Senate committees

The Senate Academic Planning and Development Committee (APDC) reviews proposals for new academic developments and has the authority to establish working groups, request employee attendance at meetings, and obtain necessary information. Its key responsibilities include recommending proposals to the Senate, approving internal curriculum proposals, developing university standards, investigating policy issues, reviewing academic reports, and contributing to the University Academic Plan to ensure alignment with academic goals.

The Senate Teaching and Learning Committee (STLC) is a standing committee responsible for enhancing teaching and student learning at the university. It formulates recommendations for improvement, receives reports on teaching activities, and guides the implementation of Learning and Teaching Plans. The Committee can establish working groups, request attendance from university employees, and develop relevant policies, while also receiving reports from sub-committees and fulfilling other functions assigned by the Senate.

The Senate Graduate Studies Committee (SGSC) is a standing committee of the Senate. The SGSC addresses issues related to postgraduate degrees with research components, formulates and approves pertinent policies and ensures that procedures are effectively communicated to both staff and students. Additionally, it monitors research training programs to prevent duplication, reviews Senate Standing Orders for compliance and facilitates discussions with Faculty Graduate Studies Committees. The committee also collects data on postgraduate enrollment and success, promoting alignment with the University’s strategic goals, with the Plenary focusing on operational matters and the Executive on strategic initiatives.

The Senate Academic Freedom Committee (SAFC) is tasked with advising on issues related to academic freedom in the context of national and university policies. It has the authority to establish working groups, invite university employees to meetings, and gather necessary information. The committee's primary responsibilities include recommending university policies, facilitating discussions on their implementation, addressing potential infringements on freedom of expression, and fostering a responsible and inclusive environment for both teaching and research.

The Senate Library Committee (SLC) is a pivotal Committee of Senate, dedicated to enhancing the University Library's impact on teaching, learning, and research. Authorised to undertake a range of activities, the SLC actively forms working groups, requests employee participation in meetings and acquires necessary information while upholding confidentiality standards. Its key responsibilities include recommending strategic policies for University Library Services, advising the University Librarian on significant academic matters, guiding fund allocation among faculties and establishing regulations for library operations. The SLC also oversees the stewardship of archival materials, digitisation efforts and the security of national heritage collections, while championing open data practices and Open Access publishing. When responsibilities overlap with other committees, the Chairs efficiently determine the appropriate committee or arrange joint meetings as needed.

The Senate ICT Reference Committee is a Committee that aims to enhance collaboration between Wits ICT and the University’s faculties to align ICT priorities with academic objectives for teaching and research. This committee serves as a communication channel for academic ICT users, provides input on university strategies and policies, monitors the effectiveness of ICT services for the academic project, and commissions reports on relevant ICT matters. Additionally, it has the authority to create subcommittees for specific issues and to coordinate with other committees when responsibilities overlap.

The Senate eResearch Committee is a standing committee tasked with enhancing the Scholarly (Academic) Lifecycle in the context of Digital Scholarship. It is authorised to establish working groups, request attendance from Wits employees and gather necessary information. The Committee's primary responsibilities include developing strategies and policies for research support, guiding university investments in infrastructure, encouraging the adoption of Fourth Industrial Revolution (4IR) technologies, advising on curriculum development for digital readiness, and integrating supportive services to enhance Scholarly Citizenship through technological platforms.

The Senate Internationalisation Strategic Partnerships Committee (ISPC) plays a proactive role in the development of all policies and protocols on various aspects of internationalisation including:

• research collaborations;
• student and staff mobility (including study abroad programmes);
• recruitment of international students and staff;
• partnerships;
• internationalisation at home; and
• internationalisation of the curriculum.

The ISPC provides oversight for all strategic internationalisation activities at the University and also provides high-level governance oversight over the Internationalisation and Strategic Partnerships Office (ISPO) and the International Student Services Office (ISSO) in monitoring and reviewing internationalisation in accordance with agreed policies and protocols, ensuring that internationalisation is

• aligned to other strategic objectives of the institution:
• co-ordinated across all academic and administrative units;
• prioritised with regard to academic disciplines/research focus areas as well as countries/regions;
• allowing for differentiated approaches in different institutional contexts;
• backed by the necessary investment in relevant institutional capacities and resources; and
• given form in relevant financial decisions of the institution (for example, the fee structure for international students, scholarships etc.).

The Internationalisation and Strategic Partnerships Office (ISPO) and the International Student Services Office (ISSO) provide assistance to the ISPC in the performance of its functions.

The Constitution Committee is a specialist advisory committee that scrutinises the rules for qualifications offered by the University after academic committees have formulated them to ensure that there are no inconsistencies. It states its opinion on the interpretation of rules and regulations and gives advice on more general legal matters pertaining to the academic work of the University, the Statute and other relevant legislation when required to do so by the Registrar, Senior Executive Team or Senate. It also scrutinises relevant standing orders and policy documents of the University.

The Financial Aid, Scholarships and Merit Awards Committee establishes policies and criteria for funding, monitors the implementation of the policy by the Financial Aid and Scholarships Office (FASO) through considering reports from this office. It monitors the funds managed by FASO including Council grants, statutory funds and donor funds directly managed by Wits University. The Committee actively pursues the rewarding of excellence through the provision of scholarships and awards, and recommends and monitors policies and procedures that promote greater awareness of funding opportunities at postgraduate level. The Committee also actively pursues the development of opportunities for funding postgraduate research.

The Vice-Chancellor's Teaching Awards Committee encourages and stimulates teaching and teaching-related scholarly and/or creative activities in the University and rewards excellence in teaching.

The Vice-Chancellor's Academic Citizenship Awards Committee rewards excellence in teaching to members of staff who have made a substantial, significant and innovative contribution to one or more of the communities that they serve as academic citizens, i.e. the community of their Faculty or Division, the University, the social community, the national community, or the national or international community of their discipline.

The Vice-Chancellor’s Award for Service Excellence honours exceptional Professional and Administrative staff who provide outstanding service to students and colleagues. The Award recognises individuals who exceed their typical duties, with required supporting evidence. Eligible nominees include full-time and part-time staff with at least 12 months of service and no disciplinary issues in the past year. Team awards are also available for departments or units across various grade levels.

The Vice-Chancellor's Transformation Awards Committee decides on the award of the Transformation Award. The Transformation award is presented annually to a member of the University staff, a student, or a member of Convocation, who is judged to be doing the most to counter discrimination at the University of the Witwatersrand. The award is open to all members of the academic and professional and administrative services staff, to all students and members of Convocation.

Each faculty has a Faculty Board that governs and regulates the activities of the Faculty in accordance with the Rules, considers and recommends to the Senate the academic programmes (both subsidised and non-subsidised) offered by faculties, promotes teaching, learning, assessment, research and other academic functions of the University, submits recommendations to the Senate on matters that affect the faculty as well as matters referred to it by the Senate, appoints committees of the Faculty Board, and fulfils such as others functions as the Rules may prescribe.

The Wits Re-admissions Committee - Phase 2 (WRC-2) receives and considers appeals from individual students in respect of decisions of the Wits Re-admissions Committee - Phase 1 (WRC-1) not to permit them to renew their registrations.  The WRC-2 has the power to uphold, amend or overturn a decision of any WRC-1.