Shirley Gilliver Memorial Fund Grant

If all the below statements describe you and your current situation, you can apply for this scholarship:

• I am an Australian citizen or Australian permanent resident;
• I am or will be enrolled full-time in:
  • a Bachelor of Social Work;
  • a Bachelor of Social Work with Honours;
  • a Masters of Social Work;
  • a Masters of Social Work (PQ)
  • a Masters of Social Policy; or
  • a Doctorate undertaking research in rural communities.
• I am or will be undertaking social work field education or research in rural or remote communities.

The value of the grants shall be determined by your research or placement budget and awarded at the discretion of the Selection Committee.

Prior to completing an application, you should carefully read the Scholarship Rules below.
Applicants wanting to apply for this scholarship must attach the following documents:

• a certified copy of their academic record from any other academic institution;
• no more than three written references attesting to the applicant’s good character and/or suitability to receive the scholarship;
• their curriculum vitae;
• a one page covering letter outlining the circumstances and/or purpose for which the funds are sought; and
• a budget and justification of budget items for your research or placement; and
• any other supporting documentation that would assist the Selection Committee in developing an opinion as to the merit of the application.

When applying for a scholarship it is very important that you answer all the questions and include all relevant documents.  Your application and relevant documents must be submitted before the closing date. If an application is incomplete, it will not be considered.

Your application is checked for completeness and eligibility, and you will receive an email confirmation it has been received. After the closing date it will be individually assessed and put forward to a selection committee who will rank your application against others who have applied. Applicants may be required to attend an interview as part of the selection process.

The Fund was established by the Family, friends and colleagues of Shirley Gilliver, a Senior Tutor in the School of Behavioural Sciences, who died in a road accident returning to Townsville from the Cairns campus on 22 April 1991. The Fund was established to promote the study of social welfare policy and problems of rural North Queensland.

Nature of the Scholarship

The value of the grants shall be determined by your research or placement budget and awarded at the discretion of the Selection Committee.

Eligibility Criteria

Grants from the Shirley Gilliver Memorial Fund shall be open to competition among candidates who:

• are Australian citizens or permanent residents of Australia; and
• are a full-time student of the University enrolled in
  • a Bachelor of Social Work;
  • a Bachelor of Social Work with Honours;
  • a Masters of Social Work;
  • a Masters of Social Work (PQ)
  • a Masters of Social Policy; or
  • a Doctorate undertaking research in rural communities.
• I am or will be undertaking social work field education or research in rural or remote communities

Selection Criteria

The Selection Committee will, in the exercise of its absolute discretion, afford consideration to the following criteria:

• academic merit;
• the character of the candidate for the award;
• the following order of priority:
  • Bachelor of Social Work or Masters of Social Work (PQ) students undertaking fieldwork in rural communities;
  • Masters of Social Work students and Master of Social Policy students undertaking research in rural communities; and
  • Doctorate students undertaking research in rural communities.
• any other criteria the Selection Committee deems appropriate, including whether the candidate has or will receive any other scholarship assistance during their studies.

Application Procedures

Applications must be submitted on the official form no later than the date set by the Selection Committee for the year in which the award is to be made.

Applicants will attach to the official form, where appropriate:

• a certified copy of their academic record from any other academic institution;
• no more than three written references attesting to the applicant’s good character and/or suitability to receive the scholarship;
• their curriculum vitae;
• a one page covering letter outlining the circumstances and/or purpose for which the funds are sought;
• a budget and justification of budget items for your research or placement; and
• any other supporting documentation that would assist the Selection Committee in developing an opinion as to the merit of the application.

The applicant authorizes the Selection Committee to make such enquiries as to the applicant’s good character and suitability to receive a grant from the fund, which includes authorization for the Selection Committee to examine the applicant’s academic record, and seek opinions from relevant members of the academic staff of this University, or any other academic institution.

Selection Process

A grant from the fund will be made at the absolute discretion of the Selection Committee which shall comprise:

• Head of Social Work (Chair), or nominee; and
• the fieldwork coordinator for Social Work and Human Services.

The Selection Committee reserves the right:

• not to award a grant in any year;
• to award a grant for a period of one or more years; and
• to extend a grant for the existing recipient.

The Selection Committee may require applicants to undertake an interview as part of their application.

The Selection Committee will determine all matters relating to the Fund.

Conditions of the Scholarship

If the holder of an award fails to comply with any of these provisions or any provision relating to a particular award or with any conditions imposed under these provisions or the provisions relating to a particular award, the Council may terminate the award or withhold any further emoluments or take such action as it may deem necessary to enforce compliance with the provision or performance of the condition by the holder.

The recipient of the grant shall continue to receive the award on condition that in the opinion of the Selection Committee, and on advice from the head of the division in which the recipient is undertaking a course of study, that the recipient maintains a satisfactory level of performance. Where it is determined that the level of academic performance is unsatisfactory the Selection Committee may in its absolute discretion cancel the award or suspend the award for such time as it may determine and/or until academic performance is considered satisfactory. Where an award is cancelled pursuant to the provisions to this clause it may, for the remainder of the term for which the original holder would have been entitled to it, be awarded to another suitable candidate.

In the event the Selection Committee cancels or suspends the student’s grant, at the request of the student within 14 days, a review of the decision shall be undertaken by an Appeal Panel. The grant shall not be awarded to another suitable candidate before the Appeal Panel makes a final decision on the review. The Appeal Panel shall comprise the Deputy Vice-Chancellor or nominee (Chair); two staff members of the appropriate College appointed by the Dean; and either the Student Association - Student Advocacy and Support Officer or the Student Association Advocacy Officer. The staff members appointed by the Executive Dean shall have no association with the teaching of the subject(s) in which the unsatisfactory academic performance is alleged. Unless the circumstances are exceptional, the Appeal Panel shall consider only: the student’s grounds for requesting the review; any documents relevant to the finding of unsatisfactory academic performance; and the reasons for the decision by the Selection Committee.

The requirements of the grant shall not make the awarding of the grant conditional upon the recipient providing unremunerated services or products to the donor.

In the event that the recipient suspends their study, the grant shall be suspended.

Administration of the Scholarship

The grant shall be administered by the Head of Social Work and Human Services, on behalf of the Selection Committee.

The funds shall be held in an account in the name of the University and shall be administered by the officer of the University charged with administering the grant.

Where there is a fund maintaining the award, the annual value of the award shall be approximately equal to the annual income from the fund.

Income from a fund not expended on the award which it maintains, shall be added to and become part of the fund.

Moneys payable in any year to the holder of an award shall be paid at such times and in such amounts as the Committee deems appropriate to the circumstance of each case.

Where a special provision relating to an award provides for the award to be paid in cash, the Vice-Chancellor may direct that in lieu of cash the award to be made in whole or in part in the form of books, instruments or equipment necessary to the awardee’s course to a value approximately equal to the stated amount of the award, unless the terms of any trust or the conditions laid down by the donor of the award expressly provide otherwise.

Where an award provides some benefit to the recipient from a body external to the University, or an obligation upon a body external to the University, the University, its servants and agents, shall not be liable for that benefit or obligation.

Definitions

Unless there appears a contrary intention in these rules:
* “academic institution” includes University, Technical and Further Education College, private education provider, secondary school and any other institution that undertakes teaching or research;
* “academic record” means the official records of the University, or any other academic institution that details the levels of academic achievement attained by the person whose academic record it is;
* “award” means the scholarship;
* “awardee” means the recipient of a scholarship; and
* “candidate” means the person applying for the scholarship

Scholarships for the purpose of these guidelines exclude scholarships for project and stipend support of research higher degree students.