Committees & Subcommittees

• President
• PG Officer
• UG Education Vice-President
• Wellbeing & Equity Vice-President
• Women’s Rights Officer
• MSO – Co-President

Senate is the University Council’s advisory body. Many academics sit on this committee alongside six AUSA representatives. Conversations like the new VC hiring process, law/business merger, TEC strategy document etc... have all been discussed at Senate. It votes to advise the council on important strategic decisions for the students. It’s vital to have a strong presence in Senate and be a loud voice for the students. 

Discipline Committee is a sub-body of senate. It usually meets once a week for four hours, and there’s quite a bit of preparation needed for DC meetings involving reading through cases and understanding all the available information to ensure the student has a fair process. The six reps who sit on Senate will be the six reps for DC, usually in some sort of rotation schedule.

• UG Education Vice-President

The committee is responsible for overseeing the development, approval, and monitoring of academic programmes and qualifications. It reviews and recommends new programmes and major changes to Senate, approving significant changes that do not require CUAP (national body) approval, and monitoring minor amendments and new courses introduced by faculties under delegated authority. It also oversees the review and evaluation of new programmes, including Graduating Year Reviews, and has responsibility for approving, monitoring, and reviewing micro-credentials and concurrently taught courses.

• PG Education Vice-President

The Board of Graduate Studies is responsible for overseeing all aspects of the University’s doctoral programmes and policies. Its work includes establishing and reviewing doctoral policies, monitoring and reporting on programmes, and ensuring appropriate services and support are provided for candidates and supervisors. It reviews and makes recommendations to Senate on proposals for new doctoral programmes or major changes to existing ones, and addresses matters related to postgraduate scholarships, prizes, and awards, including recommending the Vice-Chancellor’s Prize for Best Doctoral Thesis. The committee also subdelegates certain functions and powers relating to doctoral and closely related matters in line with Council’s delegations and approvals.

• President
• Engagement Vice-President

The Club Support Committee is the decision-making board for matters relating to recognised student groups. The day to-day operational support and processes for clubs, societies and associations is managed by Campus Life with input from the committee. Most of the meetings centre on reviewing grant applications, new club applications, and club award applications.

• UG Education Vice-President
• PG Education Vice President

The Education Committee provides advice and recommendations to Senate on a wide range of academic policy matters. Its responsibilities include developing and reviewing policies and regulations on university entrance, recruitment, admission and enrolment, selection criteria, discipline, and other academic issues. It also oversees departmental and programme reviews, academic audit processes, and matters relating to distance education. In addition, the committee advises on academic relationships with other institutions, recommends academic appointments to external bodies, and considers new scholarship and award regulations referred by the Scholarships Committee. It also receives reports from Inter-Faculty Boards of Study to help guide decision-making.

• President

The UELC is responsible for providing leadership and accountability for the University’s equity priorities, strategies, and projects. It works to strengthen integrated and effective equity leadership across the institution, ensuring alignment with executive strategic priorities. The committee responds to advice and recommendations from the Equity Action Network, identifies opportunities to build synergies or address gaps in equity initiatives, and promotes good practice and innovation in this area. It also advises Senate and Council on equity strategies, policies, and progress, while ensuring the University meets all statutory and compliance obligations related to equity.

• Wellbeing & Equity Vice-President

The Health, Safety, and Wellbeing Committee is responsible for overseeing the University’s health and safety framework to ensure it is comprehensive, effective, and clearly assigns accountability. It monitors new and emerging risks, changes in best practice, and compliance with relevant legislation, standards, and codes of practice, while advising on necessary updates to policies and procedures. The committee considers reports and proposals from health and safety representatives, faculties, and service divisions, and reviews incidents, regulatory interactions, and issues raised by advisory groups or University leadership. It also receives updates from the Health, Safety and Wellbeing team and the Associate Director. In addition, the committee reports regularly to Council and the Audit and Risk Committee on incidents, risks, and compliance, and advises on the University’s participation in the ACC Accredited Employer Partnership Programme.

• PG Education Vice-President

The Ethics Committee is responsible for ensuring that all eligible human participant research at the University meets ethical standards. Its functions include reviewing and approving applications and amendments in line with the University’s ethics procedures, partnering with ethics advisors to provide guidance on ethical principles, and responding to adverse events, complaints, and queries. It refers research integrity issues to the Research Integrity Officer, conducts audits to confirm compliance with approved protocols, and seeks expert advice from relevant external and internal bodies when needed, while maintaining confidentiality. The committee also refers ineligible research to the appropriate external ethics committees, such as AHREC or HDECs. In short, it safeguards the interests of participants, researchers, and the University, promotes awareness of ethical issues in research, and provides a pathway for addressing concerns related to ethics approval or non-compliant research.

• International Students Officer

The International Committee is responsible for promoting and advancing the University’s global engagement and profile. Its work includes recommending and coordinating policies related to international alliances and agreements, fostering international research opportunities, and supporting staff and student mobility. The committee also plays a key role in enhancing the internationalisation of the curriculum and campus life, as well as guiding the recruitment and support of international students.

• President
• MSO Co-President

The Library and Learning Services Committee advises Te Tumu Herenga to ensure its policies, services, and collections align with the University’s strategic plan and institutional frameworks. It upholds Te Tiriti o Waitangi principles and reflects the University’s place in Aotearoa New Zealand and the wider Pacific. The committee monitors trends in research, teaching, and learning that may affect operations, identifies issues in policies and procedures impacting faculties, students, and associates, and highlights emerging academic areas to guide collection development. It also champions diversity, inclusion, and equity, and serves as a reference group by providing feedback on services, facilities, benchmarking, and budgets.

• PG Education Vice-President

The Research Committee is responsible for overseeing and supporting the University’s research activities to ensure they are of the highest quality, ethical, relevant, and aligned with strategic priorities. It plays a key role in embedding Māori perspectives and upholding Te Tiriti o Waitangi, including promoting Mātauranga Māori, Māori data sovereignty, and culturally appropriate research practices. The committee develops and implements research policies, supports the achievement of key performance indicators, and oversees the performance of University Research Centres by ensuring they have access to appropriate resources. It also promotes research excellence, open research practices, impactful outcomes, and transdisciplinary initiatives, while fostering collaborations and partnerships with external communities and organisations to enhance societal relevance and impact. The committee advises the University Executive Committee on research matters and reports its activities and recommendations to Senate.

• MSO Co-Presidents (Both)

Rūnanga provides a forum for discussing Māori life on campus and ensures a strong Māori perspective is embedded in the University’s activities. It works to build a positive Māori profile, supports the development of Māori programmes, and engages with the Vice-Chancellor, Māori staff, students, and the wider community. Rūnanga advises the University Council on partnership aspirations with Māori, progress toward strategic objectives for Māori, and academic matters relating to Māori curriculum, delivery, and research. It also advises University management on operational issues connected to achieving strategic goals for Māori development.

• Queer Rights Officer
• Engagement Vice-President

The Sustainability Management Board provides leadership and coordination for sustainability across the University, acting as a focal point for institutional change and strategic direction. It empowers faculties, service divisions, and Taumata Teitei theme leads to address sustainability challenges while maintaining awareness of local, national, and global sustainability contexts. The Board guides the work of the Sustainability Hub, advises delivery teams from a University perspective, and ensures meaningful engagement with staff, students, and external communities. Meeting at least four times a year, it serves in an advisory capacity to the University Executive Committee.

• Disabilities Rights Officer  
• PG Education Vice-President 
• UG Education Vice-President 

The Teaching and Learning Quality Committee is responsible for guiding and monitoring the University’s teaching and learning activities to ensure they align with strategic objectives and uphold the principles of Te Tiriti o Waitangi. Its role includes advising on policies for evaluating teaching quality, supporting staff development, learning design, and student learning support, as well as identifying priorities in the scholarship of learning and teaching. The committee monitors academic integrity and misconduct matters, oversees awards and grants that recognise teaching excellence, and provides pedagogical advice on both digital and physical learning infrastructure. It also serves as a reference group for academic developments, ensuring continuous improvement in teaching and learning across the University.