The University of Tasmania Act 1992 establishes an Academic Senate with the legislated function to advise University Council on all academic matters relating to the University.
Academic Senate meets six times per year.
The Academic Senate's statutory authority in academic matters within the University has been elaborated in the Academic Senate Ordinance (PDF 193.5 KB). The Ordinance prescribes that the role of Academic Senate is to:
- Approve awards and determine the qualifications required of a candidate before they may be admitted to an award. The list of Courses Approved by Academic Senate (PDF 760.2 KB) is updated after each meeting of Academic Senate.
- Provide academic oversight of the quality of teaching, learning, research and research training
- Monitor institutional benchmarks for academic quality and outcomes and monitor initiated actions to improve performance
- Monitor and provide competent advice to the University Council and management on academic matters, including advice on academic outcomes, policies and practices, and the quality of teaching, learning, research and research training
- Monitor and review academic policies and procedures and their effectiveness
- Provide feedback on substantial changes to academic delegations and the effectiveness of the academic delegations structure.
- Maintain oversight of academic and research integrity, including monitoring of potential risks
- Critically evaluate the quality and effectiveness of educational innovations
- Evaluate the effectiveness of institutional monitoring, review and improvement of academic activities
- Ensure students have opportunities to participate in academic governance.
Academic Senate committees assist and advise Academic Senate in ensuring the maintenance of the highest standards and quality in teaching, scholarship and research in the University of Tasmania. Academic Senate has established the following committees:
- Standing Academic Committee
- Monitoring and Assurance Committee
- University Learning and Teaching Committee
- Student Experience Committee
- University Research Committee.
- University Admissions Committee
- University Course and Unit Proposals Committee
- Nominations Committee.
Membership of Academic Senate comprises the Vice-Chancellor, Deputy Vice-Chancellors, Pro Vice-Chancellors, Dean of Graduate Research, Executive Deans, Heads of Schools and academic areas, student representatives from the Tasmanian University Student Association (TUSA), chairs of Academic Senate committees, elected and appointed academic staff, and specialist professional staff. The membership composition enables Senate to robustly monitor, discuss and debate current and future academic matters on behalf of the University.
The Academic Senate elects its own Chair and Deputy Chair. The current Chair is Associate Professor Kristyn Harman. There is a casual vacancy in the Deputy Chair role until the end of 2024. In addition to the Deputy Chair, there may be an Associate Chair selected by invitation of the Chair. The current Associate Chair is Dr Clayton Hawkins.
| Position | Name | Term expiry |
|---|---|---|
| Vice-Chancellor | Prof Rufus Black | |
| Deputy Vice-Chancellor (Research) | Prof Anthony Koutoulis | |
| Deputy Vice-Chancellor (Education) | Prof Mitch Parsell | |
| Deputy Vice-Chancellor (Academic) | Prof Martin Grimmer (Acting) | |
| Deputy Vice-Chancellor (Student Services and Operations) | Mr Craig Barling | |
| Pro Vice-Chancellor for Graduate Research | Prof Lisa Fletcher | |
| Pro Vice-Chancellor (Aboriginal Leadership) | Assoc Prof Sadie Heckenberg (Acting) | |
| Pro Vice-Chancellor (Equity and Student Success) | Dr James Brann | |
| Pro Vice-Chancellor (Academic Excellence) | Prof Martin Grimmer | |
| Pro Vice-Chancellor (Launceston) | Prof Natalie Brown | |
| Pro Vice-Chancellor (Cradle Coast) | Prof Sonya Stanford | |
| Pro Vice-Chancellor (Campus Life South) | Prof Nicholas Farrelly | |
| Director, Curriculum | Vacant | |
| Executive Director, Recruitment | Mr Rob Wilson | |
| University Librarian | Mr Caine Chennatt (Acting) | |
| President, TUSA | Mr Jack Oates Pryor | |
| General Secretary, TUSA | Ms Belle Smith | |
| Postgraduate Representative, TUSA | Mr Namesh Kumar | |
| Undergraduate Representative, TUSA | Ms Siska-Lut Buelens |
| Arts, Law and Education | Prof Anthony Koutoulis (Acting) |
| Regional Education | Prof Natalie Brown |
| Health and Medicine | Prof Denise Fassett |
| Sciences and Engineering | Ms Angela Castles (Acting) |
| Architecture and Design | Prof Julian Worrall |
| Australian Maritime College | Mr Malcolm Wise |
| Creative Arts and Media | Prof Meg Keating |
| Education | Prof Victoria Carrington |
| Engineering | Prof Tim Finnigan |
| Geography, Planning, and Spatial Sciences | Prof Arko Lucieer |
| Health Sciences | Prof Nuala Byrne |
| Humanities | Dr Jonathan Wallis (Acting) |
| Information and Communication Technology | Mr Tyson Wienker |
| Institute for Marine and Antarctic Studies | Prof Nicole Webster |
| International School | Prof Melanie Bryant |
| Law | Prof Jan McDonald (Acting) |
| Medicine | Prof Ruth Kearon |
| Menzies Institute for Medical Research | Prof Tracey Dickson |
| Natural Sciences | Prof Julianne O'Reilly-Wapstra (Interim) |
| Nursing | Prof Christine Stirling |
| Pharmacy and Pharmacology | Prof Glenn Jacobson |
| Psychological Sciences | Prof Lisa Foa |
| Paramedicine | Prof Belinda Flanagan |
| Social Sciences | Prof Can Seng Ooi (Acting) |
| Tasmanian Institute of Agriculture | Prof Michael Rose |
| Tasmanian School of Business and Economics | Prof Craig Deegan (Acting) |
| University College | Assoc Prof Andrea Carr |
| Wicking Dementia Research and Education Centre | Prof James Vickers |
| Position | Name | Term expiry |
|---|---|---|
| Chair | Assoc Prof Kristyn Harman | 31 December 2024 |
| Deputy Chair | Vacant | 31 December 2024 |
| Associate Chair | Dr Clayton Hawkins | 31 December 2024 |
| Research Fellow | Dr Rebecca Banham (CoHM) | 31 December 2025 |
| Members of academic staff | Dr Andrea Adam (Central) | 31 December 2025 |
| Dr Bronwyn Eager (CoBE) | 31 December 2024 | |
| Dr Toby Newstead (CoBE) | 31 December 2024 | |
| Dr Louise Grimmer (CoBE) | 31 December 2025 | |
| Dr Amrinder Khosa (CoBE) | 31 December 2025 | |
| Assoc Prof Jane Alty (CoHM) | 31 December 2024 | |
| Dr Jamie Chapman (CoHM) | 31 December 2024 | |
| Assoc Prof Alison Canty (CoHM | 31 December 2025 | |
| Dr Christine Padgett (CoHM) | 31 December 2025 | |
| Dr Victoria Nagy (CALE) | 31 December 2024 | |
| Assoc Prof Anne-Marie Forbes (CALE) | 31 December 2024 | |
| Dr Robert Clarke (CALE) | 31 December 2024 | |
| Dr Graham Wood (CALE) | 31 December 2025 | |
| Vacant | 31 December 2024 | |
| Assoc Prof Evan Franklin (CoSE) | 31 December 2024 | |
| Assoc Prof Nicole Herbert (CoSE) | 31 December 2025 | |
| Assoc Prof Thomas Rodemann (CoSE) | 31 December 2025 |
| Name | Term expiry |
|---|---|
| Diversity Appointments | |
| Dr Barbara de Graaff (CoHM) | December 31, 2024 |
| Assoc Prof Malgorzata (CoHM) | December 31, 2024 |
| Mr Mark Shelton (UC) | December 31, 2024 |
| Dr Oscar Vorobjovas-Pinta (CALE) | December 31, 2024 |
| Members of the Monitoring and Assurance Committee | |
| Dr Erin Roehrer (CoSE) | December 31, 2025 |
| Ms Leigh Parker (CoHM) | December 31, 2025 |
| Dr Clayton Hawkins (CoBE) | December 31, 2024 |
| Dr Rachel Baird (CALE) | December 31, 2024 |
| Prof Stas Shabala (CoSE) | December 31, 2024 |
| Senate Committee Chairs | |
| Dr Ana Lobo (Chair, Student Experience Committee) | December 31, 2024 |
| Dr Michael Guerzoni (Chair, University Research Committee) | December 31, 2024 |
| Prof Tina Acuna (Chair, University Learning and Teaching Committee) | December 31, 2024 |
| Vice Chancellor’s Envoy (Europe) |
| Director, Academic Quality and Standards |
| Associate Deans Learning and Teaching Performance |
| Associate Deans Research Performance |
Ms Sarah Keating
Sarah is Academic Senate Secretary and has been with the University of Tasmania since 2014. Sarah is an alumna, having graduated with a Bachelor of Arts in 2001 and a Master of Social Work in 2013.
Sarah brings her previous experience in high-level administration, project management, policy, and compliance to her current role, along with her ability to provide high-quality strategic advice and leadership and her excellent relationship management skills.
Sarah’s expertise in university Governance ensures Academic Senate is able to fulfill its legislated obligations to govern and manage all aspects of the University's academic activities.
Academic Senate meet six times per year, including a Planning Day in December. After each meeting of Academic Senate, a report is submitted to University Council detailing the business of the meeting. The Report to University Council, along with the decisions made by Academic Senate at each of its meetings are available below.
Context
Academic Senate is committed to an ongoing culture of continual cycles of review, quality assurance and enhancement of the academic governance of learning, teaching, higher degree research and research training.
Academic Senate is reviewed on a regular basis as required by the Higher Education Standards Framework (Threshold Standards) 2021 to evaluate its effectiveness in discharging its responsibilities.
In undertaking the 2024 Review of Academic Senate, it was important to consider any governance-related changes that were incorporated into the Australian Universities Accord and implications for Academic Senate that flow from these changes.
In keeping with the University’s commitment to transparency, the recommendations from the Review, and work undertaken as a result of the recommendations, will be appropriately communicated to the University community once Academic Senate has had the opportunity to consider the recommendations and develop an action plan. The recommendations will also inform the University’s academic simplification work.
Terms of Reference
The 2024 Review of Academic Senate considered:
- The effectiveness of the function of the Academic Senate to advise the Council on all academic matters relating to the University, as specified in the University of Tasmania Act 1992.
- The appropriateness of the purpose, function, and composition of the Academic Senate as specified in the Academic Senate Ordinance and its effectiveness in discharging its obligations in meeting the requirements of the Higher Education Standards Framework (Threshold Standards) 2021 relating to academic governance and institutional quality and standards, specifically:
- Approve awards and determine the qualifications required of a candidate before they may be admitted to an award.
- Provide academic oversight of the quality of teaching, learning, research and research training.
- Monitor institutional benchmarks for academic quality and outcomes and monitor initiated actions to improve performance.
- Monitor and provide competent advice to the University Council and management on academic matters, including advice on academic outcomes, policies and practices, and the quality of teaching, learning, research and research training.
- Monitor and review academic policies and procedures and their effectiveness.
- Provide feedback on substantial changes to academic delegations and the effectiveness of the academic delegations structure.
- Maintain oversight of academic and research integrity, including monitoring of potential risks.
- Critically evaluate the quality and effectiveness of educational innovations.
- Evaluate the effectiveness of institutional monitoring, review and improvement of academic activities.
- Ensure students have opportunities to participate in academic governance.
- The appropriateness of the purpose, function, and composition of Academic Senate’s committees and their effectiveness in assisting Academic Senate in discharging its responsibilities.
- The appropriateness and effectiveness of the relationships between Academic Senate, the University’s executive and Council, Colleges and academic staff.
- The appropriateness of Academic Senate membership in reflecting the diverse perspectives of the University community.
- The ways in which Academic Senate is inclusive in its processes and practices, and transparent in its decision-making.
Independent Reviewer
The Independent Reviewer, BoardsGlobal, was selected by the Review Evaluation Panel, who ensured there were no conflicts of interest that would affect the integrity of the review process.
Review Evaluation Panel
The Review Evaluation Panel included:
- Deputy Vice-Chancellor Academic (Chair)
- Deputy Chancellor
- Chair, Academic Senate
- University Secretary
- Senior Executive Officer (Secretary).
How evidence was gathered:
- A self-evaluation report was conducted by the Chair of Academic Senate prior to the Review and was provided to the Independent Reviewer, which included:
- Background information on the most recent reviews of Senate.
- Overview of the strategic agenda of Academic Senate over the past few years.
- Self-evaluation of compliance with legislative obligations and overall Academic Senate performance.
- Invitation for the Independent Reviewer to consider and provide advice on key questions relevant at the time, such as committee structure and chairing model.
- An electronic survey was disseminated to all 2023 members and observers of Academic Senate.
- All academic staff were invited to provide submissions.
- The Independent Reviewer was invited to observe meetings of Senate.
- The Independent Reviewer undertook a Desktop Review of documentation including legislation, policies, procedures, reports, agenda papers and minutes.
- The Independent Reviewer was able to reference review models and bench-marking data from other Australian universities.
How outcomes will be provided/communicated:
- The Final Review Report will be initially considered by Academic Senate at its 22 November 2024 meeting.
- The Final Review Report will be the subject of a Strategic Session held at Academic Senate's annual Planning Day on 5 December 2024. The development of an Action Plan to implement any agreed recommendations will begin at Planning Day.
- The outcomes and implementation plan will be reported to University Council.
- University Council will agree on the further distribution of the outcomes and action plan.
For further information, contact the Academic Senate Secretary at sarah.keating@utas.edu.au. University staff may access more information at the Academic Senate (staff intranet).