A committee is classified “open” when its non-confidential documentation is accessible to non-committee members and “closed” when this is not the case.
Non-confidential agendas, minutes and documents of open committees are available on the Governance Intranet, to any authorised person.
The Chair of any committee may elect to set a confidential (closed) agenda instead of, or in addition to, the open agenda of a committee meeting, in order to deal with confidential agenda matters; the consequential minutes are confidential also.
Persons authorised to access the Governance Intranet are those members of academic and PASS staff, and elected student leadership, who have valid user names and passwords for this purpose:
All permanent and/or full-time Professors, Associate Professors, Lecturers, Senior Lecturers and Assistant Lecturers
Members of the Student Parliament and Students’ Representative Council (representing all student sectors and organisations)
All permanent and/or full-time PASS and research staff
Non-committee members are free to communicate their comments on any aspect of a committee’s work to the Chair or any member of that committee. (For example, application files for advertised posts are available for scrutiny by members of Senate, who may make known such points as they wish to the Chair or a member of the relevant Selection Committee, prior to its meeting.)
It is within the discretion of the committee Chair to invite the attendance and/or contribution of any non-committee member at a committee meeting.
Senate and Faculty Boards are open.
The open or closed status of Faculty-level committees is determined by the Faculties themselves.
Committees of Senate and Council, above the Faculty level, are open by default.
Council, as a body on which all sectors of the University community are already represented, is closed.
Committees are closed when:
They affect individuals in their personal capacities (e.g. selection, promotion, awards, and disciplinary committees). Examples are:
Deferred Examinations Committee
Distinguished Teachers Award Committee
Doctoral Degrees Board
Examinations Committees of Faculties
Fellowships Committee
Honorary Degrees Committee
Scholarships Committee
Publications Award Committee
Committees of Inquiry
Committees of Review
Council Appointments Committee
Council’s Standing Review Tribunal for Staff Discipline
Disciplinary and Appeal Committees: Administrative and Support Staff
Preliminary Investigating Committees
Selection Committees
Senior Salaries Committee
Confidentiality must be maintained at all times to protect the interests of the University or any other party. Examples are:
Remuneration Committee
Professional Appointments Committee of Council