We are here to ensure you have the best academic experience at Victoria University of Wellington.
Represent Your Fellow Students
We are always looking for more postgraduates to represent the PGSA on boards and committees, and often have places for more than one student per committee. As well as the chance to represent the postgraduate community, committee representatives can gain points towards the Victoria Plus Award, and receive a complimentary invitation to the annual PGSA Victorias Awards. We also hold regular morning teas for our representatives throughout the year. Please contact us using the link below if you are interested in becoming a committee representative, letting us know which faculty you study in.
Board & Committee Representatives
The PGSA is proud to have committee representatives on many of the boards and committees around the University, covering every faculty. These boards and committees look at many issues including new courses, resources and space, fees, policy and processes that affect students and staff. Our representatives make sure the views of our students are considered, and contribute towards improving the postgraduate experience at Victoria. Being a postgraduate committee representative offers a valuable insight into the University’s administrative processes, providing experience that is beneficial to future careers in academia and elsewhere.
The PGSA representatives’ main role is to bring the postgraduate perspective to matters being considered by the board or committee. Duties involve: regularly attending meetings during the course of the academic year; actively listening, questioning and discussing matters that affect postgraduate students in these meetings; reading papers that are distributed prior to meetings; writing a short monthly report on such issues for the consideration of the PGSA executive; supporting and publicising PGSA initiatives.
Committee representatives also function as an informal point of contact for the student body. Discussions with their peers allows our representatives to attend meetings with a clearer idea of the postgraduate student perspective, and to communicate matters appropriately to their departments. If you’re not sure who the postgraduate representative(s) for your faculty is, get in touch with the PGSA and ask!
The PGSA ensures postgraduate representation on relevant University committees and boards that determine policies. The Association also appoints postgraduate representatives to current University bodies and seeks to ensure representation on new committees that are set up. Once we have appointed representatives, we provide training and support to ensure that they are best able to fulfill the roles to which they have been appointed. Below is a list of representative positions filled by postgraduates at Victoria:
Victoria Honours Committee
Academic Board
Academic Committee
Academic Policy Committee
University Research Committee
URC Intellectual Property Standing Committee
Faculty of Architecture & Design Board
Faculty of Architecture and Design Academic Committee
Faculty of Architecture and Design Research Committee
Faculty of Education Board
Faculty of Education Academic Committee
Faculty of Education Learning & Teaching Committee
Joint Faculty of Education and Faculty of Humanities & Social Sciences Research Committee
Faculty of Engineering Board
Faculty of Graduate Research Board
Faculty of Health Board
Faculty of Health Academic Committee
Faculty of Health Research and Leave Committee
Faculty of Health Learning, Teaching and Equity Committee
Faculty of Humanities & Social Sciences Board
Faculty of Humanities & Social Sciences Academic Committee (Te Pai Aronui)
Faculty of Humanities & Social Sciences Postgrad Committee
Faculty of Humanities & Social Sciences Learning, Equity and Teaching Committee (Te Maruako Aronui)
Joint Faculty of Education and Faculty of Humanities & Social Sciences Research Committee
Faculty of Law Board
Faculty of Law Research and Postgraduate Committee
Faculty of Science Board
Faculty of Science Research Committee
Faculty of Science Academic Teaching and Learning Committee
Victoria Business School Faculty Board
Victoria Business School Graduate Research Degrees Committee
Victoria Business School PhD Student Committee
Human Ethics Committee
Pipitea Human Ethics Committee
Animal Ethics Committee
Library & Information Services Committee
Research and Sustainability Steering Group
The Governance of VUW
UNIVERSITY COUNCIL
The governing body of the University is the Victoria University Council. The Council's key functions are:
To appoint a chief executive and to monitor and evaluate his or her performance;
To prepare and submit a proposed plan if the institution is seeking funding under a funding mechanism that provides for funding via plans;
If the institution has a plan,
a) to ensure that the institution is managed in accordance with that plan; and
b) to determine the policies to implement that plan;To determine, subject to the State Sector Act 1988, the policies of the institution in relation to the management of its affairs;
To undertake planning relating to the institution's long-term strategic direction.
The Officers of the Council are the Chancellor, the Pro-Chancellor (Deputy Chair), the Chair of the Finance Committee and the Vice-Chancellor. The composition of the Victoria University Council is:
Four persons appointed by the Minister of Education.
The Vice-Chancellor of Victoria University of Wellington.
Three permanent members of the academic staff of the University, one at least of whom shall be a Professor of the University and one at least of whom shall not be a Professor, elected by the permanent members of that staff in accordance with the VUW Council Elections Statute.
One permanent member of the general staff of the University elected by the permanent members of the staff in accordance with the VUW Council Elections Statute.
Two persons who are or have been students of Victoria University of Wellington appointed by the Executive for the time being of the Victoria University of Wellington Students' Association.
One person appointed by the Council of Victoria University of Wellington after consultation with the central organisation of employers within the meaning of the Labour Relations Act 1987.
One person appointed by the Council of Victoria University of Wellington after consultation with the central organisation of workers within the meaning of the Labour Relations Act 1987.
Four persons being graduates of the Victoria University of Wellington or of any University in New Zealand, to be elected by the Court of Convocation for the University in accordance with the VUW Council Elections Statute.
Three persons co-opted by the Council of Victoria University of Wellington.
COMMITTEES OF THE COUNCIL
The University Council has appointed committees which advise Council on specific matters. The University Council has six committees plus the Academic Board.
Audit and Risk Committee
The Audit and Risk Committee assists Council in relation to oversight of strategic and operational risk management, health and safety management, internal and external audit, statutory financial reporting and legislative compliance.
Finance Committee
The Finance Committee assists Council in relation to the University's budget, long term capital plan, funding strategy, treasury management and financial performance.
Human Resources Committee
The Human Resources Committee assists Council to meet its responsibility to monitor and evaluate the Vice-Chancellor’s performance and undertake the Vice-Chancellor’s annual remuneration review.
Victoria Honours Committee
The Victoria Honours Committee makes recommendations to Council regarding the criteria, conferment or award for/of an honorary degree, Hunter Fellowship or any other honorary award which Council may wish to bestow.
Te Aka Matua—Māori Advisory Committee
Te Aka Matua provides Council with timely advice on the University's relations with Māori communities as they support the development and implementation of the strategic plan.
Nominations Panel
The Nominations Panel ensures Council has the skills, knowledge, diversity and experience for Victoria to meet the challenges ahead and to achieve its strategic goals. It also oversees the appointment and election of Council members.
Academic Board
The Education Act 1989 requires Council to establish an academic board to advise Council on matters relating to courses of study or training, awards, and other academic matters. The Academic Board is not a committee of Council, although for convenience it is deemed to be one for the purposes of receiving and exercising delegated authority from Council.
Academic Committee
The Academic Committee is a subcommittee of the Academic Board, established under the Academic Board Statute. A convenor is appointed by the Academic Board. The committee provides advice on all matters concerning the maintenance of academic quality and on any other academic matters which may be referred to it. Academic Committee reviews proposals for new qualifications and courses and monitors reviews of academic programmes. The Office of the Assistant Vice-Chancellor (Academic) provides administrative support for Academic Committee.
Faculty Board
Each Faculty Board is a subcommittee of the Academic Board. There is a Faculty Board for each of the University's nine Faculties. The Faculty Boards deal with all matters concerning the maintenance of academic quality and any other academic matters at a Faculty level. Each of the nine boards is convened by the relevant Dean. Members include all academic staff teaching in the Faculty as well as student representatives. Each Faculty Board establishes subcommittees as necessary.