Call for Nominations - Student Members

Nominations are now open!

Nominations are now invited for the following Student Member roles on the University's Academic Board:

  • 1 x postgraduate (Higher Degree Research) student

Please consider this opportunity to get involved with academic governance at UNE.

Completed nominations must be received by 5 pm AEST, Tuesday 29 July 2025.

About Academic Board

The Academic Board is the University's peak academic governance body, responsible under Section 21 of the University of New England By-law 2005 for reporting to Council and advising '… the Council and the Vice-Chancellor on all developments and initiatives relating to and affecting the University's teaching and research activities and its educational programs.'

The membership of the Academic Board includes the University's senior management, elected academic staff from each Faculty, professional staff, UNE Student Council Chair (or nominee) and four student members (2 undergraduate students, 1 postgraduate (coursework) student and 1 postgraduate (HDR) student).

The role of the student members on Academic Board is to provide the student perspective in debate and discussion of academic governance, quality assurance, policy, strategy and integrity issues, which the Board deals with. Being a member of Academic Board is a formal position and it is expected that you will make time to prepare for, attend and participate in meetings. You will have the opportunity to report to the Board (within the Board’s Term of Reference) on matters related to the student experience at UNE based on what may be communicated to you by your peers and/or your own experiences. It is preferable this is in writing; you will then have an opportunity at the meeting to speak to this item. To support student members participating in and presenting at meetings, you will be paired with an academic mentor from the Board. The Chair is also available to assist and support you in the writing and presentation of your report.

Interested students are advised to consider whether their study arrangements allow time to participate in the Board, which meets on Tuesday afternoons (usually 1:00 pm - 3:30 pm Australian Eastern Time), six times per year. Zoom details are available to online student members to enable them to participate in meetings remotely. The remaining meetings for 2025 are scheduled for 10 July, 02 September, 14 October and 04 November.

The term of office of elected student members is for 2 years, commencing immediately following election.

As a member, your name is displayed on the Academic Board webpage.

Active participation in the Academic Board is an eligible activity of the New England Award.

Eligibility

Following external legal requirements, the Standing Orders – Academic Board and Committees, and the Academic Board Terms of Reference, to be eligible for election as a student member, students need to:

  1. be a current student (undergraduate, or postgraduate (coursework), or postgraduate (Higher Degree Research)) enrolled T1 2025 or T2 2025 teaching/research period, or has been granted a formal Intermission by the University; and
  2. be willing to make a declaration that they are a fit and proper person under the Tertiary Education Quality Standards Agency (TEQSA) Act 2011 (Cth) and Educational Services for Overseas Students (ESOS) Act 2000 (Cth).

Please note that students enrolled on a Non-Award basis, and students who are also UNE employees with a work load of 50% or more, are ineligible to apply.

How to nominate

Nominations are now open and will need to be submitted by 5 pm AEST, Tuesday 29 July 2025, and consist of:

1. Nomination Form completed by the nominee, detailing:

  • the name, student number and email address of the Nominee;
  • the UNE course in which the nominee is currently enrolled;
  • the name, student number and email address of the student proposing the nominee;
  • the name, student number and email address of the student seconding the nomination; and
  • a short candidate statement explaining to the student body why the nominee wishes to be considered for election to Academic Board.

Please discuss your nomination with all parties (i.e. proposer, seconder) before submission.

2. Supporting Emails

  • The nomination must be supported by 2 students who are also eligible to nominate for the same position (i.e. they will have also received the email calling for nominations).
  • The students proposing and seconding the nomination need to independently verify their support of the Nominee by emailing returning_officer@une.edu.au (e.g. "I support the nomination of NAME for the Student Member position on Academic Board").

Nominations will only be accepted once the Nomination Form and 2 supporting emails have been submitted.

Should an election be required, it is anticipated that this will be conducted from Monday, 04 August 2025 to Monday, 18 August 2025.

Further information

For further information on Academic Board, please visit the webpage, or contact the Chair of Academic Board, Professor Adrian Walsh (+612 6773 2657 or chairacbd@une.edu.au) or Deputy Returning Officer Academic Board Elections, Jenny Croaker (+612 6773 4359 or returning_officer@une.edu.au).

Some ways you might be able to connect with fellow students to support your nomination include:

  • by contacting your supervisor/s;
  • you might also consider connecting with other students via the UNE Student Council.