It has the power to grant and revoke degrees (including honorary degrees) and also regulates admissions, examinations, and the use of the academic dress of the university, as well as having oversight of student discipline and student experience.
The academic electoral assembly (AEA) is established by the statutes of the university and consists of all members of academic staff, except those who are ex-officio members of senate, and the vice-principals of the recognised colleges and any other members of staff performing academic or academic-related roles. It elects the academic staff representatives to senate; these also constitute the standing committee of the AEA. The standing committee elects the chair and vice-chair of the AEA from among the members elected to senate.
In addition to its role in electing members of senate, the AEA provides a forum for staff "to inform matters of academic governance and provide comment to the Senate". The statutes also allow for meetings of all members of the academic staff to be called by the vice-chancellor and warden, which may discuss any matter of interest to the university and make representations to the statutory bodies (council and senate). If requested in writing by one hundred or more members of the academic staff, the vice-chancellor and warden must call and attend a meeting of the academic staff.
==== Trade unions ====
There are four recognised campus trade unions at Durham with branches of the University and Colleges Union (UCU), UNISON, UNITE and GMB. The four campus unions meet senior members of HR on a regular basis to negotiate on various matters.
Union activity in the 2020s has included winning a £1000 payment to all staff and a number of other commitments in 2022, and commitments from university management to become an accredited Real Living Wage employer, improvements in the starting salary grade for some staff and additional payments for international staff with visa costs in 2023. There is a history of trades union activity at the university stretching back …
