(1) The (name of School or College) School/College Board (hereinafter referred to as "the Board") shall conduct its meetings in accordance with these Standing Orders and the customary practice of the Board, subject to the University By-laws and Council resolutions. Customary practice here refers to the process by which the Board's business is conducted through a presiding member (normally the person referred to here as the Chair) and proceeds on the basis of resolution. More formal rules or standing orders, such as those described in Joske Law and Procedure at Meetings in Australia, 8th edition, Law Book Co, 1994, and other such publications, may be used as a general guide to the Chair. Members should note that in the conduct of Board meetings, all reasonable discretion is allowed to the presiding member. (2) The following Standing Orders shall be implemented by the Board and its Committees to facilitate the conduct of its business and, subject to the Standing Orders - the Academic Board and its Committees, may be varied by the Board from time to time, as appropriate. (3) Variations to School/College Standing Orders will be notified to the Secretary of Academic Board for ratification by the Academic Board. (4) A Board shall have the following membership: (5) Student representatives will normally be appointed through an electoral process determined by the Board. (6) As per clause 33 of the Rules for Academic Board and its Committees two or more School/College Boards may choose to meet or merge as a collective School/College Board. Where this occurs the membership in (a) above will include all full time and fractional (50% and above) academic staff of the respective School/College and at least one student representative per School/College Board. (7) The elected positions include: (8) The School/College may establish other elected positions from time to time. These could include chairs and members of Board sub-committees, such as a curriculum committee, standing committee, teaching and learning advisory committee or planning committee. (9) Nominations shall be called by email and/or other appropriate publication from the full-time and fractional (50% and above) academic staff in the School/College at Lecturer A level or above, who are currently employed. (10) Nominations in writing, including names of a proposer and seconder, and an indication of the candidate's willingness to stand, shall be submitted to the Head of School/College. (11) Nominations shall close two (2) weeks prior to the first meeting of the Board in alternate years. (12) The term of office of elected positions shall be as per the Rules of Academic Board and its Committees. (13) The Head of School/College, after appropriate consultation with members of the School/College, will appoint a Director of Research and a Director of Teaching and Learning. (14) The Secretary of the Board will act as returning officer in elections. (15) If from any cause, other than the expiration of the term of appointment, a vacancy occurs, that vacancy shall be a casual vacancy. (16) A casual vacancy shall be filled by a person elected from the constituency in which the vacancy occurred. (17) A person appointed to fill a casual vacancy shall hold office for the remainder of the term of office of the person's predecessor. (18) Where membership of the Board is by ex-officio position then any person appointed in writing to act in that position for a period which attracts a higher duties allowance, shall hold membership of the Board for the period so appointed. (19) The Board shall, through its procedures, composition and sub-committees strive to ensure effective equity of representation for all target groups under the University's Equal Employment Opportunity Management Plan. (20) The Chair of the Board shall convene the ordinary meetings of the Board. The Chair may convene a special meeting when the Chair considers it necessary in the interests of the School/College that the Board should meet, and shall convene a special meeting upon the written request of no less than twenty-five percent of members of the Board stating the business which they wish the Board to consider at such a meeting. (21) The Board shall meet not less than five times a year on dates determined by the Academic Board. (22) If the Chair is of the opinion that there is not sufficient business to justify a meeting of the Board, the Chair may cancel the meeting. (23) As per Section 18 - of the Standing Orders of Academic Board and its Committees. (24) Any meeting of the Board shall be postponed if ten minutes after the time set for a meeting, insufficient members are present to constitute a quorum. A time and place for the postponed meeting shall be set, at which meeting if a quorum is not present within twenty minutes after the time set for the meeting, the Chair may proceed with the business of the meeting without the necessary quorum. Any decision or resolution arrived at by an inquorate meeting of the Board shall be placed on the agenda of the next normal meeting of the Board for ratification. (25) The exception to clause (24) shall be where there are insufficient members present to constitute a quorum for a Committee of Examiners meeting. In this instance, a Committee of Examiners may be declared inquorate if ten minutes after the time set for a meeting, insufficient members are present to constitute a quorum. After the meeting is declared inquorate, the Chair may proceed with the business of the meeting without the necessary quorum. Any grades approved, or decision or resolution arrived at by an inquorate meeting of a Committee of Examiners, shall be ratified at the next normal School Board meeting with reference to clause 30 of the Rules for the Academic Board and its Committees. (26) A notice of meeting, together with a copy of the business papers and a copy of all minutes of regular or special meetings held since the last regular meeting of the Board shall be circulated by the Secretary to each member at least four working days prior to the date of that meeting. (27) In exceptional circumstances, the Chair may allow additional business to be circulated with no less than 24 hours notice, and materials may only be tabled at the discretion of the Chair. The Board shall normally not resolve on any tabled business except by authorisation of a two-thirds resolution of members present. (28) The elected Chair of the Board, or in that person's absence, the elected Deputy Chair shall take the chair at all meetings. (29) If neither the elected Chair nor the elected Deputy Chair shall be present at any meeting, the meeting may elect a member to chair the meeting, such chair to be elected from amongst those members present. (30) The Chair shall have a vote and, in the case of an equality of votes, a second or a casting vote. All members of the Board shall have full voting rights. (31) The Chair may adjourn an ordinary, an adjourned or a special meeting of the Board in appropriate circumstances. (32) The Chair shall not adjourn a meeting to prevent a motion or amendment being put save with the approval of a majority of the members present. This discretion shall not limit any other powers of the Chair to adjourn a meeting. (33) If a meeting of the Board is adjourned, the Chair shall reconvene the meeting at the same time on the same day in the week following the adjourned meeting, or at some other date approved by two-thirds of the members present. (34) The business of the meeting shall be considered in the order determined by the Chair of the meeting. The meeting may nevertheless determine to take the business in some order other than that in the agenda. (35) The Chair has discretion regarding the acceptance of motions, except for the procedural motions covered in Section 19 - . The Chair's discretionary ruling may be reversed if a majority of the members present support a motion to this effect. (36) All notices of motion accepted by the Chair shall appear on the business paper for the meeting concerned. These motions shall be given to the Secretary, in writing, and shall contain the signature of the proposer. (37) A motion which is ruled by the Chair to have the effect of amending or rescinding a previous resolution of the School/College Board, or altering policy shall only be accepted as a notice for a subsequent meeting. (38) Except for a motion from the Chair, a motion must be seconded before there may be any discussion or vote on the motion. (39) A point of order accepted by the Chair takes preference over all other discussion. (f) Amendments shall be considered prior to a vote on the substantive motion. (40) All amendments must be relevant to the original motion and no amendment may directly negate the substantive motion or the original motion. (41) Motions or amendments may be withdrawn by the proposer with the approval of the seconder. (42) The Chair may request the proposer of a motion to submit the motion in writing. (43) Debate on a motion or amendment shall be immediately suspended, even if a person is speaking, if any of the following procedural motions is moved and seconded: (44) Any such motion except (43)e may not be moved or seconded by a person who has already spoken to the motion or to an amendment, and shall immediately be put without amendment or debate. Any of the above motions is carried only if a majority of the members present vote in favour. If (43)c above is carried in relation to an original motion, the mover of that motion may reply before the motion is put. If (43)e above is moved, debate may continue on matters to which the attention of the person or body should be drawn. (45) As soon as debate upon a question is concluded, the Chair shall put the question to the School/College Board. (46) A question shall be decided on the voices except that any member present may request a show of hands, and a secret ballot shall be held at the discretion of the Chair or if requested by at least twenty-five percent of the members present. (47) No member may speak to any question after it has been put by the Chair and the show of hands or ballot has been taken thereon. (48) The Board may refer any matter arising from the business of the Board to a Committee, or may establish a Working Party or sub-committee to consider any such matter. (49) Sufficient opportunity to speak should be given to those present so that opposing views are presented to the meeting. (50) With the consent of the majority of those present, debate may be terminated after reasonable discussion has taken place. (51) The preservation of order during the meeting includes prevention of interference with speakers by private talk or heckling remarks, the prohibition of offensive statements or the imputation of improper motives. (52) The chair can require speakers to "resume their seats" in the case of speakers who are unduly longwinded or who do not keep to the point under discussion. (53) Should questions which are not dealt with in these Standing Orders arise, either at a regular or special or an adjourned meeting, the decision of the Chair shall be final. (54) A motion for making, rescinding or amending a standing order shall not be made except in pursuance of notice given at the previous meeting of the Board, or conveyed to the Secretary, in writing, seven clear days before the meeting. A resolution for any such purpose shall require a two-thirds majority of the members present. (55) Any Standing Order may be suspended for the time being on a motion made with or without notice, provided that such a motion shall have the concurrence of an absolute majority of all the members of the Board. (56) Any member of the University may, at the discretion of the Chair, attend meetings of the Board, but may not speak or otherwise participate in the meeting without the permission of the Chair. (57) The Chair may limit the number of observers present at any meeting, or require an observer to withdraw in order to preserve confidentiality, or to maintain good order in the meeting.Standing Orders of the Southern Cross University School-College Board
Preamble
Standing Orders of Meetings of the School/College Board and its Committees
Section 1 - Members of the Board
Section 2 - Elected positions
Established by Rules of Academic Board and its Committees
Established by the School/College
Nominations
Section 3 - Appointed Positions:
Section 4 - Returning Officer
Section 5 - Casual Vacancies on the Board
Section 6 - Replacement of Ex-Officio Members
Section 7 - Equity Representation
Section 8 - Meetings of the Board
Section 9 - Schedule of Meetings of the Board
Section 10 - Lack of Business
Section 11 - Quorum
Section 12 - Postponement of Meetings
Section 13 - Notice of Meeting
Section 14 - Chair and Voting Rights of Chair and Members
Section 15 - Adjournments
Section 16 - Adjourned Meetings
Section 17 - Order of Business
Section 18 - Motions
Section 19 - Suspension of Debate
Section 20 - Procedure on Conclusion of Debate
Section 21 - Method of Voting
Section 22 - Procedure After Question Put and Vote Taken
Section 23 - Reference to Committee
Section 24 - The Conduct of Meetings
Section 25 - Matters not dealt with in Standing Orders
Section 26 - Amendment to Standing Orders
Section 27 - Suspension of Standing Orders
Section 28 - Observers at Meetings
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This is not a current document. It has been repealed and is no longer in force.