Acts Online
GT Shield

Higher Education Act, 1997 (Act No. 101 of 1997)

Notices

Standard Institutional Statute, 2018

Chapter 5 : Council

19. Meetings and meeting procedures

 

(1) The Council shall meet at least once a semester at a time and place determined by the Council.

 

(2) The Council shall determine its own meeting procedures with due observance of generally accepted norms of fair administrative process.

 

(3) Sixteen members present shall constitute a quorum.

 

(4) At least seven days before an ordinary meeting and at least three days before an extraordinary meeting of Council, the Registrar shall give each member written notice of the date, time and place of the meeting, as well as an agenda with supporting documents, if any.

 

(5) Members wishing to place additional matters for discussion on the agenda shall send a written request in this regard to the Registrar a reasonable time before the date of the meeting.

 

(6) With the approval of a majority of the members present, urgent matters may be placed on the agenda during a meeting.

 

(7) The Registrar shall keep comprehensive minutes of each Council meeting.

 

(8) The Council shall take decisions by a majority vote of the members who are present.

 

(9) The Chairperson of the meeting shall have an ordinary vote and a casting vote in the event of a tie of votes.

 

(10) Subject to the provisions of subparagraph (4), the Chairperson may convene an extraordinary meeting at any time, stating the matter or matters for discussion.

 

(11) At the request of the Principal or at the request of at least five Council members, the Chairperson shall convene an extraordinary meeting: Provided that reasons for the request are in writing and a brief description of the matters for discussion is provided.

 

(12) The Council may generally, or in a specific case, grant observer status to a person or office bearer that allows such a person to attend a Council meeting or meetings.

 

(13) With the permission of the Council a person with observer status may take part in the debates of the Council, but may not vote.

 

(14) All members of Council must participate in the deliberations of Council or any committee of Council, or exercise any delegated function, in the best interests of the University.

 

(15) A Council member must, before he or she assumes office, and annually for as long as he or she continues to hold such office, declare any business, commercial or financial activities undertaken for financial gain that may give rise to a conflict or a possible conflict of interest with the University.
(a) No Council member may have a direct or indirect financial, economic, personal or other interest in any matter to be discussed at a meeting, or in regard to which he or she is to make a decision in terms of a delegated function and which entails or may entail a conflict or possible conflict of interest with the University.
(b) A Council member must, before the meeting of the Council or a committee of Council, in writing inform the Chairperson of that meeting of the existence of a conflict or possible conflict of interest that he or she may be aware of.
(c) Any person may, in writing, inform the Chairperson of a meeting of Council or a committee of Council, before that meeting, of a conflict or possible conflict of interest of a member of Council or a committee of Council of which such person may be aware.
(d) Where applicable, the Council member must recuse himself or herself from any decision-making process where an actual or deemed conflict of interest is present.
(e) In the event that any member of a committee of Council with delegated functions has a conflict or possible conflict of interest in respect of a matter to be considered, the committee may not consider or take a decision on the matter but must refer it to Council for a decision, having noted the member’s interest in the matter.