Staff Induction - Governance

The University of Western Australia opened in 1913 in wooden buildings in Irwin Street, Perth. It moved to the present site in 1930.

The University was established under and is governed by the University of Western Australia Act 1911. The Act provides for the control and management of the University to be the responsibility of the Senate, and gives it the authority, amongst other things, to make statutes, regulations and by-laws, details of which are contained in the University Calendar.

Senate

The Senate is therefore the governing body. It consists of 21 members as follows:

four appointed by the Governor for a term of four years;
three elected by the UWA Graduates Association for a term of four years;
three elected by the full-time teaching staff for a term of four years;
two elected by the students for a term of two years;
three co-opted members appointed for a term of four years;
six ex-officio members - the Chancellor, the Vice-Chancellor, the Chair of the Academic Board, the Warden of Convocation, the President of the Guild of Undergraduates and the President of the Postgraduate Students' Association.

The following standing committees of Senate meet regularly and recommend to Senate on matters within their jurisdiction:

The Senate elects the Chancellor for a four year term either from among its members or from elsewhere. The Chancellor is the titular head of the University, and is the chairperson of Senate meetings.

The Pro-Chancellor, who is also elected for a four-year term, acts in the Chancellor's absence.

The positions of Chancellor and Pro-Chancellor are honorary ones.

The Vice-Chancellor is the chief executive officer of the University. The Vice-Chancellor's position is governed by Statute No. 10. Statute No. 30 provides for the appointment of one or more Deputy Vice-Chancellors to assist the Vice-Chancellor. There are a Senior Deputy Vice-Chancellor, a Deputy Vice-Chancellor (Research and Innovation), and a Deputy Vice-Chancellor (Academic).

Other senior administrative officers are the Executive Director (Academic Services) and Registrar and the Executive Director (Finance and Resources). The above six officers comprise jointly what is known as the Executive.

Deans

Deans (9) are responsible to the Vice-Chancellor for the administration of their Faculties. Heads of School administer each school within the Faculty.

There are nine Faculties, each of which comprises groups of cognate schools. The appointed deans have faculty executive roles covering research, teaching, academic structures and academic processes, as well as delegated authority from the Vice-Chancellor to manage University resources and to implement Faculty plans, University policies and priorities. The deans provide leadership to the faculties as listed below:

The Faculties comprise academic staff with full-time or 50% or greater fractional appointments in schools which teach units for the respective degrees administered by faculties, together with certain other nominated members and categories of members. Details of membership and terms of reference are given in Statute No. 8 and in Faculty Governance documents.

Academic Board

The Academic Board is the chief academic body in the University, and its constitution, membership and terms of reference are set out in Statute No. 19 and in the Regulations made pursuant to this Statute. It has delegated authority for most of its business to the Academic Council, the Board's major committee, including the provision of advice to the Vice-Chancellor on the budget.

Graduates Association

The UWA Graduates Association consists of the graduates of the University and some others who, by their qualifications, are eligible to be members under the provisions of Section 17 of the University Act. The UWA Graduates Association meets twice yearly. All amendments to statutes must be referred to the UWA Graduates Association for review before they can be submitted to the Governor in Executive Council for approval, and subsequent advertisement in the Government Gazette.

The Warden of the UWA Graduates Association is elected annually by the members of the UWA Graduates Association.