Monash University

Academic Board Meeting 4-2004

Meeting No 4/2004 of the Academic Board was held on Wednesday, 18 August 2004, in the Council Room, Administration Building 3A, Clayton campus, between 2:15pm and 5:00 pm.

There were present: Professor C Browne, Associate Professor H Abachi, Dr G Acquaah-Gaisie, Professors S Adeloju, R Alfredson, W Anderson, Mr P Bradley, Professors K Burridge, E Byrne, Drs D Casey, J Choate, B Cooke, Professor E Cornish, Ms R Dhillon, Mr A De Bono, Professor R Doherty, Associate Professor A Farley, Professor A Freiberg, Associate Professor L Frost, Professor J Godfrey, Ms C Harboe-Ree, Mr B Harding, Dr M Hau, Professor B Hoffert, Ms C Holgate, Professor K Hourigan, O Hughes, Associate Professor J Hurst, Dr S Joseph, Mr M Josem, Professor S Joy, Ms K Jones, Professors J Kenway, M King, Professor J Kulkarni, Professors K Langfield-Smith, R Larkins, H Le Grand, M Liddell, Dr R Lisner, Professor A Lindsay, Dr J Lyneham, Professors D MacFarlane, B Mackenzie, A Markus, Drs G Martin, L McCall, Professors K Murray, P Nagley, Ms H Ngo, Professors R Norris, M O’Connor, On Kit Tam, H Oppewal, Dr M Osborn, Associate Professor M Page, Professor S Parker, Professors M Pittard, D Poskitt, I Prince, J Redmond, Associate Professor P Reed, Professors J Sheridan, J Smith, T Sridhar, Dr K Stewart, Professor P Stewart, E Storey, R Summers, Dr G Taylor, Professors J Teicher, J Walter, J Waincymer, Mr D Watson, Professors G Webb, R Weber, B Williams.

Apologies were received from: Mr C Avram, Mr J Beringer, Professor J Bertram, Mr L Bull, Professor B Caine, Associate Professor B Canney, Professors M Clayton, G Coleman, D De Kretser, Associate Professor T Dix, Dr B Doecke, Professors G Egan, M Fleer, D Kirkpatrick, C Lipsig-Mumme, Associate Professors R Nelson, P Nestor, Professor G Palmer, Associate Professor S Petrovic-Lazarevic, Dr S Pickering, Professor L Piterman, Associate Professor C Porter, Professors H Salem, M Skully, K Smith, P Steele, G Solarsh, Ms K Styles, Professor B Tonge, Mr M Vicent, Professors P Von Nessen, R Willis, Xiao Ling Zhao.

Present by invitation: Mr P Marshall, Ms A Birmingham.

Observers: Ms J Dixon, Ms M Jackson

In attendance: Ms C Chatterton

The Chair, Professor Chris Browne welcomed those in attendance via teleconference from the Malaysia and South Africa campuses and new members of Academic Board including Associate Professor Lionel Frost, the Berwick campus member. The Chair also welcomed Mr P Marshal and Ms A Birmingham who were invited to attend.

Members noted that some items had been starred in the agenda for discussion. Item no. 12.1 was starred at the meeting.

1.3 Confidential Items C

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

Professor C Browne informed the Board that Professor Nick Saunders has been appointed as Vice Chancellor of the University of Newcastle. He takes up his appointment in October.

Professor Browne will be attending a meeting of Presidents of Academic Boards which holds an annual conference to share ideas about university governance. This year the conference will be held at the Australian Catholic University in Melbourne.

The Chair drew the attention of members to items 20 to 25 of the agenda. These items were submitted directly to Council as the positions had to be filled urgently. The proposals have now been presented to the Board for ratification. This procedural variation would be avoided in future as the schedule of Academic Board and Council meeting and submission dates are better aligned in 2005.

The Chair informed the Board that for logistic reasons, the last meeting of the year will be held at the Caulfield campus, instead of meeting 5/2004.

Professor R Larkins, Vice Chancellor presented to the Board the ‘Annual State of the University Report’ which is a stock take of where the university is in trying to achieve its objectives. He commented on the remarkable achievement in 43 years and the immense unrealised potential. He highlighted the values that were signed off at the Senior Management Conference and indicated that the results of the Course Experience Questionnaire and the Monash Experience Questionnaire showed that there was room for improvement. He reported on Monash’s share of the top 5% of current Victorian school-leavers (first preferences only) which increased from 15.2% in 2002 to 23.4% in 2004 reversing an earlier decline. He also noted that there were 15,000 international students at Monash in 2004, an increase of 62% since 2000. The Vice Chancellor also reported on the financial health of the university and outlined the changes in the sources of the universities’ revenue over the past decade. Strategies to achieve excellence in education, research & scholarship and management were also emphasised as well as the international activities and focus. The report concluded with the need for self-reliance, the imperatives for Monash and the need to maintain the university’s credit rating. A copy of the power point presentation is attached.

In response to a question about whose priorities ‘excellence and management’ were, Professor Larkins indicated that they were his own but he had obtained feedback including from perspectives other than management and would welcome more feedback.

Responding to a question about a simpler structure for Monash, Professor Larkins commented on the need for units to manage staff and focus on functional activities that go past structures, explicit line management, aggregations of research groups, and offerings for students across faculties and departments.

In response to a comment about the pre-occupation with the University of Melbourne as a competitor, Professor Larkins indicated that we need to look for best practice wherever we may find it. We should investigate it and not be limited to the GO8 benchmarks.

A report was attached. (p. 1-82)

Professor G Webb, Director, Centre for Higher Education Quality spoke to his report and acknowledged the work of his Project Manger, Ms J Dixon. He informed the Board that this survey was undertaken as part of a recommendation of ‘Still Learning’ to obtain employer feedback on the extent to which Monash graduates demonstrated desired attributes. It is not a comparative study, rather, it is a survey of what employers of Monash graduates think about them. The survey was undertaken by Monash and developed with consultation and representation from faculties. The rating of graduates by importance and by satisfaction showed common attributes in the higher rankings. An analysis by faculty and by campus is being prepared. It is intended to repeat the survey after 5 years to create a time series and benchmark with other organisations. The report can be used as a tool for relationship building with employers, to invite employers to contribute and to develop relationships.

In response to a question about how to measure the generic skills of graduates, Professor Webb indicated that this can be achieved by testing students when they commence the course and re-testing them when they graduate.

Responding to a query about the established framework where the results of such surveys are incorporated and fed into the course curriculum, Professor Webb drew attention to the CHEQ website where the results of surveys are available. It is hoped that faculties and departments will get an intimate knowledge of what employers want. A mechanism will have to be developed for taking responsibility for demonstrating action.

In response to a query whether employer responses for courses with industry collaboration could be identified, Professor Webb indicated that this may not be possible.

A paper was attached. (p 83-86)

Professor G Webb, Director, Centre for Higher Education Quality, spoke to this item and reminded the Board that when the paper entitled "The Teaching Research Nexus: A Discussion Paper" was considered by the Board at meeting 6/2003, it was decided that a broad Monash view and a definition of the nexus along with an action plan should be prepared. The action plan amplifies the ways at an institutional level in which the nexus may be embedded and progressed. The Learning and Teaching Plan addresses the teaching-research nexus at a faculty and sub-faculty level.

In response to a query questioning the need to integrate teaching and research, it was pointed out that teaching at Monash should be informed by scholarly activity and teachers should inspire students to be researchers and encourage new ideas and inspirations. It was pointed out that at teaching-only institutions, where teachers are not involved in research, the teaching becomes stagnant.

A report was attached. (p 253-286)

Professor A Lindsay, Deputy Vice Chancellor (Academic) spoke to the report and informed the Board that a Steering Committee was convened with an external perspective to consider the different types of professorial positions at Monash and the professorial appointment process. The project was to simplify and streamline the structure and process and to align the framework to the directions of Monash, as set out in ‘Excellence and Diversity’. The committee considered the nature of professorial positions, simplified the categories, streamlined the appointment processes, reduced the size of committees, brought forward the promotion process and aligned the positions with the current nature of Monash. It decided to recommend that leadership and management be rewarded with a professorial appointment only if there was also outstanding teaching and research. Issues dealt with involved changing the use of the title ‘professorial fellow’, using it less frequently and phasing out personal chairs. A range of transitional issues have to be dealt with as special cases. It involved discussion with a wide group of professors and attempted to reflect the views put forward. An initial report was discussed at Committee of Deans and refined incorporating their input. Professor Lindsay invited comments by email to himself or Amanda Birmingham and he anticipated the report, with minor changes, after consultation with NTEU and the President of Academic Board, would be presented to the next meeting of Council on 27^th September. If major changes are foreshadowed, the report will go back to VCG and the Committee of Deans.

Professor S Parker, Deputy Vice Chancellor informed the Board that following the Monash University Planning Conference held in March 2004 at which 150 staff and students attended, the VCG decided to hold such planning conferences biennially. In the intervening years a group should meet for a thematic discussion. The annual planning process will be in place by the end of 2004 supported by a new set of guiding documents. The theme of the senior managers conference planned for 2005 will be ‘Making the new Monash planning and budget framework work for us’. A conference planning group will be put together and a program brought to Academic Board. It is planned to hold the conference from 10-11 February 2005. On the evening of 11 February a Council Retreat will commence and conclude the following day affording an opportunity for Council members to meet with senior university staff.

An undergraduate student representative raised the issue of three students that have been charged by the police in relation to property damage, assault of police and theft of a policeman’s hat and sunglasses. The implication was that the students were singled out because of their ethnic background and made scapegoats for the rest of the students. The student suggested that the university should consider other ways of dealing with the students to achieve a productive dialogue between the students, police and the university.

Professor R Larkins, Vice Chancellor, responded that the university is aware of the concerns of the students and regrets that they were charged. It is offensive and serious to the university to suggest that the students were singled out because of race and such allegations should be based on evidence and taken up with the police. The students have a right to demonstrate and put forward an argument and share their point of view but have no right to vandalism. 19 students were dealt with by a diversionary procedure. The students charged had committed a second offence and it became a police matter. The students were warned that arrests may occur and the university is not a zone where normal laws do not apply. The police were kept in the background until Monash staff and property were in danger. The university has informed the prosecutors that Monash does not wish to advance the charges and would be amenable to plea bargaining. Monash has no desire for vengeance and retribution.

This item originated from item 12.1 of the agenda. A report entitled "Transforming scholarly communication: a Monash University perspective" was attached (p.87-96). This item was deferred to the next meeting.

This item originated from item 12.2 of the agenda. The Monash University Library Annual Report 2003 was attached to the agenda. This item was deferred to the next meeting.

A report was attached. (p 97-100)

A report was attached. (p 101-104)

A report was attached. (p 105-116)

A report was attached. (p 117-122)

A report was attached. (p 123-126)

The Monash University Animal Welfare Committee, that reports to the Deputy Vice Chancellor (Research), forwarded an Annual Report to the Board.

A report was attached. (p 127-130) This item was starred at the meeting.

A report was attached to the agenda.

This item was starred in advance.

A report was attached. (p 131-134)

A proposal was attached. (p 213-216)

A report was attached. (p 135-138)

A report was attached. (p 139-142)

A report was attached. (p 143-146)

A proposal was attached. (p 147-168)

A proposal was attached. (p 169-178)

A proposal was attached. (p 287-294)

A report was attached. (p 179-182)

A proposal was attached. (p 183-188)

A report was attached. (p 189-190)

A proposal was attached. (p 191-196)

A report was attached. (p 197-202)

Documentation was attached. (p 203-212)

The proposed amendments were approved by Academic Board 2/2004 and have been forwarded by the Solicitor’s Office. The amendment to Statute 2.3 updates the title of the Faculty of Medicine, Nursing and Health Sciences and effects a redraft of subsection 1.1 to assist in the reading of the provision. Statute 2.4 The University Teaching Hospitals is repealed as it no longer serves any purpose and the schedule, listing the teaching hospitals, is out of date.

A proposal was attached. (p 213-216)

A proposal was attached. (p 217-222)

A proposal was attached. (p 223-234)

A proposal was attached. (p 235-246)

The following casual vacancies exist on Academic Board as at meeting 4/2004:

• Arts Professorial Member 30/6/2006

• Arts Non-Professorial Member 30/6/2006

• Art & Design Non-Professorial Member 30/6/2006

• Education Non-Professorial member 30/6/2006

• Information Technology Professorial Member 30/6/2006

• Information Technology Professorial Member 30/6/2006

• Information Technology Professorial Member 30/6/2006

• Information Technology Professorial Member 30/6/2006

• Law Professorial Member 30/6/2006

• Medicine, Nursing & Health Sciences Professorial Member 30/6/2006

• Science Professorial Member 30/6/2006

• Science Non-Professorial Member 30/6/2006

• Science Non-Professorial Member 30/6/2006

• Pharmacy Professorial Member 30/6/2006

In accordance with Statute 2.2 – The Academic Board (section 7), a casual vacancy in the office of an elected member occurs where a member is absent from three consecutive meetings without special leave granted by the Board at or before the last of those meetings.

A request was received for special leave from:

• Professor Peter Gronn Education Meetings 4,5,6/2004

• Professor Leon Piterman Medicine Meetings 4 & 5/2004

• Professor Geoff Solarsh Medicine Meetings 4 & 5/2004

• Professor Greg Egan Engineering Meetings 1-4/2004

• Professor M Skully Business & Economics Meetings 4,5,6/2004

A document was attached. (p 247-248)

Following the elections for membership of Steering Committee referred to in item 24.3, three casual vacancies arose for alternate members.

The following nominations were put forward by the Chair and the Steering Committee of Academic Board.

A request was received from the Staff Development Unit for the nomination by Academic Board of a member of the academic staff to be a member of the above panel.

A report was attached. (p 249-252)

The next meeting of the Academic Board will be held on Wednesday 29 September 2004 from 2:15 pm – 4:30 pm in the Council Room, Administration Building 3A, Clayton Campus.