Meeting 2/2002 of the Academic Board was held on Wednesday, 10^th April 2002 in the Council Room of the University, between 2.15pm and 3.50pm.

Dr H Abachi, A/Professor R Alfredson, Professor W Anderson, A/Professor L Angus, Mr J Arnold, Mr C Avram, Mr H Ballis, Dr D Bednall, Professor J Bigelow Professor B Bignall, Professor A Bishop, Professor A Bond, Professor G Bouma, Professor M Brisk, Ms J Brown, A/Professor C Browne, Mr R Burnet, A/Professor J Cashion, Professor C Chapman, Professor J Crossley, Professor P Darvall, Professor G Davison, Ms R Dhillon, Professor R Dickson, A/Professor T Dingle, Professor M Evans, A/Professor A Farley, Ms C Harboe-Ree, Mr B Harding, Professor J Harris, Mr A Herzberg, Mr C Hurley, Mr P Handsworth, Dr M Isklander, Professor J B Jacobs, Professor J Jarvis, Professor S Joy, Professor M Kartomi, Professor M King, Dr M Lindorff, Professor A Lindsay, Professor B Mackenzie, A/Professor K McLaren, Mr A McMeekin, A/Professor C Mingins, Professor R Norris, Ms J Oats, A/Professor G Oppy, A/Professor M Page, Professor G Palmer, Professor S Parker, Ms T Porritt, Dr C Porter, Professor J Redmond, Professor D Robinson, Professor J Rood, Professor J Rosenberg, Professor N Saunders, Professor T Seddon, Professor J Sheridan, Professor M Skully, Dr R Smith, Professor P Stewart, A/Professor M Story, Professor N Tapper, Professor G Webb, Professor S Willis, Dr C Worth.

Dr B Birrell, Professor C Cocklin, Mr C Vernon, Mr P Yates

Mr D Bruce, Mr T Calder, Ms M Jackson, Ms S Stafford and Ms S Narayanasamy (Student)

Ms J Taylor

The Chair, Professor A W Lindsay, Deputy Vice-Chancellor (Academic and Planning) noted the recent death of Sir Louis Matheson, founding Vice- Chancellor of Monash University and former Chair of the Professorial Board, now the Academic Board. Professor Lindsay paid tribute to Sir Louis Matheson’s leadership and vision for Monash University in setting up independent-minded faculties and strong administrative structures.

Professor Lindsay advised that Associate Professor Chris Browne, Faculty of Medicine, Nursing and Health Sciences had been appointed to the position of Associate Chair of the Academic Board and welcomed Associate Professor Brown to the meeting in his new capacity.

Professor Lindsay welcomed Ms Cathrine Harboe-Ree, University Librarian, to the Academic Board and Ms Jenny Oates, of the Faculty of Medicine, Nursing and Health Sciences, as the campus based member for Peninsula campus.

Professor Lindsay informed the meeting that Professor Robinson, Vice-Chancellor, would chair the meeting should the meeting continue past 4pm.

Item 10 (1) and (2) and Item 20 were starred from the floor at the meeting.

The Chair will move:

There were no confidential items on the agenda for this meeting.

A document was circulated. (p 1-10)

In introducing the item, Professor Michael Brisk, Dean, Faculty of Engineering and Chair of the Monash College Board of Studies, advised the Board that the Board of Studies had accepted the recommendations contained in the report and supported the proposal to more closely align faculty and college load planning, currently being addressed by the International Development Group.

Following an outline of the structure of Monash College programs, the review process and student numbers, Professor Brisk advised the Board that following a statistical analysis of the performance of three cohorts of students, Monash College students, those with post secondary TAFE qualifications granted one year’s exemptions and those with "normal" entry it was pleasing to note that the Monash College students had performed at least as well as students in the other two comparable cohorts.

In response to a question about the number of Monash College students who have graduated and their level of performance, Mr Clive Vernon, Director Access Division, Monash International, noted that as Monash College was only established in 1998 and only a few students from Monash College have completed undergraduate courses, there was no statistical significance in the comparison of their results and graduation rates with those of students from other pathways.

In response to a question requesting clarification of Recommendation 11 from the report which noted "In terms of student progression from College to University, the Panel recommends that faculties consider ways by which students with one failed subject in their Diploma studies can continue with a full study load, which may comprise a combination of College and University units or single unit enrolments.", Professor Brisk informed the Board that the recommendation proposed that students be permitted to enrol in an undergraduate course as non-award students and complete the failed unit. Professor Brisk noted that the final decision to offer a position to a non-award student would rest with the Faculty concerned.

Professor Brisk also discussed Recommendation 10 from the report which recommends the College considers eliminating supplementary examinations for students except for special consideration cases and where the unit is the final one undertaken by the student.

Concluding the discussion, Mr Vernon noted that Monash College was well positioned to attract international and local students to its programs and its courses were now part of the VTAC application process for places in tertiary institutions. At present 70 local students are undertaking programs in Monash College and further activities were planned to promote the College to local students. Further, Monash College was awaiting approval from the State Government for accreditation as a higher education provider.

Professor Brisk commended the report to the Board.

A document was circulated. (p 11-14)

Mr Peter Yates, Director, Services and Systems introduced and spoke to this item. Mr Yates discussed the planned and actual enrolment figures for 2000, 2001 and 2002 and noted the total enrolment figures for 2002 exceeded the planned targets. Enrolments were particularly strong in the DEST funded load where enrolments exceeded the DEST minimum requirements and in onshore international categories of student intake which had increased in 2000 and 2001.

Mr Yates advised the Board that the total fee-paying load in 2002 was expected to exceed that for 2000 by 34%. The total fee-paying student load figures for 2002 included a significantly increased number of students undertaking "Other Postgraduate" courses, many taking advantage of the benefits of the new PELS scheme.

Professor Lindsay invited Professor Bob Bignall, Campus Director, Malaysia to comment on the growth in enrolment on the campus in Malaysia. Professor Bignall noted that the enrolment numbers for 2002 for the Malaysian Campus exceeded the planned target and continues a growth in enrolments from 2000 and 2001.

Professor David Robinson, Vice-Chancellor, noted the increase in enrolments at Monash South Africa, in its second year of operation and commented on the issues affecting the achievement of enrolment targets for the campus in South Africa. Professor Robinson noted new course accreditations are currently being discussed and consulting activities were being undertaken which would raise the profile of Monash in South Africa.

Professor Robinson advised the meeting that a new larger campus is currently being sought for Monash in Malaysia. It is likely to be developed on a site near the present campus and will have a capacity to accommodate 5000 students. Professor Robinson also noted that the provision of a medical course by Monash Malaysia was currently under discussion with Malaysian authorities.

Professor Bignall confirmed the comments of Professor Robinson and noted that the higher education community in Malaysia holds Monash Malaysia in high regard.

A document was circulated. (p 15-16)

Professor Robinson invited Dr Bob Birrell, Director Centre for Population and Urban Research to speak to the report.

Dr Birrell outlined the history of the Centre’s work in population and urban research on welfare, population and labour market issues and the issues of financing, seeking industry partnerships and contracts and the maintenance of independence for the Centre. Dr Birrell noted research projects undertaken for the Department of Immigration Multicultural and Indigenous Affairs and local municipalities, particularly for the local municipality of the City of Casey, into Australia’s social and demographic structures and trends in urban settlement.

Professor Robinson and Professor Peter Darvall, Deputy Vice Chancellor (Research and Development) thanked Dr Birrell for his report and congratulated him on the work undertaken by the Centre.

A document was circulated. (p17-18)

A document was circulated. (p 19-22)

RMO1997/0877

A document was circulated. (p 23-24)

A document was circulated. (p 25-28)

In response to a question from the floor about the original Terms of Reference, Professor Merran Evans, Director of Planning and Academic Affairs said the terms had previously been "To advise Academic Board on all University student admission and progression matters except those relating to doctoral programs "

A document was circulated. (p 29-32)

A document was circulated. (p 33-36)

A document was circulated. (p 37-38)

A document was circulated. (p 39-40)

A document was circulated. (p 41-52)

Professor Norris, Dean, Faculty of Science, withdrew the paragraph listing names titled, "Honorary Professorial Fellow" on page 44, item 2.11, from the Report of the Board of the Faculty of Science.

A document was circulated. (p 53-58)

A document was circulated. (p 59-62)

Professor Darvall noted the valuable contribution made by the Monash University Animal Welfare Committee and on behalf of the Board expressed his thanks to the Chair and members of the Committee for its work.

A document was circulated. (p 63-72)

Professor Darvall noted the valuable contribution made by the Publications Grants Committee and on behalf of the Board expressed his thanks to the Chair and members of the Committee for its work.

A document was circulated. (p 73-78)

A document was circulated. (p 79-84)

In response to a question that changes to the appointment process of associate professors did not appear to have been discussed with the NTEU, Professor Lindsay advised the Board that variation to the appointment process requires approval by Academic Board before consultation is initiated with the NTEU.

A document was circulated. (p 85-86)

A document was circulated. (p 87-88)

The Academic Board received the report and approved the nominees for Professorial Selection Committees as detailed in the document presented.