6 October 2021

The Board of Trustees met on 6 October 2021 via Zoom.  A summary of matters discussed in the open session is provided below.

The minutes of the previous Board meeting held on 4 August 2021 were confirmed.

Main items considered by the Board:

Chancellor’s Report

The Chancellor briefed the Board on a number of matters, including his work as Chair of the NSW Education Standards Authority and the impact of the current challenges in delivering the HSC in NSW, the response to the Afghanistan crisis, and the 2021 National Conference on University Governance.

Vice-Chancellor’s Report

The Vice-Chancellor provided a comprehensive update to Board members on the University’s response to the COVID-19 lockdown in Sydney. He also updated the Board on the Staff Pulse Survey results, WestInvest Fund projects, the National Student Safety Survey, and an update on the casual workforce.

Chair of Academic Senate Report

The Chair of Academic Senate briefed the Board on a number of matters, including an update from the Academic Senate Executive Committee which considered a number of policy variations to address the impact of COVID-19 on students, and a presentation on Academic Fraud and Contract Cheating.

Western Sydney University (University Seal and Authentication) Rule

The Board approved the Western Sydney University (University Seal and Authentication) Rule.

Freedom of Speech and Academic Freedom Attestation

The Board approved the adoption of an annual Attestation Statement on Freedom of Speech and Academic Freedom for inclusion in the Western Sydney University annual report.

Jane Hutchison
University Secretary