Senate Statute 2025

Content

1. Title

   1. This is the Senate Statute 2025.

2. Commencement

   1. This Statute shall come into effect on 1 March 2026.

3. Senate established

   1. The academic board established in pursuance of Schedule 11 Section 18 of the Education and Training Act 2020 shall be known as the Senate.

4. Role of Senate

   1. Senate is a committee of Council and is the University’s principal academic body, responsible for promoting and upholding excellence in teaching and research. It serves as a forum for academic debate and open communication, both within the University, and between the Vice-Chancellor’s senior leadership team and the wider academic community.
   2. Senate, the senior leadership team, and other University leaders will together identify matters from across the University for which Senate’s advice is pertinent and ensure that Senate’s advice is sought early in the planning and decision-making process.
   3. The roles of Senate include, but are not limited to:
      1. Advising and making recommendations to Council on matters relating to courses of study or training, awards, and other academic matters except where any such matter has been delegated to Senate. Noting that Council will not make any decision or statute in respect of any academic matter without first seeking and considering the advice of Senate.
      2. Exercising powers delegated to Senate by Council.
      3. Advising the Vice-Chancellor’s senior leadership team and other University leaders on all strategic matters and significant decisions that impact the University’s academic endeavours, student success, and the ability of academic staff to succeed in their roles.
      4. Engaging transparently with staff and students to ensure a shared sense of responsibility for matters of importance to the academic life of the University.
      5. Working to facilitate innovative, high-quality and culturally responsive research and education across the University, by fostering an environment that promotes excellence and supports researchers, educators, and students.
      6. Subject to the powers reserved to the Council (e.g., under clause 3(2) of the Academic Statute 2011) overseeing the approval, quality, and relevance of academic qualifications, programmes, and curriculum changes. This includes setting and monitoring standards for admission, assessment, and the awarding of qualifications.
      7. Ensuring effective academic governance through Senate committees and academic leadership. This includes monitoring institutional benchmarks for academic quality, outcomes, equity and risks.

5. Composition of Senate

   1. The Senate shall consist of the following persons:
      1. Ex officio members
         1. The Vice-Chancellor, Deputy Vice-Chancellors, Pro-Vice-Chancellors, and the Registrar and Secretary to the Council.
         2. Deans presiding over an academic programme, Deans of Schools comprising more than one department, and the Dean of the Graduate Research School.
         3. From each of the Division of Humanities, Division of Commerce, Division of Sciences, and Division of Health Sciences: the Associate Dean (Academic), Associate Dean (Research), Associate Dean (Māori), and Associate Dean (Pacific), or their equivalents.
         4. The University's representative on the Committee on University Academic Programmes.
         5. The Chief Operating Officer.
         6. The Directors (or Heads) of Distance Learning; the Centre for Educational Design and Innovation; International; Māori Development; Pacific Development; Strategy, Analytics and Reporting; Student Experience; Sustainability Office; and Equity Advisory Committee.
         7. The University Librarian.
         8. The President, Academic Representative, and Postgraduate Students' Representative of the Otago University Students' Association, the Te Rōpū Māori Tumuaki, and the President of the University of Otago Pacific Islands Students' Association.
      2. Appointed members
         1. Up to six Heads of Departments from within the Division of Commerce, up to ten Heads of Departments from within the Division of Health Sciences, up to four Heads of Schools and up to three Heads of Programmes from within the Division of Humanities, and up to ten Heads of Departments from within the Division of Sciences, in each case appointed by their respective Pro-Vice-Chancellors. Four of the Heads of Departments from the Division of Health Sciences shall be appointed after consultation with the Deans of the University of Otago, Christchurch and University of Otago, Wellington and not more than two may be appointed from each.
         2. Three members of the academic staff appointed by the Pro-Vice-Chancellor of the Division of Commerce, three members of the academic staff appointed by the Pro-Vice-Chancellor of the Division of Health Sciences, three members of the academic staff appointed by the Pro-Vice-Chancellor of the Division of Humanities, and three members of the academic staff appointed by the Pro-Vice-Chancellor of the Division of Sciences. Such staff members to be selected so as to promote equity and diversity in access to academic decision-making processes, including diversity of thought, gender, culture, disability status, and any other areas outlined in relevant University Frameworks.
      3. Elected members: Three members of the academic staff from within the Division of Commerce, six members of the academic staff from within the Division of Health Sciences, four members of the academic staff from within the Division of Humanities, and five members of the academic staff from within the Division of Sciences, in each case elected by the members of the academic staff from within their respective Divisions. One of the members of the academic staff elected from within the Division of Health Sciences shall be elected by members of the academic staff from within the University of Otago, Wellington, and one further member of the academic staff elected from within the Division of Health Sciences shall be elected by members of the academic staff from within the University of Otago, Christchurch.
      4. Co-opted members: Up to five co-opted members.

6. Term lengths

   1. Ex officio members shall remain members only so long as they hold the offices by virtue of which they became members.
   2. Appointed members shall hold office for such period not exceeding four years as specified at the time of appointment by the relevant Pro-Vice-Chancellor and are eligible for reappointment.
   3. Elected members shall hold office for four years and are eligible for re-election. Any elected member who ceases to be a member of the body of staff whom they were elected to represent shall be deemed to have resigned from the Senate and a by election shall be held.
   4. Co-opted members shall hold office for such period not exceeding four years as may in each case be determined by the Senate at the time of co-option. Co-opted members are eligible for reappointment.

7. Election procedures

   1. The Secretary to the Senate, or nominee, shall be the Returning Officer for elections to the Senate of persons representing members of the academic staff from within a specified Division and shall arrange elections as needed.
   2. For any election to the Senate of members of the academic staff from within a specified Division, the roll of electors comprise the names of each person who at the time of the election:
      1. is employed at the University in a position which:
         1. the Vice-Chancellor has determined forms part of the academic staff of the University; and
         2. the Pro-Vice-Chancellor of the relevant Division has determined forms part of the academic staff of that Division and, should the election be among the academic staff from within the University of Otago, Wellington or the University of Otago, Christchurch, the relevant campus; and
      2. who holds that position on such terms, or who has held, or who is expected to hold, that position for such period as to qualify as a permanent member of the University's staff.
   3. who holds that position on such terms, or who has held, or who is expected to hold, that position for such period as to qualify as a permanent member of the University's staff.
   4. Any person whose name is on a roll of electors as provided for under this Statute may stand for election for a position which is to be filled by a vote by the persons on that roll.
   5. Candidates shall nominate themselves by writing to the Returning Officer in a form prescribed by the Returning Officer, and may include a personal statement to a maximum of 200 words with their nomination.
   6. Information supplied by candidates will be distributed to those entitled to vote in a standard format prescribed by the Returning Officer who may edit, or require a candidate to revise, a candidate's statement to meet that format.
   7. Further election procedures and arrangements shall be determined by the Returning Officer in consultation with and to the satisfaction of the Vice-Chancellor.

8. Repeal

   1. The Senate Statute 2021 is repealed with effect from the commencement of this Statute.