Academic Senate

The Academic Senate's statutory authority in academic matters within the University has been elaborated in the Academic Senate Ordinance (PDF 193.8 KB). The Ordinance prescribes that the role of Academic Senate is to:

• Approve awards and determine the qualifications required of a candidate before they may be admitted to an award. The list of Courses Approved by Academic Senate (PDF 720.3 KB) is updated after each meeting of Academic Senate.
• Provide academic oversight of the quality of teaching, learning, research and research training
• Monitor institutional benchmarks for academic quality and outcomes and monitor initiated actions to improve performance
• Monitor and provide competent advice to the University Council and management on academic matters, including advice on academic outcomes, policies and practices, and the quality of teaching, learning, research and research training
• Monitor and review academic policies and procedures and their effectiveness
• Provide feedback on substantial changes to academic delegations and the effectiveness of the academic delegations structure.
• Maintain oversight of academic and research integrity, including monitoring of potential risks
• Critically evaluate the quality and effectiveness of educational innovations
• Evaluate the effectiveness of institutional monitoring, review and improvement of academic activities
• Ensure students have opportunities to participate in academic governance.

Academic Senate committees assist and advise Academic Senate in ensuring the maintenance of the highest standards and quality in teaching, scholarship and research in the University of Tasmania. Academic Senate has established the following committees:

• Academic and Research Quality Assurance Committee
• Curriculum Quality Assurance Committee
• Standing Academic Committee
• University Admissions Committee
• Nominations Committee.

In 2026 Academic Senate is focused on refining its role in providing governance-level approval and oversight of academic and research frameworks, processes and outcomes aligned to the Higher Education Standards Framework and TEQSA requirements, and in identifying academic risks. These slides illustrate Academic Senate and its committee's role in meeting this objective.

Important Changes to Academic Senate and its Membership

At its October 2025 meeting, University Council approved an updated Academic Senate Ordinance that enabled amendments to be made to Academic Senate, particularly regarding its membership such that student and elected staff representation was increased.

The revised model for Academic Senate was developed in response to recommendations arising from Senate’s regular external review, the Legislative Council’s review of the University of Tasmania Act 1992, and benchmarking data from across the Australian tertiary sector, and shaped by detailed consultation with and revision by Senate throughout 2025.

Consistent with our new ways of working at the University and revised structure, Senate has formed several new electorates with elected members being expected to represent the interests of the University as a whole. These electorates include Level B and C academics, Level D and E academics and an Indigenous Academic electorate from which a member is elected.

Senate’s revised membership composition positions it strongly to perform its important governance role, which principally involves quality assuring the University’s learning and teaching, researcher training and research, as well as monitoring for academic risk and ensuring the University has appropriate mitigation strategies in place.

Unchanged is Academic Senate’s election of its own Chair and Deputy Chair, the incumbents of which are Professor Kristyn Harman and Associate Prof Erin Roehrer, respectively.

The table below reflects those individuals elected from the three new electorates and Senate’s current membership as a whole.

It should be noted that whilst the revised model includes ten members each in the Level B/C and D/E electorates, only five have been elected for each group thus far, to enable the appropriate staggering and overlap of elected members’ terms.

Please also note, those members elected from the preceding Senate structure will see out their term of office.

Elected and Appointed Members

Ex-Officio Members

Academic Senate Secretary

Academic Senate meet six times per year, including a Planning Day in December. After each meeting of Academic Senate, a report is submitted to University Council detailing the business of the meeting. The Report to University Council, along with the decisions made by Academic Senate at each of its meetings are available below.

Context

Academic Senate is committed to an ongoing culture of continual cycles of review, quality assurance and enhancement of the academic governance of learning, teaching, higher degree research and research training.

Academic Senate is reviewed on a regular basis as required by the Higher Education Standards Framework (Threshold Standards) 2021 to evaluate its effectiveness in discharging its responsibilities.

In undertaking the 2024 Review of Academic Senate, it was important to consider any governance-related changes that were incorporated into the Australian Universities Accord and implications for Academic Senate that flow from these changes.

In keeping with the University’s commitment to transparency, the recommendations from the Review, and work undertaken as a result of the recommendations, will be appropriately communicated to the University community once Academic Senate has had the opportunity to consider the recommendations and develop an action plan. The recommendations will also inform the University’s academic simplification work.

Terms of Reference

The 2024 Review of Academic Senate considered:

1. The effectiveness of the function of the Academic Senate to advise the Council on all academic matters relating to the University, as specified in the University of Tasmania Act 1992.
2. The appropriateness of the purpose, function, and composition of the Academic Senate as specified in the Academic Senate Ordinance and its effectiveness in discharging its obligations in meeting the requirements of the Higher Education Standards Framework (Threshold Standards) 2021 relating to academic governance and institutional quality and standards, specifically:
   1. Approve awards and determine the qualifications required of a candidate before they may be admitted to an award.
   2. Provide academic oversight of the quality of teaching, learning, research and research training.
   3. Monitor institutional benchmarks for academic quality and outcomes and monitor initiated actions to improve performance.
   4. Monitor and provide competent advice to the University Council and management on academic matters, including advice on academic outcomes, policies and practices, and the quality of teaching, learning, research and research training.
   5. Monitor and review academic policies and procedures and their effectiveness.
   6. Provide feedback on substantial changes to academic delegations and the effectiveness of the academic delegations structure.
   7. Maintain oversight of academic and research integrity, including monitoring of potential risks.
   8. Critically evaluate the quality and effectiveness of educational innovations.
   9. Evaluate the effectiveness of institutional monitoring, review and improvement of academic activities.
   10. Ensure students have opportunities to participate in academic governance.
3. The appropriateness of the purpose, function, and composition of Academic Senate’s committees and their effectiveness in assisting Academic Senate in discharging its responsibilities.
4. The appropriateness and effectiveness of the relationships between Academic Senate, the University’s executive and Council, Colleges and academic staff.
5. The appropriateness of Academic Senate membership in reflecting the diverse perspectives of the University community.
6. The ways in which Academic Senate is inclusive in its processes and practices, and transparent in its decision-making.

Independent Reviewer

The Independent Reviewer, BoardsGlobal, was selected by the Review Evaluation Panel, who ensured there were no conflicts of interest that would affect the integrity of the review process.

Review Evaluation Panel

The Review Evaluation Panel included:

• Deputy Vice-Chancellor Academic (Chair)
• Deputy Chancellor
• Chair, Academic Senate
• University Secretary
• Senior Executive Officer (Secretary).

How evidence was gathered:

• A self-evaluation report was conducted by the Chair of Academic Senate prior to the Review and was provided to the Independent Reviewer, which included:
  • Background information on the most recent reviews of Senate.
  • Overview of the strategic agenda of Academic Senate over the past few years.
  • Self-evaluation of compliance with legislative obligations and overall Academic Senate performance.
  • Invitation for the Independent Reviewer to consider and provide advice on key questions relevant at the time, such as committee structure and chairing model.
• An electronic survey was disseminated to all 2023 members and observers of Academic Senate.
• All academic staff were invited to provide submissions.
• The Independent Reviewer was invited to observe meetings of Senate.
• The Independent Reviewer undertook a Desktop Review of documentation including legislation, policies, procedures, reports, agenda papers and minutes.
• The Independent Reviewer was able to reference review models and bench-marking data from other Australian universities.

How outcomes will be provided/communicated:

• The Final Review Report was initially considered by Academic Senate at its 22 November 2024 meeting.
• The Final Review Report was the subject of a Strategic Session held at Academic Senate's annual Planning Day on 5 December 2024. The development of an Action Plan to implement any agreed recommendations began at Planning Day.
• The outcomes and implementation plan will be reported to University Council.
• University Council will agree on the further distribution of the outcomes and action plan.