Committee of Deans Meeting 3-1991

Meeting No. 3/91 of the Committee of Deans was held on Wednesday, 3 April 1991, in the James McNeill Room, University Offices, at the Clayton campus, between 3.00 and 4.25 pm.

There were present:

Professor M.I. Logan, Vice-Chancellor, in the Chair

Professor J.A. Hay, Deputy Vice-Chancellor (Academic)

Professor G.N. Vaughan, Deputy Vice-Chancellor

Professor B. Dunstan, Acting Chief Executive Officer, Monash University College Gippsland

Professor R.J. Pargetter, Dean, Faculty of Arts

Professor P.C. Chandler, Dean, David Syme Faculty of Business

Professor C.J. Bellamy, Dean, Faculty of Computing and Information Technology

Professor W.A. Sinclair, Dean, Faculty of Economics Commerce and Management

Professor D.N. Aspin, Dean, Faculty of Education

Professor W.A. Brown, Acting Dean, Faculty of Engineering

Professor C.R. Williams, Dean, Faculty of Law

Professor D.A. Lowther, Acting Dean, Faculty of Medicine

Professor R.J. Snedden, Dean, Faculty of Professional Studies

Professor I.D. Rae, Dean, Faculty of Science

In attendance were:

Mr A.L. Pritchard, Registrar

Mr J.S. White, Acting Comptroller

Mr J.C. Julian, Acting Executive Assistant to the Vice-Chancellor

Mr G.F. Neat, Director of Communications

Mr M.D. Watson, Secretary

M I N U T E S

20. Minutes

The minutes of Meeting No. 2/91, held on 12 March 1991, copies of which had been circulated, were confirmed and signed, subject to the insertion of the following sentence at the beginning of the second paragraph of item 13.1 - Research Administration:

`The Vice-Chancellor indicated that Professor Vaughan would have general responsibility for research management in the University'.

21. Matters Arising From the Minutes

21.1 Academic Promotions

The Vice-Chancellor reported that the proposed new procedures to govern academic promotions considered at the previous meeting would be put to Council on 8 April, and implemented as soon as possible thereafter. He acknowledged the need to proceed with despatch on promotion to readerships and associate professorships for the year at hand.

22. Report of the Vice-Chancellor

22.1 Academic Salaries

Professor Logan painted a gloomy picture of the current state of play in regard to the restructuring of academic salaries. Negotiations were bogged down in the Industrial Relations Commission, he said, and the issue was proving divisive within the AHEIA and AVCC.

22.2 Merger Matters

Professor Logan said Monash was positioning itself to benefit from any additional capital funding that may become available as a result of RMIT pulling out of the Victorian Institute of Technology.

As far as Swinburne was concerned, the Vice-Chancellor said he had informed the Minister that Monash claimed the right to determine educational profiles in the event of any sponsorship arrangement emerging - which, he said, was not being pursued by either party with noticeable enthusiasm.

Professor Logan said he remained optimistic that the merger with the Pharmacy College would eventually proceed, notwithstanding renewed opposition from The University of Melbourne. Funds were now flowing, he said, and the College remained adamant about its desire to form a link with Monash.

23. Research Matters

Professor Vaughan reported as follows in regard to his new research management portfolio.

23.1 Travel Assistance for Graduate Students

The limited amount of funding that could be made available to assist graduate students in attending conferences would be allocated to Deans for disbursement within their faculties, on the understanding that the first call on such assistance should be for those giving papers.

23.2 AVCC/NH&MRC Guidelines on Ethics in Research

The Associate Deans (Research), either individually or collectively as appropriate, would constitute the designated officers provided for in the AVCC/NH&MRC guidelines on ethics in research endorsed by the Committee in 1990.

23.3 National Key Centre in Industrial Relations

Deans would be forwarded copies of a questionnaire on TAFE liaison and industry training for completion and submission direct to the project director by the early May deadline.

24. Urgent Matters

24.1 Chair of Chemical Engineering

The Committee gave preliminary endorsement to the attached submission, copies of which were tabled at the meeting, for filling the Chair of Chemical Engineering vacated by Professor O.E. Potter at the end of 1990.

PLePD

24.2 VPSEC Inquiry into Trade in Places for Courses

Professor Rae drew attention to an inquiry apparently being conducted by VPSEC into the trade in places for courses by institutions, at a marginal rate of funding. He said it was a matter that the University should have a firm view on.

24.3 Full-fee Paying Overseas Students

Professor Hay gave notice that he would be submitting to a later meeting a paper on targetting courses for the University's full-fee paying overseas students marketing programme.

24.4 Disbursement of Full-fee Paying Student Monies

At the request of Professor Bellamy, the Acting Comptroller agreed to look into and report on the calculation of and disbursement to faculties of full-fee paying student monies, with statements where applicable on any consideration taken of above-quota enrolments and the relative funding model.

JSW

25. Summer School

The Committee discussed in detail the attached paper submitted by Professor Pargetter, D11/91, and copies of The University of Melbourne Summer School press advertising he tabled at the meeting. No firm view emerged as to whether Monash should try to emulate Melbourne's university-wide initiative, either in its own right or in collaboration with another body such as the Holmesglen TAFE College, or `do its own thing' as in the Junior University Programme. It was agreed that the Executive Assistant to the Vice-Chancellor and the Distance Education Manager should interact with Deans and other interested parties to canvass what enthusiasm existed and options for possible action that could be considered by the Committee at a later meeting.

LHTW

Next Meeting

It was noted that the next ordinary meeting of the Committee of Deans was scheduled to be held on Tuesday, 23 April, commencing at 2.15 pm.