Committee of Deans Meeting 12-1991
Meeting No. 12/91 of the Committee of Deans was held on Tuesday, 27
August 1991, in the James McNeill Room, University Offices, at the Clayton
campus, at 2.15 pm.
There were present:
Professor G.N. Vaughan, Deputy Vice-Chancellor, in the Chair
Professor J.A. Hay, Deputy Vice-Chancellor (Academic)
Professor T. Kennedy, Pro-Vice-Chancellor
Professor R.J. Pargetter, Dean, Faculty of Arts
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 P.LeP. Darvall, Dean, Faculty of Engineering
Professor C.R. Williams, Dean, Faculty of Law
Professor R. Porter, Dean, Faculty of Medicine
Professor R.J. Snedden, Dean, Faculty of Professional Studies
Professor W.A. Rachinger, Associate Dean, Faculty of Science
Professor J.O. Miller, Associate Dean, David Syme Faculty of Business
In attendance were:
Mr A.L. Pritchard, Registrar
Mr P.B. Wade, Comptroller
Ms E. Anderson, Executive Assistant to the Vice-Chancellor
Mr G. Neat, Director Communications
Mr I.C. Gregory, Secretary
Mr J. White, Associate Comptroller, was present for item
Apologies were received from:
Professor M.I. Logan, Vice-Chancellor
Professor P.C. Chandler, Dean, David Syme Faculty of Business
Professor I.D. Rae, Dean, Faculty of Science
M I N U T E S
Professor Vaughan congratulated Professor Hay on behalf of the Committee
on his recent appointment to the Vice-Chancellorship of Deakin University
and Professor Bellamy on his appointment to the Deanship of the Faculty of
Computing and Information Technology.
106. Minutes
The minutes of Meeting No. 11/91, held on 6 August, copies of which had
previously been circulated, were confirmed and signed.
ICG
107. Matters Arising from the Minutes
107.1 Work of the Committee of Deans
In the absence of the Vice-Chancellor this matter was deferred until the
next meeting (D63/91).
ICG
107.2 Review of Faculty Administrative Resources
The Committee received the attached paper from the Registrar (D64/91). In
speaking to his paper, the Registrar indicated that he was prepared to have
a number of Registrarial functions currently being undertaken in the
faculties transferred to Central Administration branches. He considered it
was difficult to measure the impact of work transferred to faculties as they
were not all resourced in the same way. He outlined a number of tasks which
could be performed centrally and the possibility of some central staff being
made available to assist the faculties at various stages in the year, such
as with staff promotion procedures. However, he mentioned that most Central
Administration branches had had fundamentally the same resource allocation
for several years and with the increase in the size of the University and
complications arising from its multi-campus nature, the level of service
that might be expected of Central Administration branches might decline
unless some services were to cease.
There was a diversity of opinion expressed by the Deans, some considered
that more tasks should be undertaken centrally in order to obtain economies
of scale whereas other Deans considered that a number of tasks were better
performed at faculty level. A suggestion was made that a thorough analysis
of the University's administration structure was desirable.
The Registrar volunteered to discuss individually with each Dean, the
proposals contained in the paper. Professor Vaughan informed the Committee
that he would convey the discussion which had taken place to the
Vice-Chancellor.
ALP GNV
107.3 Academic Promotions Committee
The Committee received a paper (D65/91) which was requested at the
previous meeting of the Committee whereby Deans were asked to communicate
nominations from adjacent faculties for each Faculty Academic Promotions
Committee to Professor Hay.
JAH
The Committee noted the information.
108. Report of the Vice-Chancellor
108.1 Development Fund - Principles for Distribution
The Committee received a paper from the Vice-Chancellor (D66/91)
regarding principles for the distribution of funds available in the
Development Fund.
The Committee noted the policy that commitments for research funds were
generally made for two years and that the annual commitment in regard to
funding any successful CRC proposals would be for the life of the CRC.
The Committee endorsed the Vice-Chancellor's paper and noted that
application forms and guidelines for allocations from the Fund would be
distributed in the near future.
PBW
108.2 Study Abroad Arrangements
The Committee noted that the University had agreed to enter into
negotiations with Curtin University of Technology to support an office in
Minneapolis for the recruitment of study abroad students for a trial period
of one year. It was noted that further information would be brought to the
Committee in due course. Such an initiative might lead to a review of
arrangements with Butler and Marymount Colleges.
ALP
108.3 Position of Director of the Monash University Computer Centre
Following the recent appointment of Professor Bellamy to the position of
Dean of the Faculty of Computing and Information Technology, the position of
Director of the Monash University Computer Centre has become vacant.
ICG
The Committee recommends that the position be advertised.
109. Urgent Matters
109.1 Allocation of Equipment Funds
Professor Bellamy referred to a paper that had been prepared by
Professors Darvall, Sinclair and himself relating to the allocation of
equipment funds. It had been considered inappropriate to produce a formula
for the allocation of equipment funds, rather such funds should be included
in the formula for budget allocations.
The Committee agreed to defer further consideration of the paper and
noted that equipment funding would also be discussed in conjunction with the
development of the 1992 Budget.
109.2 Leave Entitlements
Professor Bellamy referred to a paper he had forwarded to the Comptroller
concerning financial arrangements for termination payments to staff and the
replacement of staff, and the necessity for this matter to be considered on
a University wide basis in conjunction with the Budget.
The Comptroller informed the Committee that an actuarial report had been
received concerning the matter.
109.3 Allocation of Full Fee Income
In response to a query, the Comptroller undertook to investigate the
dispersement of full fee income received in 1991 to the faculties.
PBW
110. Budget for 1992
A paper prepared by the Comptroller, together with a covering memorandum
from the Vice- Chancellor, was circulated to members prior to the meeting
(D70/91). The Comptroller's paper contained a budgeting model based on
relative funding principles somewhat similar in concept to that produced by
DEET but with many significant differences to reflect the particularities of
the Monash situation. The paper compared the 1991 budgets of faculties as a
starting point for a discussion of the approach to be used for the 1992
budget at Monash.
Professor Williams indicated that whilst he did not object to a formula
based budget, he considered the models proposed would be unacceptable to the
Faculty of Law as they substantially reduced the budget allocation to his
faculty. He considered that the proposed model failed to take account of
such matters as student demand for various courses, academic priorities, and
the funding priorities which had previously been agreed to for the Faculty
of Law. It was pointed out that the paper made specific provision (page 11)
for matters of this nature to be considered. The other Deans were generally
in favour in principle with the model presented noting that it provided a
rational basis for resource allocation and would assist in overcoming
problems associated with binary funding. A further paper containing
additional comparative calculations was tabled at the meeting by the
Comptroller (D71/91).
The Committee agreed that if such a budgeting model was implemented,
special arrangements over a three year period would be needed to fully
implement the model to deal with faculties adversely affected. These would
be negotiated with the individual faculties concerned. The Comptroller also
mentioned the possibility of additional adjustment funding being made
available for 1992 from the general contingency fund.
The Committee discussed whether there should be any "off the top" funding
provided for scholarships, travel funds, etc, or should these funds be
included in the model. The Comptroller volunteered to produce a further
paper in the light of discussions at the meeting.
PBW
The Committee considered that the Monash Development Fund should be
continued and noted that under item 108.1 above, commitments for allocations
from such a fund had been made. The Committee also considered that there
should be separate funds for research and teaching initiatives.
The Committee agreed to a proposal that there should be `flexibility
money' `off the top' (other than for transitional arrangements). The
Committee also agreed that a publications index should form part of the
research index with an equal weight to Commonwealth competitive research
grants received. The Committee agreed that further consideration should be
given to the teaching component weights.
It was agreed that before the next meeting of the Committee of Deans the
Comptroller would have a further round of discussions with individual Deans.
PBW
111. Research Matters
Professor Vaughan mentioned that there would be a CADRES meeting in the
following week and that a report from the Vice-Chancellor's Research
Advisory Committee would be forwarded to the next meeting of the Academic
Board.
GNV
112. Chair of Medicine at the Alfred Hospital
The Committee received the attached paper from Professor Porter (D67/91).
The Committee agreed to recommend that the Chair of Medicine at the Alfred
Hospital be advertised.
RP
113. Procedures for Approval of Courses for which Institutions can
Charge Fees
Professor Porter mentioned a misunderstanding which had occurred within
his faculty in regard to the procedures to be followed for the approval of
new courses (D68/91). The Registrar agreed to prepare a further paper for
forwarding to the Deans concerning the procedures.
ALP
114. Appointment of Language Instructors
The Committee received the attached paper from Professor Pargetter
(D69/91). The Committee agreed to defer this matter to the next meeting.
RJP
115. Asian Review
It was noted that there is a review of Asian Studies and related Asian
activities of the University being established. The Vice-Chancellor has
approved the terms of reference for that review and appropriate staff are
being approached to constitute the review committee. The emphasis of the
review will be on Asian Studies in the Faculty of Arts but will also
encompass Asian activities throughout the University.
RJP
Next Meeting
The next meeting of the Committee of Deans will be held on Wednesday,
18 September, commencing at 4.00 pm in the James McNeill Room and
members were asked to note that the meeting scheduled to be held on Tuesday,
8 October would be held in the Clayfield Room at Caulfield campus and would
be followed by a meeting with a number of staff at Caulfield.
ICG Members
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