Committee of Deans Special Meeting

A special meeting of the Committee of Deans was held on Wednesday, 9 September 1992, in the James McNeill Room, University Offices, at the Clayton campus, between 1.00 and 2.15 pm.

There were present:

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

Professor R.J. Pargetter, Deputy Vice-Chancellor and Dean of the Faculty of Arts

Professor R. Porter, Deputy Vice-Chancellor and Dean of the Faculty of Medicine

Professor T. Kennedy, Pro-Vice-Chancellor

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 R.J.W. Selleck, Acting Dean, Faculty of Education

Professor P.LeP. Darvall, Dean, Faculty of Engineering

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

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

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

Professor C.B. Chapman, Dean, Victorian College of Pharmacy

In attendance were:

Mr J.R. Leicester, Acting Registrar

Mr P.B. Wade, Comptroller

Mr G.F. Neat, Executive Director, University Development

Ms C.E. Anderson, Advisor to the Vice-Chancellor

Mr M.D. Watson, Secretary

M I N U T E S

92. Open Learning Initiative

Professor Logan briefed Deans on the background and current state of negotiations in regard to Monash's bid to manage the Commonwealth Government's open learning initiative. Central to the bid, he said, was the need for Monash to have sufficient control over the operation of the program so as to be in a position to guarantee delivery and quality of the courses offered.

93. Proposal Merger of the Faculty of Economics Commerce and Management and the David Syme Faculty of Business

The meeting discussed at some length the attached paper from Professor Logan proposing a framework for the bringing together of the Faculty of Economics Commerce and Management and the David Syme Faculty of Business prior to its consideration by the Academic Board immediately afterwards. Deans generally supported the move to bring the two faculties together, and endorsed the Vice-Chancellor's decision to act quickly. Professor Logan informed the meeting that Professor Chandler had given an undertaking that he would not be a candidate for the Deanship of the merged faculty. Most debate was confined to an assessment of the rationale andwisdom of including `David Syme' in the name of the merged faculty, and in locating its `main office' on the Caulfield campus. Professor Sinclair argued strongly against both proposals; Professor Chandler argued equally strongly in their support. In the end, both Deans agreed to differ on each count.