November Academic Board Digest

Read a summary of the Academic Board meeting held on 15 November 2023.

Chair of Academic Board’s update

Academic Board:

• ·noted the launch of the Faculty Governance Charter Teams site and the close out report of the Review of Faculty Boards.
• discussed and noted matters to inform the annual self-evaluation of Academic Board.
• discussed and noted the update to actions tied to the Academic Board risk register.
• provided advice on the annual report to the Senate.
• ·noted the changes to the Academic Board membership.
• ·noted the Declaration of Election of Academic Board Academic Staff, 2024-2025.
• ·noted the Annual Student Priority List 2023.
• ·noted the Chair of Academic Board Approvals. 

Vice-Chancellor and President’s (VCP) update

The VCP reported on:

• the Change Plans and provided an update.
• Research grant income and noted that revenue through research funding had doubled in the first 8 months from 2022 to 2023. More funding was still to be received this year and the DVCRE and his team were managing this space.
• International engagements included visits to ACU from multiple institutions. Additional visits would continue in 2024 as a part of the delegation of the Association of Southeast and East Asian Catholic Colleges and Universities (ASEACCU) conference.
• several Memorandum of Understandings (MOU’s) had been signed including one with the National University of Timor Leste.
• ACU’s decline in the Time Higher Education rankings, including a consideration of the ranking methodology.
• internal engagements including the upcoming 60^th Anniversary of the Signadou campus in Canberra and the opening and blessing of the Saint Teresa of Kolkata Building in Melbourne.
• the opening of the Metabolic Chamber at the St Patrick's campus in Melbourne which will be officially launched in February 2024.
• preparations for the impending release of the Accord final report.
• his gratitude to the outgoing Interim Provost, Professor Meg Stuart for her significant contribution to ACU during her tenure and as a member of the Academic Board.

Provost’s update

The Interim Provost reported on:

• updates from the four faculties.
• the Directorate focus area, the Faculty of Law and Business.
• Global Education Pathways (GEP) and the Centre for Education and Innovation (CEI). The Interim Provost further advised that as an outcome of the change plan, CEI would be moving to the Education Portfolio.
• successful learning and teaching grant applications.
• improvements to the Student Experience resulting from ACU Thrive.
• ACU Learning and Teaching Citations. The Interim Provost congratulated the staff involved and noted they would be featured in next month’s learning and teaching showcase.
• the significant growth and demand in 2024 of International students from a multitude of countries and the increased support being provided to this co-hort.

Academic Board:

• ·noted the Office of the Provost’s Directorate Focus on the Faculty of Law and Business, presented by Executive Dean, Faculty of Law and Business Professor Andrew O’Neil.
• ·noted the Interim 2023 Academic Misconduct Report.
• ·noted the Scholarship Framework update.
• discussed and noted the Widening Participation Performance Report.

Deputy Vice-Chancellor, Research and Enterprise (DVCRE) update

The DVCRE reported on:

• the appointment of Michelle Lopez, Director, Graduate Research School to the DVCRE portfolio.
• the industry and commercial opportunities currently being pursued.
• the work of the Foreign Interference and Transparency Committee.
• the work of the University Research Committee including the review of Research performance and the upcoming review of the committee’s membership in 2024. Additionally, there would be a review of the composition and terms of reference of the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islanders Research Committee.
• the Graduate Research School’s upcoming work regarding ways to increase Higher Degree by Research (HDR) numbers and supervisory loads.
• the opening of ACU’s new Enterprise Office, launched in September and the associated work of Professor Myriam Amielh.

Academic Board noted the Graduate Research School update.

Deputy Vice-Chancellor, Education (DVCE) update

The DVCE reported on:

• the final report from the Ethics portfolio and noted that the area will now sit under the Education Portfolio.
• the ongoing work of Jane Ceolin, Director, First Peoples and team, and noted the current EFTSL headcount of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander students at ACU exceeded 500 and included over 80 graduates.
• the process to appoint the Pro Vice-Chancellor, Indigenous.

Academic Board noted the recent changes in the Deputy Vice-Chancellor (Education) Portfolio.

Presentations

Academic Board discussed and noted the proposal to implement the evidence-based student employability model with effect from January 2024, presented by National Manager, Careers & Employability Martin Evans.

Academic Board discussed and noted Student Wellbeing and Safety at ACU, presented by Director Student Support Services Georgina Ledvinka.

Reporting committees

1. Courses and Academic Quality Committee (CAQC)

     Academic Board:

• ·noted the report of the Chair of the Courses and Academic Quality Committee, dated 14 October 2023.
• approved the new course proposal for the Bachelor of Psychological Science/Master of Teaching (Primary) for offer on the Strathfield and Melbourne campuses, as detailed in CMAS proposal PR000583, effective for Semester 1 2025.
• approved the new course proposal for the Master of Clinical Psychology (Post Registration) for delivery via ACU Online, as detailed in CMAS proposal PR000007, effective for ACU Online Term 1 2025.
• endorsed the major course change for the:
  1. Bachelor of Occupational Therapy
  2. Bachelor of Occupational Therapy (Honours),
     proposing their offer at Canberra Campus, and the Bachelor of Allied Health as an exit point, as detailed in CMAS proposal PR000588, for Senate approval effective for Semester 1 2025.
• approved the major course change for the:
  1. Bachelor of Speech Pathology
  2. Bachelor of Speech pathology (Honours),
     proposing their offer at Canberra Campus, as detailed in CMAS proposal PR000525, effective for Semester 1 2025.
• approved the major course change for the Graduate Certificate in Digital Health, proposing revisions to admission requirements and course structure, as detailed in CMAS proposal PR000597, effective for ACU Online Term 1 2024.
• approved the major course change for the Doctor of Ministry, proposing the removal of the research methods training units completion requirement from the degree, as detailed in CMAS proposal PR000551, effective for Research Term A, 2024.
• ·noted the Student Experience and Outcomes Report 2 2023.
• ·noted the TEQSA discussion paper, Assessment Reform for the Age of Artificial Intelligence (September 2023).
• ·noted the course suspensions approved by the Provost since the previous Academic Board meeting on 13 September 2023.
• ·noted the minutes.

2. Courses and Academic Quality Committee (CAQC)

Academic Board:

• ·noted the report of the Chair, Student Administrative Lifecycle and Policy Committee dated 24 October 2023.
• approved the 2024 Academic Regulations with effect from 1 January 2024.
• approved the amendments to the:
  1. Fitness to Study Policy and (formerly the Serious Student Health Conditions Policy); and
  2. Fitness to Study Procedure (formerly the Serious Student Health Conditions Procedure), with immediate effect.
• approved the amendments to the:
  1. Student Conduct Policy; and
  2. Managing Student Misconduct Procedure, with effect from 1 January 2024.
• ·noted the minutes.

3. Internationalisation Committee (IC)

Academic Board noted the minutes.

4. University Learning and Teaching Committee (ULTC)

Academic Board:

• approved the proposed Learning and Teaching Policy and Procedures with effect from Semester 1, 2024.
• ·noted the minutes.

5. Faculty Boards

Academic Board noted the minutes and updates.