Academic Board Meeting 3-2009 Report to Council

Under Statute 2.2, Academic Board is responsible to Council for, inter alia, the supervision and direction of the academic affairs of the university, including the maintenance of high standards in teaching and research.

1.    Receipt of Report

Recommendation

That Council receive and note the Report of Meeting 3 of 2009 of the Academic Board held on Wednesday 17 June 2009.

A.     ITEMS FOR DECISION BY COUNCIL

2.    Academic Program Development and Review – Dual Award PhD Programs

2.1   Faculty of Engineering – Dual Award PhD Programs (Attachments 1 and 2)

Academic Board approved the Faculty of Engineering proposals for dual-award PhD programs with Fudan and Shanghai Jiao Tong Universities and endorsed the Memoranda of Understanding for transmission to Council.

Recommendation

That Council approve execution of the Memoranda of Understanding between:

• Monash University and Fudan University.
• Monash University and Shanghai Jiao Tong University.

2.2   Faculty of Information Technology – Dual Award PhD Programs (Attachments 3 and 4)

Academic Board approved the Faculty of IT proposals for dual-award PhD programs with Lulea University of Technology and The University of Bologna and endorsed the Memoranda of Agreement for transmission to Council.

Recommendation

That Council approve execution of the Memoranda of Agreement between:

• Monash University and Lulea University of Technology.
• Monash University and The University of Bologna.

3.    University Academic Structure - Establishment of the Graduate School of Jewish Studies
(Attachment 5)

Academic Board endorsed for transmission to Council the Faculty of Arts proposal to establish the Graduate School of Jewish Studies and directed that the Faculty and the Library enter into discussion about library resourcing of the School.

Recommendation

That Council establish the Graduate School of Jewish Studies within the Centre for Jewish Civilisation, Faculty of Arts.

4.    University Legislation

4.1   Faculties Regulations (Attachment 6)

Noting that the proposal changed one position on the Board of the Faculty of Engineering, Academic Board endorsed, for submission to Council, the proposal to make the Faculties Regulations (Amendment No.1 2009).

Recommendation

That Council make the Faculties Regulations (Amendment No.1 2009).

4.2   Statute 6.2 - Exclusion for unsatisfactory progress or inability to progress and the Regulations pursuant to Statute 6.2 (Attachments 7 and 8)

Noting that the proposed amendments:

• In the case of Statute 6.2, provide Academic Progress Committees with the ability to impose terms and conditions on a student’s enrolment without a formal hearing; and
• In the case of the Regulations, provide that for the purposes of imposing terms and conditions, the membership of the Academic Progress Committee consists of teaching staff of the faculty only.

Academic Board endorsed, for submission to Council:

• The proposal to amend Statute 6.2 - Exclusion for unsatisfactory progress or inability to progress (Amendment No.1 2009).
• The proposal to make the Exclusion for unsatisfactory progress or inability to progress regulations (Amendment No.1 2009).

Recommendations

• That Council amend Statute 6.2 - Exclusion for unsatisfactory progress or inability to progress (Amendment No.1 2009).
• That Council make the Exclusion for Unsatisfactory progress or inability to progress regulations (Amendment No.1 2009).

4.3   Statute 6.1.5 – Examinations (Attachment 9)

Noting that the proposal arose from the Report of the Assessment Policy Working Party (see also item 10.2 of this Report), and was endorsed by Education Committee Meeting 3/2009, Academic Board endorsed, for submission to Council, the proposal to make Statute 6.1.5 – Examinations (Substitution) 2009.

Recommendation

That Council make Statute 6.1.5 – Examinations (Substitution) 2009.

5.    Membership of the Board of the Faculty of Law

Academic Board endorsed, for transmission to Council, the extension of the term of membership of Mr Mark Hayes on the Board of the Faculty of Law for a further three (3) years, commencing April 2009. Mr Hayes, a partner with Maddocks, is a member under Part II of Schedule 7 of the Faculties Regulations, s7.6.2 – members appointed by Council on the recommendation of faculty board.

Recommendation

That Council extend the term of membership of Mr Mark Hayes on the Board of the Faculty of Law for three years commencing April 2009.

B     ITEMS FOR INFORMATION OF COUNCIL

6.    President’s Report

Professor Godfrey addressed Academic Board on a range of issues, including:

• Extension of the Board’s congratulations to Professor Arie Freiberg on his award of an AM in Queen’s Birthday Honours.
• The recent Ministerial approval and subsequent promulgation of Statute 2.2, which provided the legislative framework for the Board’s new membership structure.
• The Board’s appreciation of the contribution by those members retiring as at 30 June, noting that some of these members would be returning to membership of the Board under its new structure, implementation of which was to commence on 1 July.
• Extension of congratulations to members taking office under the new structure i.e. elected academic staff and faculty-nominated Heads of Academic Units, who would commence their terms of office on 1 July.
• The Board’s congratulations to the Vice-Chancellor on his elevation to Professor Emeritus.

7.    Farewell to the Vice-Chancellor

On behalf of Academic Board, Professor Godfrey proceeded to pay tribute to the retiring Vice-Chancellor, Professor Larkins, on his outstanding service to Monash University. Amongst many highlights of his leadership, she made particular mention of his having united Monash under a common academic banner, and in pursuit of a vision for the University to which all members of the Monash community could aspire.

Professor Godfrey reminded members of the range of significant education, research and international initiatives led or supported by Professor Larkins and emphasised the Board’s appreciation of his support for a strong and independent Academic Board.

Echoing Professor Godfrey’s comments, Professor Tony Luff (the longest-serving member of Academic Board), spoke of his regard for Professor Larkins as an outstanding Vice-Chancellor, able to mentor and support individual staff members whilst steering Monash to achievement of its strategic objectives.

Student members of the Board joined in expressing their thanks for Professor Larkins’ support of the student population and in wishing him well for the future.

Academic Board marked, with acclamation, the service to Monash of the retiring Vice-Chancellor, Professor Richard Larkins.

Responding thereto, Professor Larkins paid tribute to his colleagues, including the Monash senior leadership, indicating also that he considered it a great privilege to witness the energy, enterprise and calibre of Australia’s future leaders. He touched on some highlights of his term of office, and observed that Monash’s multi-campus structure and significant international footprint left it well placed to successfully engage at various levels, with the potential to become one of the world’s great universities. He reiterated his commitment to the Academic Board as an independent body and encouraged participation from members of the Monash community in its leadership.

8.    Supervision of Academic Affairs

8.1   Review of PhD English language proficiency requirements

Noting that it had commissioned a review of English language requirements for admission to HDR candidature, Academic Board:

• Received and noted the Report of the Review of PhD English Language Proficiency Requirements.
• Approved retention of the current PhD English language proficiency requirements with the facility for faculties to propose faculty-specific variations to the requirements if desired.

8.2   Damocles

Academic Board received and noted a demonstration of Damocles, the plagiarism detection application developed by Dr David Squire (Faculty of Information Technology).

Emphasis during the presentation was made not only of its detection capacity for punitive purposes, but also on its use as an educative tool. Members were also advised that there were significant advantages over other plagiarism detection software, especially insofar as students were not required to assign copyright over their work upon submission for checking.

Members expressed strong support for further development of Damocles as an enterprise-wide system and were advised that Dr Squire was currently in discussion with the Director Commercialisation regarding scaling up to an enterprise-wide application.

A further report for the Board’s August meeting was foreshadowed.

9.    Maintenance of Academic Standards

9.1   Preparations for AUQA

Academic Board noted a briefing paper from the Office of Planning and Quality on preparations for the AUQA Audit.

9.2   Business Intelligence - Education

Academic Board received and noted a pilot demonstration of the Business Intelligence (BI) - Education Phase, noting that the aim of the Business Intelligence Project was to provide high quality management information in a single repository with improved access and end user-driven analysis.

Members observed that the Business Intelligence application offered a powerful and flexible tool for monitoring of quality and comparison of standards which was of particular importance in view of preparations for the next AUQA audit.

10.    Policy Development and Review

10.1   Sessional Academic Support and Development Project

Academic Board:

• Received and noted the progress report on the Sessional Academic Support and Development Project; and
• Approved the use of the Monash Sessional Training Framework as the reference framework for supporting the development of:
  • sessional academic support in faculties across the university; and
  • content and materials for the university website on Sessional Academic Support and Development:

http://www.odvce.monash.edu.au/projects/sessional/index.html

10.2   Report of the Assessment Policy Working Party

Academic Board:

• Noted that Assessment Regulations would be put to Academic Board for endorsement at a later meeting in 2009, following the making and promulgation of Statute 6.1.5 (see item 4.3 of this Report).
• Approved the draft Assessment in Coursework Policy.
• Noted the need for faculty boards to approve guidelines relating to the granting of supplementary assessment to a student who would experience ‘significant impact’ on their overall academic progress.
• Approved amendment to the Grading Policy to remove the NP grade from the standard unit grading schema, with effect from of 15 February 2010.
• Noted the draft Unit Assessment Procedures, effective 15 February 2010.
• Noted amendments proposed to the Special Consideration Procedures to reflect terminology in the draft regulations.
• Noted that the South African campus had been requested to draft external moderation procedures for submission to Education Policy and Programs Committee.
• Approved repeal of the following policies and procedures, to be replaced by the proposed Assessment Policy and Procedures:
  • Alternative Arrangements for Assessment Policy and Procedures
  • Assessment of Coursework Policy and Procedures
  • Blind Marking of Examinations Policy and Procedures
  • Examinations Policy and Procedures
  • Extra Exam Time For NESB Students Policy
  • Graduate/Postgraduate Assessment Policy
  • Result Upload & Amendment Policy and Procedures

11.    Review of Standing Committees

11.1   Steering Committee of Academic Board

Academic Board noted that the review of Academic Board terms of reference and composition had been cascaded to reviews of the terms of reference and composition of standing committees, including Steering Committee. The Board also noted that the proposal for Steering Committee to deal with urgent items of business between regular meetings of the Board would better position the Board to respond to matters arising in a fast-paced academic and commercial environment. Academic Board approved:

• The revised Steering Committee Terms of Reference and associated Procedures.
• The revised membership of the Steering Committee.
• The arrangements for implementation of the revised membership.
• The process for dealing with items of urgent business between meetings of Academic Board.

11.2   Education Committee

Academic Board:

• Received and noted the Report of the Review of the Monash University Education Committee and its standing committees.
• Delegated to Education Committee the power to establish and disestablish its own subcommittees.
• Approved the revised terms of reference and membership of:
  • Education Committee
  • Learning and Teaching Committee
  • Education Policy Committee
  • Coursework Admissions and Scholarships Committee (CASC)
• Approved reporting to Education Committee by the following sub-committees:
  • Education Policy Committee
  • Learning and Teaching Committee
  • Coursework Scholarships and Admissions Committee
  • Gippsland Board of Studies
  • Campus Education Committee, Sunway
  • Board of Studies Monash South Africa
• Approved that there be no standing subcommittees of Education Committee subcommittees.
• Approved streamlining the membership of Education Committee to balance representation between central divisions and faculties and to enhance the ratio of student representation.
• Approved provision by Faculty Education Committees of a summary of key emerging issues to Education Committee.

11.3   International Committee

Academic Board noted that the proposal for establishment of an International Committee of Academic Board would recognise the significance of the international aspects of Monash’s academic and research endeavours and would better enable the Board to discharge its responsibility to direct academic affairs and monitor and maintain academic standards. The Board approved:

• Establishment of the International Committee as a standing committee of the Board.
• The proposed Terms of Reference and membership of the International Committee.

C     OTHER ITEMS

12.    Direction of Academic Affairs

12.1   Academic Board received and noted the briefing paper from the Office of the Pro Vice-Chancellor (Planning and Quality) on the implications for the higher education sector of the 2009-2010 Federal Budget.

12.2   Academic Board received and noted the update on Monash University’s potential involvement in six Cooperative Research Centres (CRCs), currently applying for financial support through the Round 11 CRC program.

13.    Formal Business

13.1   Academic Board received and noted the Report of the Vice-Chancellor, including a report on significant outcomes of the Federal Budget; safety on campus (in view of the recent media publicity of attacks on Indian students); increase in enrolments of international students for Semester 2/2009; responses to the Indirect Costs of Research Survey; and the recent Alumni Awards presentation evening. The Vice-Chancellor also reported on awards of honorary degrees to Dr June Hearn, Dr Marcus Besen, Dr Eva Besen, Professor Barbara Cannon, and Dr Jeremy Ellis.

13.2 Academic Board received and noted the report of the Deputy Vice-Chancellor (Education), including reports on academic program delivery in Rwanda; imminent commencement of the new Pro Vice-Chancellor (Learning and Teaching); review of the Graduate Certificate in Higher Education; encouragement of feedback on the “sustainability in education”: theme; extension of congratulations to Associate Professor Cristina Varsavsky and her colleagues for the review of the Assessment Policy; and “Educate 09”.

14.    Governance

14.1   Academic Board Membership

Academic Board;

• Received and noted the Declaration of the Poll in the election of Academic Staff to Academic Board.
• Received and noted the reports of the nomination of Heads of Academic Units to Academic Board from the following faculties:
  • Faculty of Pharmacy and Pharmaceutical Sciences
  • Faculty of Business and Economics
  • Faculty of Science
  • Faculty of Arts
  • Faculty of Law
  • Faculty of Medicine, Nursing and Health Sciences
  • Faculty of Information Technology
  • Faculty of Education
  • Faculty of Engineering.
• Received and noted the Declaration of the Poll in the election of one Director, Research Institute/Centre to Academic Board.
• Granted special leave to Professor Chris Browne.

14.2   Exclusion Appeals Panel Membership

Academic Board approved the nominations to membership of the Exclusion Appeals Committee Panel for the 2009-2010 term as made by the Deans.

14.3   Other Policy Development and Review

Academic Board;

• Approved the Student Evaluation Policy and received and noted the accompanying Monash Experience Questionnaire and Monash Support Experience Questionnaire Survey Procedures and Unit Evaluation Procedures.
• Approved the Non-Award Study Policy and noted the accompanying Procedures.
• Approved the Unit Guide Policy and noted the accompanying Procedures.
• Approved the Admission of Observers to Council and Academic Board Meetings Policy and Procedures.

14.4   Reports from Standing Committees

Academic Board received and noted the reports of:

• Monash University Research Committee Meeting 2/2009.
• Research Graduate School Committee Meetings 3/2009 & 4/2009.
• Education Committee Meetings 2/2009 & 3/2009.
• Honorary Degrees Committee Meeting 2/2008.

14.5   Student Membership of Faculty Boards

Academic Board received and noted the report of the survey of student representation on faculty boards and indicted that further investigation of processes to facilitate participation by students from remote campuses would be undertaken.

14.6   Reports from Faculty Boards

Academic Board received and noted the reports of the following Faculty Board meetings:

• Faculty of Art & Design Meeting 1/2009
• Faculty of Information Technology Meeting 2/2009
• Faculty of Business and Economics Meeting 2/2009
• Faculty of Science Meetings 1 and 2/2009
• Faculty of Engineering Meeting 2/2009
• Faculty of Law Meeting 1/2009
• Faculty of Education Meetings 1 and 2/2009.