• Section 1 - Establishment
• Background
• Purpose
• Section 2 - Glossary
• Section 3 - Membership
• Section 4 - Functions and responsibilities
• Committee responsibilities
• Advisory role and referral of matters
• Section 5 - Meetings
• Quorum
• Meetings
• Agendas and minutes
• Related expenses
• Conflicts of interest 
• Variations

Section 1 - Establishment

Background

(1) Charles Sturt University (the University) is required to exercise academic governance oversight of its learning and teaching activities, through the Academic Senate and its sub-committees. The duties of the University Learning and Teaching Committee shall apply to all matters associated with strategic initiatives and academic governance issues pertaining to the quality of learning and teaching in undergraduate and postgraduate coursework programs and policy.

Purpose

(2) The University Learning and Teaching Committee shall be the peak learning and teaching body responsible for oversight of learning and teaching quality in coursework programs within the University. It will provide advice to the Academic Senate on learning and teaching, policies, initiatives and innovation that promotes learning and teaching interests of the University and that fosters learning and teaching that is of the highest quality.

(3) In particular, the University Learning and Teaching Committee shall:

1. advise the Academic Senate on issues of policy and learning and teaching innovation; and
2. provide strategic leadership in learning and teaching matters including scholarship and staff professional development.

Section 2 - Glossary

(4) For the purpose of this document:

1. Committee - means the University Learning and Teaching Committee. 

Section 3 - Membership

(5) The membership of the committee is set out below:

1. Pro Vice-Chancellor (Learning and Teaching) (Chair).
2. Deputy Pro Vice-Chancellor (Learning and Teaching).
3. Provost and Deputy Vice-Chancellor (Academic) or nominee.
4. Deputy Vice-Chancellor (Students) or nominee.
5. Pro Vice-Chancellor (Indigenous Engagement).
6. Pro Vice-Chancellor (Community and Global Engagement).
7. Deputy Deans.
8. Associate Deans (Academic).
9. Sub Deans (Learning and Teaching).
10. Sub Deans (Workplace Learning).
11. Three school level academic staff members, one from each Faculty, elected by their Faculty. The Executive Dean, will nominate a staff member as a Faculty representative pending an election process to fill a vacancy. 
12. One staff member nominated by the Provost and Deputy Vice-Chancellor (Academic) in consultation with the Executive Deans and Pro Vice-Chancellor (Learning and Teaching), with expertise in learning and teaching.
13. One faculty professional/general team member with expertise in grade administration nominated by the Provost and Deputy Vice-Chancellor (Academic) in consultation with the Executive Deans.
14. Two student members nominated by the student body.

(6) Nominated and elected members of the committee will have terms of office of two years.

(7) To ensure continuity of committee operations, one half of the nominated and elected members shall initially serve for a term of one year, with all nominated and elected members subsequently serving for a term of two years.

Section 4 - Functions and responsibilities

Committee responsibilities

(8) The University Learning and Teaching Committee will:

1. oversee development and implementation of a framework to ensure learning and teaching quality in courses and subjects, including monitoring of staff levels of scholarly activity;
2. take a systematic overview of the quality of learning and teaching and providing recommendations to the Academic Senate on standards and measures of the quality of learning and teaching across all locations including third party arrangements;
3. identify and oversee risks and solutions associated with the quality of learning and teaching and academic standards across all locations, including third party arrangements, including endorsing or identifying actions and monitoring progress;
4. monitor compliance with the Higher Education Standards Framework (Threshold Standards) 2015 across all locations and receive and consider reports relevant to the Committee and ensure appropriate actions where required;
5. receive and consider annual reports on progression, attrition and completion of courses, including external benchmarking. These will include, at minimum, performance by:
   1. cohort, including Indigenous students; and
   2. location, including under third party arrangements. 
6. receive and review regular subject reports including method of assessment and grading, grade distributions, and student feedback by cohort and location;
7. oversee relevant policies and procedures and make recommendations to the Academic Senate or the Provost and Deputy Vice-Chancellor (Academic) in accordance with the Delegation Schedule 01 - Strategy and Policy Delegations, including but not limited to:
   1. the awarding of grades, assessment, benchmarking, learning resources, educational support, workplace learning, and all other aspects of learning and teaching;
   2. the management processes associated with student grievances, complaints and appeals relating to learning and teaching; and
   3. academic integrity and academic misconduct;
8. oversee workplace learning, placements and other community-based learning in all locations including third party arrangements;
9. receive and review regular reports on academic integrity and academic misconduct including allegations of misconduct, misrepresentation, fabrication, cheating, plagiarism, collusion and the misuse of intellectual property in all locations, including in third party arrangements;
10. receive and consider advice from Faculty Boards on learning and teaching policies, assessment practices,  procedures, issues and risks;
11. receive and consider subject Quality Assurance and Reflection System (QUASAR) reports from Faculty Assessment Committees/Faculty Boards; and
12. oversee delegations related to assessments and grade approvals (in the Delegation Schedule 09 - Academic and Course Delegations).

(9) The committee will receive and consider reports from Faculty Boards:

1. confirming that policy/procedure requirements have been met, especially in relation to the authority to approve final grades for subjects;
2. addressing Higher Education Standards Framework (Threshold Standards) 2015 including but not limited to responsibilities for orientation and progression, facilities and infrastructure, diversity and equity, learning resources and educational support (including the academic staffing profile), academic integrity, and monitoring review and improvement and delivery with other parties; and
3. identifying and responding to existing or emerging issues/risks and solutions.

Advisory role and referral of matters

(10) The committee shall advise the Academic Senate on all matters relating to the quality of learning and teaching and academic governance of the learning and teaching activities of the University.

(11) The committee may refer any item to the University Courses Committee, University Research Committee or Faculty Boards for discussion, consideration and/or action, and may refer relevant matters for action or noting to other committees or officers as appropriate.

Section 5 - Meetings

Quorum

(12) A quorum for a meeting of the committee shall be a majority of the membership: i.e., half of the entire membership, plus one. 

Meetings

(13) Meetings will be published by the Office of Governance and Corporate Affairs in an annual schedule of meetings, approved by the Academic Senate. Meetings are open to all members of the University.

Agendas and minutes

(14) Agendas and minutes for the meetings of the University Learning and Teaching Committee will be prepared by the Office of Governance and Corporate Affairs. 

Related expenses

(15) Nil.

Conflicts of interest 

(16) Where a member has a perceived or material conflict of interest, they must declare this to the Chair and at the committee meeting before the item of business is discussed. 

Variations

(17) Variations to the terms of reference and/or membership of the committee must be approved by the Academic Senate.