12/325a
THE UNIVERSITY OF WAIKATO
TE WHARE WĀNANGA O WAIKATO
THE ACADEMIC BOARD
MINUTES OF THE MEETING HELD ON TUESDAY 29 MAY 2012
Present:
The Vice-Chancellor (Professor R Crawford) in the Chair, Professor M
Apperley, Mr P Baker, Professor B Barton, Ms C Blickem, Dr T Bowell,
Professor K Broughan, Dr K Bryan, Dr A Campbell, Professor B Clarkson,
Professor R Coll, Mrs B Cooper, Associate Professor W Drewery, Professor
B Grant, Mr R Hallett, Professor G Holmes, Dr D Johnson, Professor A
Jones, Professor P Kamp, Mr R Kyle, Dr D Lumsden, Dr D Marsh, Mr T
Maxwell, Ms B Midson, Professor R Moltzen, Ms P Ngatai, Mrs H Puke, Ms
M Roderick, Ms E Rangamuwa, Professor F Scrimgeour, Professor L Smith,
and Associate Professor J Tressler
Secretariat:
Ms M Jordan-Tong, Ms R Boyer-Willisson
12.28
APOLOGIES
Received
Apologies for absence from Dr T Cartner, Ms S Gillard, Dr A Hinze, Professor D
Hodgetts, Associate Professor S Jones, Mr R Joseph, Ms P Melbourne, Professor B
Morse, Dr L Twiname, Professor K Weaver and Professor M Wilson.
12.29
CONFIRMATION OF THE MINUTES (PART 1) OF THE MEETING HELD ON
17 APRIL 2012
Confirmed
The minutes of the meeting (Part 1) held on 17 April 2012, as set out in document
12/226.
12.30
REPORT OF THE VICE-CHANCELLOR
Received
The report of the Vice-Chancellor, as set out in document 12/227.
Noted in discussion
1. That some of the implications for the University of the Government Budget included:
 Around 900 additional EFTS would be made available to universities for 2013.
 An increase in funding for STEM subjects.
 An increase in PBRF from $250 million to $300 million by 2016, with a $6
million increase indicated for 2013.
 Removal of funding for universities to offer Adult and Community Education
from 2013.
2. That the student members noted concern over the changes to funding for students,
particularly for those undertaking postgraduate study. The changes were also likely
to impact the University‟s KPIs in relation to Māori and Pacific students.
3. That the Chair would report back to the Academic Board on the signalled review of
university councils as more information became available.
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12.31
APPOINTMENT OF STUDENT MEMBER TO COUNCIL
Reported
1. That at its meeting on 7 May, and following an election by the students of the
University conducted in accordance with the University of Waikato Election of
Members Statute, Council had appointed Sapphire Gillard as a member of Council
for the remainder of 2012.
2. That under the constitution of the Academic Board, the elected student member of
Council was also a member of the Academic Board; however, the Academic Board
resolved at its last meeting on 17 April to co-opt Sapphire Gillard as a member of
the Academic Board for the remainder of 2012 in her capacity as President of the
WSU (during which time a review of the University‟s wider student representation
system would be undertaken), and her appointment as the student member of
Council therefore involved no further change to the membership of the Academic
Board.
12.32
REPORT OF THE ACADEMIC PROGRAMMES COMMITTEE
Received
The report and recommendations of the Academic Programmes Committee in relation to
the following items, as set out in document 12/228:
1. Significant Academic Developments
2. Category C proposals
3. Academic Collaboration Agreements
4. 2013 Prescriptions
Resolved
That the Academic Board approved:
1. The Category C proposals set out in documents 12/185a-h.
2. The Memorandum of Understanding with the Waitomo Caves Discovery Centre as
set out in document 12/179.
3. The proposal to restructure the SISU programme as set out in document 12/235,
subject to confirmation of consistency between the English language and Chinese
language versions of the agreement.
12.33
REVIEW OF THE COMMITTEE FRAMEWORK
1.
Progress Report
Received
A progress report from the Assistant Vice-Chancellor (Executive) on the review of
the Committee Framework, as set out in document 12/229.
2.
International Committee and Library Committee
Reported
That at it its 7 May meeting, the Council had resolved to invite the Academic
Board to re-consider its recommendations that the new committee framework
include a Library Committee and an International Committee as standing
committees reporting directly to the Academic Board.
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Received
A paper from the Deputy Vice Chancellor and the Assistant Vice Chancellor
(Executive) proposing revised placement of and terms of reference for the
International Committee and Library Committee, as set out in document 12/230.
Noted in discussion
1. That additional consultation with relevant staff members should be
undertaken before any final decision on the committees‟ placement was
made.
2. That it in the progress report, document 12/229, it was not clear who had
responsibility for each of the „next steps‟ of implementation identified. It
would be useful to include this information in the next progress report.
Resolved
That the Deputy Vice-Chancellor would convene sub-groups of the Academic
Board to consider the placement of the International Committee and of the Library
Committee within the Committee Framework, and the terms of reference and
constitution of both committees.
12.34
REPORTING AGAINST THE STRATEGIC PLANNING FRAMEWORK
Received
The progress monitoring reports against plans in the University‟s Strategic Planning
Framework as set out in document 12/232.
12.35
RESEARCH INSTITUTES, CENTRES AND UNITS
Received
1. A memo from the Chair of the Research Committee in relation to proposed changes
to the guidelines for the establishment of research institutes, centres or units as set
out in document 12/80.
2. Proposed revised Principles, Guidelines and Processes for the Establishment and
Management of Research Centres and Institutes as set out in document 12/81.
3. Proposed Principles, Guidelines and Processes for the Establishment and
Management of Service-Based Units as set out in document 12/82.
4. Collated feedback from the Academic Programmes Committee and Faculty Boards
as set out in document 12/220.
Noted in discussion
1. That the Guidelines for the Establishment of a Unit referred only to service-based
units; Guidelines for the Establishment of Research Centres and Institutes referred
only to those with a research focus. It needed to be clear that other types of centres,
institutes and units were able to exist, and the criteria for these needed to be
clarified.
2. That the aim of the proposed changes was to recognise the differences between the
types of research entities and to avoid being overly prescriptive.
3. That the revised guidelines would not be retrospectively applied, but would be
referred to in any review of existing centres, institutes and units.
4. That the process for approval of research centres and institutes needed to include
reference to sign-off by the Faculty and/or Faculty Board in the same way as in the
guidelines for approval of service-based units.
5. That the guidelines needed to be sufficiently flexible as to allow for innovation and
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speed when appropriate.
Resolved
1. That the Academic Board approved the proposed revisions to the Principles,
Guidelines and Processes for the Establishment and Management of Research
Centres and Institutes and the proposed Principles, Guidelines and Processes for
the Establishment and Management of Service-Based Units subject to the points
noted above.
2. That the Deputy Vice-Chancellor would develop, for Academic Board‟s
consideration, an overarching framework document to establish definitions for
centres, institutes and units, including those which are not research-based.
12.36
HIGH ACHIEVEMENT SCHOLARSHIP FOR INTERNATIONAL STUDENTS
Received
A paper outlining the introduction of a High Achievement Scholarship for International
Students as set out in document 12/198.
Noted in discussion
1. That students had to achieve at least a B+ average in their first 120 points at
Waikato in order to be eligible for the scholarship, and would receive it
automatically if they met this criteria; there was no application process.
2. That the parameters of and intent behind the scholarship were sound.
3. That it was queried whether a B+ average was really “high achievement”;
“Academic Achievement Scholarship” was posed as a potential alternative title.
However, it was noted that a B+ average was a reasonable threshold for
international students in their first year of full-time study in a foreign country.
Secretaries’ note: That it was decided, following the meeting, to retain the title
of “High Achievement Scholarship for International Students”.
12.37
ANNUAL REPORTS
Received
The 2011 Annual Reports of the following committees, submitted in accordance with
their respective terms of reference:
1. Academic Programmes Committee as set out in document 12/25.
2. Research Committee as set out in document 12/237.
3. Student Discipline Committee as set out in document 12/238.
12.38
HIGHER DEGREE COMPLETIONS
Received
The report of students who had completed the requirements for the award of higher
degrees between 1 April and 30 April 2012, as set out in document 12/233.
12.39
DATE OF NEXT MEETING
Reported
That the next meeting of the Academic Board would be held on 31 July 2012 at 2.10pm
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in the Council Room.
AGENDA PART TWO – CONFIDENTIAL
The Vice-Chancellor moved:
“Having studied the matters in question, and having satisfied myself that the public conduct of
these proceedings would be likely to result in the disclosure of information for which good reason
for withholding that information would exist, I move that the Academic Board exclude the public
from this meeting to consider the following item.”
The general subject matter of these items, included in Part 2 of the Agenda was as follows:
17.
18.
19.
Confirmation of the Minutes of the Previous Meeting
Report of the Honours Committee
Application for DSc
The interests protected under the Local Government Information and Meetings Act 1987
and/or the Official Information Act 1982 which would be prejudiced by the public conduct
of these proceedings were:
Item 17 affected material previously dealt with in a meeting from which the public was excluded.
Items 18 and 19 affected the privacy of natural persons.
Michelle Jordan-Tong
Renée Boyer-Willisson
Student and Academic Services Division
31 May 2012
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