Senate committees

The Academic Planning and Development Committee (APDC) considers proposals for new academic developments after they have been developed collaboratively by the School and the Academic Planning Office and considered by the faculty boards. The APDC makes recommendations to Senate on academic developments requiring external approval and on any policy implications that arise from the proposals (Senate has delegated to APDC the responsibility to approve curriculum proposals, which do not require external approval; the names of such curriculum proposals are presented to Senate for noting.

The APDC facilitates the development of University standards and procedures on academic matters. For example, it refers matters to the Senate Committee on Teaching and Learning or to a Faculty Board. Where necessary the APDC convenes a working group of experts on a particular matter, and may do so in conjunction with other University committees where appropriate. The reports of the working groups are considered by the APDC; the APDC then makes recommendations to Senate. The APDC (or its working groups) investigates policy issues raised by academic developments, by reviews, by new legislative requirements/ proposals or by any other process and makes recommendations to Senate. In this way the APDC carries out a proactive role in policy development at the University.

The APDC (or its working groups) considers reviews or associated reports from academic entities (e.g. quinquennial review reports; annual progress reports; professional body reports), makes recommendations to Senate, and may refer matters to other committees of the University or to the Senior Executive Team. The APDC contributes towards developing a University Academic Plan. The APDC ensures that academic developments take place within the context of University and faculty academic plans and that academic development keeps cognisance of the link between teaching and research development.

The Teaching and Learning Committee focuses on ways to improve the quality of teaching and learning at the University for postgraduate and undergraduate students. This includes promoting teaching and learning practices in the University that facilitate excellence and address educational disadvantage. It makes recommendations to Senate on appropriate training prerequisites/ qualifications for academic staff. Makes recommendations on issues of pedagogy, access, academic development, assessment, success rates and resources required for teaching and learning to APDC and Senate. Considers issues referred to it by the APDC and Senate. Receives written reports on teaching and learning activities in the faculties and makes appropriate recommendations. Receives reports from standing sub-committees such as the Vice-Chancellor¡¯s Teaching Award and Team Teaching Award.

The Graduate Studies Committee has its focus on matters relating to the postgraduate degrees of the University with research components. It formulates and/ or approves policies and procedures relating to postgraduate degrees in the University, including student issues such as recruitment, registration, supervision, examination and student support. It approves Faculty policies and procedures and ensures that procedures are well communicated to staff and students. It monitors research training programmes, ensuring minimal duplication at Faculty and Central levels and defines and reviews Senate Standing Orders, and is responsible for the monitoring of compliance to them and of Standing Orders of Faculties. It acknowledges the role of Faculty Graduate Studies¡¯ Committees and receives matters for deliberation and in turn requests discussion and input from Faculties as appropriate. It receives or collects data on postgraduate matters for the University, including enrolments, success and throughput, and encourages discussion that contributes to the University¡¯s strategic goals vis ¨¢ vis postgraduate matters, and ensures that its deliberations and decisions are consistent with the University¡¯s strategic goals.

The Academic Freedom Committee monitors national and University policy and practice with a view to advising Senate and Council on issues affecting academic freedom at the University.

The Senate Internationalisation Strategic Partnerships Committee (ISPC) plays a proactive role in the development of all policies and protocols on various aspects of internationalisation including:

• research collaborations;
• student and staff mobility (including study abroad programmes);
• recruitment of international students and staff;
• partnerships;
• internationalisation at home; and
• internationalisation of the curriculum.

The ISPC provides oversight for all strategic internationalisation activities at the University and also provides high-level governance oversight over the Internationalisation and Strategic Partnerships Office (ISPO) and the International Student Services Office (ISSO) in monitoring and reviewing internationalisation in accordance with agreed policies and protocols, ensuring that internationalisation is

• aligned to other strategic objectives of the institution:
• co-ordinated across all academic and administrative units;
• prioritised with regard to academic disciplines/research focus areas as well as countries/regions;
• allowing for differentiated approaches in different institutional contexts;
• backed by the necessary investment in relevant institutional capacities and resources; and
• given form in relevant financial decisions of the institution (for example, the fee structure for international students, scholarships etc.).

The Internationalisation and Strategic Partnerships Office (ISPO) and the International Student Services Office (ISSO) provide assistance to the ISPC in the performance of its functions.

The Library Committee recommends to Senate policies for the operation and strategic development of the University Library System and advises the University Librarian in all matters of policy relating to the University Library System, which are of academic significance. It also advises the University Librarian on the allocation of funds among faculties and makes regulations relating to matters of academic significance with respect to the operation of the University Library System. It comments on matters brought to its attention and receives and discusses the annual report of the Library. It ensures that the Library¡¯s role as part of the teaching and research infrastructure is maintained and developed. The Library Committee constitutes working groups as needed to address particular issues as appropriate and considers minutes of the Faculty Library committees.

The Constitution Committee is a specialist advisory committee that scrutinises the rules for qualifications offered by the University after academic committees have formulated them to ensure that there are no inconsistencies. It states its opinion on the interpretation of rules and regulations and gives advice on more general legal matters pertaining to the academic work of the University, the Statute and other relevant legislation when required to do so by the Registrar, Senior Executive Team or Senate. It also scrutinises relevant standing orders and policy documents of the University.

The Senate Information, Communication and Technology Committee (Senate ICT) ensures that the views and perspectives of academic computing users are heard in the decision-making process. It recommends:

• to the Strategic ICT Board and Senate policies for the operation and strategic development of Information and Communication Technology in teaching-and-learning and research; and
• the Knowledge and Information Strategy and subsequent revisions, as well as any resulting unit strategies and policies put forward by the DVC KIM for approval by the Strategic ICT Board and where appropriate Senate.

The Senate ICT advises the DVC, Knowledge, Information Management, Infrastructure and Operations, the Director of Computer Network Services and other appropriate stakeholders in all matters of policy relating to ICT that are of academic significance, and assists with the formulation and implementation of the ICT plan as laid down in the Wits three-year rolling plan and other relevant documents. It proposes regulations relating to matters of academic significance with respect to the operation of ICT at the University and comments on matters brought to its attention.

The Committee receives CNS, BIS, relevant components of the library, and eLSI Annual Reports and evaluates against the KIM Strategic Plan and the Wits three-year rolling plan. It reviews technical issues that arise at the Strategic ICT Board, aiming to seek solutions and provide recommendations. Furthermore, it makes recommendations to the Strategic ICT Board in reference to technological directions and assist in reviewing, analysing and providing feedback on ICT issues of importance to the University in area of expertise. It ensures that there are procedures in place to monitor quality of IT services that affect academic activities and recommend service level definitions policy, develop and monitoring ICT service level definitions, and monitor quality of service on an annual basis.

The Committee also receives reports from the Faculty ICT Committees, and provides advice and a discussion space to ensure that the University achieve as much synergy as possible among its various activities with regard to ICT across all areas of the University. Reports back to Faculties and Schools regarding opportunities for synergy in the application of ICT to research and teaching-and-learning and sets up standing and/or ad hoc subcommittees and working groups as needed to address particular issues where appropriate.

The Committee engages in discussion of technical matters related to eLearning, and raises them for the attention of the eLSI and, acts as a conduit for e-learning matters to be reported to Senate and the Strategic ICT board, and engage in discussion of matters related to the academic application of Business Intelligence and data quality, and acts as the conduit for such matters to be reported to Senate and the Strategic ICT board. It also commissions and maintains a set of minimum classroom infrastructure standards for different levels of classroom, and reviews them annually (e.g. 3 levels: basic, enhanced, advanced).

The Financial Aid, Scholarships and Merit Awards Committee establishes policies and criteria for funding, monitors the implementation of the policy by the Financial Aid and Scholarships Office (FASO) through considering reports from this office. It monitors the funds managed by FASO including Council grants, statutory funds and donor funds directly managed by Wits University. The Committee actively pursues the rewarding of excellence through the provision of scholarships and awards, and recommends and monitors policies and procedures that promote greater awareness of funding opportunities at postgraduate level. The Committee also actively pursues the development of opportunities for funding postgraduate research.

The Vice-Chancellor's Teaching Awards Committee encourages and stimulates teaching and teaching-related scholarly and/or creative activities in the University and rewards excellence in teaching.

The Vice-Chancellor's Academic Citizenship Awards Committee rewards excellence in teaching to members of staff who have made a substantial, significant and innovative contribution to one or more of the communities that they serve as academic citizens, i.e. the community of their Faculty or Division, the University, the social community, the national community, or the national or international community of their discipline.

The Vice-Chancellor's Transformation Awards Committee decides on the award of the Transformation Award. The Transformation award is presented annually to a member of the University staff, a student, or a member of Convocation, who is judged to be doing the most to counter discrimination at the University of the Witwatersrand. The award is open to all members of the academic and professional and administrative services staff, to all students and members of Convocation.

Each faculty has a Faculty Board that governs and regulates the activities of the Faculty in accordance with the Rules, considers and recommends to the Senate the academic programmes (both subsidised and non-subsidised) offered by faculties, promotes teaching, learning, assessment, research and other academic functions of the University, submits recommendations to the Senate on matters that affect the faculty as well as matters referred to it by the Senate, appoints committees of the Faculty Board, and fulfils such as others functions as the Rules may prescribe.

The Wits Re-admissions Committee - Phase 2 (WRC-2) receives and considers appeals from individual students in respect of decisions of the Wits Re-admissions Committee - Phase 1 (WRC-1) not to permit them to renew their registrations.  The WRC-2 has the power to uphold, amend or overturn a decision of any WRC-1. 

The Nominations Committee proposes to Senate and Council the remits and compositions of committees and joint committees of Senate and Council. In proposing these names this committee  pays attention to issues of equity, increasing academic participation and continuity (it takes into account expertise required given the work of the committees).

The Honorary Degrees Committee considers nominations for Honorary Degrees or Gold Medals and to make such recommendations to Senate and Council for approval.

The Naming Committee considers proposals which will be supported by suitable motivations as well as any terms and conditions that are applicable such as the value of the naming rights to the University and the period of the naming right. The Naming Committee submits recommendations to Council for final approval

The Human Resources Committee assists the Council and Senate in executing its functions as contemplated in section 29.3 of the Higher Education Act, Act 101 of1997, as amended and section 20.2.d of the Statute, in accordance with the strategy of the University, the principles of corporate governance, the principles of fair labour practice, and within the legal and management framework of the University.

The Human Resources Committee has the following functions:

1. The Human Resources Committee has executive authority and makes recommendations to Senate, SET and/or the Council for consideration.
2. The formulation and amendment of Human Resources (HR) policy relating to all staff ¨C academic, research and support service.
3. Ensures that the implementation of employment equity processes and reporting is properly facilitated and reported upon thereby contributing to the achievement of employment equity targets and objectives as well as complying with employment equity legislation and the objectives of that legislation.
4. Oversight of individual cases of Human Resource anomalies/issues referred to a subcommittee of the Human Resources Committee dealing with appeals submitted by faculty staffing and promotions committees, the Human Resources Directorate, and other bodies, that impact on and/or require a review of current policy.
5. Oversight of cases dealing with individual staff members, submitted to a subcommittee of the Human Resources Committee dealing with such cases that cannot be made appropriately elsewhere.
6. Overall monitoring of Human Resources implementation in faculties/divisions, including reporting to Council on new appointments, resignations, retirements, promotions, leave granted, in relation to staff members not appointed for a fixed period.
7. To review staff development strategy and practice, and ensure good practice.
8. To give advice to the Council and the Council Remuneration Committee, where applicable, on Human Resource Policy and staff matters at its request, to provide information as required, and to report formally to Council at least once per annum.
9. To receive reports and report to Council on the adherence of external service providers to the Code of Conduct.
10. Establishes sub-committees/task teams as it deems fit.

The Student Services Advisory Committee provides advice on student assessment, research into student services and how such research findings should be communicated to students, organisations and staff with a view to an improved understanding of the student population at Wits University. Appropriate regulatory policies, which are required to meet the needs of students.  Included in these are residence rules and regulations, alcohol abuse, sexual harassment, human rights, safety and security and HIV/AIDS. Promoting of policy development and the review of policies with regard to student services matters and to communicate this to the Senior Executive Team, SRC, Senate, Council, in accordance with the mission, vision and objectives of the University.