The School formed two student consultative committees in 2009 – one for undergraduate and postgraduate coursework students, and one for honours and research higher degree students.
Purpose and Operation of Committees:
The role of the committees is two-way communication:
- the School consults and advises students on policy developments and changes affecting them;
- students raise concerns and make suggestions about the operation of the School as it affects them.
Nominations for student representatives are called as indicated:
- for undergraduate programs, from those enrolled in a key compulsory course from one of the majors administered by the School in each year of the BSc and BBiotech programs;
- for postgraduate coursework programs, from those enrolled in the programs administered by the School;
- for Honours, from those enrolled in Honours programs in the School;
- for postgraduate research programs, from those enrolled as candidates in the School.
Where there is more than one nominee for a position, nominees will be asked to write a short statement on their suitability for the role. Statements shall be considered by a group consisting of the Chair of Teaching & Learning Committee (as relevant); the Director, Research Higher Degree Programs (as relevant); the Director, Biotechnology Programs (as relevant); and the School Manager, who shall choose the successful nominee. Attempts will be made to achieve a balance of genders and international/domestic students in the student representative membership.
Meetings shall generally take place at least twice each semester, typically in Weeks 3/4 and 10. Other meetings can be arranged as the need arises. Students will provide the Chair of each committee, who ensures the orderly conduct of the meetings, and a Student Secretary, who assists the Staff Secretary to assemble items for the meeting agendas and to check the drafts of minutes.
There is to be a formal, minuted session where items are raised, results from previous enquiries are reported, and information is exchanged. This can be followed by an informal session where a more free exchange can take place. Meetings typically occur over lunchtime, with food supplied by the School.
The student population is to be emailed ahead of each meeting so that individuals can raise issues with their representatives. Minutes of meetings are to be made available on the School’s public website.
Membership of the Coursework Student Consultative Committee:
1. Nine student representatives (from key compulsory courses of each year of the BSc, and from the BBiotech, postgraduate Biotechnology suite, postgraduate Molecular Biology suite):
2. Staff Representatives:
Head of School - Prof Alastair McEwan or nominee
Deputy Head of School - Prof Mary Garson
Chair, Teaching & Learning Committee - Assoc Prof Joe Rothnagel
Coordinator, Biotechnology Programs - Prof Ross Barnard
Coorindator, postgraduate Molecular Biology programs - Dr Simon Worrall
School Manager and secretarial support - Mr Mark Starkey (Alternate: Mr Athol Reid)
Membership of the Research Student Consultative Committee (RHD and Honours):
1. One student representatives from the Honours programs of the School and a representative number of MPhil and PhD students of the School:
2. Staff Representatives:
Head of School - Prof Alastair McEwan or nominee (eg, Deputy Head of School, Prof Mary Garson)
Representative of Honours Coordinators - Dr Peter Wilce
Chief Director, Postgraduate Research Programs - Assoc Prof Melissa Brown
School Manager and secretarial support - Mr Mark Starkey (Alternate: Ms Jill Sheridan)
Minutes of meetings:
Coursework Student Consultative Committee
Research Student Consultative Committee