7.—(1) It shall be the duty of the Board, in the exercise of its powers and in the performance of its functions, to act in such manner as appears to it best calculated to promote the aims and interests of the Polytechnic.
(2) The functions of the Board shall include the carrying on of all such activities and the doing of all such things as are necessary or advantageous and proper for the government, control and administration of the Polytechnic and of the assets of the Polytechnic and in particular but without prejudice to the generality of the foregoing, shall include —
(a)
the authorisation of appropriate and necessary expenditure within the funds available to the Polytechnic;
(b)
the preparation of an annual report on the working of the Polytechnic and the preparation of the annual estimates and of such annual statements as are required by this Act or by any regulations made thereunder;
(c)
the appointment of the members of the academic and administrative staffs and in addition the appointment of such advisers as the Board may consider necessary or desirable;
(d)
the making, after consultation with the Board of Studies, of by-laws relating generally to the academic management of the Polytechnic and in particular to —
(i)
the qualifications necessary for admission to the Polytechnic, the courses of instruction to be provided for students at the Polytechnic, the duration and number of Polytechnic terms, the award of certificates or diplomas to students of the Polytechnic and the revocation of any certificates or diplomas so awarded;
(ii)
the grant of scholarships and studentships, and the revocation of any such grant;
(iii)
the making of provision for the connection with the Polytechnic of schools and institutes;
(e)
the making of by-laws relating to —
(i)
the procedure in regard to meetings of the Board, the Board of Studies and of any committee duly appointed under the provisions of this Act;
(ii)
the setting up, membership and functions of advisory committees and the procedure in regard to the meetings of those advisory committees;
(iii)
the form and method of keeping the accounts of the Polytechnic;
(iv)
the powers and functions of the officers of the Polytechnic and of any committee duly appointed under the provisions of this Act;
(v)
the fees to be payable by students at the Polytechnic;
(f)
the provision of pensions, superannuation or provident fund schemes for the benefit of its employees or any section of its employees and the making of arrangements for the establishment of such schemes;
(g)
the regulation and provisions of residences for officers, teachers, staff and students of the Polytechnic and the welfare and discipline of teachers, staff and students;
(h)
the demand and receipt of such fees as may from time to time be prescribed by by-laws.
(3) The Board may appoint from among its own number such and so many committees either of a general or special nature and consisting of such number of persons as the Board thinks fit for any purposes which in the opinion of the Board would be better regulated by means of such committees. The proceedings of every such committee shall be recorded in writing and shall be open to the inspection of any member of the Board or any member thereof at any time.
(4) Any committee of the Board shall have full power to act on any resolution passed by it within the scope of the powers delegated to it under subsection (3) and all decisions of the committee shall be reported to the Board.