Charles Sturt University's (CSU) Council has today approved the move to a Three Faculty Model as recommended by the Academic Senate last Thursday 22 October 2015. The three faculties will be:

• Faculty of Science
• Faculty of Arts and Education
• Faculty of Business, Justice and Behavioural Sciences

Vice-Chancellor Professor Andrew Vann said, "Feedback from the Charles Sturt University community has been an important part of the development of this faculty structure and a two month consultation process was undertaken involving sessions with academics, students, general staff and unions.

"Consultation included multiple video-conference sessions for all staff and face-to-face meetings at Albury-Wodonga, Bathurst, Dubbo, Orange, Port Macquarie and Wagga Wagga as well as the opportunity to submit questions and responses to the proposal.

Professor Vann said, "I fully appreciate that a change such as this can be challenging. However, given the extensive input and discussion around these models I believe we now have a model which will position the University to thrive into the future and enhance the university's core responsibility of delivering quality services to students.

"The change proposal for the Three Faculty Model also includes changes to administrative support which means there may be a net loss of up to 3.8 full-time equivalent professional and technical staff positions across the whole University. This is fewer positions than previously indicated due to changes made to the proposal throughout the consultation process. Impacts on staff, including the possibility of redundancies, will be worked through as the process of filling the new positions proceeds."

The approved changes to the University structure will be progressively implemented from the start of 2016.