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Protocols Procedure - Portraits

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Section 1 - Purpose

(1) This procedure supports the Protocols Policy.

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Section 2 - Glossary

(2) Nil.

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Section 3 - Policy

(3) See Protocols Policy

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Section 4 - Procedure

(4) The University Secretary will commission official portraits of senior officers of the University, in accordance with the Protocols Policy.

Artist and style

(5) The University Secretary will decide the artist to be commissioned on behalf of the Council.

(6) In making their decision, the University Secretary will consult with the sitter, the Chancellor, the University art curator and such other persons as may be appropriate.

Funding

(7) Official portraits of the Vice-Chancellor and President will be funded from the Jack McDonough Endowment Fund under the rules established for the administration of that fund, with supplementation by the Division of Finance if required.

(8) Other official portraits, when approved, may be funded from funds specifically identified by the Vice-Chancellor.

Specifications

(9) Official portraits must meet the following specifications:

  1. Medium - the portrait may be in any medium approved by the University Secretary  
  2. Size - the visible canvas dimensions of the portrait must be:
    1. 1m wide by 1.25m long for the Chancellor or Vice-Chancellor and President, or
    2. 0.9m wide by 1m long for the Deputy Chancellor.
  3. Frame - the frame must be consistent with other portraits of the relevant officeholder and must be approved by the University Secretary prior to framing.
  4. Presentation of sitter - as an official portrait of the holder of an office, the sitter:
    1. should be formally dressed in ceremonial or academic robes (trencher, mortarboard or bonnet is optional), and
    2. should be in a seated position, consistent with the other official portraits.

(10) The sitter will wear:

  1. the ceremonial dress of their office, if one is described for that office in Protocols schedule - Academic and ceremonial dress, in preference to any other academic or official robes, or
  2. where the sitter holds an academic position or otherwise holds academic qualifications (including non-academic members of staff), the academic dress to reflect their award(s).

(11) The University Secretary will provide direction to the artist regarding the commission and specifications and for determining whether any study or draft portrait conforms to the specifications.

Other elements

(12) Portraits may, at the discretion of the artist, include any or all of the following elements:

  1. the University flag,
  2. the University mace,
  3. the University Indigenous message stick,
  4. the University's coat of arms.

Signature and plaque

(13) The artist will clearly sign and date the facing side of the canvas or photograph.

(14) Each portrait will be delivered with a plaque inset at the bottom centre of the frame, inscribed with:

  1. the sitter's full name, any honours received and post-nominals,
  2. the relevant office held at the University and the date of office,
  3. the artist's name and the medium, and
  4. if the portrait was funded from a special fund or bequest, the name of the fund or bequest.

(15) The University Secretary will provide the above information to the artist where required.

Other works

(16) The Council may request that the University Secretary commission a portrait of other distinguished members of the University community. The specifications for the work will be determined by the Council at the time of the request, however, it is expected that all portraits are consistent with the specifications set out above.

Locations

(17) All official University portraits will be located in the Grange Chancellery. The University Secretary may select portraits to be located in other locations, such as a campus library or other building, where there is insufficient room in the Grange Chancellery and may direct the portraits to be rotated.

(18) The University Secretary will maintain a list of official portraits as new portraits are added to the University collection.

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Section 5 - Guidelines

(19) Nil.