March 20, 2019

Academic Senate resolutions on Fast Track Approval Process

BA Western Civilisation to proceed as planned in 2020

The University of Wollongong (UOW) notes the resolutions reached today by its Academic Senate regarding the ‘Fast Track’ course approval process, and confirms that the Bachelor of Arts in Western Civilisation will commence in Autumn Session 2020 as previously announced.

The Fast Track Approval Process has existed for more than 20 years as part of UOW’s long standing approval arrangements for new courses, as set out in University policy (Course and Subject Approval Procedures: New Offerings and Discontinuations).

The Fast Track Approval Process allows courses to be approved by the Vice-Chancellor for strategic reasons, with approvals subsequently reported to the University’s Strategic Course Development Committee, Quality Assurance Review Group and Academic Senate. The Faculty of Law, Humanities and the Arts sought use of the Fast Track Approval Process for the Bachelor of Arts in Western Civilisation due to the very tight deadlines for listing by the Universities Admissions Centre for 2020.

The required notification to Academic Senate of all Fast Track course approvals granted since its last meeting—which in this instance included the Bachelor of Arts in Western Civilisation and eight other approvals—was noted and accepted by Senate members without comment or debate.

A separate paper resulted in a debate centred on technicalities of the application of fast-track course approval procedures to the BA Western Civilisation. This debate resulted in the following two-part resolution:

That Academic Senate:

(i) objects to the use of Fast-Track Approval Process in Course and subject approval procedures – New offerings and discontinuations (section 10) in relation to Bachelor of Arts Western Civilisation; and

(ii) notes the upcoming review of UOW’s course approval procedures planned for later in 2019 will take into consideration, in addition to the impact of the new COSMOS system, the Fast-Track course approval process and the role of the Faculty Education Committees, Strategic Course Development Committee, and Academic Senate therein.

Each part was voted on separately. Part (i) passed 28 votes in favour and 16 against. Part (ii) passed unopposed.

Despite noting the Academic Senate’s objection and welcoming its call for the Fast Track process to be included in the scope of an upcoming review, the Vice-Chancellor and Executive remain satisfied that the application of the Fast Track Approval Process for the Bachelor of Arts in Western Civilisation met current policy requirements.

This resolution has no direct impact on the partnership between the University of Wollongong and the Ramsay Centre for Western Civilisation or on the status of the Bachelor of Arts in Western Civilisation as an approved degree offering.

The draft minutes of today’s Academic Senate meeting will be provided to members of the UOW Council in keeping with normal University governance processes and will be ratified at Senate’s May meeting.