Terms of Reference
- To advise the Senate – as necessary – on policy relating to undergraduate study, including admission and re-admission of students, enrolment of students, policy governing progress of students, conferring of undergraduate awards, and other matters deemed relevant by the Board or Senate.
- To advise the Senate on changes to undergraduate programmes, including new programmes, amendments to programme names, amendments to programme structures or regulations, and the deletion of programmes.
- To advise the Senate on changes to undergraduate papers and micro-credentials, including new papers and micro-credentials, significant amendments to the content of papers or micro-credentials, amendments to titles, amendments to prescriptions, amendments to prerequisites and other paper or micro-credential rules, amendments to teaching delivery mode or teaching period, the re-statement of suspended papers, and the deletion of papers or micro-credentials.
- To receive notification when the Board of one the academic Divisions approves new content for an undergraduate special topic paper, and to provide feedback as appropriate correcting administrative issues, via a nominated group of administrators.
- To receive reports from the University's representative on the Committee on University Academic Programmes ( CUAP ) on the work of CUAP , and to receive reports as needed from the Deputy Vice-Chancellor (Academic), CUAP representative, or other members of the Board as appropriate on the work of Universities New Zealand Te Pōkai Tara ( UNZ ).
- To monitor recently introduced undergraduate programmes that are still in the conditional stage of CUAP approval through receiving and providing feedback on Annual Programme Reports and on Graduating Year Review reports, which must be submitted to CUAP before approval of the programme may be confirmed.
- To advise the Senate on any academic programmes or qualifications offered by University of Otago Pathway or University of Otago English Language Centre, with referral to the Board of Graduates Studies as appropriate.
- To refer relevant matters to the Committee for the Advancement of Learning and Teaching ( CALT ) as they arise and to receive reports from CALT in turn as needed.
- To consider and report on any matter concerning undergraduate studies referred to it by the Senate or the Vice-Chancellor.
- To consider strategic matters relating to the work of the Board, as outlined in the preceding terms.
- To establish working groups, or to commission relevant areas or staff members, to undertake tasks or projects relating to the work of the Board, as outlined in the preceding terms.
Membership
Composition of the Board | Member | Expiry date (if applicable) |
---|---|---|
Deputy Vice-Chancellor (Academic) (Convener) | Professor Stuart Brock | Ex-officio |
Pro-Vice-Chancellor (or nominee) of the Division of Commerce | Dr Lynnaire Sheridan | Ex-officio (appointed by the PVC) |
Pro-Vice-Chancellor (or nominee) of the Division of Health Sciences | Professor Lois Surgenor | Ex-officio (appointed by the PVC) |
Pro-Vice-Chancellor (or nominee) of the Division of Humanities | Associate Professor Melanie Beres | Ex-officio (appointed by the PVC) |
Pro-Vice-Chancellor (or nominee) of the Division of Sciences | Professor Brendan McCane | Ex-officio (appointed by the PVC) |
Director International | Jason Cushen | Ex-officio |
Two members appointed by Senate | Jennifer Haugh | 31 December 2025 |
Professor Karl Lyons | 31 December 2025 | |
Head of Department (or nominee) of the Higher Education Development Centre | Dr Julie Timmermans | Ex-officio |
Director, Distance Learning | Dr Sarah Stein | Ex-officio |
Director, Quality Advancement Unit | Margaret Morgan | Ex-officio |
Dean of Learning and Teaching and University representative on the Committee on University Academic Programmes (CUAP) | Professor Tim Cooper | Ex-officio |
Student member nominated by the Executive of OUSA | Stella Lynch | 31 December 2024 |
Te Rōpū Māori Mātauranga Representative | To be advised | Ex-officio |
In attendance | ||
University Librarian (or nominee) | Richard German | |
Specialists, Academic Committees and Services | Matt Angel (Secretary) | academic.committees@otago.ac.nz |
Rebecca Connaughton | ||
Carol Forbes | ||
Dr Charles Gibson | ||
Dr Tosh Stewart |
The Board has the power to co-opt as required.
Meeting dates for 2024
BUGS Meeting dates, Wednesdays at 2:00pm | Deadline for submission |
---|---|
7 February | 29 January |
6 March | 26 February |
10 April | 25 March (due to mid-semester break) |
1 May | 22 April |
5 June | 27 May |
3 July | 24 June |
7 August | 29 July |
4 September | 26 August |
2 October | 23 September |
6 November | 25 October (due to Labour Day) |
Proposal templates, resources and deadlines
Download templates for new proposals and access resources and annual proposal deadlines