Students have the opportunity to become a representative for University committees and Guild Council.
To be eligible to nominate for some positions you may need to belong to or identify with specific student groups. The number of positions and eligibility are described below. You can also find out what the expectations are for each of the positions.
The nomination period opens in the second semester each year and the dates will be announced closer to the time. Nominate yourself for a position and campaign to be elected to have the opportunity to represent students.
All enrolled students will receive an electronic message containing a link to submit your nomination via the online voting system where you will have the opportunity to:
- choose which ones you would like to nominate for
- write a statement of no more than 400 words that tells others about you and why they should vote for you
- choose a digital photo of yourself that you like, showing your head and shoulders.
If you change your mind after you have nominated yourself, you can either log into the online voting system to withdraw or email the Returning Officer at elections@murdoch.edu.au to request a withdrawal up to two University working days prior to voting opening.
| Nominations open | Wednesday 2 October 2024 (8.30am) |
|---|---|
| Nominations close | Wednesday 16 October 2024 (4.30pm) |
Positions
University committees
There are student representatives on the Senate and Academic Council. These students may also be allocated to subordinate committees as required.
The sections below explain which student positions are available and what is expected of each position.
Senate is the governing body of the University with responsibilities that include setting the strategic framework for the University and monitoring performance against that framework.
Membership involves attending six meetings a year, held at 3.30pm on a Wednesday afternoon, a one day planning retreat. There may also be some involvement in Senate committees.
Senate includes:
- one undergraduate student elected by the undergraduate students
- one postgraduate student elected by the postgraduate students.
A person who is a member of the staff of the University with a contract 50% or more full-time is not eligible for election as a student member.
Academic Council is the senior decision-making body on academic matters within the University. Every meeting has substantive debate on major educational issues, often following reports from subordinate committees.
Council meets seven times a year on Wednesday afternoons, and includes:
- 2 undergraduate students elected by and from the undergraduate students from any campus location
- 1 postgraduate coursework student elected by and from the postgraduate coursework students from any campus location
- 1 postgraduate research student elected by and from the postgraduate research students from any campus location
A person who is a member of the staff of the University with a contract 50% or more full-time is not eligible for election as a student member.
Some of the elected Guild Council positions are also ex-officio positions of the Academic Council.
Guild Council
All nominees for Guild Council positions must be members of the Guild, with the exception of National Union of Students delegates.
The process and rules for Guild Council positions are covered in the Guild Regulations and Guild Election Regulations.
The Guild President is the official spokesperson and chief executive of the Guild of Students, represents the Guild and the student body both within the University and to external organisations, and is responsible for Guild operations. This role is a full-time paid position.
This role is also an ex officio member of Academic Council.
The Education Vice President is a spokesperson on education issues, assists the Guild President, chairs the Guild Education Council, and coordinates the work of the student representatives within the University. This role is a full-time paid position.
This role is also an ex officio member of the Academic Council.
The General Secretary ensures the proper running of the Guild's committees and the decision-making bodies of its three subsidiary associations. This position works very closely with the Guild President and Education Vice President on policy and the day to day affairs of the Guild. Guild Councillors meet regularly to discuss Guild policy, major issues and areas of student concern. This role is a part-time paid position.
This role is an ex officio member of Academic Council.
The role of the MISA President is to advocate for international students, and to coordinate the activities, meetings and finances of the association.
This role serves as a member of the Guild Council.
To nominate for MISA President, you must be an international student.
The role of the MSA President is to advocate for the students studying on Mandurah campus, and to coordinate the activities, meetings and finances of the association.
This role also serves as a member of the Guild Council.
To nominate for MSA President, you must be currently studying at the Mandurah campus.
The roles of the MUPSA President and Vice-Presidents is to advocate for postgraduate students, and to coordinate the activities, meetings and finances of the association.
There are three MUPSA positions:
- MUPSA President: one postgraduate student
- MUPSA Vice-President (Coursework): one postgraduate (coursework) student
- MUPSA Vice President (Research): one postgraduate (research) student.
These roles also serve as members of the Guild Council.
Guild Council Representatives represent the interests and concerns of the students relevant to their representative area. Several of these positions convene collectives.
There are six Guild Council representatives:
- disability representative: one student who has disclosed their disability to the University
- Indigenous representative: one Aboriginal or Torres Strait Islander student
- queer representative open: one student who identifies as LGBTIQA+
- women's representative: one student who identifies as a woman
- external representative: one student enrolled in a majority of their units externally
- sustainability representative: one student.
Ordinary Guild councillors meet regularly to discuss Guild policy, major issues and areas of student concern and may have portfolios assigned by Guild Council.
There are six Ordinary Guild councillor positions.
Casual vacancies
A casual vacancy arises when a member resigns from a committee or leaves the University before her or his term on that body expires, or when there are insufficient candidates for an election. The arrangements for filling casual student vacancies are:
- Academic Council – The Executive of the Guild of Students appoints a replacement member from among those students eligible for election to the position.
- Senate – If the unexpired portion of the term of office is six months or more, a casual election is conducted. The person elected serves only the balance of the term. If the unexpired portion is less than six months, the position may be left vacant or an election may be held.