Quality Committee

The Quality Committee is a Compliance Committee of the University and reports to Board and Council. It is responsible for the creation of policy for the implementation of quality processes across academic and administrative areas of College and for overseeing their implementation.

Functions

The main functions of the Quality Committee are to:

• Approve and oversee the implementation of quality policies arising from the College's Strategic Plan.
• Review quality policies in line with the strategic planning process and legislative requirements, or as otherwise required.
• Approve, in consultation with Schools and Administrative areas, procedures for quality reviews of Schools and Administrative areas.
• Review and approve quality processes in respect of student assessment of programmes and modules.
• Review quality review processes in respect of research measures.
• Review on an annual basis, the effectiveness and outcomes of the quality review processes.
• Keep under review the requirements of national policy regarding quality in education and ensure that College policy and procedures are consistent with them, where appropriate.
• Advise on matters relating to Quality development that the Council, Graduate Studies Committee, Undergraduate Studies Committee, Research Committee, and other Committees as relevant, may refer to the Quality Committee.
• Commission as necessary the development of new or review of existing policies in respect of quality assurance and improvement.

Meetings, Quorum and Sub-Committees

• The Quality Committee is a Compliance Committee of Council and Board and shall meet once per term or more frequently if the business requiring its attention should so dictate.
• The quorum for meetings shall be seven (50% of the membership plus one)
• Members of the Quality Committee other than those present ex officio are selected by a process of self-nomination. Candidates who put their names forward for membership must complete an expression of interest form. Completed forms are evaluated by a selection panel comprising the Vice-Provost/Chief Academic Officer, the Faculty Deans, the Academic Secretary (or her nominee) and the Chief Operating Officer. Candidates are scored against a number of published criteria
• The term of office for members shall be three years and no member may stand for more than two consecutive terms of office.
• Other College Officers shall attend meetings by invitation for specific agenda items. The Committee may also invite any Officer of the College, or other person to attend any meeting(s) of the Committee, as it may from time to time consider desirable, to assist the Committee in the attainment of its objectives.
• The draft Minutes of the Quality Committee shall be circulated to the University Council and the College Board as soon as possible for noting and/or discussion/decision as necessary.
• In order to aid its operation the Committee may from time to time arrange for subgroups to consider specialist issues and bring forward recommendations to the Quality Committee. These subgroups will involve members of the College community with relevant expertise and experience.

Authority

• The Committee shall operate under delegated authority from the College Board.
• The Committee may investigate any matter falling within its terms of reference, calling on whatever resources and information it considers necessary to so do.
• The Committee is authorised to seek any information it requires from any employee of College to enable it to discharge its responsibilities and shall have made available to it on a timely basis all information requested from any employee in a clear and well organised manner.

Performance Evaluation

• The Quality Committee shall, at least once a year, review its own performance and its terms of reference and shall report its conclusions and recommend any changes it considers necessary to the University Council.