• Overview
• Purpose of the Academic Board
• Membership of the Academic Board
• Officers of the Academic Board
• Committees
• Presentations
• Other useful information
• Agendas and minutes
• Meeting Schedules
• Contacts

Academic Board induction program

Induction for new members of the Academic Board

Elections for faculty or student representatives of the Academic Board are conducted annually or bi-annually, depending on the category of membership. Terms of office of elected members of the Board commence on 1 January.

The Academic Board Secretariat will send each new Board member an Academic Board Induction Pack comprising:

• a welcome letter from the Chair of the Academic Board
• general information regarding the Academic Board (Academic Board fact sheet)
• schedule of meeting dates for the Academic Board and its committees
• Statute 2.2-The Academic Board
• Regulation 2.2(1)-The Academic Board
• functions of the Academic Board
• the terms of reference, composition and membership of committees of the Academic Board
• Academic Board Standing Orders
• the Academic Board's process for the development and approval of academic policies
• the roles and responsibilities of members of the Academic Board

Each new member will receive an invitation to attend a Member Induction Information Session. All other Academic Board members will be invited, but are not obliged to attend the Member Induction Information Session.

The Member Induction Information Session will be held early in February (and before the first meeting of the Academic Board for the year) in the James Leslie Council Chamber at the Waterfront Campus.

The Member Induction Information Session will comprise a series of short segments hosted by the officers of the Board and will reinforce and enhance information contained in the Induction Pack. Segments will be devoted to:

• governance at Deakin and the Academic Board's roles and responsibilities
• the role and responsibilities of members of the Board
• the roles and responsibilities of officers of the Board
• the specific way in which the Academic Board assures the quality of teaching and research
• how the work of the Academic Board is carried out
• the role of committees of the Board
• the role of the Academic Board Steering Committee
• academic policies and procedures
• the Academic Board website
• conduct of meetings of the Academic Board.

Induction for new members of committees of the Academic Board

Prior to the end of January, and once the members of committees of the Academic Board (both members and non-members of the Board) are finalised, the Executive Officer of a committee will forward to each member a committee induction pack comprising:

• a welcome letter from the Chair of the committee
• the committee schedule of meeting dates
• the terms of reference, composition and membership of the committee
• the role and responsibility of members of committees
• the role and responsibilities of committee chairs
• any documents that will assist new members to understand the work of the committee
• a list of those policies and procedures for which the committee has responsibility.

The committee chair and executive officer will meet with new members of a committee immediately prior to the first meeting of a committee for each year to discuss the conduct of committee meetings and any questions new members may have arising from information contained in the committee induction pack.

The first meeting of each committee in each year will include a presentation by the chair of the committee regarding the most important aspects of the committee’s work for the year and the way members can best assist the committee to fulfil its obligations and responsibilities.

Induction for chairs of committees of the Academic Board

Each chair of a committee of the Academic Board will receive an invitation from the Chair of the Academic Board to attend a Committee Chair Induction Information Session.

The Committee Chair Induction Information Session will be held early in February of each year (usually immediately following the Member Induction Information Session for new Academic Board and committee members).  All executive officers from the Academic Board Secretariat will attend the briefing.

The Committee Chair Induction Information Session will be hosted by the officers of the Board and will include segments devoted to:

• the role and responsibilities of committee chairs
• the role and responsibilities of committee members
• the roles and responsibilities of the officers of the Academic Board
• the role and responsibilities of the committee executive officers
• the Academic Board’s process for the development and approval of academic policy
• the roles of the Academic Board Steering Committee
• the way the officers of the Board will support committee chairs and the work of the committees.

The officers of the Academic Board will meet regularly with committee chairs (at least one meeting during every meeting cycle) to discuss progress being made in each committee towards fulfilling its terms of reference, any shifting priorities or additional tasks and any other matters committee chairs may wish to discuss in relation to their committee activities.

Induction for the Deputy Chair of the Academic Board

The Chair of the Academic Board will hold an induction briefing for the new Deputy Chair of the Academic Board.

The induction briefing will include segments devoted to:

• the roles and responsibilities of the Deputy Chair of the Academic Board
• the roles and responsibilities of the Chair of the Academic Board
• division of tasks amongst the Board Officers
• strategies for information sharing
• Council and Planning and Resources Committee induction information
• the role and responsibilities of the Secretary of the Academic Board
• the role of the Academic Board Steering Committee
• the Academic Board’s process for the development and approval of academic policy.

Induction for the Chair of the Academic Board

Each new Chair of the Academic Board will be invited to attend an induction briefing with the Vice-Chancellor, the Deputy Vice-Chancellors and the Vice-President at the beginning of the first year of the Chair’s term of office.  The induction briefing will include a sharing of views regarding the Board’s priorities for the year.  The Chair of the Academic Board will attend subsequent annual meetings with the Vice-Chancellor, the Deputy Vice-Chancellors and the Vice-President for the duration of the term of office of the Chair.