Preamble

The Professor Ronald M and Dr Catherine H Berndt Research Foundation was established from a sum of money bequeathed to the University by Professor and Dr Berndt who in 1956 established the discipline of Anthropology at the University of Western Australia, initially as a Centre within the Department of Psychology, and in 1963 as a separate Department. The Berndts’ field research focused on Aboriginal Australia and their unique collection of material culture objects and research documents, donated separately to the university’s anthropology museum, covered almost 50 years. The outstanding contribution which they made to Australian Anthropology was recognized by the University by the award to each, of an Honorary Doctorate in Literature and the renaming of the Berndt Museum of Anthropology in their honour.

The Foundation is administered by a Committee which operates in accordance with the Principles for the operation of committees. Members must act in accordance with the University Committee members' Code of Conduct.

Constitution

1. The Professor Ronald M and Dr Catherine H Berndt Research Foundation Committee is an advisory committee to the Vice-Chancellor reporting through the Deputy Vice-Chancellor Research.

2. For the purposes of this constitution, unless the context otherwise requires:

‘Anthropology’ refers collectively to the following:

(a) The professors, associate professors, senior lecturers, lecturers, associate lecturers and tutors who hold full-time or fractional appointments in Anthropology at The University of Western Australia;

(b) staff who hold honorary or adjunct positions in Anthropology at The University of Western Australia;

(c) postgraduate students enrolled in Anthropology at The University of Western Australia; and

(d) staff and postgraduate students studying in cognate disciplines conducting research collaboratively with Anthropology at The University of Western Australia.

‘Bequest’ means the sum of money willed to The University of Western Australia for the purpose of establishing the Foundation.

The Discipline of Anthropology may from time to time be part of a differently named Disciplinary group.

Object of the Foundation

3. The object of the Foundation shall be to ensure that the funds available from the bequest are used for ‘encouraging and supporting research in the discipline of Australian Aboriginal Social and Cultural Anthropology’ as specified in the terms of the bequest.

4. (1)All monies received by or on behalf of, or as a result of the activities of the Foundation shall be vested in the University and shall be held by the University upon trust in a fund to be known as the Professor Ronald M and Dr Catherine H Berndt Research Foundation Fund.

(2)The capital funds shall be invested in accordance with the laws from time to time in force governing the investment of trust property by trustees.

(3)The funds available to the Committee for disbursement in each year shall be the interest from the capital sum in the fund, after capitalization in accordance with Senate policy.

Role of the Committee

5. (1) The Professor Ronald M and Dr Catherine H Berndt Research Foundation Committee shall disburse the available funds at its discretion to promote the object of the Foundation, and in particular to

(a) Support Anthropology or any sub-group of Anthropology listed in section 2 in the furtherance of social and cultural anthropological research in the area of Australian Aboriginal Studies;

(b) Solicit donations, gifts and bequests to the Foundation on behalf of the University;

(c) Recommend and sponsor the printing of publications consistent with these objects and the issue thereof, and at the discretion of the Committee to make a regular subvention to sponsor the publication of the journal Anthropological Forum;

(d) Arrange for lectures, exhibitions and demonstrations in the area of Aboriginal Australia;

(e) Assist in arranging visits to The University of Western Australia by specialists in Australian Aboriginal Studies;

(f) Recommend grants to Anthropology or any sub-group of Anthropology listed in section 2, or to scholars outside of The University of Western Australia, for the purpose of encouraging research in the discipline of Australian Aboriginal Social and Cultural Anthropology through visiting fellowships, postdoctoral fellowships and postgraduate scholarships; and

(g) Recommend financial support for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander students enrolled in degree or diploma courses in Anthropology at The University of Western Australia, whether at postgraduate or undergraduate level, for the purpose of supporting the conduct of research in Anthropology.

(2) The Committee shall encourage Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander scholars to seek access to the grant opportunities offered by the Foundation.

(3) The Committee may approve the use of funds to employ a person to assist the Chair with work relating to the activities of the Foundation

(4) The Committee may at its discretion recapitalize unspent income in any year, or carry it over into the funds available for expenditure in the following year

(5) The Committee shall

(a) ensure that all researchers funded by the Foundation adhere to established guidelines for ethical research;

(b) do all such things as are incidental or conducive to the attainment of the objects listed in section 5(1) (a) to (g) above

(6) The Committee shall ensure that an annual report accompanied by a detailed Income and Expenditure statement is prepared and submitted through the Deputy Vice-Chancellor Research to the Vice-Chancellor.

Membership of the Committee

6. (1) The Foundation Committee shall comprise:

(a) The Deputy Vice-Chancellor Research or nominee;

(b) A member of the staff of Anthropology at UWA, as defined in clause 2, with long-term research experience in the socio-cultural anthropology of Indigenous Australia;

(c) A senior anthropologist with long-term research experience in the socio-cultural anthropology of Indigenous Australia who may be based at UWA or another Australian university.

(d) Up to five members co-opted by the foregoing, co-opted members having research experience in Aboriginal Australia based on the discipline of anthropology or a cognate discipline;

(e) Australian Indigenous scholars in anthropology or a cognate discipline will be encouraged to accept co-option to the committee.

(2) Ex-officio members may appoint nominees to act on their behalf at any meeting of the Foundation Committee

(3) The Chair shall be elected by Committee members

(4) The position of Chair of the Committee may be shared between two people as co-chairs, in which case, the two co-Chairs should both be ex-officio members.

Term of Office

7. The term of office of members is normally three years.

Eligibility for a Second or Subsequent Term of Office

8. At the end of a term of office, members are eligible to be re-nominated and re-appointed.

Frequency of Meetings

9. The Committee will meet at least twice each year.

Quorum

10. The quorum for the committee is half the number of members plus one.

Decisions

11. (1) All questions which come before the committee are decided by a majority of the members present and voting.

(2) The Chair has an ordinary and a casting vote.

(3) Minutes of all meetings will be prepared and made available as required via the Deputy Vice-Chancellor Research to the Vice-Chancellor.