be kept
(Note: by virtue of clauses 9(2) and 49C of the Charles Sturt University By-law 1995 (as amended) and University Council resolution CNL99/77 a person eligible for inclusion on the roll of academic staff electors if they are appointed to a full-time academic staff position of, or above, the rank of associate lecturer where "full-time" includes a fractional position of 0.5 or greater.)
(Note: by virtue of clauses 9(3) and 49C of the Charles Sturt University By-law 1995 (as amended) and University Council resolution CNL99/77 a person eligible for inclusion on the roll of general staff electors if they are appointed to a full-time general staff position where "full-time" includes a fractional position of 0.5 or greater.)Qualification for candidates
Qualifications for vote at election
Terms of office of elected members
How election is to be conducted
Timing of election
Returning Officer to notify holding of election
Information to be given in notice of election
How candidates for election may be nominated
Procedure after close of nominations
Requirements for ballot papers
Election not invalidated because of certain errors
Candidate may appoint a scrutineer
Officers not to disclose how electors voted
Procedure after close of poll
If a candidate dies or is ineligible for election
Determination of election result
Transitional
Section 3 - Schedules and Associated Information
Section 4 - Document Context
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Compliance drivers
N/A
Review requirements
As per the Policy Framework Policy.
Document class
Governance