Policies & Procedures @ Swinburne

Policy Dictionary

The Policy Dictionary is a glossary of terms to be used in Swinburne policies and procedures.

The Dictionary is current being developed, however the following definitions are approved for use in University policies and procedures.

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Word/Term	Definition
Academic Penalty	A unit of study result applied to a student who withdraws from a unit of study after a defined date and before completion of all assessments for the unit of study.
Academic Year	A maximum of twelve months and may incorporate multiple teaching periods, depending on the program in which the student is enrolled.
Approving Body	The relevant body that has authority to approve policies and procedures in accordance with the requirements of the Policy Framework.
Awarding Academic Unit	A teaching unit of the University that has overall responsibility for a particular award.
Census Date	The date set by the University up to and including which students may normally withdraw from a program or unit of study without financial or academic penalty. The date will be not less than twenty percent (20%) of the way through the period during which the unit is undertaken, including the assessment period, as defined by the Higher Education Support Act 2003. Census dates are published via the University's Academic Calendar.
Commenced Study	The student has participated in the learning processes associated with the unit of study.
Enrolment Fees	Fees related to a student's enrolment at the University.
Final Date for Withdrawal without Academic Penalty	The final date on which students can withdraw from a unit of study without incurring an Academic Penalty. Final Dates for Withdrawal without Academic Penalty are set annually for each teaching period and published via the University's Academic Calendar. For Non-Summer Units of Study the date set will be: Close of business on the Friday of the eighth teaching week for units of study delivered within a twelve week semester, or Close of business on the Friday of the fourth teaching week for units of study delivered within a six week term For Summer Units of Study the date set will be two days after the Unit of Study Census Date.
Governance Policy	A policy that provides high level direction and guidance, establishes key peinciples and responsibilities, set fundamental requirements and limits and allocate responsibilities. Such policies have an approval pathway that would normally include University Council.
Higher Education Division	That division of the University constituted under section 27 of the Swinburne University of Technology Act 1992, and Statute 25 of the University, which delivers higher education programs.
Institutional Policy	A policy that provides further detail to governance policies, external legislation or stand alone as independent policy or procedure. They provide direction or guidance or establish responsibilities, requirements or limits at a lower level than Governance policies.
Non-Summer Unit of Study	A unit of study offered in a teaching period other than summer term or which is offered in summer term and is a mandatory part of the program of study.
Policy	A formal statment which gives effect to relevant University principles, values, procedures, requirements and strategic goals and improves the University's risk management.
Policy Owner	A person with overarching responsibility for policy and procedure and for ensuring the policy and procedure is implemented, progress is monitored and the policy and procedure are regulary reviewed. Policy Owners are normally Heads of Management Units.
Policy Sponsor	A person who will present the policy to the appropriate approving body. Project Sponsors will be a member of the University's Executive Group or the Director, University Secretariat.
Policy Dictionary	A definitive list of words, terms and abbreviations to be used within Swinburne policies and procedures.
Policy & Procedure Directory	The University's central repository for Governance and Institutional Policies.
Procedure	A high level description of all essential steps and responsibilities, and a brief explanation on how work is organised in order to achieve the policy.
Program	A combination of units of study that make up an award with which a student graduates.
Student	An enrolled student as defined by the Swinburne University of Technology Act 1992.
Summer Unit of Study	A unit of study offered in a summer term where enrolment into summer term units is not a mandatory part of the program of study.
TAFE Division	That division of the University constituted under section 27 of the Swinburne University of Technology Act 1992 Act, and Statute 25 of the University, which delivers technical and further programs.
Teaching Period	A semester or term as set by the University.
Unit of Study	The basic unit of a program, which a student may undertake and on successful completion of the unit's requirements, gain credit towards completion of the program. The terms Unit of Study, Unit, Module, Competency and Subject are used interchangeably.
Unit Rules	Rules, directions, work instructions and local area procedures.
University	Swinburne University of Technology.