Meeting 4/2003 of the Administrative Heads Group was held between 8.30am and 9:40am on Thursday, 14 August 2003 in the Council Room, Building 3a, Clayton campus.

The Chair noted that the Group was established in 1997 by the previous Vice-Chancellor to ensure that administrative heads had an appropriate forum for information exchange and discussion of relevant issues. The Vice-Chancellor encouraged members’ participation and input to maximise the benefits of that forum.

Apologies were received from Professors G Bouma, G Webb, M Evans and P Steele, Mr P Marshall, Mr J Matthews, Mr P Yates, Ms S Wales, Mr A Picouleau, Mr R Coventry, Ms J Holt, Mr T Calder, Mr G Connell, Mr N Thorburn, Mr S Davey, Ms Chooi-Hon Ho, Mr P Barton and Mr D Secomb.

On behalf of the Administrative Heads Group, the Vice-Chancellor welcomed new members Professor Stephen Parker - Deputy Vice-Chancellor, Ms Glenda Key - Faculty Academic Manager, Faculty of Science and Professor Rob Willis - Academic Director, Caulfield Campus.

The Administrative Heads farewelled and thanked the Vice-Chancellor and Chair of the Group, Professor Peter Darvall, who would retire shortly from the university.

Ms P Sanderson, Chief Executive Officer, Monash Property Management, and Mr B Williamson, Manager, Facilities and Services, Clayton, were invited to attend this meeting for item 4.5.1.

Mr D McWaters, Group Accountant, Corporate Finance Division, attended as an observer on behalf of Mr J Matthews, who was an apology for this meeting.

The Administrative Heads Group expressed condolences at the recent passing of Mr Joe Curtis, Chief Executive Officer of Monash Unicomm, who was an integral member of Monash’s senior management group over many years.

Meeting 3/2003 of the Committee was cancelled.

The Minutes of Meeting 2/2003, held 17 April 2003, were confirmed subject to the following amendments:

Minute 4.1.4 – delete reference to ‘53%’. The first paragraph would read: "...commencing enrolments, excluding transfers for Monash University Malaysia, had increased to 3066..."

Noting that this was the last opportunity to address the Group prior to his retirement, the Vice-Chancellor provided members with his reflections on issues facing the university.

Professor Darvall noted that his role as Vice-Chancellor since July 2002 had been to leave the university in good form and spirit and that it was felt that, with the help of his colleagues, this environment had been realised.

Outlining the positive aspects of Monash, the Vice-Chancellor noted that it was the largest University in Australia, with many families having or having had some connection to it. There was a likelihood that the majority of the university’s alumni were still in the workforce in Australia and internationally. The university was "into everything" (this having advantages and disadvantages) and was the most internationally focussed university in Australia with particularly strong connections in South East Asia. Monash possessed a strong brand, had good facilities, a powerful balance sheet and a significantly devolved structure (both a plus and a minus at times). Professor Darvall highlighted that Monash as an institution had a tremendous spirit.

Describing areas where Monash could improve, the Vice-Chancellor noted that the university was broadly stretched, heavily devolved and in some regards unfocussed, that a greater balance was required between giantism and elitism and that a clearer mission was required. At times, Monash’s research performance was patchy with some "research-free" zones and its range of courses and units, whilst strongly delivered and offering substantial variety, was perhaps overly extensive. Other aspects included the need to further develop the planning process and to ensure that costs did not escalate faster than revenues.

Professor Darvall noted that university planning was moving ahead, that a re-affirmed commitment had been made to internationalisation and that ‘Leading the Way’ would be recast and refocussed based on existing principles. It was important that the university commit to and own the different plans that had involved substantial effort over recent years. Strategic Cost Management was an important new aspect of the university’s operations that would, if managed well by the different areas, be beneficial to the university.

Major issues facing the University included:

• improving the performance of the South Africa campus;

• integrating campus planning into the strategic planning cycle;

• ensuring the University gained the maximum benefit from available resources;

• rationalisation and simplification of course and unit options;

• implementation of appropriate structures that ensured that subsidiaries such as Monash Commercial and MONYX made a strong contribution to the future success of Monash;

• ensuring that a properly functioning governance/management relationship was in place to assist the University over the coming years; and

• ensuring that the extensive property portfolio was well managed.

In conclusion, the Vice-Chancellor noted that the student body was of high quality, yet emphasised the importance of the university continuing its efforts to attract and retain high calibre students and staff, remain vigilant and ensure high quality outcomes in all areas of endeavour.

Professor Stephen Parker, Deputy Vice-Chancellor, informed members about his key areas of responsibility as Deputy Vice-Chancellor. Members noted these were interim arrangements that would be considered following arrival of the new Vice-Chancellor, Professor Richard Larkins. Current areas of responsibility included:

• general support to the Vice-Chancellor and assistance with transition;

• planning, particularly in the areas of strategic and campus planning;

• quality eg. Chair of the Quality Development Committee, implementation of ‘Still Learning’ and readiness for audit by AUQA. (Members noted that Professor Parker was also an auditor for AUQA.); and

• international eg. member of the Monash International Board and co-chair of the Transnational Quality Assurance and Improvement Committee with Professor Alan Lindsay.

Professor Parker advised that Planning and Academic Affairs and the Centre for Higher Education Quality, dealing with planning and quality, would report to his area. Members were informed that ‘Planning and Academic Affairs’ had been retitled ‘University Planning and Research’ and would focus on institutional planning and research about Monash.

Mr Pollock noted that changes were underway in relation to the International Development Group. Professor Parker informed members that the VCG would meet regularly regarding international matters and would dovetail with VCG meetings regarding quality. 

Professor Parker provided a briefing on key aspects of the ‘Backing Australia’s Future’ proposal such as the new approach to funding HECS places, workplace reforms, flexibility for determining HECS rates, new limits on full-fee student numbers, teaching and learning initiatives and the new loans scheme for full-fee paying students.

In relation to the university’s management of issues arising from the proposal, Professor Parker advised about activities underway including financial modelling, consideration of appropriate charging for HECS, and discussion in forums such as Deans and the Pricing, Positioning and Equity Working Party. Professor Parker informed members about the recent Go8 response to the Nelson and opposition proposals and noted that Monash was likely to remain within the approximate region of other Go8 arrangements.

Members also noted a brief overview of the ALP proposal that sought to expand the public funding commitment rather than emphasising fees. 

Professor A Lindsay, Deputy Vice-Chancellor (Academic and Planning), informed the Group about the role of the Transnational Quality Assurance and Improvement Committee. Members noted that the Committee, previously titled Offshore Quality Assurance Committee (OQAC), had a slightly different role and structure that would avoid duplication with other processes and operate under regular cycles.

The Deputy Vice Chancellor highlighted a current focus of the Committee involving a program for review for all faculties with Singapore and TMC partnership arrangements. Following the review a report would be put to the Academic Board in the usual way. 

Ms Alison Crook, Deputy Vice-Chancellor (Resources), introduced Ms Pru Sanderson, Chief Executive Officer, Monash Property Management and Mr Bradley Williamson, Manager, Facilities and Services, Clayton (on behalf of Mr Stephen Davey). Ms Crook advised that Facilities and Services were responsible for overall property and asset management and that Monash Property Management were contracted to handle project management for the planning of new buildings. Members noted that the rolling maintenance plan was accessible online.

Mr Williamson informed members about recent campus developments at Clayton such as extension of the child care centre, refurbishment of Building 15 for Medicine, Nursing and Health Sciences and of the lecture theatres in Building 25. Members noted campus developments at Caulfield including addition of the new service centre, refurbishment of Buildings D and E for Fine Arts, Building T for the School of Information Management and level 9 of Building S for Business and Economics.

Professor R Willis queried whether it would be possible to rename buildings with titles rather than the numbering system currently in use. Following discussion about the complexity of such an undertaking, it was agreed that Professor Willis could take the matter on board.

Ms Sanderson informed members about projects underway at different campuses including:

development and enhancements at Caulfield;

• at Clayton, completion of stage 1 of the STRIP and provision of additional parking due to development of the Synchrotron. The School of Computer Science and Software Engineering was being relocated to the STRIP and would occupy level 1 and half of the ground floor;

• efforts towards acceleration of completion of stage 3 developments at Berwick for Multimedia;

• progress with an early childhood centre at Peninsula;

• planning for the new Malaysia campus (independent from the Sunway site);

• an additional building at South Africa to increase the available teaching space, laboratories and offices; and

• the process for approval of an animal facility at Gippsland.

Brief discussion occurred regarding the Gippsland Precinct. Members noted advice from Ms Crook that the Precinct, which was being managed by the Education Department, was expected to open in 2005. 

Noting current safety concerns abroad and that numerous travel applications had been received, Mr P Cunliffe, Faculty Manager, Information Technology, requested clarification about the university’s view of what constituted ‘serious travel’. The Vice-Chancellor noted that the matter would be given further consideration. 

Meeting 5/2003 will be held at 8.30am on Thursday, 9 October 2003, in the Council Room, first floor of Administration Building 3A, Clayton.