Administrative Heads Group Meeting 6-2003

Meeting 6/2003 of the Administrative Heads Group commenced at 9am on Thursday, 27 November, 2003 in the Council Room, 1^st Floor, University Offices Building 3a, Clayton campus.

Apologies were received from Professor Alan Lindsay – Deputy Vice-Chancellor (Academic & Planning), Mr Roger Newham – Director, Business Administration & Protocol, Ms Pam Herman – Manager, Research Graduate School, Mr Greg Connell – Director, Audit and Risk Management, Mr Peter Yates – Director, Services and Systems, and Mr Nick Thorburn – Manager, Compliance.

The Chair welcomed new member Mr Andrew Picouleau – Director, Policy and Consultancy.

Mr Neville Bentley - Project Director, Monash Property Management, Mr James Pearce and Mr Roger Poole – Bates Smart, and Mr Mark Jacques – Oculus, were invited to attend this meeting for item 4.5.1.

Mr Gerard Toohey – Manager, Student Administration, Student and Staff Services, attended as an observer.

The Minutes of Meeting 5/2003, held 9 October 2003, were confirmed.

The Vice-Chancellor, Professor R Larkins, informed the group that the AVCC was continuing negotiations with the Minister and Senate members regarding important amendments to the Higher Education Reform Bill. It was anticipated that the Bill may pass through the Senate by the end of 2003.

Discussion occurred regarding the potential allocation of additional load resulting from the package.

The Chair advised that activities in relation to the new campus at Malaysia were proceeding and that plans for the medical school were being led by Professor N Saunders.

Members noted advice from the Vice-Chancellor that Mr David Gilmore, formerly of Boston Consulting Group, would be reviewing projections and targets for the campus at South Africa. Professor Larkins noted that members could contact Mr Gilmore regarding views on this matter.

The Deputy Vice-Chancellor, Professor S Parker, advised members that terms of reference were currently being drafted for a self-review of international activities that would assist the university to identify and address relevant requirements and to prepare for the upcoming AUQA audit. Some of the potential areas for consideration in the review included the experience of international students, recruitment, partnerships and activities offshore.

Professor G Webb, Director, Centre for Higher Education Quality, highlighted the increasing importance of quality in support services being driven by factors such as rising competition and expectations of students and preparation for processes including AUQA and HEQC. Professor Webb encouraged the sharing of information and best practice models and noted the need for demonstrated improvements to be shown following quality processes.

• Case Example: Monash Residential Services (MRS)

Mr Vlad Prpich, Director, Monash Residential Services, provided a presentation to the Group on the process and outcomes of the quality cycle implemented by that area. A review had been conducted taking into account specific aspects of MRS services and an evaluation of their effectiveness. Some of the methods/avenues of investigation and evaluation for the review had included an annual exit survey, KPIs, client expectations, operational indicators and residents statistics.

Mr Prpich highlighted an example of an initiative introduced to improve MRS services by assisting students through an academic support program. Planning and action were followed by evaluation after each semester and improvement of the program as required. Results of the area’s review and improvements had been positive with improvements on past vacancies.

Professor Webb encouraged other support service areas to apply the quality cycle to achieve maximum effect.

The Vice-Chancellor commended MRS and CHEQ on this example of concrete improvements resulting from use of quality measures.

Mr P Marshall, Divisional Director, Student and Staff Services, provided an update on Enterprise Bargaining. Members noted negotiations had slowed until the outcome of the Higher Education Workplace Reform package was known.

The Vice-Chancellor noted the university was entering enterprise bargaining discussions with the union on the assumption that other aspects of negotiations aside from the proposed reforms were positive. Efforts were continuing to try to separate the link between additional funding and workplace reforms in the Bill. 

Ms A Crook, Deputy Vice-Chancellor (Resources), invited Mr N Bentley, Mr J Pearce, Mr M Jacques and Mr R Poole, to provide a presentation on the ‘Clayton Masterplan’. Ms Crook informed members that the plan would support the academic plan for Clayton, integrating the academic, retail, sporting, research, school and commercial activities and centres on the campus. With a 20-30 year vision, the plan sought to ensure individual buildings and areas would contribute to the overarching academic and other needs for the campus.

Mr Poole took members through the plan highlighting the need to maximise the potential of the campus, based on the qualities of the university, to meet academic, student, staff and community needs. Aspects of the plan included more direct access to the campus via a new main entrance, creation of a boulevard and other memorable spaces, development of an urban square, increase of the facilities at the heart of the campus, improvement of transport to the campus, drawing residential facilities into the centre and increased access for engagement with the community. Mr Jacques advised that use of space could be improved based on the needs of the campus with a strengthened sense of central and peripheral areas. Mr Poole noted Monash’s existing strengths and characteristics would provide great foundations from which to develop an even greater campus at that location.

Discussion occurred regarding the following related issues:

• Use of the Menzies area would provide additional, rather than alternative, residential accommodation;

• Development of the Campus Centre would enhance retail opportunities to provide resources to benefit students, staff and the local community;

• The plan would be discussed at Council with a series of further steps in 2003 including further consultative processes; and

• Under the plan the Menzies Building (and 3A) would be knocked down for alternative development. Deans had been consulted about this initiative.

The Group thanked the presenters for the informative demonstration. It was agreed that the plans for the Caulfield and Berwick campuses would be presented at a later meeting of the Administrative Heads.

Mr P Marshall, Divisional Director, Student and Staff Services, highlighted key aspects of the "Performance Reward Policy for General Staff (Level 1-9)", that set out procedures for one-off payments to be provided for staff below level 10 that had demonstrated exceptional performance. Members noted Mr Marshall’s advice regarding an alternative method of rewarding exceptional performance involving an increase of the staff member’s incremental scale.

Mr Marshall advised that a committee reporting to the Committee of Deans would consider the issue of general staff at or above level 10 in 2004.

The Vice-Chancellor informed members that an end of year function would be held, inclusive of all staff, to thank staff for their high level of commitment throughout 2003. Functions would be held at Clayton, Caulfield and Gippsland, with staff from Berwick, Parkville and Peninsula being invited to attend at one of these locations.

Professor Larkins advised that consideration was being given to altering the composition of the Committee of Deans to drawn together senior administrative and academic staff.The Committee could be retitled Senior Management Committee with the membership expanded by approximately ten people. The Vice-Chancellor noted this may lead to a change in composition of Admin Heads (although the 2004 schedule for this Group would remain the same). Input was invited from Admin Heads regarding this issue.

Members noted the 2004 schedule of meetings of the Administrative Heads Group. Meetings would be held at 8:30 am in the Council Room, Administration Building 3A, Clayton.

Meeting 1/2004 of the Administrative Heads Group will be held at 8.30am on Thursday, 12 February 2004 in the Council Room, 1^st floor of Administration Building 3A, Clayton. Submissions for the draft agenda for that meeting are due by Friday, 30 January 2004.