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AARHUS UNIVERSITY
Standard Rules of Procedure for Boards of Studies
Standard Rules of Procedure of 1 June 2014 for Boards of Studies
File number: 60354
R U L E S O F P R O C E D U R E
for
Boards of Studies
Prepared within the framework of the Standard Rules of Procedure for Boards of Studies as laid down by the rector, see Article 32(5) of the Aarhus University By-laws.
Membership, constitution of the board etc.
(2) Boards of studies may be established which cover one or more degree programmes, and boards of studies may also be established at different levels. If boards of studies are established at different levels, the dean determines the distribution of tasks among them.
(3) The board of studies may invite non-members to participate, to a specified extent, as observers in board of studies meetings. Observers have a right to speak, but have no voting rights.
(2) The board of studies must hold its first meeting no later than one week before newly elected student members join the board. The resigning chairman convenes the meeting. At the meeting, the resigning chairman briefs the board of studies on the board's work, and the board of studies schedules its future meetings.
(3) At the first meeting of the board of studies, the board of studies elects a chairman from among the full-time academic staff elected to the board.
(4) At its first meeting, the board of studies furthermore elects a deputy chairman from among its student members. The deputy chairman participates in the organisation of the work of the board of studies.
(5) The election of the chairman is headed by the resigning chairman. As soon as the election of a chairman has taken place, the new chairman becomes chairman of the meeting, and a deputy chairman and alternate, if any, are elected according to the rules set out in Subarticle (3). No one may be elected chairman, deputy chairman or alternate against their will.
(6) At the first meeting of the board of studies in years when both academic staff and student members are newly elected, the board of studies recommends a director of studies to the dean. The director of studies is appointed by the dean for a period of three years. The board of studies may recommend to the dean, however, that a director of studies be removed during his term of office.
(7) The dean must approve the chairman and deputy chairman elected.
Tasks
1) quality assurance and development of degree programmes and teaching activities and follow-up on evaluations of degree programmes and teaching activities;
2) preparation of draft academic regulations and amendments thereto;
3) approval of the organisation of teaching, tests and other forms of assessment which form part of examinations;
4) processing applications for credit transfers, including credits transferred in advance, as well as for exemptions; and
5) issuing statements on all matters of importance to degree programmes and teaching activities within its scope and discussing issues related to degree programmes and teaching activities presented to it by the rector.
(2) In cooperation with the board of studies, the director of studies is responsible for the practical organisation of teaching, tests and other forms assessment which form part of examinations.
Delegation
(2) Decisions of major importance and decisions on establishment/change of practice may not be delegated. In addition, decisions may not be delegated to such an extent that the board of studies in reality becomes superfluous.
Ordinary and extraordinary meetings, written consideration
(2) The chairman distributes an agenda or a notice cancelling the meeting to the members no later than four working days prior to each ordinary meeting. The deputy chairman participates in the organisation of the work of the board of studies, including in the preparation of proposals for the agenda. The agenda or the cancellation must also be published on the university's website or in another suitable manner. A supplementary agenda with additional cases may be distributed no later than two days before the meeting.
(3) If, no later than one week prior to an ordinary meeting, a member requests that a case be considered, the chairman must include the case as an item on the agenda for the meeting in question.
(4) The chairman must ensure that the information required to assess cases is presented to the members. If such information has not been sent to the members along with the agenda for an ordinary meeting, it must be stated when submitting the agenda when such material can be expected to be distributed or handed out.
(1) Extraordinary meetings must be convened subject to a notice of no less than 24 hours. The notice must specify the items on the agenda and must contain the information required to assess the cases.
Public access to meetings
(2) Where the board of studies finds that its deliberations are being disrupted, the board may exclude one or more members of the audience from the meeting in question. If necessary, the rest of the meeting may be held behind closed doors.
(3) Meetings must be held behind closed doors when considering cases involving information that must be kept confidential to safeguard public and private interests. This means that the following cases, among others, must be considered behind closed doors:
1) Exemption cases to the extent that such cases concern persons mentioned by name.
2) Cases presented to the board for an opinion or for information which concern the personal or financial circumstances of individuals.
(4) Any uncertainty as to whether a case warrants consideration behind closed doors must be settled behind closed doors in advance as decided by the chairman or a majority of the members.
(5) The board of studies may grant permission for observers to be present during the consideration of cases conducted behind closed doors.
(6) Members and observers must observe confidentiality in cases considered behind closed doors in accordance with Article 10(3).
Quorum, the chair and consideration of cases
(2) The chairman presides over the meetings of the board of studies. The chairman of the meeting decides in all matters relating to the conducting of the meetings.
(3) Cases are considered at meetings in the order in which they are listed on the agenda.
(4) The board of studies may decide to include new items on the agenda, and it may decide to deviate from the original order set out in the agenda and consider cases in another order.
(5) Decisions in cases which were not included as individual items on the agenda distributed prior to an ordinary meeting may be made only when none of the members present at the meeting object to this.
(6) Decisions in cases which were not included as individual items on the agenda distributed prior to an extraordinary meeting may be made only when all the members are present and none of the members object to this.
Compulsory attendance, competence to act and calling in substitutes
(2) Members who are unable to attend a meeting must notify the chairman thereof before the meeting. The resolution minutes for each meeting must state which members were absent.
(3) Members may only vote at meetings of the board of studies if they are personally present at such meetings, see, however, Article 9.
(2) In cases of doubt, the board of studies determines whether the member may participate in the consideration of the case in question. Where the member cannot participate in the consideration of the case and a substitute has been elected for the member, the chairman calls in the substitute to participate in the consideration.
(2) Where a member is no longer eligible, such member must resign from the board of studies. In case of leave, the member resigns during the leave period only.
Resolution minutes and execution of the board of studies' decisions
(2) The chairman must execute the board of studies' decisions.
(3) Approved minutes of meetings of the board of studies must be published on the university's website to the extent that such decisions are not subject to confidentiality. The minutes must be sent to the dean, the head of department and the director of studies.
(4) The chairman of the board of studies is responsible for ensuring that the board of studies actively communicates information about its work.
(2) Any questions concerning the interpretation of the Standard Rules of Procedure or concerning the compliance of the Rules of Procedure with the Standard Rules of Procedure, however, must be submitted to the rector.
Amendments to the Rules of Procedure and the Standard Rules of Procedure
(2) Any amendments adopted to the Standard Rules of Procedure for Boards of Studies, as laid down by the rector, also amend these Rules of Procedure.
(3) In exceptional cases and within the framework of the Aarhus University By-laws, the rector may grant an exemption from the provisions of these Rules of Procedure.
Aarhus University, 1 June 2014
Brian Bech Nielsen
Rector