Procedures for the Election of Student Representatives to Faculty Boards

Procedures

1 Returning Officer

1.1 An election referred to in these procedures is to be conducted by the Council Secretary who is to be the Returning Officer for the election. The Returning Officer may delegate any of his or her powers or functions under these procedures.

1.2 Subject to these procedures, detailed arrangements for the conduct of any election shall be made by the Returning Officer.

1.3 The Returning Officer shall prepare and circulate a notice calling for nominations in accordance with the procedures.

1.4 The Returning Officer shall check the validity of all nominations received during the nomination period and advise each candidate of the outcome of their nomination. The Returning Officer shall reject any nominations received after the nomination period has closed.

1.5 The Returning Officer shall accept all nominations, which satisfy the requirements of these procedures.

1.6 The Returning Officer shall treat any defective nominations in the manner prescribed in these procedures.

1.7 Where a ballot is required, the Returning Officer shall conduct the ballot in accordance with the provisions of these procedures.

1.8 In respect to any matter pertaining to the conduct of any election, and notwithstanding anything else contained in the procedures, the Returning Officer shall take such action as the Returning Officer considers necessary, including but not limited to making void a step already taken in the election, to ensure the secrecy of the ballot and to prevent or remedy an irregularity.

1.9 The Returning Officer shall, subject to these Procedures, determine finally on questions of detail concerning any election.

2 Time of elections

2.1 The Returning Officer shall determine the election dates in each category of membership for which election is required.

3 Electors and candidates

3.1 A person is eligible to vote if their name appears on a roll referred to in 4.3 below on Close of Roll Day.

3.2 Close of Roll Day shall be a day determined by the Returning Officer.

Rolls

3.3 The Returning Officer is to be provided with the following rolls:

(1) a Roll of Undergraduate Students for each faculty containing the names, student identification numbers and email addresses of those persons who are enrolled in semester 1 and semester 2 as students of the University proceeding towards:

(a) a bachelor's degree or
(b) a diploma other than a graduate diploma

in that faculty.

(2) a Roll of Postgraduate Students for each faculty containing the names, student identification numbers and email addresses of those persons who are enrolled in semester 1 and semester 2 as students of the University proceeding towards:

(a) a degree other than a bachelor's degree
(b) a graduate diploma or
(c) a graduate certificate

in that faculty

Note: Section 3 of the University of Adelaide Act 1971 defines

* an undergraduate student as a student enrolled at the University in an academic program designated by the statutes or rules to be an undergraduate program;

* an postgraduate student as a student enrolled at the University in an academic program designated by the statutes or rules to be an postgraduate program.

Eligibility to nominate as an undergraduate student

3.4 In respect of a person seeking election to a faculty board as an undergraduate student of the University, the prescribed qualifications are that the person:

(1) is on the relevant faculty roll of undergraduate students; and

(2) is not a member of the staff of the University.

3.5 The position of a person elected to a faculty board as an undergraduate student becomes vacant if that person ceases to be an undergraduate student of the faculty.

3.6 Upon a position becoming vacant as a result of the person elected to that position ceasing to be an undergraduate student, the faculty will appoint a suitable person to that position for the remainder of the term.

Eligibility to nominate as a postgraduate student

3.7 In respect of a person seeking election to a faculty board as a postgraduate student of the University, the prescribed qualifications are that the person:

(1) is on the relevant faculty roll of postgraduate students; and

(2) is not a member of the staff of the University.

3.8 The position of a person elected to a faculty board as an postgraduate student becomes vacant if that person ceases to be a postgraduate student of the faculty.

3.9 Upon a position becoming vacant as a result of the person elected to that position ceasing to be a postgraduate student, the faculty will appoint a suitable person to that position for the remainder of the term.

4 Call for nominations

4.1 At the opening of nominations for an election, the Returning Officer must publish a notice which (a) specifies the number and category of vacancies to be filled at the election, the term of office; (b) invites nominations for election to the vacancies; (c) specifies how nominations are to be made and the date and time by which nominations must reach the Returning Officer.

4.2 The notice may be published in the form of an email to students.

5 Making of nominations

5.1 Each nomination form shall state the number of vacancies for each category of member, and the date and time by which nominations must reach the Returning Officer.

5.2 Each nomination shall be signed by two members of the electorate for the election.

5.3 Each candidate nominated shall declare, on the nomination form, that he/she is qualified to be elected in the category of membership for which he/she is nominated, and signify thereon his/her consent to the nomination.

5.4 Nominations must reach the Returning Officer by the close of nominations. Nominations received after the date and time set for the close of nominations shall be invalid. A nomination may be forwarded by facsimile or email, provided the original nomination form is sent in the post.

5.5 Where the Returning Officer finds that a nomination is or may be defective, the Returning Officer shall, before rejecting the nomination, notify the person concerned of the defect and where practicable, give the person the opportunity of remedying the defect prior to the close of nominations.

5.6 Where the Returning Officer has notified a person of a defective nomination, and where that person has corrected the defect and advised the Returning Officer prior to the close of nominations, the Returning Officer shall accept the nomination.

5.7 Where the Returning Officer has notified a person of a nomination defect, and where that person has not corrected the defect and advised the Returning Officer prior to the close of nominations, the nomination shall be rejected.

5.8 Candidates must provide a statement in support of their nomination of not more than 150 words.

5.9 If a statement exceeds the 150 word limit and the candidate has not reduced the size of the statement to 150 words or less by the close of nominations, the Returning Officer will exclude from the statement all words appearing after the 150^th word.

5.10 A statement must not refer to another person who has nominated as a candidate without the written consent of that person.

5.11 All nominations and candidate statements must reach the Returning Officer before noon on nomination closure day.

5.12 A candidate duly nominated for any office may subsequently withdraw their nomination by letter to the Returning Officer at any time before the closing date for the receipt of nominations, and receipt by the Returning Officer of such letter shall be held to cancel such nomination. Nominations may not be withdrawn after the close of nominations.

6 Uncontested elections

6.1 If only one valid nomination for a position is received, the Returning Officer shall declare the nominated candidate elected.

6.2 If no nominations for a position are received the faculty will appoint a suitable person to the vacancy.

7 Conduct of ballot

7.1 If the number of valid nominations received exceeds the required number of candidates, the Returning Officer shall conduct a ballot.

Form of ballot

7.2 A ballot for an election must be a secret ballot using the proportional representation preferential system.

Access to the online voting system

7.3 If there is to be an election, the Returning Officer is to provide access to the online voting system to each person whose name is on the relevant Roll.

7.4 The fact that a person whose name is on the relevant Roll of the University did not receive notification of their access to the online voting system does not invalidate an election.

Information for voters

7.5 The following information will be published on the University's website:

(a) Instructions on how to vote and the date and time of the close of ballot

(b) A statement for each of the candidates. The statements will be published in a consistent format by the Returning Officer and will be set out in the same order as the names are to appear on the ballot paper.

Order of candidates on ballot webpage

7.6 The ballot webpage must contain the names of the candidates in the order determined by lot.

Method of voting

7.7 To make a formal vote at an election a person must vote by placing the number 1 in the square opposite the name of the candidate of the voter's first preference and, if the voter so desires, by placing the number 2 and consecutive numbers in the squares opposite the names of other candidates in the order of the voter's preference for them;

Procedure on close of ballot

7.8 As soon as practicable after the close of ballot, the Returning Officer, in the presence of any appointed scrutineer shall:

(a) download the ballot file from the online voting system

(b) input the ballot file into appropriate tallying software and ascertain the result of the ballot.

Declaration of result

7.9 When the Returning Officer is satisfied that the votes have been correctly calculated and counted, the Returning Officer shall declare the result of the election by writing to all candidates contesting the election and advising them of the outcome.

7.10 The report to the relevant faculty shall include:

(a) The total number of persons on the roll of voters.

(b) Where access to the online voting system has been provided by email, the total number of emails that were undelivered by the closing date of the ballot.

(c) The total number of ballots submitted.

Definitions

In these procedures

(a) 'close of ballot', in relation to an election, means 10am on the day appointed for the election;

(b) 'Roll' means a Roll referred to in clause 5.

Please use the following URL instead of linking to individual documents:
http://www.adelaide.edu.au/policies/3223/