Code of Practice for Council Proceedings

Procedures for Council Meetings:

• The Secretary of Council will make a copy of the agenda available to anyone requesting a copy. Three copies of the agenda papers for a meeting of Council will be made available for reference by interested persons at the office of the Council secretariat, and published on the University’s Website, normally from the Monday before the meeting. Confidential items will not be included.
•  Council meetings are generally open to members of the public and seating for observers will be provided in the Council Room. However, space will permit only a limited number of places. Once all seating is filled further observers may not be admitted until a seat is vacated.
• Observers will be under the direction of the Chair in the meeting, and may not speak nor communicate with members of Council during the meeting unless invited to do so by the Chair.
• While observers will be free to arrive and depart at any time, movement should be as unobtrusive as possible so as not to disrupt the meeting.
•  At the meeting Council may determine that it will meet in camera and in these circumstances observers will leave the Council Room and will not return until Council declares the meeting open to the public.
• Observers may not bring recording equipment or cameras into the Council meeting unless invited to do so by the Chair.

Confidentiality of Proceedings:

• Members shall treat as confidential all matters discussed in closed sessions of Council.
• No person other than the Chancellor or the Vice-Chancellor may issue on behalf of Council any public statement concerning the public business of the Council.
• A member of the Council ought not, without the approval of the Chancellor, discuss with or directly or indirectly disclose to a person not a member of the Council, information received by virtue of membership of the Council on:
• any matter listed as confidential on the business papers or agreed by the Council to be marked as confidential in the minutes of the Council;
• any personal matter affecting an individual;
•  any business negotiation or other financial matter which might allow any person to profit;
• any matter concerning the promotion of any member of the University;
• any proposal that any person should be granted a special honour such as an honorary degree;
• A member of the Council ought not to discuss with or directly or indirectly disclose to a person not a member of the Council information received by virtue of membership of the Council concerning the views expressed by any member of the Council at a meeting of the Council.
• In the event of a breach of this Code, the Council may censure any member of the Council responsible for such a breach.
• These conventions apply mutatis mutandis to Council Committees

Minutes of Council meetings since the University commenced in 1990 are available online or from the Council secretariat (Room 1 D 95). Minutes for meetings of the Canberra College of Advanced Education Council (from 1968 to 1989) and CCAE Interim Council (1966 to 1967) can be consulted at the Council secretariat. Contact the Secretary of Council by e-mail or by telephone (02) 6201 2051 to make arrangements for access.

Agendas and Minutes

The electronic versions of agendas and minutes are available from the UC Committee site