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When to use the Delegate Report Template

This template is for delegates (Council subcommittees and University management) to provide assurance to Committees that they are fulfilling their delegated responsibility. All information should be captured in the template and attachments, excluding minutes, are by exception only.

Information about completing this template

Formatting: Anything in <pointy brackets> needs to be edited and brackets removed. Any area written in blue italics needs to be deleted. The final template body text should be all in the same font (Arial) size (10) and colour (Black) and non-italicised. Key headings should be in BOLD UPPERCASE. Subheadings should be in Bold Title Case. Links should be used sparingly, and in Charles Sturt University Orange.

Some notes on governance vs management writing:

"Governance" is the strategic task of setting the organisation's goals, direction, limitations and accountability frameworks. "Management" is the allocation of resources and overseeing the day-to-day operations of the organisation.

Committees (particularly Council) have ultimate accountability for the University’s activities and performance. When writing for a governance Committee your focus should be on the big picture – particularly with reference to performance against strategy and assurance of compliance.

Governance Committees need to be assured that everything is going as planned and that they are made aware of any risks to achieving their objectives.

Governance Committees ensure oversight but don’t actually do the work - Governance is the “what”, Management is the “how”.

For general guidance on writing reports refer to the Writing Business Reports and Executive Briefs presentation from the training delivered by DPC, available on the Governance Services website

PURPOSE

A succinct summary of why this paper is being submitted to this particular Committee. Delegate reports will generally be “To provide X Committee with an update on the business of the Committee, including assurance that delegations have been carried out appropriately”

RECOMMENDATION

For a single recommendation write the entire text in one sentence. The resolution verb should be in bold. For a recommendation with multiple parts use a numbered list. They should be left justified with no spacing between lines:

The <Committee> resolves to <verb> XXX..

OR

The <Committee> resolves to:

<verb> XXX..

<verb> XXX..

Provide enough detail in the resolution so that the minutes of the Committee reflect what is contained in the report. Keep in mind the audience of minutes include regulators like TEQSA who may not have access to the original report, or would otherwise need to access the original report to see what was involved.

For example, don’t just write “to note the <delegate> report” write something like

“The <Committee> resolves to:

note the <delegate> report and

note the <delegate>’s consideration of Key Matter x, y and z”.

KEY MATTERS FOR NOTING

Include here matters that were considered/approved by the delegate and now need to be noted by the Committee. This section should start with reference to the delegation that is being exercised by the delegate. Summarise the key issues and rationale of the delegate’s recommendation in enough detail to provide the Committee with confidence and assurance that the delegate is executing delegations appropriately.

Heading 1
HESF X.X.X | MTOR XXX

XXX

Heading 2
HESF X.X.X | MTOR XXX

XXX

OUTSTANDING MATTERS

Include here matters that are not yet resolved and will come to a future meeting for approval/noting. If no outstanding matters, delete the headings and write ‘Nil’.

Heading 1
HESF X.X.X | MTOR XXX

XXX

Heading 2
HESF X.X.X | MTOR XXX

XXX

ATTACHMENTS

Include minutes here but otherwise attachments will be by exception only.

Add or delete as required

Prepared by:	<date>	<Name, Position> of author
Approved by:	<date>	<Name, Position> of Exec/ELT member or person who supervises the author
Cleared by:	<date>	<Name, Position> of the member of the Committee who is submitting on author’s behalf. For management papers submitted to Council Committees this is the VC