The Charles Sturt University Council (the Council) is the governing body of the University and constituted in accordance with the Charles Sturt University Act 1989 to ensure the proper stewardship and strategic direction of the University. The Council is directly accountable to the stakeholders of the University for creating and delivering value and improved performance through effective governance.

The Council has 16 members who are appointed or elected. Appointed members must have the skills, qualifications and experience necessary for the good governance and stewardship of the University.

The membership comprises of: the Chancellor, Vice-Chancellor, and Chair, Academic Senate as official members; two members appointed by the NSW Minister for Education; up to five members appointed by the Council; up to four graduate members who are appointed by the Council; two elected staff members (one academic and one professional/general) and one elected student member (postgraduate or undergraduate).

The Council meets at least five times a year and holds a formal planning workshop biennially to focus on strategic performance and to review governance processes and the Council’s own performance.

Council Committees

The Council has established the following principal Committees to assist it in exercising its responsibilities, including monitoring the performance of the University against the objectives and performance indicators set out in the University Strategy and other institutional planning documents. Each Committee has terms of reference set out in a Rule approved under the Charles Sturt University Act 1989 and has the authority to require information or report from any officer or employee of the University.

Council Executive Committee

The principal function of the Council Executive Committee is to act for and on behalf of the Council, between scheduled meetings of the Council, in the control and management of the affairs of the University, including approval of recommendations for conferring awards on the University's graduands.

The Committee comprises four members including the Chancellor, Deputy Chancellor, Vice-Chancellor and Presiding Officer, Academic Senate.

The Council may additionally appoint up to two other members of the Council to the membership, of which at least one must be an external member.

Foresighting Committee

The principal function of the Foresighting Committee is to guide and oversight all aspects of the University’s strategy. The Committee also undertakes broad environmental assessments, which might identify emerging trends and other opportunities or threats, for further interpretation by the Council and/or management and provides advice and recommendations to the Council and/or management in relation to key emerging issues to assist with future planning.

The Committee comprises a minimum of four members of the Council, which must include the Vice-Chancellor. The Council may appoint additional members, either from Council or external.

Finance, Audit and Risk Committee

The principal functions of the Finance, Audit and Risk Committee include the:

• oversight and granting of relevant approvals with respect to internal audit activities including reviewing reports of the internal auditor and the annual internal audit program;
• oversight of the processes necessary to support a compliance framework in the context of best practice corporate governance as it relates to adherence to law, University policies, and accepted procedures;
• review of reports on compliance (including whistleblower activities);
• review of risk assessment within the University (including Academic Risk) and the internal control systems in place to underpin this assessment including the risk management framework and policies, risk appetite, risk mitigation and reputation management, as well as associated documentation;
• oversight and granting of relevant approvals with respect to University finances including review and recommendation of the Annual Budget to the Council, monitoring of the financial performance of the University and student load; and
• oversight of capital development projects including commercial activities of the University and monitoring the performance of these

The Committee comprises at least four members including at least three members of the Council, the majority of whom shall be external persons, and up to two external independent persons.

Investment Committee

The principal function of the Investment Committee is to act for and on behalf of the Council with respect to the investment activities, targets and policy of the University. Including monitoring the performance of the University’s investment portfolio, Fund Managers, and investment risk as well as providing advice to the Chief Financial Officer and Investment Management Committee with respect to the investment program. The Committee also oversights the University’s philanthropic activities.

The Committee comprises at least three members of the Council, the majority of whom shall be external members as well as two external independent members with investment skills and experience.

Nomination and Remuneration Committee

The Nomination and Remuneration Committee is responsible for the nominations processes of the Council, executive remuneration, and the performance review of the Vice-Chancellor. It also approves nominations for honorary awards and official naming of University facilities including roads, buildings etc.

The membership of the Committee comprises of the Chancellor, Deputy Chancellor, Vice-Chancellor, the Chair, Academic Senate and three other members of Council (including at least two external members).

The Academic Senate is the principal academic body of the University. It has delegated authority from the Council to make and monitor academic policy, it provides advice to the Council and Vice-Chancellor on all matters relating to teaching, research and scholarship and it is responsible for ensuring the high quality of teaching and learning and research within the University and monitoring and managing issues of academic risk.

The Academic Senate has a membership of 32 comprising: the Chair and Deputy Chair; the Vice-Chancellor, the Deputy Vice-Chancellors, Executive Deans of Faculty; Pro Vice-Chancellors; the Chair of the Indigenous Board of Studies as ex-officio members; six members of the professoriate nominated and elected by the professorial forum; three elected academic staff members from each Faculty, and; three students nominated by the Student Senate.

The Academic Senate meets six times each year and is assisted in its work by several committees.

University Courses Committee

The University Courses Committee is responsible for the academic oversight of the course and subject portfolio and the quality for coursework programs within the University. The University Courses Committee provides advice to the Academic Senate on strategies, policies, initiatives and innovation that promotes development of an innovative course portfolio for the University.

University Learning and Teaching Committee

The University Learning and Teaching Committee is responsible for the oversight of learning and teaching quality in coursework programs within the University. The University Learning and Teaching Committee provides advice to the Academic Senate on learning and teaching, policies and initiatives and innovation that promotes learning and teaching interests of the University and that fosters learning and teaching that is of the highest quality.

University Research Committee

The University Research Committee is responsible for the academic governance oversight of the research and research training activities of the University.

Faculty Boards

Each Faculty has a Faculty Board, chaired by the Executive Dean, which is a committee of the Academic Senate and is responsible for the academic governance oversight of the activities of the Faculty on behalf of the Academic Senate. The duties of the Faculty Board shall apply to all matters associated with strategic academic governance issues pertaining to the quality of research and research, undergraduate and postgraduate coursework programs and learning and teaching quality pertaining to the Faculty.

Faculties and Schools

The University´s academic activities (teaching, research and consultancy) are the province of the Faculties of the University. Each Faculty is headed by an Executive Dean who is responsible to the Vice-Chancellor through the Deputy Vice-Chancellor (Academic) for the management of the Faculty. The Faculties, which are multi-campus, comprise campus-based and cross-campus Schools and, in a few cases, campus-based academic units. Each school is managed by a Head of School who is responsible to the Executive Dean.

Faculties are responsible for the development and delivery of courses whereas Schools are responsible for the curriculum and the teaching of the subjects that comprise courses.

Faculty Boards

Each Faculty has a Faculty Board, chaired by the Executive Dean, which is a committee of the Academic Senate and is responsible for the quality of the Faculty´s courses, research, consultancy and other academic activities. Each School of the Faculty is represented on the Faculty Board.

top