Frequently asked questions

Jump to: About elections | About committees and boards | About nominations | About voting and ballots | About results

Elections: what are they and why do we have them?

UTS runs elections to ensure that the UTS community has an opportunity to contribute to the university’s decision-making and strategic direction. Everyone benefits from community participation in this democratic process and the following frequently asked questions may help you to make a decision about how you would like to get involved.

What is an election?

An election is the process of choosing representatives by eligible voters.

How do elections take place?

Normally, for an election to take place, a call for nominations is made, eligible candidates nominate for a position, then where the number of nominees exceeds the number of positions available a ballot will be required that allows people to vote for their preferred candidate.

Can everyone take part in an election?

In some cases elections are open to everyone, and in other cases, there are specific cohorts of the community eligible to stand, nominate and/or vote in an election (for example, only students or only Academic Board members). This information is communicated at the nomination process so that it is clear to the community who can stand for election and who can vote.

What is a campaign?

This is the organised process of putting yourself forward to be chosen as an elected representative at UTS. The Code of Conduct for UTS Elections sets out the expected standards of behaviour for UTS staff and students involved in UTS elections.

Complaints

To make a complaint about an election, an election process or the behaviour of a candidate or their representative, this can be done in line with section 4.4 of the Code of Conduct for UTS Elections, or via the Staff Complaints Policy or the Student Complaints Policy.

About committees and boards

Why get involved?

Joining a committee or a board will allow you to:

contribute to decision-making at UTS
network with students, staff, and professionals in a variety of fields
enhance important skills, like communication, negotiation and teamwork, and
have your say.

What do UTS committees and boards do?

UTS committees make decisions and recommendations about the university’s activities, for example, research, teaching and learning. Visit Committees at UTS.

What does the ActivateUTS Board do?

Visit ActivateUTS: Who we are for more information about the ActivateUTS Board.

What if I have no committee or board experience?

Generally, all new committee and board members are welcomed and inducted by a committee officer, so you will know what to expect before attending your first meeting.

How do I join a committee or a board?

You will first need to check that you are eligible from the electorate. You will then need to submit a completed nomination form for each committee(s)/board(s) and position(s) you are interested in.

Nomination forms and election details are available at UTS Elections during nomination and voting periods.

What will I need to do if I am elected to a committee or a board?

Generally, as a member you will be expected to:

read each meeting’s paper before the meeting
go to meetings (usually 3 to 6 per year, depending on the committee) and take part in discussions
talk to your peers and provide feedback, ideas and recommendations, and
participate in occasional working groups or other activities maintain confidentiality where required.

Does Academic Board have induction for its student members?

UTS has introduced an extended approach to induction to support incoming student members elected to Academic Board. This means that if you are elected as a student member of Academic Board, you will be able to start attending Academic Board meetings as an observer from the time you are elected. Your formal term will still commence from 1 January.

How long will I be a member of the committee or board?

How long you are a member of a committee or a board is called your term in office. Generally, students are elected for one year, except for UTS Council and ActivateUTS Board, which is for 2 years. Staff are elected for 2 years.

Committee participation and your AHEGS

Your committee participation, including the number of meetings you attended, may be noted on your AHEGS. This applies only to selected committees that are participating in the AHEGS scheme. Email academicboard@uts.edu.au for more information.

About nominations

Candidates

These are the individuals who have been nominated and have agreed to stand for election. They are seeking to be elected to a position. In some cases any person may seek nomination, and in other cases there are criteria for nomination (for example, only students, only academic staff or professional staff).

What does it mean to stand as candidate?

This means putting yourself forward for the position on the committee or the board and agreeing to run for the position. A person can only stand after being nominated by 2 other eligible nominators. Self-nominations are not permitted.

What does it mean to nominate someone?

This means putting forward an eligible person to be considered as a candidate.

Can you nominate yourself?

No, self-nominations are not permitted.

Can first year students stand for nomination?

Yes. If you meet the eligibility criteria, you can nominate to stand for a committee or a board.

Can I nominate for more than one position?

Yes. You may submit a nomination form for each position you are eligible for.

Do I need to submit a candidate statement?

Submitting a candidate statement is optional. However, if you choose to submit a candidate statement it must be 150 words or less and must be submitted before the nomination deadline. If a ballot is required, the names of candidates and candidate statements (where provided before the deadline) will be made available at Voting before ballots open.

Candidate representatives

These are people chosen by a candidate to assist them during the election process. Representatives may help with communication, campaigning (if applicable) or observing parts of the election process on the candidate’s behalf. The Code of Conduct for UTS Elections sets out the expected standards of behaviour for UTS staff and students involved in UTS elections, including candidate representatives.

When do nominations open?

Visit Nomination schedules for more information.

About voting and ballots

Voters

These are eligible members of the electorate who are entitled to participate in the election by casting a vote.

What is voting?

Voting is the process where eligible voters choose between candidates. At UTS, elections use an optional preferential voting method, where voters rank candidates in order of preference. Voting is optional and not mandatory.

What is a ballot?

Ballot is a method of secret voting. If the number of nominees exceeds the number of positions available, in accordance with the UTS General Rules, a ballot will be required. UTS ballots are conducted at the UTS: Elections Online Polling Booth.

When does voting start?

This depends on the election itself, but it is normally communicated as part of the nominations process in the first instance and then to the eligible voters. Visit Voting for more information.

About results

When will the election results be published?