• Section 1 - Glossary
• Section 2 - Purpose of Residential Schools
• Section 3 - Administration of Residential Schools
• Section 4 - Notification of Residential Schools
• Section 5 - Approval and Review
• Section 6 - Scheduling of Residential schools
• Off-campus
• Off-shore Courses and Courses Offered Through Partnership Arrangements
• Cancellation
• Alterations
• Section 7 - Services
• Off-campus Residential Schools
• Residential Schools held outside of the standard residential school periods
• Section 8 - Student Responsibilities
• Section 9 - Office for Students and Residence Life

Section 1 - Glossary

(1) In this Policy:

1. Residential school - means any face-to-face teaching for online learning students, either on-campus or off-campus, residential or otherwise, which is specified in the course and subject profile (and detailed further in the subject outline for subject-based schools and in the approved course material stored in Course and Subject Information Management System (CASIMS) for a course-based school). Residential schools may be course-based or subject-based;
2. On-campus - means the main campuses of the University. For the time being the main campuses of the University are: Albury-Wodonga, Bathurst, Dubbo, Wagga Wagga, Port Macquarie and Orange; and
3. Off-campus - means any location in Australia, other than the main campuses, where the University conducts a residential school (for example: Sydney, Broken Hill etc).

Section 2 - Purpose of Residential Schools

(2) The purpose of a residential school is to achieve outcomes, in subjects or courses, that are not achievable elsewhere in online learning teaching or for other reasons cannot be addressed without face-to-face delivery.

(3) Residential schools involve pedagogical and administrative considerations which may include meeting course or subject outcomes or developing graduate qualities, social dimensions of learning and satisfying the requirements of professional bodies or other accrediting authorities.

(4) Charles Sturt University aims to provide a high quality service to students through providing educational experiences, including residential schools, that are:

1. fair, equitable and transparent;
2. student-centred;
3. system co-ordinated;
4. quality controlled; and
5. safe, including culturally safe, sensitive and appropriate.

Section 3 - Administration of Residential Schools

(5) Procedural and administrative matters relating to residential schools are coordinated and monitored by the Residential Schools Steering Committee that reports to the Curriculum, Learning and Teaching Committee of Academic Senate.

(6) The Presiding Officer of the Residential Schools Steering Committee, the Dean of Students is responsible for ensuring that residential schools enhance the educational experience of students, and that residential school procedures and administration is conducted appropriately.

Section 4 - Notification of Residential Schools

(7) Student notification of residential schools should align with the Academic Communication with Students Policy in that the objective should be to facilitate effective and timely communication and consultation between students and teaching staff in support of student learning and the student experience.

(8) The rationale for a residential school should be detailed in the subject outline for a subject-based residential school or the course outline for course-based residential schools.

(9) Details of residential schools should be included in material provided to prospective students (e.g. course brochures, enrolment information).

(10) In March of the preceding year, Faculties will notify Division of Student Administration of all residential schools for the following year.

(11) Following the Subject Availability List (SAL) amendments, the report is to be provided to the Dean of Students for dissemination to the committee.

(12) Once finalised, the committee shall report to the Dean of Students on all subjects with residential schools in the subsequent year. The Dean of Students shall disseminate the report to all stakeholders.

Section 5 - Approval and Review

(13) The approval of delivery methodologies of any subject or course, including the decision to offer residential schools, their duration and the activities to be included in those residential schools, shall be made by the Faculty Courses Committees at the time a subject or course profile is developed or is reviewed.

Section 6 - Scheduling of Residential schools

(14) Residential schools will be held during inter and intra session breaks as specified in the Principal Dates approved by the Academic Senate. The scheduling of residential schools on public holidays is not permitted. In addition, residential schools are not permitted to be held outside of the University's standard session dates. In exceptional cases where it is deemed necessary to hold a residential school outside of inter and intra session breaks, subsequent to the recommendation of the Head of School and approval by the Executive Dean of the Faculty, approval must be sought from the Dean of Students as presiding officer of the Residential Schools Steering Committee.

(15) First year residential schools shall not occur prior to the official start date for the course and residential school shall not occur over public holidays.

(16) Timetabling of residential schools should take into consideration student needs to minimise time away from home and wherever possible timetabling across public holiday should be avoided. Student feedback is to be sought in the timetabling of residential schools. It is recommended that academic staff timetable a two-hour time period that is free of teaching to enable students to access services such as the Library, Division of Student Administration etc.

(17) Changes to the duration of residential schools whilst the residential school is in progress shall not occur.

Off-campus

(18) If a compulsory residential school or a compulsory component of a residential school is conducted at an off-campus location in Australia then no additional cost, other than the normal travel and accommodation costs associated with attendance at the residential school, may be imposed upon students.

(19) The Faculty's shall be responsible for ensuring that other administrative costs associated with conducting the school (e.g. hire of facilities, staff accommodation and travel and teaching costs) shall be met.

Off-shore Courses and Courses Offered Through Partnership Arrangements

(20) Special conditions may be applied for face to face components in offshore courses and courses offered through partnership arrangements in partnership agreements.

Cancellation

(21) A residential school shall not be cancelled after students have been notified of its offering (i.e. after it is published online) unless the subject offering is cancelled.

(22) Should it be necessary to cancel a residential school, it must be approved by the Executive Dean of the Faculty on the recommendation of the Head of School.

Alterations

(23) A residential school cannot be altered in any way from that detailed in the subject outline or course outline unless the subject offering is cancelled. In exceptional circumstances, cancellation of the residential school must be approved by the Executive Dean on the recommendation of the Head of School. The Dean of Students is to be advised of all cancellations and shall be responsible for notifying essential services outside the Faculty. If a residential school is cancelled, the students should not be financially disadvantaged. Any change to the details of a residential school, such as the dates of the school, the hours of duration or location of the school, or any changes to the arrangements for the school as detailed in the current subject outline or course outline are likely to impact negatively upon the travel, accommodation, child care arrangements or other arrangements made by students in order to attend a residential school.

Section 7 - Services

(24) To provide the required level of service to online learning students, it is essential that appropriate services (e.g., as provided by Residence LifeResidence Life, Division of Student Administration, the Office for Students, Library and Division of Information Technology) are available during residential schools that are on-campus and within dates.

(25) Services that are to be made available on the weekends during residential schools that are on-campus and within dates including:

1. Student Central;
2. food and beverage outlets;
3. Student Liaison Officers; and
4. on-campus Residential Schools.

(26) The Office for Students is responsible for advising appropriate student services (e.g. audio visual services, teaching rooms, residential accommodation, library, gymnasium, bookshop, child care, IT access, catering, Division of Student Administration, Office for Students, and the cashier) of residential school information.

(27) The Office for Students is responsible for advising students of the range of services available during residential schools being held on-campus and within standard residential school periods. Such services will vary among campuses depending on campus infrastructure.

Off-campus Residential Schools

(28) The Faculty is responsible for providing access to appropriate services (e.g. audio visual services, teaching rooms, residential accommodation, library, child care, IT access, catering) for residential schools held off-campus.

(29) The Faculty is responsible for advising students of the range of services (e.g. audio visual services, teaching rooms, residential accommodation, library, child care, IT access, catering) available during residential schools being held off-campus.

Residential Schools held outside of the standard residential school periods

(30) The Faculty is responsible for providing appropriate services (e.g. audio visual services, teaching rooms, residential accommodation, library, child care, IT access, catering) during residential schools held outside of the standard residential school period.

(31) The Faculty is responsible for advising students of the range of services (e.g. audio visual services, teaching rooms, residential accommodation, library, child care, IT access, catering. Division of Student Administration, Office for Students, and the cashier) available during residential schools held outside of the standard residential school period.

Section 8 - Student Responsibilities

(32) Students that are required to attend a residential school are responsible for notifying Student Central of their inability to attend and should be directed to the completion of the Special Consideration form. Through this channel, students are also required to notify an essential service's which may have been booked previously including Residence Life.

Section 9 - Office for Students and Residence Life

(33) The Office for Students and Residence Life have a responsibility to ensure appropriate information, that is up to date and valid, is available online with regards to the services available during the residential school period.

(34) Where the residential school is being held off-campus, the Faculty is responsible for advising students on the range of services available.