The Organisational Structure

Although you will mostly be working in one part of the University, you will inevitably come into contact with other areas. It will be much easier to navigate the administrative procedures and access the supports available if you have some understanding of the structure of the University. This section describes how the University is organised at the big picture level. For detailed information about the structure of your work area, you will need to talk to your supervisor or colleagues in your area.

The following simplified table shows the main parts of the University. The four Faculties, together with the Library and Central Administration, are often referred to as the "major cost centres".

Teaching and research is also carried out in more than 20 research centres and institutes, and by Yunggorendi First Nations Centre for Higher Education and Research.

SENIOR OFFICERS

The Vice-Chancellor is the Chief Executive Officer of the University and exercises general superintendence over the affairs of the University.  The Vice-Chancellor is supported by:

• Deputy Vice-Chancellor (Academic)
• Deputy Vice-Chancellor (Research)
• Deputy Vice-Chancellor (International)

The Executive Director of Administration and the Registrar are the chief administrative officers of the University and are responsible to the Vice-Chancellor for the administration of the University. You can find more information about the Senior Executive and Managers on this webpage.

FACULTIES

The academic functions of the University are organised into four Faculties: the Faculty of Health Sciences; the Faculty of Education, Humanities, Law and Theology; the Faculty of Science and Engineering; and the Faculty of Social Sciences.

Each Faculty has an administrative office that deals with the running of the Faculty. An Executive Dean is responsible for academic leadership and overall management of each Faculty. Administration management in each Faculty is the responsibility of a Faculty Registrar, who is supported by administrative staff.

Administrative staff include:

• resource officers - responsible for financial administration
• administrative officers - responsible for academic and student administration

Some of the functions of the Faculty Office include:

• managing the Faculty budget and finances
• administering Faculty policies and procedures and
• administering conference leave funding and outside study leave schemes for academic staff
• preparing Faculty plans and reports

Each Faculty is governed by a Faculty Board, which is chaired by the Executive Dean and includes representatives of academic and general staff and students.

ACADEMIC ORGANISATIONAL UNITS (AOUs)

Academic Organisational Units (AOUs) are the Departments, Schools or other units, which comprise the internal structure of a Faculty approved by Council. Each Faculty is organised differently and each AOU is different in size and nature.

LIBRARY

Central Library, Law Library, Sturt Library and Gus Fraenkel Medical Library
The Flinders University Library consists of a Central Library and three branch libraries - the Law, Sturt and Gus Fraenkel Medical libraries.

The library system contains more than one million books and periodicals on all subjects related to the teaching and research interests of the University staff and students.

The Central Library is the largest, and holds materials to serve the whole University community. The Law Library holds materials relevant to the law and legal studies courses offered by the University, and includes legislation, law reports and specialist books and journals. The Sturt Library specialises in the fields of nursing and education, while the Gus Fraenkel Medical Library services both students and Flinders Medical Centre staff.

Liaison Librarian Services
Each discipline with the University is assigned a liaison librarian who acts as a link between students, staff and the library resources for their subject area.

Liaison librarians can help you by providing:

• Welcome tours of the library for new staff and students
• Workshops tailored to student assignment topics on how to use the library’s print and online resources effectively
• Assistance with topic reading lists;
• Help with linking to online articles or databases from your FLO topics
• Information on how to keep up-to-date with research and publications in your area
• Recommendations on books, videos and other items for the library to purchase for teaching or research purposes

OTHER UNITS

Yunggorendi First Nations Centre for Higher Education and Research
Yunggorendi First Nations Centre for Higher Education and Research provides an expert and specialised point of contact on Indigenous Australian matters within Flinders University. It also provides for Indigenous Australians wishing to gain access to, and succeed in, higher education at undergraduate or postgraduate levels by providing a variety of academic advice, including tutoring. The Centre provides three main functions, namely student support services, teaching, and research. The Centre is committed to assisting Indigenous Australian students in reaching their higher education aspirations.

Equal Opportunity Unit
The Equal Opportunity Unit provides advice to the University community about matters relating to equal opportunity and diversity management. The University Council believes that it is the responsibility of all members of the Flinders community to work, individually and collectively, to achieve a work and study environment in which equality of opportunity is fostered and which is free from discrimination. To achieve this goal, the University seeks the support and active involvement of all staff and students.

Marketing and Communications Office
The Marketing and Communications Office incorporates media, marketing, alumni and development for Flinders University.

CENTRAL ADMINISTRATION

Administrative support services are concentrated in Central Administration, which largely operates out of the Registry Building, and comprises:

Executive Director of Administration and the Registrar
The Executive Director of Administration and the Registrar are the chief administrative officers of the University. The Office of the Executive Director of Administration and Registrar includes the Policy and Secretariat Section and the Office of Research.

Buildings and Property Division
Responsible for:

• Building access
• Caretaker service
• Contractor safety
• Environment management
• Furniture and renovations
• Hazardous incident management
• Mail and couriers
• Building and grounds maintenance and repairs
• Maps and signage
• Parking management
• Major and minor capital works
• Security service
• Motor vehicle bookings

Human Resources Division
Responsible for:

• Recruitment, selection and appointment
• Payroll services
• Salary packaging and superannuation
• Occupational health and safety
• Industrial and Employee Relations
• Staffing policy issues
• Staff development and training
• Indigenous Australian employment strategy

Financial Services Division
Responsible for:

• Research grants
• accounts
• The finance system
• Cashiers
• Insurance
• Financial reporting
• Budgets
• Taxation
• Investments

Academic and Student Services Division
Responsible for:

• Admissions, examinations and graduations
• Transition to University and orientation services
• Enrolments
• Recruitment of and support for international students
• Study skills
• Scholarship administration
• Student One administration
• Student accommodation
• The production of student, teaching and staff related statistics used for planning and statutory reporting purposes
• Student access and equity
• Health and counselling
• Career/employment advice and employer liaison

Information Services Division
Responsible for:

• Desktop support
• The University switchboard and directory services
• Communications infrastructure e.g. phones and data cabling
• Computer systems and networks
• Management information systems
• Flinders Press (for University printing and photocopying)
• Copyright

OTHER IMPORTANT STRUCTURES

Council

Council is the governing body of the University.  It is responsible for major developments affecting governance, strategic directions and major business decisions.  Council is chaired by the Chancellor and has 21 members, the majority of whom are external to the University.  Its membership includes the Vice-Chancellor , and staff and student members.

Council has established standing committees to assist it to discharge its responsibilities. 

These include the following:

Academic Senate
Academic Senate is the University’s principal academic committee, and it advises Council on all matters of academic policy, including the development of strategic goals and objectives in the areas of education, research, international and community engagement.  It has overall responsibility for the quality of teaching and research.  It also has responsibility for advising Council on equity matters and academic organisational arrangements.  Academic Senate has 33 members, comprising members of the senior executive , academic staff, general staff, students and a nominee of the Alumni Association .

Resources Committee
The Resources Committee is responsible for advising Council on matters relating to the resources available to the University to achieve its goals.  It also advises Council on policy matters relating to financial, human and physical resources.  It advises Council on the University budget and performance against budget.  It has 12 members, five of whom are external to the University.

Audit Committee
The role of the Audit Committee is to advise Council on compliance by the University with statutory and financial reporting requirements.  It also advises Council on measures to manage risk exposures and on the efficiency and effectiveness of internal controls within the University.  It has six members, all of whom are external to the University.