Elections
Academic Board
Academic Board is the primary body for academic governance and decision-making at the University.
The Board is established under legislation and provides advice to the Vice-Chancellor and University Council on issues that affect academic excellence. It provides a forum for information and debate within the University and is responsible for policy on matters such as admissions, assessment, teaching, student conduct, research and academic appointments and promotion.
Membership
Academic Board membership includes the ex officio members - membership is tied to specific roles. Ex officio members include the senior executive, Deans, heads of regional campuses and the Presidents of the student organisations.
Membership of the Board also includes elected academic and professional staff, undergraduate and postgraduate students, and one graduate research candidate.
The Academic Board Regulations 2019 set out the requirements for election of staff and student members of Academic Board.
Student Positions
Academic Board has six elected student positions:
- three undergraduate students, elected by and from enrolled undergraduate students, with at least one representative from a regional campus and at least one from a metropolitan campus
- two postgraduate students, elected by and from enrolled postgraduate students, with one representative from a regional campus and one from a metropolitan campus
- one graduate research candidate, elected by the graduate research candidates of the University.
All positions are voluntary (unpaid) and have a one year term.
The current terms end on 31 December 2026.
Current elected representatives
Undergraduate Students
- Kain Neale
- Senith Waduge
- Alicia Wong
Postgraduate Students
- Stephanie Wong
- Parjeet Singh
Graduate Research Candidate
2027 Student Positions - Call for Nominations
Nominations open on Wednesday 30 September 2026 and close at 5.00 PM on Wednesday 14 October 2026. Nominations received outside this period will not be accepted.
Successful candidates will serve a one year term from 1 January to 31 December 2027.
Eligible students are encouraged to nominate.
Please see below for information on how to nominate.
Nominations
You must read the eligibility and nomination criteria for students before submitting a nomination.
Nominations must include:
- evidence of support from two students (nominators) in the same category as the nominee (e.g. undergraduate student nominations must be supported by two undergraduate student nominators).
- a photograph
- a supporting statement.
Nominations must be made using the online form.
Before nominating you are also encouraged to complete the following
Staff Positions
There are 60 elected staff members of Academic Board
- 20 Level E academic staff
- 15 Level A/B academic staff
- 15 Level C/D academic staff
- 5 Level HEO1-8 professional staff
- 5 level HEO9 or above professional staff
The term of office for current elected academic and professional staff members will end on 31 December 2027.
Current elected representatives
Level E Academic Staff
- Professor Emmaline Bexley
- Professor Leah Brennan
- Professor Louis De Koker
- Professor Elly Djouma
- Professor Bircan Erbas
- Professor Ashley Franks
- Professor Leesa Hooker
- Professor Marcel Jackson
- Professor Anne-Marie Laslett
- Professor Ashleigh Lin
- Professor Sarah MacLean
- Professor Jo McDonall
- Professor Jodi Oakman
- Professor Luke Prendergast
- Professor Vida Siahtiri
- Professor Arthur Stukas
- Professor Santosh Kumar Tadakamadla
- Professor Raelene Wilding
2 positions remain - please see below for the current Call for Nominations.
Level C/D Academic Staff
- Dr Kate Ashman
- Associate Professor Deborah Gleeson
- Dr Lisa Hanson
- Associate Professor Christine Hawkins
- Dr Magda Karagiannakis
- Dr Matthew King
- Dr Kate Lafferty
- Dr Lauren Lawson
- Dr Fung Lay
- Dr Helena Menih
- Dr Hien Nguyen
- Associate Professor Ross O'Shea
- Dr Keir Strickland
- Associate Professor Rwth Stuckey
- Dr Laura Whitburn
Level A/B Academic Staff
- Dr Anurag Adhikari
- Dr Natalie Araújo
- Dr Tobias Barkley
- Fiona Berry
- Dr Anthony De Souza-Daw
- Dr Stephanie Downes
- Dr Fiona Durand
- Dr Nicole El-Haber
- Dr Joshua Grubb
- Dr Jayden Hunter
- Dr Jacq Jones
- Dr Nishan Mills
- Dr Nina Riddell
- Dr Ahmad Salehi Shahraki
- Melanie Tassos
- Dr Katy Unwin
HEO1-8 Professional Staff
- Nick Alaimo
- Dr Steph Di Palma
- Portia Dilena
- Charlotte Usher
- Jessica Zibung
HEO9+ Professional Staff
- Matt Cooke
- Weiyu Jiang
- Dr Leah Kivivali
- Emanouel Mereos
- Vesna Stefanovski
Call for Nominations - Remaining Level E Academic Staff Positions
Nominations for the remaining two (2) positions will open on Wednesday, 30 September and close at 5.00 PM on Wednesday 14 October 2026. Please see below for details on how to nominate.
Successful candidates will serve the remainder of the two year term to 31 December 2027.
You must read the eligibility and nomination criteria for staff before submitting a nomination.
Nominations must include:
- evidence of support from two staff (nominators) in the same category as the nominee (e.g. academic staff nominations must be supported by two academic staff nominators).
- a photograph
- a supporting statement.
Nominations must be made using the online form.
Before nominating you are also encouraged to complete the following
Chair and Deputy Chair
The Chair and Deputy Chair of Academic Board are elected for two-year terms commencing on 28 February. The terms of office for the current Chair and Deputy Chair will conclude on 28 February 2026.
A call for nominations for the positions was sent to all eligible academic staff on Wednesday 17 September 2025.
The term of office is two years - commencing on 28 February 2026 and concluding on 28 February 2028.
Nominations
Nominations have now closed. Following are the outcomes at the close of the nomination period at 5.00pm on 2 October 2025.
Chair
One (1) nomination was received.
In accordance with the Academic Board Regulations 2019, as the number of nominations equaled the number of available positions, Professor Carol McKinstry was declared elected as the Chair, Academic Board for a term of office from 28 February 2026 to 28 February 2028.
Deputy Chair
Two (2) nominations were received. Accordingly, a ballot was conducted to elect one (1) Deputy Chair of the Academic Board. The ballot will closed on 13 November 2025. At the close of the ballot each candidate received the same number of votes.
Accordingly, a second ballot was conducted from 6 -13 November 2025. At the close of the ballot, the following academic staff member was declared elected in accordance with the Academic Board Regulations 2019 for a term of office from 28 February 2026 to 28 February 2028:
You must read the eligibility and nomination criteria for Chair/Deputy Chair before submitting a nomination.
Nominations must include:
- evidence of support from two professorial staff members
- a photograph
- a supporting statement.
Before nominating you are also encouraged to complete the following
