Learning and Teaching Committee
The Teaching and Learning Committee was one of six committees supporting the Academic Board after its 1996 restructure.
A review of the Academic Board had been carried out in 1995, with a Report of the Committee of Review, dated July 1995, submitted to Senate in October 1995. The report proposed that the board of nearly 400 members be replaced by a two-tiered structure: an Academic Forum of about the same number and an Academic Board of 61 members. The new Academic Board would be supported by 6 committees instead of 12: Undergraduate Studies, Graduate Studies, Teaching and Learning, Research Policy, Library and Information, and Academic Staffing committees. The new Board held its inaugural meeting on 13 November 1996. With the establishment of the new Board all committees of the previous Board lapsed. The old Awards Committee continued as an interim working party under the Teaching and Learning Committee until the new structure was in place.
The Terms of Reference for the Teaching and Learning Committee were:
(a) advise the Academic Board about ways of improving the quality and effectiveness of the teaching, learning, examination and assessment processes within the University;
(b) advise the Academic Board about implications about changes in technology;
(c) advise the Academic Board on academic activities that take place outside the Faculty academic structure (including the Centre for Teaching and Learning, the Learning Assistance Centre, the Centre for English Teaching, and the Centre for Continuing Education);
(d) maintain an overview of the integration of developments in teaching, learning, examination and assessment into undergraduate and graduate curricula;
(e) advise the Academic Board about measures needed to encourage and assist staff to develop new skills in teaching and learning;
(f) consider and report on any matter referred to it by the Academic Board or the Vice-Chancellor; and
(g) obtain information or reports from any Faculty, department, school or other unit on matters relating to teaching and learning.
In 2002 at its meeting on 14 August 2002 The Academic Board noted that as part of the implementation of the recommendations of the Review of the Academic Board and Academic Forum the terms of reference of the Academic Board's standing committees and their sub-committees would be reviewed. At its meeting on 13 November 2002 the Board adopted the new terms of reference for the Teaching and Learning Committee and its Library Sub-Committee [resolution 312/02]. The Teaching and Learning Committee's Purpose: it advises the Academic Board about Resolutions, policy and procedures relating to the effective teaching, learning and examination and assessment processes within the University and works with the faculties and Colleges in fostering a strong and dynamic teaching and learning culture. Its new terms of reference can be found in the Academic Board papers for 13 November 2002 meeting, pp. 19-20. The Library Sub-Committee stayed a sub-committee of the Teaching and Learning Committee.
On 16 March 2005 the Academic Board approved the amended terms of reference for the Committee which changed the name from Teaching and Learning Committee to Learning and Teaching Committee in line with the new University of Sydney Strategic Plan as set out in the report presented. [item 11.2.5, resolution 59/05]
In 2009 the Academic Board reviewed its structure, partly in response to changes within senior management that created a complementary committee structure under the Senior Executive Group (SEG). As a result the Academic Board reduced the number of its Standing Committees from five to three. Under the new structure the Learning and Teaching Committee was replaced by the Academic Standards and Policy Committee. SEG and its committees were restructured with effect from January 2011. (Annual Report 2010, p.73)