• Section 1 - Purpose
• Scope
• Section 2 - Glossary
• Section 3 - Policy
• Part A - Principles
• Part B - Order of Flags
• Part C - Head of Campus
• Part D - Half-Masting
• Part E - Honours
• Part F - Responsibilities of Division of Facilities Management
• Part G - Responsibilities of University Secretary
• Section 4 - Procedures
• Section 5 - Guidelines

Section 1 - Purpose

(1) This aim of this Policy is to ensure consistency in the standards for the display and use of Charles Sturt University's Official Flag and other flags within the University.

Scope

(2) This Policy applies to the display of flags in all areas of the University.

Section 2 - Glossary

(3) In this Policy, unless the contrary intention appears:

1. Act - means the Charles Sturt University Act 1989.
2. University Official Flag - means the Official Flag as described in the Governance (Official Emblems) Rule 2007.

Section 3 - Policy

Part A - Principles

(4) The following principles apply to the display flags on the University flag poles or facilities:

1. all flags must be treated with respect and dignity at all times;
2. flags must be flown, to the extent possible, consistent with the requirements in place in the country or locality where the flag is displayed;
3. flags should be raised no earlier than first light and should be lowered no later than dusk - it may only be flown at night when illuminated;
4. two flags will not be flown on the same flagpole;
5. the flag of one nation must never be flown above the flag of another nation;
6. only official and legally recognised University, National, State or Local Government flags may be flown from a University flagpole - flags without legal recognition and flags of unrecognised groups shall not be displayed on University flagpoles under any circumstances; and
7. flags must be flown otherwise in accordance with the Flags Protocols published by the Australian National Flags Association from time.

Part B - Order of Flags

(5) The order in which flags must be flown is set out in Appendix A.

(6) Where there is one flagpole on which to raise a flag, the University Official Flag will ordinarily be flown unless otherwise approved by the Head of Campus under this Policy.

(7) As a guide:

1. when the Australian National Flag is flown where there are two flagpoles, it should be flown on the flagpole to the left of the observer facing the flag;
2. when the University Official Flag is flown where there are two flagpoles, it should be flown on the flagpole to the right of the observer facing the flag; and
3. when there is more than one flagpole, the University Official Flag and Australian National Flag ordinarily take precedence (except on recognised national Indigenous dates where the Indigenous National Flag may fly from a single pole or the Indigenous National Flag and Torres Strait Islander Flag may fly from a series of two poles without the University Official Flag or Australian National Flag).

(8) The above guide applies to Charles Sturt University Ontario (except clause 7c) as though a reference to the Australian National Flag were a reference to the Canadian National Flag and otherwise in accordance with the order set out in Appendix A .

(9) In determining the direction from which an observer faces the flag:

1. where the flagpole is at the entrance to a campus or facility, the notional observer is a person entering the campus from the street at which the flagpole is located;
2. where the flagpole is in front of a building, the notional observer is a person facing the building; and
3. where the flagpole is not at an entrance to a campus or facility or outside a main building, the notional observer is a person approaching the flagpole as though walking in a straight line toward the flagpole from the main entrance to the campus or facility.

Part C - Head of Campus

(10) A Head of Campus may authorise the flying of flags with respect to their campus:

1. where an international or other delegation is attending a campus of the University (e.g. the flag of a foreign country or a United Nations body); and
2. where there is a special event of significance to a region (for example, the flag of a local government area).

(11) Where the Vice-Chancellor, Senior Executive, Dean, Head of School or other officer is hosting a delegation at a specific campus, a request should be made to the Head of Campus to arrange for the raising of the relevant national flag of the delegation (or other official flag as appropriate) as soon as possible. The Head of Campus will be responsible for organising the lowering and raising of the relevant flag through the nominated officer in the Division of Facilities Management on that campus (normally the security service on that campus). The order of flags should conform to that set out in Appendix A .

(12) An approval by a Head of Campus under this Part should not ordinarily be granted for a period greater than one week and the normal order of flags should be adopted.

Part D - Half-Masting

(13) The University Secretary has sole authority to approve the half-masting of flags in accordance with this Policy. In the absence of the University Secretary, the Head of Campus may exercise an authority of the University Secretary under this Part.

(14) The University Secretary may approve the half-masting of a flag in the following circumstances:

1. on an official and recognised national or State dates of remembrance (for example, 11 November); and
2. consistent with days of mourning relevant to the University in the relevant State, Territory or Country where the flag pole is located as requested by the Premier, Chief Minister, Prime Minister or other territorial leader.

(15) When any flag is displayed at half-mast, it is first raised to the peak of the mast for a moment and then lowered to half-mast. Before lowering for the night, it is raised again to the peak of the mast. When flown at 'half-mast', the flag should be positioned one-flag width down from the mast peak of the flag pole.

(16) The University Secretary will direct the half-masting of flags to mark the death of the following officeholders of the University for the respective time periods:

(17) The University will, on the date following the date of establishment of the University (19 July 1989) being the 20 July in each year (or where this date falls on a weekend the following work day after that date) direct the lowering of the University Official Flag and such other flags flown by the University on all campuses and facilities of the University to half-mast to commemorate students, graduates and staff (current and former) who have died in the preceding year.

(18) The University Secretary will publish a notice to staff advising them of the reasons for the half-masting as soon as reasonably possible.

Part E - Honours

(19) To mark the association of a former officeholder or eminent person with the University, the next of kin of a former Chancellor, Vice-Chancellor or Deputy Chancellor, member of the Order of the Companion of the University or a Doctor of the University, may request the University Secretary to provide a University Official Flag for display at a funeral or memorial service or to drape over the casket of the deceased.

(20) When draped over the casket, the top left quarter of the flag should be draped over the left corner of the casket. The flag should be removed before the casket is lowered into the grace or, at a crematorium, after the service.

(21) The Chancellor may, in exceptional circumstances, approve the honour under this Part for other distinguished and publicly recognised members of the University community.

Part F - Responsibilities of Division of Facilities Management

(22) The Executive Director, Division of Facilities Management is responsible for ensuring that all external flags displayed on each campus are in good order and condition at all times and are replaced from divisional funds as required. Faculties and other areas are responsible for maintaining from their own funds interior flags in their own areas.

(23) At a minimum, the Division of Facilities Management must maintain a complete set of flags at each main entrance to a campus (where provided). The University's policy is to have a stand of five flag poles at each main entrance to each campus of the University. Other flag poles on a campus may have flags raised as required.

(24) The Executive Director, Division of Facilities Management is responsible for designating officers on each campus as contact points for communications from the University Secretary and Head of Campus in relation to the raising and lowering of flags as required. The University Secretary and Head of Campus will provide sufficient advance notice, where possible, to the nominated contact person to allow for the raising or lowering of flags to occur without major disruption to ordinary work requirements.

Part G - Responsibilities of University Secretary

(25) The University Secretary is the custodian of the University Official Flag. The University Secretary will maintain an official supply of University Official Flags which may be ordered by University officers for display.

(26) To reduce cost and to ensure availability of the broadest range of flags for ceremonial purposes, the University Secretary will maintain a flag bank of international and other flags which may be borrowed by other areas of the University for temporary display during official visits or other events. The University Secretary will publish on the Intranet a list of available flags and the procedures for borrowing the flags.

Section 4 - Procedures

(27) Nil.

Section 5 - Guidelines

(28) Nil.