Student Consultative Forum
The Faculty of Law Student Consultative Forum supports the delivery of quality education and improved student experience.
The 2025 Forum is composed of undergraduate and postgraduate law student representatives, including two Law Student Society representatives, the Associate Dean (Experiential Education) and is Chaired by the Deputy Associate Dean (Education - Student Experience).
The Student Consultative Forum exists under the auspices of, and reports to, the Faculty Education Committee.
The Student Consultative Forum is intended to:
- Allow for open discussion between students and staff representatives on educational matters.
- Provide students with insight into the student administration, academic governance and quality assurance processes of the Faculty.
- Promote consultation with and student voices in the Faculty's education activities and strategic initiatives.
The Forum meets 5 times each year. At the first meeting of 2024, It was agreed that as well as providing minutes to the Faculty Education Committee, summaries of Student Consultative Forum meetings will be published in the Student Gazette and Law Noticeboard.
These are the summaries of the Student Consultative Forum meetings.
SCF Meeting 2 - May 2026
At Meeting 02‑2026, the Faculty sought student feedback on the elective program to inform future planning, including what is working well, which electives have been particularly valuable or engaging, access to electives, areas for expansion, and emerging or under‑represented fields of law.
Students shared views on future priorities, including more consistent availability of popular electives, streams of the same unit offered at a variety of times, timely advice about elective offerings in the following year, and improved accessibility through consistent recording of classes, as well as more postgraduate offerings delivered in semi‑intensive, trimester‑long or semester‑long modes.
Students expressed interest in expanding elective offerings in areas such as mergers and acquisitions, privacy and cybersecurity, AI regulation and practical AI use in legal practice, employment law, insurance law, succession law, and international terrorism law, as well as increasing postgraduate clinical opportunities through the offering of more clinical units in trimesters. Perspectives were also shared on future curriculum approaches, including integrating AI literacy within units, cross‑faculty learning opportunities, and project‑based learning, particularly at undergraduate level.
SCF Meeting 1 - March 2026
At the first Student Consultative Forum meeting of 2026 the Chair invited members to identify specific and general issues for discussion throughout the year, emphasising the faculty’s commitment to understanding student concerns. Students raised issues relating to timetabling limitations, including access to units, difficulty securing preferred streams, and challenges if units are only offered in intensive or semi-intensive modes. They also sought transparency in decision-making and a formal mechanism to provide feedback on the removal of LLB tutorials. Some students reported their perceptions of reduced opportunities for smaller-group learning following the removal of tutorials. Concerns were raised about fairness in group work, clarity on AI and academic integrity rules, inconsistent class recordings, teaching quality, textbook availability, assessment feedback, and the predictability of elective offerings. Students were encouraged to suggest new electives, with the Faculty issuing a Gazette message to collect proposals.
SCF Meeting 5 - October 2025
The fifth and final Student Consultative Meeting in 2025 centred on class recordings. The discussion on the recording of law units highlighted both benefits and challenges. Students appreciated recordings for their flexibility, allowing them to balance work, family, and study, revisit complex material, and accommodate different learning styles. However, concerns were raised about poor class attendance, limited student interaction, and inconsistent recording practices among staff. Some students noted scheduling issues and lack of timetable flexibility as a related challenge, while others emphasised the importance of recordings for accessibility during illness or when sensitive topics are discussed. The conversation concluded with a call for expressions of interest in joining the student misconduct panel.
SCF Meeting 4 - September 2025
The fourth Student Consultative Forum discussion focused on well-being and support. Members expressed concerns about overlapping assignments and exams, inconsistent feedback experiences, lack of assessment exemplars, and challenges accessing counselling. Suggestions included better coordination between unit coordinators, clearer guidance on unit planning, and standardisation of teaching and feedback practices. Issues with the disconnect between Disability Support Services and Special Consideration were also raised. The Forum emphasised the need for improved communication, transparency, and support to enhance student well-being and academic success.
SCF Meeting 3 - July 2025
The third Student Consultative Forum meeting focused on fostering a sense of belonging at Monash. Key concerns included accessibility issues for disabled students, particularly at Chambers campus, and the impact of lecturer behaviour on student comfort.
Participants discussed the competitive nature of short tutorials versus the collaborative feel of longer ones. The need for better communication of Disability Support Services accommodations and clearer lecture recordings was raised. Respect for diverse political views and sensitivity in language and content were emphasised.
International students often feel excluded due to unfamiliarity with local issues, and integration with domestic students remains a challenge. The lack of Indigenous content in courses was criticised, with calls for deeper, more meaningful inclusion. LGBTIQA+ inclusion was briefly discussed, with suggestions for further feedback. Overall, the discussion highlighted the importance of inclusive teaching practices, accessible facilities, and respectful dialogue to enhance belonging for all students.
SCF Meeting 2 - May 2025
The Student Consultative Forum's second 2025 meeting was held late May. The focus was on Generative AI in legal education. Members discussed academic applications, sharing how AI is used for essay planning, initial research, and in-class translation. The Forum explored industry uses, noting how courts are imposing restrictions on AI-generated legal documents.
Concerns centered on equity and accessibility, with members noting that AI adoption could create educational inequalities between students accessing premium versus basic AI tools. Environmental impacts and data privacy were also flagged as institutional issues that should be considered for widespread AI use.
The forum proposed development of an AI education module similar to Academic Integrity training to level the playing field and educate students about AI limitations and verification needs.
SCF Meeting 1 - March 2025
The first 2025 Student Consultative Forum was held in early March. After introductions and an explanation of the Law governance structure, members discussed several key issues:
- Students expressed concerns about inconsistent assessment feedback, with examples ranging from detailed personalised video feedback to generic comments. Participants also highlighted unclear participation marking criteria across units.
- Timing of study material release was identified as problematic, particularly for postgraduate students balancing work and family commitments. Students requested earlier access to allow adequate preparation time.
- Additional concerns included outdated information about study abroad opportunities, especially for postgraduate students, and suggestions to host a faculty-led postgraduate study abroad session.
The meeting concluded with the Chair noting actionable items, indicating some could be addressed immediately, while systemic academic issues would be referred to the Faculty Education Committee.
SCF Meeting 5 - November 2024
The fifth and final 2024 Student Consultative Forum meeting finished up the topic of assessment types. Members shared their experiences with in-class and online tests, noting varying time windows (5-12 hours) and access conditions. The forum suggested using the e-Assessment platform for 30% tests due to better accessibility features and recommended longer windows to accommodate multiple streams and double-degree students.
Regarding take-home exams (12 hours to 2 weeks duration) and invigilated exams, students discussed pros and cons. While invigilated exams were recognised as necessary for ensuring academic integrity, particularly in compulsory units, students suggested more reading time would help reduce stress. Take-home exams were preferred for allowing better preparation and demonstration of skills, though shorter exam timeframes were valued for simulating real-world scenarios.
The Chair emphasized the importance of mixed assessment types to demonstrate various learning outcomes. The meeting concluded with the Chair thanking all members for the participation and contributions over the year.
SCF Meeting 4 - September 2024
The fourth Student Consultative Forum Meeting carried on with the topic from Meeting 03-2024 focusing on assessment types. Research assignments were viewed positively, noting their relevance to real-life practice and the importance of allowing students to explore topics independently. However, there was a call for more guidance on structuring responses and clearer expectations.
Video presentations were seen as beneficial for career preparation but challenging due to technical difficulties. Students suggested providing better support and tutorials for video creation.
Group assignments were acknowledged as necessary for workforce preparation but often problematic due to uneven contribution from team members. Suggestions included implementing assessed group tutorial activities, using peer review software like Feedback Fruits, or allowing students to choose their own groups. The meeting concluded with plans to continue the current theme in the next session.
SCF Meeting 3 - July 2024
The third Student Consultative Forum Meeting of 2024 focused on assessment types and unit selection. Updates on Class Participation initiatives were shared, including a Class Participation workshop and a new online Participation information hub made available for teaching staff. The forum discussed various aspects of class participation, including student expectations, grading challenges, and the need for balanced participation management.
The forum also explored the impact of assessment types on unit selection, noting the structural differences between core and elective units particularly in the postgraduate space with electives offered in intensive mode, facilitating work-life balance.
The challenges of a tight exam schedule with exams held on consecutive days was discussed, as well as the difficulties of exam scheduling, especially for students in double degrees. The meeting concluded with plans to continue the current theme in the next session.
SCF Meeting 2 - May 2024
The second Student Consultative Forum meeting of 2024 focused on Active Learning as the main topic of discussion. Forum members shared their thoughts on active learning, its benefits, and downsides using a Jam Board.
The Forum highlighted the need for more training on legal citation using the AGLC 4 referencing system, and suggested support sessions and student-led seminars to address this issue. Participants discussed the benefits of interactive classes, such as simulating real legal scenarios and engaging with arguments. However, concerns were raised about the inconsistent application of participation marks and the potential for a competitive classroom environment.
The downsides of interactive classes were also discussed, including the difficulty of capturing class discussions in recordings and the potential for uneven class discussions and rushed content delivery.
SCF Meeting 1 - March 2024
The first Student Consultative Forum meeting of 2024 took place in early March. The Forum is comprised of student representatives from both our undergraduate and postgraduate cohorts and is chaired by the Deputy Associate Dean (Education) with the Associate Dean (Experiential Education) in attendance.
The Forum discussed the composition of the faculty’s education portfolio and confirmed the roles and responsibilities of our forum members. The Forum also considered the effects of the current Special Consideration processes on assessment results releases, the importance of connecting with your peers early in your degree, and improving consistency in tutorial participation marking.