Council and Academic Senate support
Under the leadership of the University Secretary, the Council and Academic Senate Services team helps UON make good decisions. We do this by providing professional governance support and advice to Council, its standing committees and Academic Senate.
We can help you with:
- Committee and Council reporting timeframes and deadlines
- Upcoming committee agendas items
- Reporting formats: which template to use when and when (one page template; standard template; reports to EC or Council)
- Report content and the key elements requiring Council consideration
- How to draft and develop a resolution
- Meeting actions and outcomes reported to the Executive
- General governance advice
- Election information, forms and advice
Who to contact
Team Member | Contact me about |
The University Secretary serves as UON’s most senior advisor on governance and associated administrative, compliance and regulatory matters and is the key contact point for Council. Learn more. | |
Melinda Wellham, Executive and Council Communication Officer | Executive support for the Chancellor. Extending invites to Council members and Council member information distribution. |
Senior advisor on governance and associated administrative, compliance and regulatory matters and contact point for Council, Academic Senate and Committees. All Secretariat services for:
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Administration for all Committees, Academic Senate and Council. All Secretariat services for:
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All Secretariat services for:
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| Zoe Ward, Council Secretariat Officer | All Secretariat services for:
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What does a 'Secretariat' team do?
- We provide governance advice to the Chancellor, Vice-Chancellor, President Academic Senate, Committee chairs and other senior staff to help them understand and carry out their governing and management roles in a way that complies with our legislative obligations
- We set annual meeting cycles and reporting plans
- We prepare agendas, running sheets, minutes and actions
- We facilitate and provide advisory papers to Council
- We organise, promote and conduct formal member elections and ballots for UON bodies like Council and Academic Senate
- We induct new Council and Academic Senate members
- We monitor UON’s interests in controlled and associated entities
- We facilitate UON’s governing groups to operate and make decisions according to the University of Newcastle Act 1989 , University of Newcastle By-law 2017, and other relevant rules, policies, procedures and statutory obligations
- We help staff and students understand what good governance looks like
- We maintain UON’s internal legislative framework
- We execute documents under the University Seal
Council cycle of support
