Committee of Deans Meeting 5-1993

Meeting No. 5/93 of the Committee of Deans was held on Tuesday, 11 May 1993, in the Conference Room, David Derham School of Law, at the Clayton campus, between 2.15 and 3.50 pm.

There were present:

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

Professor I.W. Chubb, Deputy Vice-Chancellor

Professor R. Porter, Deputy Vice-Chancellor (Research) and Dean, Faculty of Medicine

Professor R.J. Pargetter, Deputy Vice-Chancellor (Academic Projects)

Professor L.H.T. West, Pro-Vice-Chancellor (International Programs)

Professor P.LeP. Darvall, Pro-Vice-Chancellor and Dean, Faculty of Engineering

Professor B. Dunstan, Acting Pro-Vice-Chancellor (Gippsland Campus)

Professor G.C. Clark, Acting 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 J.W. Freebairn, Acting Dean, Faculty of Economics Commerce and Management

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

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

Professor P. Stewart, representing the Dean, Victorian College of Pharmacy

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

Professor I.A. Nicholls, representing the Dean, Faculty of Science

In attendance were:

Mr P.B. Wade, General Manager

Mr M.D. Watson, Acting Academic Registrar

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

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

M I N U T E S

32. Minutes

The minutes of Meeting No. 4/93 held on 20 April, copies of which had been circulated, were confirmed and signed.

33. Matters Arising from the Minutes

No matters were raised from the minutes.

34. Report of the Vice-Chancellor

34.1 Bond University

Further to recent media speculation, Professor Logan informed the Board that, after careful consideration of all options, Monash had no continuing interest in purchasing Bond University, either in its own right or as a member of any consortium.

34.2 International Education

Professor Logan gave a brief overview of current areas of concern in relation to international education, from both a Monash and IDP perspective.

34.3 Undergraduate Studies

Professors Logan and Chubb gave notice of their intention to propose IWC the establishment of an Undergraduate Studies Committee as a standing committee of the Academic Board to evaluate in detail all new course proposals before their submission to the Board. Such a committee, Professor Chubb said, could also assist in preparing responses to requests for information from government, and assist him in adjudicating contested issues relating to service teaching. Deans were in general concurrence with this proposal and agreed the committee should be chaired by Professor Chubb. It was also agreed that the committee should look at the resource implications of new course proposals, particularly where shifts in student load were envisaged.

34.4 Quality

Professor Chubb briefed Deans on the current state of the Government's quality initiative and of measures planned and in train by Monash to help it secure a maximum share of the going funds. In most cases, he said, time lines were short and the cooperation of Deans would be essential. It was noted that Professor Chubb would be chairing a small committee to monitor the University's quality program which would have decanal and student representation.

35. Urgent Matters

35.1 New Chairs in the Faculty of Business and Economics

The Committee endorsed the appended proposals for a Chair of Public MDW Sector Management and a Chair of Organisational Behaviour in the new Faculty of Business and Economics after noting that both had the full support of the Implementation Task Force.

35.2 1992 Budgetary Outcomes

Deans received and noted with considerable interest the appended PBW paper tabled by the General Manager showing the real budgetary outcomes for each faculty and other major cost centres as at 31 December 1992. Mr Wade gave notice that he would prepare for a future meeting a discussion paper on matters associated with non-Fund Source 1 monies.

Members also received and noted the appended paper tabled by the General Manager with details of long-service leave commitments for cost centres for the 1993-95 triennium.

35.3 Research Matters

Professor Porter gave notice that he would be looking to input from Deans in preparation for the DEET profile visit later in the year, particularly in relation to preparation of the University's research policy statement.

Other matters raised in discussion included:

. an undertaking by Professor Porter to circulate to Deans copies RP of key sections of the recently released NBEET report on research indicators; . agreement that future Deans' annual reports to Council should be MDW systematised with research forming a key element; and . agreement that Research Matters be a standard agenda item for MDW future meetings.

36. Off-Shore Graduation Ceremonies

The meeting generally endorsed the proposal from the Acting MDW Academic Registrar in the appended paper (D15/93) subject to some minor fine-tuning to be overseen by the Vice-Chancellor.

37. Membership of Council

The Committee's advice to the Vice-Chancellor was that Professor MDW Rae's name be submitted for appointment to Council in succession to Professor Chandler whose term as a coopted Dean was due to expire on 30 June.

38. Membership of the Monash University Club Committee

It was agreed that Professor Aspin should continue as the Deans' MDW representative on the Monash University Club Committee until the end of the year.

39. Other Business

No other business was raised.

Next Meeting

It was noted that the next meeting of the Committee was scheduled to be held at 2.15 pm on Tuesday, 1 June 1993, in the Clayfield Room at the Caulfield campus.