The newly named Alumni Council of Convocation held its first meeting on 4 June 2025 in the Senate Room.

We thought this historic occasion was worth a photo. It being a wet and stormy night, attendance in person was low, with seven Councillors attending online.

For those of you who missed the details of the changes to the old Convocation Council, published in Uniview Winter 2025, here they are again.

1 June 2025 marked the start of changes to the Council of Convocation, as heralded by the publication of Amending Statute No. 1 of 2024 in the WA Government Gazette. The changes include:

• Convocation Council renamed Alumni Council
• Council membership reduced from 23 to 14
• Council composition to include Warden, six elected Councillors (including Deputy Warden), two Convocation Senators, Chief Advancement Officer (Vice-Chancellor's representative) and four co-opted members to broaden the skill base and improve diversity
• Council membership limited to nine years.

These changes reflect a long period of examination and analysis. In 2020, Council began an internal review which formed the basis for its Strategic Plan (2023-26) and the amendments made to the Statute. Parallelling this was the creation of a Joint Committee of Convocation Council and Development and Alumni Relations by the Chancellor. This was followed by a Senate Review of Convocation in early 2024. Senate approved its recommendations, and changes to the UWA Statute were made, subject to consideration by Convocation members as required by the UWA Act.

Nearly 300 members met (in person and online) to consider Convocation's evolving future at its 2024 Spring General Meeting. Amendments to the Statute recommended by Council were put to the meeting and resolved in the affirmative. A motion to name Council as the Council of Graduates was defeated after robust debate. The Statute with amendments was approved by Senate and then by the Government.

The Senate has also established a Senate Advancement Committee. Its role is to recommend the strategic development of the University's relationship with its alumni including examination of any possibilities that should be adopted to enhance the University's relationship with its alumni. The Warden, Deputy Warden and Chief Advancement Officer are all ex-officio members.

I am confident that the new statute reforms, changes to the Council composition and regulations plus the establishment of the Senate Advancement Committee has set a valuable and effective framework for alumni relations at UWA to be reinvigorated. I urge members to get involved and support Council and its activities as we begin our exciting new journey.