Meeting 3/2002 of the Administrative Heads Group was held between 8.30am and 9:15am on Thursday, 4 July 2002 in the Council Room, University Offices Building 3a, Clayton campus.

Apologies were received from Professor A Lindsay – Deputy Vice-Chancellor (Academic and Planning), Mr A McMeekin – Executive Director, ITS, Professor G Webb – Director, CHEQ, Professor M Evans – Director, Planning and Academic Affairs, Mr S Davey – Divisional Director, Facilities and Services, Mr G Connell – Director, Audit and Risk Management, Ms J White - Faculty Manager, Pharmacy, Mr N Thorburn - Manager, Compliance, Mr R Palin – Resources, Finance and Budgets Manager, Arts, Mr A Patterson – Faculty Manager, Law, Mr P Lawford - Faculty Manager, Education, and Mr J Curtis – Chief Executive Officer, Monash Unicomm Pty Ltd, Mr P Barton - Manager, Occupational Health, Safety and Environment, Mr K Hobbs - Director of Administration, Business and Economics, Mr P Cunliffe – Faculty Manager, Information Technology, Mr J Levine – Divisional Director, Financial Resources Management, and Mr T Calder – Director, Secretariat and Executive Services.

The Vice-Chancellor, Professor D Robinson, welcomed to the Group new members Mr R Newham, Director, Business Administration and Protocol, and Ms J White, Faculty Manager, Pharmacy (who was an apology for this meeting).

Ms J Dixon - Quality Advisor, Support Services, CHEQ, Ms S Gleeson, Faculty Registrar, Information Technology, and Ms M O’Shea, Executive Officer, Business and Economics, attended as observers.

The Minutes of Meeting 2/2002, held Thursday, 18 April 2002, were confirmed.

The Chair reminded members that nominations for the ‘Vice-Chancellor’s Awards for Exceptional Performance by General Staff’ would close on 9 August 2002. Members noted also that the first stage of the Monash STRIP, and the National Printing Laboratory, had recently been launched by Victorian Minister for Innovation Mr J Brumby.

Documentation was circulated including a media release from the Minister for Education, Science and Training, The Hon Dr B Nelson MP, with a paper titled ‘Higher Education at the Crossroads: An Overview Paper’.

The Vice-Chancellor spoke to this item noting the recent release of the first of a series of five issues papers. Members noted Professor Robinson’s advice that, in accordance with directions from the university Council, the response from Monash would focus on Monash-specific issues such as the role of major universities, the role of universities in regional Victoria (a paper from Professor Mackenzie had been forwarded by the Vice-Chancellor to the Minister) and access issues. Tight timelines were involved and the response would be put to the 2 September meeting of Council. The Vice-Chancellor encouraged members to look at the Go8 response and consider relevant matters to be included in the Monash response to the Review.

The report titled ‘Still Learning: The Report of Our Self-Review’ and a response titled ‘Toward Monash 2020: a response to ‘Still Learning’’, were circulated.

Professor Robinson advised members about the Self-Review Report and commended the Report’s recommendations to the Group. The Vice-Chancellor noted that the response to ‘Still Learning’ had been prepared following consultation with Deans and the Vice-Chancellor’s Group. Members noted Professor Robinson’s advice about the senior officers and other staff/areas who would be responsible for implementation of each of the recommendations contained in the Self Review Report. Professor Robinson commented that the Self Review and the university’s follow-up action, together with other recent Monash quality initiatives, would stand Monash in good stead for future audit by AUQA and for ensuring strong internal quality practices.

The Deputy Vice-Chancellor (Research and Development), Professor P Darvall, informed members about the recent opening of the Monash Science Centre. Professor Darvall noted that the Centre attracted numerous external sponsors and provided a significant attraction and opportunity for school children and adults to engage with science-based activities. The Deputy Vice-Chancellor also highlighted the important need for internal sponsorship and commitment to the Centre from Monash’s science-based faculties.

The Deputy Vice-Chancellor (Resources), Ms A Crook, informed members about the ‘Financial Management Policy Relating to International Entities’, that was circulated in the papers, that had been adopted by the Resources and Finance Committee and Council. Ms Crook advised that the university’s international activities would be seen to be self-sustaining, rather than cross-subsidised, with the planning, implementation and operational phases of the establishment of global entities funded by those international activities.

Mr A Pollock, Executive Director, Office of International Development, provided an example of how costs would be tracked to ensure that they were appropriately covered. Ms Crook advised that the Financial Resources Management Division would develop additional tools for appropriate data capture and reporting.

Dr K Macrae, Faculty Executive Officer, Faculty of Science, provided a report on the Faculty Manager’s Retreat that was held on 17 and 18 June 2002.

Dr Macrae provided a Powerpoint presentation regarding the draft proposal that had been prepared for further development and formalisation of the nature and purpose of the ‘Faculty Managers’ Group’. Dr Macrae thanked Professor G Webb and Mr D Secomb for their assistance in this process, and noted that Deans had been supportive of the proposal.

Dr Macrae informed members about directions for support for the university’s core activities and defining themes that could be provided by the Faculty Managers’ Group, which would be formally recognised as a sub-decanal reference group. Members noted detail about the proposed re-structure of the Group, a re-focus on identification and methods of addressing key issues (eg. Strategic Cost Management, response to the Self-Review etc.), and the establishment of effective, transparent lines of communication between sub-sets of the Faculty Managers Group and special interest groups for the achievement of these aims. Dr Macrae highlighted the benefits of the proposal including a focus of the Faculty Managers’ Group on key issues, a transparent interface between faculties and central administration, better use of scarce resources and increased skill development throughout the Group.

Further comments were received from Faculty Managers and discussion occurred regarding aspects of the proposal including:

The Vice-Chancellor thanked Dr Macrae and Faculty Managers for their positive efforts and the presentation. Professor Robinson noted that the Faculty Managers Group should ask the Vice-Chancellor to meet with the Group on a quarterly basis.

Members noted the amended schedule for meetings of the Administrative Heads Group, including a change to Meeting 5/2002, as set out below: