Dr Bretag will be returning to campus on Thursday 19 and Friday 20 November to assist us in determining how we might embed a renewed culture of personal integrity and ethical good practice throughout all of our academic programs. Tracey will be joined by Dr Teddi Fishman, the Director of the International Centre for Academic Integrity, based at Clemson University in the United States.

Staff are invited to attend one, or more of the sessions hosted during her visit. The workshops aim to establish:

1. A plain English Academic Integrity statement / policy / honour code / pledge for consultation with Academic Senate and the broader university community.
2. A ‘Framework for Action’ for endorsement by Academic Senate and University Council.

This Framework might include recommendations to:

• review the University’s mission statements, marketing and admission processes
• develop an articulated and coherent Academic Integrity Policy
• review assessment practices and curriculum design,
• improve the information provided to students at orientation and provide frequent visual reminders on campus and online
• embed and target support in to programs at every level
• provide professional development for staff
• implement a system of academic integrity champions (students and staff)
•  ensure the use of new technology for detection and, more importantly, for education.

Register your interest to attend by contacting Ainslee Harvey (ainslee.harvey@mq.edu.au).

At last week’s Senate meeting, Professor Dominic Verity was re-elected as Chair of Academic Senate for another two-year term.

Professor Verity thanked Senate for the great honour, and their ongoing support as he continues to lead the significant process of re-framing Senate’s role in the University.

“Over the next two years, I’m greatly looking forward to advancing the business of Senate and continuing to implement the recommendations that arose out of last year’s Academic Governance Workshops,” he said. This includes plans to make Senate processes, and that of its Committees, more effective, accessible and transparent; improving the level of genuine student engagement in Senate’s business; and informing stakeholders of opportunities to participate.

“I believe Academic Senate really belongs to all of us and I feel very strongly about my obligation to involve as many people as I can in its work,” he said.

Elections are currently underway for the position of Deputy Chair of Academic Senate. Nominations were received from Professor Jacqueline Phillips, Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences, and Dr Wylie Bradford, Faculty of Business and Economics. Voting is only open to Academic Senate members and results will be announced late June.

Many people answered the Chair of Academic Senate, Professor Dominic Verity’s call to put their preconceptions aside and to help frame the future of Macquarie University.

Find out who your Faculty representatives are.

Professor Verity and the Vice-Chancellor, Professor S Bruce Dowton, welcomed new members to Academic Senate at its first meeting of the year on 3 March 2015.

“Academic Governance is turning a new leaf in 2015 and the newly elected membership will ensure that Senate continues its vitally important renewal process,” said Professor Verity. “I strongly urge the University community to get to know their elected Senate members and to raise any concerns you have with them; after all, it is only with your help that they can bring fresh ideas, initiatives and strategies to the table.”

All meetings of Academic Senate and Committees of Academic Senate are open to observers. If you wish to attend a meeting contact chair.senate@mq.edu.au

Elections will soon be held for:

• one professional staff representative on University Council,

• four academic staff representatives from each Faculty, one academic staff representative from the Macquarie Graduate School of Management and one academic staff representative from the non-Faculty electorate on Academic Senate,

• one academic staff representative from each Department and one professional staff representative on Faculty Boards, and

• two student representatives on Faculty Boards.

Information on the Election Process and Nomination Forms are published on the Council and Senate websites.

Nominations opened Thursday 18 September 2014 and close Thursday 9 October 2014.

For more information, contact election@mq.edu.au.

“That we’re an inclusive and diverse body is not well known. To many, Academic Senate is simply a remote body that says no to new program proposals or imposes new academic policies and red-tape. The fact that its actual role in the governance of the University is not widely understood speaks to a wider issue of community awareness of and engagement in the work we do,” says Senate Chair Dom Verity, who has been on staff since 2000 and a member of Senate and its subcommittees for 11 years before taking up the Chair’s gavel at the start of 2013.

“As part of a renewed focus on accessibility and transparency,” says Dom, “all staff and students are invited to have their say and contribute to conversations on the key issues with Senate delegates on the Teche blog. These articles and discussions represent the key themes Academic Senate will focus on in the year ahead, and provide a unique opportunity to help shape the future direction of our University.”

Read Dom’s inaugural Senate Summary and have your say on the issues being discussed.

The newly refurbished Senate room was inaugurated at the Academic Senate meeting last Friday. “The new physical space is symbolic of the deeper changes that are afoot for Senate in the coming months” said the Chair of Academic Senate, Professor Dominic Verity.

Professor Verity hopes that the revamped Senate room will be known as a place where free enquiry is welcomed, and open debate is encouraged about important academic matters affecting the future of Macquarie.

Vice-Chancellor Professor S Bruce Dowton supports the Chair’s desire to reposition Senate’s role within the University. “Senate must become more strategically focussed and less about the operational detail of the University” he said.

To that end, two workshops are being organised for later in the year that will explore the role and purpose of Academic Senate, raise the profile of academic governance, and identify ways to boost interest and engagement in Senate business.

One of Professor Verity’s greatest priorities is to improve engagement, collegiality and communication about academic governance with both students and staff. “Our renewed communication strategy is centred around accessibility and transparency. Our aim is to communicate early and effectively utilising channels which enable two-way communication with the broader University community,” he explained.

Professor Verity emphasised that broad-based representation is vital for effective academic governance and looks forward to welcoming more stakeholders to the conversation.

“It is an exciting time to be a part of Senate, and not only because no we’ve got the best meeting room in the University. I am looking forward greatly to the journey ahead,” said Professor Verity.

Find out more about the Academic Senate.