The Council is assisted in discharging its responsibilities by the:

• Finance Committee
• Audit and Risk Management Committee
• Campus Planning Committee
• Remuneration Committee
• Honorary Degrees Committee
• Nominations Committee.

These Council committees comprise members of Council, supplemented as appropriate with other appointees, who are internal and external to the University, who bring leadership in their field of expertise. All committees of Council operate under charters approved by Council.

Finance Committee

The Finance Committee makes recommendations to Council on financial, investment and commercial management matters of the University. A summary report from the Finance Committee is a standard item on the agenda for each meeting of Council. The Chair and other members of the Finance Committee are also members of the ANU Council, and advise Council about the committee’s deliberations or recommendations.

During the year, the committee oversaw the University and subsidiary entities’ budgets, monitored the University’s financial projections and performance, and actively discussed the University’s strategic financial forecasting and scenario modelling, the ANU College of Engineering and Computer Science (CECS) Reimagine project progress, the University’s Budget and Reporting Framework (BRF) project, and the University’s insurance matters.

The committee also oversaw changes in the University’s investment management activities and considered a range of matters relating to the University’s commercial activities relating to ongoing campus redevelopment opportunities.

Audit and Risk Management Committee

The Audit and Risk Management Committee provides independent advice and assistance to Council on the University’s risk, control and compliance framework and its external accountability responsibilities, including its active consideration of the annual financial statements.

The committee also serves to meet the University’s obligations under section 45 of the PGPA Act. A report from the committee to Council after every meeting is a standing item on the Council.

During 2019, the committee’s work included oversight for Council of the preparation of University and Subsidiary Entities Annual Financial Statements. The committee also received several internal audits completed as part of the 2019 Internal Audit Work Plan and two management (University) initiated reviews concerning the use of purchase cards and student managed funds.

The committee also advised Council on the ongoing and growing management of the University’s risk framework, which will remain an area of focus in 2020.

Campus Planning Committee

The Campus Planning Committee monitors and advises Council on matters relating to the planning and development of the University’s major property and physical infrastructure.

During the year the committee’s work included the completion of the Kambri project, oversight of all major capital projects, managing the impact of the 2018 flood on campus, student accommodation strategy, heritage matters, campus safety, the future of University library facilities and public art.

Following a lengthy process, the committee endorsed, for Council approval on 26 July 2019, the new Master Plan for the Acton Campus. The Master Plan is comprehensive in range, incorporating elements as diverse as heritage, energy management and technology with more classic aspects such as landscape and building design standards. The Master Plan is also the first to significantly acknowledge the Indigenous heritage of the ANU site and to take active steps to preserve that heritage.

Remuneration Committee

The Remuneration Committee determines the remuneration and conditions of employment of the Vice-Chancellor and monitors and reviews the Vice-Chancellor’s performance and remuneration of senior management of
the University.

In February 2019, the committee discussed key performance indicators with the Vice-Chancellor for that calendar year, and considered the Vice-Chancellor’s performance, and noted remuneration of the senior management of
the University. The committee’s deliberations were reported to Council at its February 2019 meeting.

Honorary Degrees Committee

The Honorary Degrees Committee considers nominations within the terms of the Honorary Degree Rules 2015 of persons for conferral of honorary degrees and recommends the names of suitable persons to the Council for admission to an award.

During the year, on the recommendation of the Committee, Council approved the awarding of honorary degrees, as follows.