Doctoral Research Committee

The Doctoral Research Committee will advise Academic Board on matters relating to doctoral degrees at Massey University. Its membership, terms of reference and accountability are as follows:

Terms of Reference

1.0      Statement of Intent and Purpose

1.1      Legislative Authority

The Doctoral Research Committee is a subcommittee of the University Research Committee, a subcommittee of Academic Board.

Academic Board is a Board established pursuant to Section 182(2) of the Education Act 1989.  The Academic Board may convene sub-committees to undertake specific duties on behalf of the Board.  For the avoidance of doubt, all sub-committees constituted by the Academic Board are hereby deemed to be Committees of Council appointed pursuant to Section 193 of the Education Act 1989.  All delegations by the Academic Board to its sub-committees are hereby deemed to be delegations by Council to its Committees. Those sub-committees may further delegate to staff.

1.2      Purpose

The Doctoral Research Committee is established to exercise academic governance across the doctoral research activities of the University, to effectively engage the University community in academic decision-making, and to develop an academic community committed to scholastic excellence through the training and development of researchers, including doctoral candidates.

1.3      Role and Functions

The role and functions of the Doctoral Research Committee are:

1.3.1      to identify, promulgate, and monitor the deployment of best practice across the University with regard to supervision and examination of Doctoral candidates.

1.3.2      to ensure the University’s doctoral qualifications are fit for purpose and align with international standards.

1.3.3      to design, provide guidance on, and to specify, where appropriate, processes and services for doctoral research students, and to ensure the student experience is conducive to the successful conduct of research.

1.3.4      to advise the Massey University Research Committee and Academic Board on doctoral research matters, including but not limited to the promotion of research programmes, and matters relating to student research.

1.3.5      to monitor and evaluate the contribution of the University to positive Māori development in accordance with the Treaty of Waitangi, University policy, and strategy, particularly in relation to the engagement of Māori students in doctoral research.

2.0      Specific Delegations

Council delegates the following powers to the Doctoral Research Committee:

2.1      Approve procedural and implementation guidelines and procedures to support the adoption of doctoral research policies, including matters such as supervision, examination, resourcing, equivalence, academic integrity in research student work, in accordance with international standards.

2.2      Design, oversee, and monitor the implementation of strategies and services to support doctoral student research in collaboration with Colleges, service units, stakeholders, and local communities.

2.3      Monitor student success and retention and work with Colleges and service units to design, implement, and monitor the success of, interventions as appropriate.

2.4      Monitor student satisfaction and work with Colleges and service units to design, implement, and monitor the success of interventions as appropriate.

2.5      Receive, review and approve student engagement in Doctoral degrees as appropriate:

2.5.1    Approve admission applications, provisional registration and confirmation of registration subject to requirements being met

2.5.2    Approve suspensions and extensions of candidature

2.5.3    Approve withdrawals and terminations of candidature

2.5.4    Approve the appointment of examiners

2.5.5    Receive Doctoral Examination reports

2.5.6    Approve the award of the University Doctoral Degrees where the Committee is satisfied that the University’s academic requirements and regulations have been met

2.5.7    Approve failed Doctoral examination results

2.6      Approve changes to regulations for Doctoral Degrees other than those requiring CUAP approval.

2.7      Receive, review and make recommendations to Academic Board regarding:

2.7.1   proposals for new Doctoral degrees, deletions of Doctoral degrees, and changes to regulations for Doctoral Degrees requiring CUAP approval

2.7.2   proposals for changes to University Doctoral regulations, policy and procedures for doctoral programmes at Massey University including the:

  • Doctor of Philosophy degree
  • Named Doctorates
  • Higher Degrees (DLit, DSc)

2.8      Consider matters referred to the Committee by the University Research Committee, Academic Board and other relevant committees and advise accordingly.

2.9      Exercise other powers delegated to it by the Massey University Academic Board.

3.0      Membership

3.1      The membership of the Doctoral Research Committee shall be as follows:

Title Number
Chair - Dean, Research 1
Deputy Chair – drawn from current or co-opted members
Provost or their nominee 1
Deputy Vice-Chancellor Māori or their nominee 1
Provost nominee with responsibilities for Pacific students 1
College Pro Vice-Chancellors - up to 2 academic representatives from each College 5-10
Up to 3 academic staff members appointed by Academic Board ≤3
Up to 3 additional academic members may be co-opted by the Committee ≤3
Two doctoral student representatives 2
Total Membership 13-22
In attendance
Manager, Graduate Research School 1
Secretary to the Doctoral Research Committee 1

3.2      Appointments

3.2.1   Chair of Doctoral Research Committee

The Chair of the Doctoral Research Committee shall be the Dean, Research.

3.2.2   Deputy Chair

The Deputy Chair shall be appointed by the Chair on an annual basis, and drawn from current or co-opted Doctoral Research Committee members.

3.2.3   Provost or their nominee

The Provost, may attend Doctoral Research Committee or select a representative to attend in their place.

3.2.4   Deputy Vice-Chancellor Māori or their nominee

The Deputy Vice-Chancellor Māori may attend Doctoral Research Committee or select a representative to attend in their place.

3.2.5   Provost nominee with responsibilities for Pacific students

The Provost, who has responsibilities for overseeing support for Pacific students, may attend Doctoral Research Committee or select a representative to attend in their place.

3.2.6   College Pro Vice-Chancellors

The Pro Vice-Chancellors of each College may attend Doctoral Research Committee or select up to two representatives to attend in their place.

3.2.7   Academic Board Members

Academic Board may appoint up to three academic staff members

3.2.8   Co-opted Members

The Committee may co-opt up to three academic members who have responsibilities for and engagement with doctoral students.

3.2.9   Student Representatives

Two student representatives shall be appointed, and they shall be currently enrolled, full-registered students.   One representative shall be a full-time student, and one shall be a part-time student.

The appointment of student members to the Committee shall be managed by the Chair and will include a call for applicants from the relevant constituency.    

3.3      Period of Appointment

3.3.1   Chair

The term of appointment for the Chair will not expire.

3.3.2   Deputy Chair

The Deputy Chair of the Doctoral Research Committee shall be appointed annually, and is renewable.

3.3.3   Provost or their nominee

If the Provost’s representative attends instead of the Provost, this appointment shall be for a three-year term, and is renewable.

3.3.4   Deputy Vice-Chancellor Māori or their nominee

If the Deputy Vice-Chancellor Māori’s representative attends instead of the Deputy Vice-Chancellor, this appointment shall be for a three-year term, and is renewable.

3.3.5   Provost nominee with responsibilities for Pacific students

If the Provost’s Pacific Nominee attends instead of the Provost, this appointment shall be for a three-year term, and is renewable.

3.3.6   College Pro Vice-Chancellors

If College Pro Vice-Chancellor representative(s) attend instead of the Pro Vice-Chancellors,  appointments shall be for a three-year term, and are renewable.

3.3.7   Academic Board Members

Academic Board representatives shall be appointed for a term of three years, and is renewable.

3.3.8   Co-opted Members

Co-opted academic members shall be appointed for a term of three years, and is renewable.

3.3.9   Student Representatives

Student representatives shall be appointed for a term of two years with the option of renewing the  term for another year, with the approval of the Chair. 

3.4      Representation by Proxy

On request of a Doctoral Research Committee member, the Chair may permit a proxy nominated by that member to attend the meeting in the member’s place; the proxy will be able to participate as a full member of Doctoral Research Committee for the meeting(s) and will count toward the quorum.

3.5      Members ‘In Attendance’

The Doctoral Research Committee may wish additional staff to attend the meeting either regularly or from time to time without granting them full membership.  These staff do not have automatic speaking rights but may be granted them.  These are academic or professional staff with expertise useful to the Committee.

3.4      Dismissal of Members

The Doctoral Research Committee may, by resolution, dismiss a member of the Committee as a member if the member fails to attend three consecutive meetings of the Committee without having given the Chair prior notice of their inability to attend.  In the event of dismissal the vacancy will be appointed by the Provost or relevant Deputy Vice-Chancellor.

4.0      Meetings and Protocols

4.1      Chair

The Chair will preside at all meetings at which they are present. 

4.2      Deputy Chair

If the Chair is absent, the Deputy Chair will preside.

4.3      Quorum

No business shall be transacted at a meeting unless at least a majority of the members currently holding office are present.  For the avoidance of doubt, the quorum shall be half the current members plus one.

4.4      Timing and Frequency of Meetings

The Committee shall meet monthly at least 10 times per year on a regular date and time agreed by its members, and at such other times as the Chair shall decide.

If so requested by written notice by no fewer than five members of the Committee, the Chair shall convene a special meeting of the Committee.

4.5      Standing Orders

The conduct of the business of the meeting shall be subject to the Guidelines for the Conduct of Council and Council Committees 2014 as amended from time to time.  Where procedures are not specified they shall be determined by the Chair with reference to established meeting practice and procedure.

4.6      Urgent Business 

Where an urgent decision of the Doctoral Research Committee is required, the Chair may request that a special meeting be held by email or other suitable electronic means.  In this event, votes will be counted at least five working days after distribution of the documents.  A simple majority of all members must be in favour of a motion for it to succeed.  There can be no casting vote.

4.7      Voting

Every motion before a meeting will be decided by a majority of votes cast on it by the members present.  Only full members present may vote.  If a member is not present they may not pass their vote to another member to cast.

Staff ‘in attendance’ do not have voting rights.

At a meeting the member presiding shall have a deliberative vote on every motion and, in the event the votes for and against are equal, shall also have a casting vote.

4.8      Agenda, Administration, and Minutes

The Committee shall be serviced by a Committee Administrator furnished to the Committee by the Graduate Research School, or as otherwise provided by the Provost.

The Committee may set its own deadlines for agenda items, noting any University policy or agreed deadlines and required formats for matters affecting the academic offer or regulations of the University.

Proposals that the Committee believes may have significant resourcing or strategic implications should be referred to the Provost, relevant Deputy Vice-Chancellor or appropriate Senior Leadership Team sub-committee if they have not already been so.

In conjunction with the Chair, the Committee Administrator will make available the agenda and the documents for the Committee, and shall record the proceedings, in accordance with the provisions of the Local Government, Official Information, and Meetings Act 1987.  A copy of the Part I Minutes will be available for perusal on request from the Committee Administrator, Doctoral Research Committee.

Meetings will be conducted in two parts, Part I being open to the public and Part II being for discussion of matters of commercial sensitivity and/or to protect the privacy of natural persons as per the Local Government Official Information and Meetings Act 1987. 

In conjunction with the Chair, the Committee Administrator will make available the agenda and the documents for the Committee, and shall record the proceedings, in accordance with the provisions of the Local Government, Official Information, and Meetings Act 1987.

All records of the meetings, including the minutes, shall be retained in accordance with the Public Records Act 2005.

The Committee Administrator shall be responsible for ensuring disseminating correspondence and decisions made by the Committee are available to relevant individuals or bodies.

5.0      Reporting to Academic Board

Annually, and as otherwise required by the Academic Board, the Committee shall furnish a report on its activities and the exercise of its delegations, to the Academic Board.

Current Doctoral Committee Members

Chair: Professor Tracy Riley
Deputy Chair: Professor Ian Fuller
Vice Chancellor: Professor Jan Thomas
Provost Representative: Associate Professor Leigh Signal
College Representatives: Professor Jonathan Elms (MBS)
Associate Professor Janet Sayers (MBS)
Professor Heather Galbraith (CoCA)
Professor Marlena Kruger (CoH)
Associate Professor Beth Greener (CoHSS)
Associate Professor Bryan Walpert (CoHSS)
Professor Georg Zellmer (CoS)
Associate Professor Karen Stockin (CoS)
Nominees from Academic Board: Professor Barry Borman
Associate Professor Henry Chung
Dr Heather Kavan
DVC Māori Representative: Dr Bevan Erueti
Dean, Pasifika: Professor Tasa Havea
PhD Student Representative (Full-time): Cassie Slade
PhD Student Representative (Part-time): Vacant
Graduate Research School Manager: Jacqueline Koenders
Co-opted Member: Dr Julia Rayner (Part I only)
Committee Secretary: Janene de Ridder


Questions? Contact the Doctoral Office.

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Last updated on Friday 06 November 2020