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Electing members to Macquarie's governance bodies
The Macquarie University Council, Academic Senate, and Faculty Boards are key decision-makers in the operation of the University. Each includes elected members chosen by the University community in accordance with set procedures.
The University Council and Academic Senate of Macquarie University include a number of positions elected by and from the staff and students of the University. Faculty Boards also include elected staff and student positions, and the main student body — the Student Representative Committee — is formed of a mixture of elected and appointed student positions.
Each body has specific requirements related to its membership. For example, Council includes two positions for academic staff, one for professional staff and one for students. Academic Senate has a much larger number of academic staff and student positions which are targeted to specific groups — such as Faculty or student enrolment type (postgraduate coursework, international, and so on).
When an election is called the notice of election and related nomination form will provide full details on who is eligible to stand for election and who is eligible to vote, and will refer to the relevant legislation or policy.
Elections and results
Declaration of results
Following the close of voting at 3.00 pm on Wednesday 28 October 2026, a vote count took place on the afternoon of Thursday 29 October 2026.The results of the election are as follows:
One (1) non-academic staff member on University Council for a term of office from 1 January 2027 – 31 December 2028
- Dr Stuart Upton
For general information on Council, please see the Council website.
Declaration of results
Following the close of voting at 3.00 pm on Wednesday 28 October 2026, a vote count took place on the afternoon of Thursday 29 October 2026. The results of the election are as follows:
STUDENTS
Term of Office 1 December 2026 – 30 November 2028
One (1) Undergraduate Student from the Faculty of Arts
- Isolde Hastings
One (1) Undergraduate Student from the Faculty of Science and Engineering
- Neave Sharp
One (1) Undergraduate Student from the Macquarie Business School
- No nominations for election were received. To be filled following vacancy processes in the Academic Senate Rule.
One (1) Undergraduate Student from the Faculty of Medicine, Health and Human Sciences
- Zaina Zara
Two (2) Postgraduate Coursework Course Student Members
- Arman Rashid
- No further nominations for election were received. To be filled following vacancy processes in the Academic Senate Rule.
One (1) Graduate Research Course Student Member
- Julie Toma
Student member from the International Student Cohort
- Suneha Khare
Student member from the Indigenous Student Cohort
- No nominations for election were received. To be filled following vacancy processes in the Academic Senate Rule.
STAFF
Term of Office 1 January 2027 – 31 December 2028
Three (3) Continuing Academic Staff Members from the Faculty of Arts
- Associate Professor Shirley Chan
- Dr Daniela Simone
- No further nominations for election were received. To be filled following vacancy processes in the Academic Senate Rule.
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Three (3) Continuing Academic Staff Members from the Faculty of Medicine, Health and Human Sciences
- Professor Viviana Wuthrich
- Professor Simon McMullan
- Professor Peter Roger
·
Three (3) Continuing Academic Staff Members from the Faculty of Science and Engineering
- Associate Professor Maurizio Manuguerra
- Associate Professor Kerrie Tomkins
- Damian Jurd
·
Three (3) Continuing Academic Staff Members from the Macquarie Business School
- Associate Professor Nikki Balnave
- Dr Pardis Mohajerani
- Associate Professor Prashan Karunaratne
Academic staff member from the Indigenous staff electorate
- Noeleen Lumby
For general information on Academic Senate please see the Academic Senate website
Declaration of results
Following the close of voting at 3.00 pm on Wednesday 28 October 2026, a vote count took place on the afternoon of Thursday 29 October 2026.The results of the election are as follows:
STUDENTS
Term of Office 1 January 2027 – 31 December 2028
Two (2) Students on the Faculty of Arts Faculty Board
- Isolde Hastings
- Maya Ozo
Two (2) Students on the Faculty of Medicine, Health and Human Sciences Faculty Board
- Zaina Zara
- No further nominations received. To be filled following vacancy process in the Faculty Board Terms of Reference.
Two (2) Students on the Faculty of Science and Engineering Faculty Board
- Sarah Schmid
- Nargiz Zhanabayeva
Two (2) Students on theMacquarie Business School Faculty Board
- Austin Ho
- Niharika Ahluwalia
STAFF
Term of Office 1 January 2027 – 31 December 2028
One (1) Continuing Non-Academic Staff Member from the Faculty of Arts
- Ms Karina Arakel
One (1) Continuing Non-Academic Staff Member from the Faculty of Science and Engineering
- No nominations received. To be filled following vacancy process in the Faculty Board Terms of Reference.
One (1) Continuing Non-Academic Staff Member from the Macquarie Business School
- No nominations received. To be filled following vacancy process in the Faculty Board Terms of Reference.
(Note: The elected non-Academic staff member for the Faculty of Medicine, Health and Human Sciences Faculty Board is not due for an election until 2027)
For general information on Faculty Boards see the Faculty Boards website.
SRC elections are held in accordance with the SRC Terms of Reference
There are no elections for SRC planned for Session 2, 2026.
For general information on the SRC and membership, please see the SRC website.
A notice of election was issued on 28 October 2026.
Term of office 1 January to 31 December 2027.
UP TO FOUR (4) STUDENT DIRECTORS ON MACQUARIE STUDENT-LED ORGANISATION LTD BOARD
Following the close of nominations at 3.00pm on Wednesday 11 November 2026, nominations will be checked for eligibility.
Voting opens at 3.00pm AEDT on Monday 30 November and closes at 3.00pm AEDT on Monday 14 December 2026. The Deputy Returning Officer will conduct the vote count after voting closes.
For more information, please refer to the Candidate Information Pack.
Election Forms and FAQS
Forms for current elections, and further information including FAQs, can be found on this page.
See election information