10. University Policies and Further Policy Development and Review

10.1 All staff members are subject to the University Policies and procedures (including business rules and guidelines) however such policies and procedures do not form part of this Agreement.

10.2 Intellectual Freedom

10.2.1 Without derogating from or limiting the employment obligations of staff, including the obligations to comply with reasonable and lawful directions and requests, the parties to the Agreement are committed to act in a manner consistent with the protection and promotion of intellectual freedom.

10.2.2 Intellectual freedom includes:

(a) the rights of all staff to:

(i) participate in public debates and express opinions about issues and ideas related to their discipline area or areas of professional expertise and about the institution within which they work or higher education issues more generally;

(ii) make other comment outside their discipline or areas of professional expertise as long as they do so on their own behalf and do not claim to represent the University;

(iii) express unpopular or controversial views, but this does not mean the right to harass, vilify or defame or intimidate;

(b) the rights of academic staff to pursue critical and open inquiry and to freely discuss, teach, assess, develop curricula, publish and research;

(c) the right of all staff to participate in professional and representative bodies, including unions, and engage in appropriate community service;

(d) the rights of all staff to express opinions about the operations of the University and higher education policy more generally.

10.2.3 The University will encourage staff to actively participate in the operation of the University and in the communities it serves.

10.3 Research-only Academic Staff Advancement to Higher Research-only Academic Levels

10.3.1 Research-only academic staff may apply for advancement to higher research-only academic levels under the University's Research-only Academic Staff Advancement to a Higher Research Level Procedures. The University will undertake a review of those Procedures. The review will identify any recommended changes to the terms and operation of those Procedures which offer sustainable opportunities for research-only fixed-term academic staff to have their applications for advancement considered on the basis of merit independent of grant funding availability. The review will be undertaken in consultation with the NTEU and will be completed during the nominal period of operation of this Agreement.

10.4 Study and Training Leave - Grant-funded Research Staff

10.4.1 Under the terms of the University's policies and procedures, grant-funded research staff have access to study leave, OSP, training leave, exam leave and like forms of leave where funding conditions permit or where the relevant department or administrative unit is prepared to provide the required funding. The University will undertake a review of the terms and operation of its policies and procedures, including the Staff Study Support Program and the Outside Studies Program. The review will identify any recommended changes to the terms and operation of those policies and procedures which offer sustainable options for the encouragement of departments and administrative units to fund study leave, OSP, training leave, exam leave and like forms of leave for grant-funded research staff where access is merited but grant funding is inadequate. The review will be undertaken in consultation with the NTEU and will be completed during the nominal period of operation of this Agreement.