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Council - professional staff election 2026

With the expiry on 25 May 2026 of the term of office for Mrs Megan Easton it was necessary to hold an election in order to elect one member of the professional staff of the University to the ANU Council.

The member elected will hold office for a term of two years commencing 26 May 2026 and until 25 May 2028.

The ANU Council is the governing body of the University. The role of the ANU Council and its committees is to ensure effective overall governance and management of the University. There are currently 15 positions on the ANU Council, consisting of the Chancellor, the Vice-Chancellor, seven external members appointed by the Federal Minister for Education, members elected by the academic and professional staff and members elected by undergraduate and postgraduate students. The Chair of the Academic Board is a non-voting member of the ANU Council.

REPORT OF THE RETURNING OFFICER

The 2026 election of a member of Council by the professional staff of the University was held in accordance with the Australian National University Act 1991, the Australian National University (Governance) Statute 2024 and the Governance Rule 2023.

Seven candidates were nominated for election to Council. All candidates and their nominators were checked against the professional staff roll comprising those holding a full-time or part-time standard or fixed term professional staff appointment in the University on pay day 26 February 2026 and who were paid a salary by the University on that day. All nominations were in order. 

The candidates were Frank Filardo, Paul Kiley, Richard Morley, Danielle Neale, Ewelina Przybyszewski, Sanva Saephan and Meredith Thomas. 

An electronic ballot was conducted, using the University APOLLO system. By the close of the poll, at 5pm on Friday 24 April 2026, 379 professional staff had registered a vote. 

The scrutiny of the electronic count was conducted by the Returning Officer (Manager, Corporate Governance & Policy, University Governance Office) via a Zoom videoconference at 3.30pm on Tuesday 28 April 2026.  Ms Alex Caughey Hutt from the University Governance Office and Mr Ian Prager, a nominated scrutineer, verified the results of the count.

Following the count of preferences, I declare Ewelina Przybyszewski elected as the Professional Staff member on Council effective 26 May 2026.

Ms Przybyszewski will hold office from 26 May 2026 until 25 May 2028.

For more information regarding ANU Council Elections, timetables and election rules, please contact returning.officer@anu.edu.au. 

Leslie McDonald
Returning Officer