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The University Council is the governing body of the University. It is responsible for the governance of the University, and its powers are set out in the Education Act (1989). Its powers include the oversight of the institution's policy, degree, financial and capital matters. The Council is chaired by the chancellor, currently Dr Robin Mann. In the absence of the chancellor, the pro-chancellor, Mr Rex Williams, deputises.
The academic and administrative head of the University is the Vice-Chancellor (appointment pending). The Vice-Chancellor is directly supported by the Deputy Vice-Chancellor (Professor Ian Town) who is currently Acting Vice-Chancellor, the Registrar (Jeff Field), Assistant Vice-Chancellor Professor Steve Weaver, Assistant Vice-Chancellor Academic (Dr Jan Cameron), the Director of Human Resources (Paul O'Flaherty), the Chief Financial Officer (Dr Yvonne Shanahan) and Assistant Vice-Chancellor (Maori) Sir Tipene O'Regan.
The VC chairs meetings of the Senior Management Team, which consists of the members of the Vice-Chancellor's Office plus the six pro-vice-chancellors - Professor Scott Davidson (School of Law and Student Services), Professor Gail Gillon (College of Education), Professor Nigel Healey (College of Business and Economics), Professor Peter Jackson (College of Engineering), Professor Ian Shaw (College of Science) and Professor Kenneth Strongman (College of Arts).
The Academic Board is responsible for advising the Council on all academic matters. It is chaired by the DVC, and meets monthly. It's detailed work is done through a series of Academic Board Committees including the Academic Administration Committee.
The academic structure is that the University is divided into five Colleges, Arts, Business and Economics, Education, Engineering, Science, and a School of Law. Each College and the School of Law is headed by a PVC, who is responsible to the VC for all activities of the Colleges/School of Law. The PVCs are supported by a College Office providing financial, administrative, academic, and human resources advice to the PVC. Each College also has a College Manager.
There are seven faculties in the University: Humanities and Social Sciences, Commerce, Education, Engineering and Forestry, Science, Visual and Performing Arts, and Law. Each faculty consists of the teaching staff of the departments and schools which offer courses that may be part of the particular degree from that faculty. There are also student representatives on the various faculties.
Each faculty is chaired by a Dean who is responsible to the appropriate College PVC.
The dean of the faculty exercises a general supervision and co-ordination over the courses of study in the faculty.
There are service departments which have the responsibility for the providing and managing the operations and the infrastructure of the University. The Directors of these units manage significant resources and have accountability for areas such as finance, property, information technology, the University Library, human resources, marketing and liaison, student administration, student services, international students, communications and development, and planning.
Of special interest to students is that one of the roles is to provide staff who are concerned with the enrolment of students, their qualifications and records, the organisation of academic ceremonies, the collection of fees and the organisation and control of examinations.