STATUTE FOR THE CENTRE FOR THE LIBERAL ARTS AND SCIENCES

STATUTE FOR THE CENTRE

FOR THE LIBERAL ARTS AND SCIENCES

SUBSIDIARY LEGISLATION 327.494

STATUTE FOR THE CENTRE FOR

THE LIBERAL ARTS AND SCIENCES

9th July, 2014

LEGAL NOTICE 245 of 2014.

The title of this statute is the Statute for the Centre for the

Liberal Arts and Sciences.

This statute shall be applicable from 8 February 2014

onwards.

In this Statute, unless the context otherwise requires

"the Board" shall mean the Board of the Centre for the Liberal

Arts and Sciences;

"the Centre" shall mean the Centre for the Liberal Arts and

Sciences;

"the Programme" shall mean the Programme in the Liberal Arts

and Sciences.

The Centre for the Liberal Arts and Sciences is hereby

established as an institution of the University of Malta.

The main aim of the Centre shall be to design, organise,

coordinate, monitor, evaluate and promote the University of

Malta’s Programme in the Liberal Arts and Sciences as regulated

by the Programme in the Liberal Arts and Sciences under the

auspices of the Centre for the Liberal Arts and Sciences

Regulations. In fulfilment of its aim, the Centre shall inter alia

(a) offer a flexible, top-class programme of studies aimed

primarily at adult and returning learners;

(b) contribute to the University’s ongoing public outreach

initiative;

(c) promote further interdisciplinary collaboration within

the University and through its engagement with

specialists outside academia;

(d) encourage and sustain innovative approaches in

undergraduate curriculum development and teaching

methods; and

(e) provide high-quality, learner-focused administrative

assistance to students enrolled in the Programme.

The Centre shall be governed by a Board that shall consist

of the following

(i)

Chairman: the Rector of the University or his/her

delegate;

(ii)

Vice-Chairman: the Director of the Centre;

STATUTE FOR THE CENTRE

FOR THE LIBERAL ARTS AND SCIENCES

(iii) a person appointed by the Council of the University;

(iv) Two Resident Academics with a background in the

Arts and Humanities appointed by the Senate of the

University;

(v) Two Resident Academics with a background in the

Sciences appointed by the Senate of the University;

(vi) up to two representatives elected by and from the

students registered within the Centre; and

(vii) up to four scholars of repute to be recommended by the

Board and approved by the Senate of the University.

The Registrar or his/her delegate shall act as Secretary to

the Board.

All members of the Board, other than those appointed ex

officio, and the two elected student representatives shall be

appointed for a period of one year, renewable for up to four years.

A retiring member will be eligible for re-appointment.

The functions of the Board shall be

(a) to govern the affairs of the Centre, subject to the

provisions of these statutes and of such regulations,

policies or directions as may from time to time be

approved by the Council and the Senate;

(b) to decide the policy of the Centre, to supervise its

activities and administration, and without prejudice to

the generality of the foregoing, the Board may

(i)

approve business plans and annual estimates of

revenue and expenditure of the Centre for

consideration and approval by the Council;

(ii) with the written concurrence of the Rector enter

into agreements with third parties for funding of

the Centre or of particular activities;

(iii) publish an annual report;

(iv) enrol the Centre in associations or institutions

sharing similar aims and interests;

(v) propose Regulations and Bye-Laws to the

Senate;

(vi) require from academic staff members of the

Centre and those servicing the Centre the

production of reports on academic matters,

including the curricula of courses of study,

qualifications for admission to courses,

examinations, and certificates of attendance or

qualification;

(vii)

recommend to the Council the creation or

removal of academic and non-academic posts in

the Centre;

(viii) propose for the Senate’s approval Boards of

Examiners for the Centre’s programme of

studies;

STATUTE FOR THE CENTRE

FOR THE LIBERAL ARTS AND SCIENCES

(c) to carry out, mutatis mutandis, the functions of a

Board of Studies as provided in regulation 31(d) of the

General Regulations for Undergraduate Awards.

The Centre shall have a Director and Staff

(a) the Director of the Centre shall be appointed according

to the procedure for the appointment of Directors of

Institutes and Centres as approved by the Council of

the University, for a duration of one year, with the

possibility of renewal annually subject to established

performance criteria, the needs of the Centre and the

needs of the University, for a total period not

exceeding four (4) years; and

(b) the staff of the Centre shall be appointed by the

University according to the usual practice.

The duties of the Vice-Chairman/Director shall include

(a) general responsibility for the running of the Centre in

terms of the objectives and functions outlined in

article 4;

(b) compiling and submitting to the Registrar of the

University by not later than January of each academic

year, an updated comprehensive prospectus of the

content descriptions of all current and projected study-

units offered by members of the Centre as per

guidelines established by the Programme Validation

Committee;

(c) ensuring that the study-units offered by the Centre are

delivered in accordance with the advertised

programme of studies; the Director must ensure that

lecturing staff under his/her remit deliver all lectures,

seminars and sessions assigned to them respectively, at

the time and venue advertised in the official timetable,

and that any deviations thereof are formally registered,

and the students duly notified in good time;

(d) delivering and implementing the strategic plan of the

Centre under the guidance of the Board;

(e) promoting students’ academic and personal welfare

and providing first-line support to students with any

difficulties they may encounter during their studies in

the Programme;

(f)

monitoring the running of examinations in the Centre

and ensuring that all assessment and examination

results are submitted to the Registrar’s Office within

following deadlines

•

January session - by the end of March;

•

May/June session - final year results by not later

than two working days prior the final year

degree classification board but in any case not

later than end of July, other results as early as

possible but not later than the end of July;

•

September session - by the end of September;

STATUTE FOR THE CENTRE

FOR THE LIBERAL ARTS AND SCIENCES

(g) administering the Centre in full consultation with the

members; monitoring and approving requests for leave

of absence of members of the Centre; maintaining

records of all leave taken by members and passing on

these records to the Director of Human Resources

Management and Development upon request;

(h) encouraging and facilitating co-operation with other

universities and institutions;

(i)

chairing meetings of the Board in the absence and with

the permission of the Chairman;

(j)

ensuring and facilitating the further development and

training of its staff;

(k) participating at any meeting of the University

congruent with the post;

(l)

representing the Centre during official functions of the

University;

(m) compiling and submitting to the Secretary of the

University by the end of September of each academic

year, an annual report approved by the Board,

outlining the activities of the Centre for the outgoing

year, which should include, inter alia, information that

may be requested by the Secretary, and an outline of

the Centre’s collaboration with third parties including

local industry, Government or civil society at large;

(n) compiling and submitting to the Director of Finance of

the University, by not later than end of May of each

academic year budgetary estimates approved by the

Board for the following year including a manpower

plan for the Centre, to cover the projected teaching,

research and administration workload of the Centre,

and based on the projected workload for each Resident

Academic member of the Centre, Visiting Teaching

Staff and the Administrative Staff;

(o) monitoring the performance of the non-academic staff

attached to the Centre;

(p) authorising the Centre’s procurement of equipment;

ensuring that the resources assigned to the Centre –

whether human or other – are utilized fully and

efficiently;

(q) performing other duties which may be assigned by the

University from time to time.

The Director moreover

(a) is to report directly to the Chairman of the Board

governing the Centre and shall collaborate with

all senior administrative officers of the

University;

(b) shall be a Resident Academic engaged with the

University on a full-time basis for the duration

of his/her tenure as Director;

STATUTE FOR THE CENTRE

FOR THE LIBERAL ARTS AND SCIENCES

(c) should not be engaged in any other activity

outside the University which may be in conflict

with, or distract him/her from, his duties at the

University;

(d) is expected to be present on campus or any

designated University of Malta site at least

during normal office hours from Monday to

Friday throughout the year subject to the

exigencies of an academic in accordance with

the University’s practices and needs and subject

to normal leave entitlement and public holidays

as provided for at law; should his absence be

necessary and justified he must ensure that he is

immediately contactable through the secretarial

staff of the Centre;

(e) shall not give access to any information to any

third party that is not associated with the

University of Malta, about any work or data that

relates to tasks conducted at the University of

Malta without the prior approval of the

University of Malta; all work carried out within

the Centre must be treated according to Maltese

data protection legislation;

(f) is to abide with the statutes, regulations and

policies of the University of Malta, which are in

force now or will become effective in the

duration of his tenure.

The Director of Finance of the University shall be the

The Treasurer.

Treasurer of the Centre.