Meeting No 7/2007 of the Academic Board will be held Wednesday 21 November 2007, from 3:30pm-5:30pm, in the Council Chambers, First floor, Building 3A, Clayton campus.

The Agenda papers have been circulated.  The Index of Recommendations is set out below and supplementary papers are attached. 

Meetings of the Academic Board are attended by ex officio, elected and appointed members.  A non-member may request permission to attend a meeting of the Board as an observer by telephoning extension 59005.  Observers have no speaking or voting rights.

Members are reminded that items may be starred prior to the meeting by contacting the Secretary, or at the commencement of the meeting under item 1.1 of the Agenda.

Tea and coffee will be served in the foyer prior to the meeting.

Rhonda Hinds

Secretary

25 September 2007

Members having a direct commercial or financial interest in any item before this meeting must declare that interest to the Chair via the Committee Secretary prior to consideration of the item, and must not take part in a vote on any matter concerning it.

A G E N D A

1.1  Starring of Items

Members who wish a non-starred item to be discussed may so request at this point.

1.2  Approval of Non-Starred Items

The Chair will move:

That the recommendations of the Steering Committee be adopted without discussion for all items other than those starred.

C 1.3  Confidential Items
 

2.1  Minutes of Academic Board Meeting 6/2007

The Minutes of Meeting 6/2007, held on Wednesday, 3 October 2007, were distributed on 16 October 2007.

Recommendation:

That the Minutes of Academic Board Meeting 6/2007, held on 3 October 2007, be confirmed.
 

3.1  President’s Report    1-6

• Associate Professor John Hurst will report. Items will include:
• Casual vacancy for position of Vice-President, Academic Board (1 year term).
• Ratification of membership of the Exclusion for Health Reasons Appeals Committee.
• Report on the Conference of Chairs of Academic Boards.
• President’s Report to Council (for noting).

Recommendations:

That Academic Board:

• Note the advice of the President.
• Delegate to the President the power to identify and appoint a further Vice-President for a one year term.
• Ratify the membership of the Exclusion for Health Reasons Appeals Committee.

3.2  Role of Academic Board    175-176

At its last meeting, Academic Board requested that the Steering Committee bring forward a draft statement of Terms of Reference for discussion to the next Board meeting. A draft is therefore attached for consideration.

Associate Professor John Hurst will introduce this item.

Recommendation:

That Academic Board approve the attached draft statement of Terms of Reference.
 

4.1  Vice Chancellor

4.1.1  Vice-Chancellor’s    Report To follow

The Vice-Chancellor will speak to the attached report.

Recommendation:

That Academic Board receive and note the report of the Vice-Chancellor.

4.1.2  2008 Annual Plan    7-46

Professor Adam Shoemaker will introduce the draft Annual Plan. Ms Vero will be in attendance.

Recommendation:

That Academic Board note the advice of Professor Shoemaker and endorse the draft 2008 Annual Plan for transmission to Council.

4.1.3  2008 Budget    To be distributed as a separate document

Mr David Pitt, Vice- President (Finance), will speak to this item. Mr. Reynold Dias, Divisional Director, Financial Resources Management, will be in attendance.

Recommendation:

That Academic Board note the advice of Mr David Pitt, Vice- President (Finance) and endorse the draft 2008 Budget for transmission to Council.

4.2  Education Portfolio

4.2.1  DVC (Education) Report

Professor Shoemaker will report

Recommendation:

That Academic Board receive and note the report of the DVC (Education).

4.2.2  2007 Load and Admissions Report    47-58

Attached is the 2007 Load and Admissions Report. Professor Shoemaker will introduce this item. Ms Vero will be in attendance.

Recommendation:

That Academic Board receive and note the 2007 Load and Admissions Report.

4.2.3  Learning and Teaching Performance Fund (LTPF)    59-72

Attached is a report on the recent LTPF allocations. Professor Shoemaker will introduce this item. Ms Vero will be in attendance.

Recommendation:

That Academic Board receive the report and note Professor Shoemaker’s advice.

4.2.4  University Rankings    177-184

A report on the latest university rankings is attached and will be introduced by Professor Shoemaker.

Recommendation:

That Academic Board receive the report and note Professor Shoemaker’s advice.

4.3  Research Portfolio

4.4  International Portfolio

4.4.1  Statement of International Purpose    73-74

Attached for noting is the final version of the Statement of International Purpose.

Recommendation:

That Academic Board receive and note the Statement of International Purpose.

4.5  Question Time

Questions on matters of interest to the Board may be raised at this point. If a response to a question would require detailed information, prior notice (eg 24 hours before the meeting) would be appreciated.
 

5.1  Graduate Attributes    75-76

Attached for noting is a summary of the meeting of the Graduate Attributes Implementation Group held on 10 October 2007.

Recommendation:

That Academic Board receive and note the report of the meeting of the Graduate Attributes Implementation Group held on 10 October 2007.
 

6.1  Associate Degrees    81-84

This item originated at 8.1 on the Index of Items and was starred by Steering Committee.

At its meeting of 29 October, Council amended the Qualifications Categories Policy to allow use of the Associate Degree award category in all discipline areas, subject to endorsement by Academic Board.

Recommendation:

That Academic Board endorse amendment of the Schedule of Qualifications (Qualifications Categories Policy) to allow use of the Associate Degree award category in all discipline areas.

6.2  Graduate Attributes – Higher Degrees by Research

This item originated at 9 on the Index of Items and was starred by Steering Committee. Professor Max King will speak to this item.

The Research Graduate School Committee Meeting 9/2007 endorsed the following revised list of attributes recommended by the HDR Graduate Attributes Working Group:

• conducting research and professional engagement within an international context;

• formulating and articulating a research question;

• thinking critically, analysing and problem solving;

• finding, sorting and assessing the current level of knowledge and information;

• choosing and designing an appropriate methodology to answer a research question and recognising the strengths and limitations of competing methodologies;

• rigorously analysing, evaluating and interpreting research results and assessing the implications of the research;

• working effectively with others as an independent researcher, able to display organisational skills and to plan, lead and manage a research project;

• having the interpersonal skills to work collaboratively in an effective and efficient manner;

• conducting research in a safe, ethical and culturally sensitive manner;

• thinking laterally and with an open mind;

• having the ability and enthusiasm to take the initiative and to handle responsibility;

• communicating the research at a professional level appropriate to the discipline (to a range of audiences).

Recommendation:

That Academic Board approve the revised list of HDR graduate attributes endorsed by the Research Graduate School Committee.
 

7.1  Election of President and Vice-President, Academic Board    77-80

Attached is the Poll Declaration Notice for the election to the positions of President and Vice-President, Academic Board.

Recommendation:

That Academic Board receive and note the Poll Declaration Notice.

7.2  Membership of the Exclusions Appeals Panel    185-188

The Exclusion Appeals Committee (EAC) is a committee of Academic Board constituted from a Panel established by the Board.

Attached is a request from the Secretary, Exclusion Appeals Committee for confirmation of faculty nominations to the Exclusion Appeals Panel.

Recommendation:

That Academic Board approve the 2008-2009 Exclusion Appeals Panel membership.

7.3  Academic Board Casual Vacancies

7.3.1  Faculty of Arts

The following members have been nominated by the Faculty of Arts to fill casual vacancies on Academic Board:

Professor David Garrioch

Dr Simone Murray

Recommendation:

That Academic Board approve the nomination of Professor David Garrioch and Dr Simone Murray to membership of Academic Board, with a term of office to expire on 30 June 2008.

7.3.2  Faculty of Science

The following members have been nominated by the Faculty of Science to fill casual professorial vacancies on Academic Board:

Professors Ray Cas, Christian Jakob, Steven Langford and Sam Adeloju.

Recommendation:

That Academic Board approve the nomination of Professors Ray Cas, Christian Jakob, Steven Langford and Sam Adeloju to membership of Academic Board, with a term of office to expire on 30 June 2009.
 

8.1  Associate Degrees

Starred by Steering Committee.

8.2  MPsych (Counselling)/PhD and MPsych (Educational and Developmental)/PhD    85-122

The Faculty of Education has proposed a combined four-year Masters and PhD program to meet professional registration requirements.

Noting that the proposal had been reviewed by assessors and approved by the Chair on behalf of the Committee, the Research Graduate School Committee Meeting 9/2007 recommended the Board’s approval of the course leading to the award of MPsych (Counselling)/PhD or MPsych (Educational and Developmental)/PhD, proposed by the Faculty of Education.

Recommendation

That Academic Board approve introduction of the proposed MPsych (Counselling)/PhD and MPsych (Educational and Developmental)/PhD.
 

Starred by Steering Committee.
 

10.1  Special Consideration Policy and Procedures    123-130

At its Meeting 6/2007, Education Committee:

• Endorsed the abolition of mark adjustment as an outcome of Special Consideration.
• Endorsed the draft Special Consideration Policy for approval by Academic Board.
• Approved the Special Consideration Procedures.

Recommendations:

1. That Academic Board approve abolition of mark adjustment as an outcome of Special Consideration.
2. That Academic Board approve the draft Special Consideration Policy.
3. That Academic Board note the Special Consideration Procedures.

10.2  Coursework Scholarships Policy and Procedures    131-138

At its Meeting 6/2007, Education Committee:

• Endorsed the Coursework Scholarships Policy for submission to the Academic Board.
• Approved the Coursework Scholarships Procedures.

Recommendations:

1. That Academic Board approve the Coursework Scholarships Policy
2. That Academic Board note the Coursework Scholarships Procedures.

10.3  Grading Scales    139-140b

At its Meeting 6/2007, Education Committee endorsed the Monash Grading Scales, including new grades of NGO (fail) and WNGO (withdrawn fail) in the Competency Grading Schema, and the disestablishment of the grades Merit, Faculty Pass, and Not Applicable.

Recommendation:

That Academic Board approve the revised Grading Scales for introduction in 2009, following preparatory implementation work in the early part of 2008.

10.4  Recognition of Prior Learning    141-144

At its Meeting 6/2007, Education Committee approved the Recognition of Prior Learning Procedures.

Recommendation:

That Academic Board note the Recognition of Prior Learning Procedures.
 

11.1  Establishment of Centres

A proposal to establish a new research centre requires the support of the relevant department/s, and the approval of the relevant faculty board/s. The proposal will then be considered by the Academic Board. The Deputy Vice-Chancellor (Research) will advise Academic Board as to whether the proposal is in accord with the guidelines for establishment of research centres.

11.1.1  Centre for Multimedia Computing, Communications and Applications    189-214

Attached is a copy of the proposal to establish the Centre for Multimedia Computing, Communications and Applications supported by the Faculty of Information Technology and the DVC (Research).

Recommendation:

That Academic Board endorse for transmission to Council the proposal to establish the Centre for Multimedia Computing, Communications and Applications.

11.2  Review of Centres

11.2.1  Van Cleef/Roet Centre for Neurosciences    215-218

The Board of the Faculty of Medicine, Nursing and Health Sciences Meeting 6/2007 received a report from the Faculty Review Panel, and approved the renewal of this Centre as a Research Centre for a further three years from 19 September 2007 to 19 September 2010.

Recommendation:

That Academic Board endorse for transmission to Council the proposal to renew the Van Cleef/Roet Centre for Neurosciences for three years to 19 September 2010.
 

12.1  School of Applied Clinical and Public Health Sciences    219-220

Attached is a recommendation, endorsed by the Board of the Faculty of Medicine, Nursing and Health Sciences Meeting 6/2007, to disestablish the School of Applied Clinical and Public Health Sciences.

Recommendation:

That Academic Board endorse for transmission to Council the proposal to disestablish the School of Applied Clinical and Public Health Sciences.
 

13.1  Monash University Research Committee Meeting 6/2007    145-146

A Report is attached.

Recommendation:

That Academic Board receive and note the Report of Meeting 6/2007 of the Monash

University Research Committee.

13.2  Education Committee Meeting 6/2007    147-150

A Report is attached.

Recommendation:

That Academic Board receive and note the Report of Meeting 6/2007 of the Education Committee.

13.3  General Library Committee Meeting 3/2007    151-158

A Report is attached.

Recommendation:

That Academic Board receive and note the Report of Meeting 3/2007 of the General Library Committee.

13.4  Research Graduate School Committee Meeting 9/2007    159-162

A Report is attached.

Recommendation:

That Academic Board receive and note the Report of Meeting 9/2007 of the Research Graduate School Committee.
 

14.1  Faculty of Medicine, Nursing and Health Sciences Meeting 6/2007    163-166

A Report is attached.

Recommendation:

That Academic Board receive and note the Report of Meeting 6/2007 of the Board of the Faculty of Medicine, Nursing and Health Sciences.

14.2  Faculty of Business & Economics Meeting 5/2007    167-174

A Report is attached.

Recommendation:

That Academic Board receive and note the Report of Meeting 5/2007 of the Board of the Faculty of Business & Economics.

14.3  Faculty of Science Meetings 4 and 5/2007    221-228

Reports are attached.

Recommendation:

That Academic Board receive and note the Reports of Meetings 4 and 5/2007 of the Board of the Faculty of Science.
 

The next meeting of the Academic Board will be held on Wednesday 27 February 2008 in the Council Chambers, 1^st floor, Building 3a, Clayton Campus commencing at 3.30pm.