Committee of Deans Meeting 7-1994
Meeting No. 7/94 of the Committee of Deans was held on Wednesday, 24 May
1994, in the Clayfield Room, at the Caulfield campus, between 2.15 and 4.45
pm.
There were present:
Professor M.I. Logan, Vice-Chancellor, in the Chair
Professor I.W. Chubb, Deputy Vice-Chancellor and Dean, Faculty of
Business and Economics
Professor R.J. Pargetter, Deputy Vice-Chancellor (Academic Projects)
Professor P.LeP. Darvall, Deputy Vice-Chancellor (Research and
Development) and Dean, Faculty of Engineering
Professor J.L.C. Chipman, Pro Vice-Chancellor (Gippsland Campus)
Professor M. Quartly, Dean, Faculty of Arts
Professor C.J. Bellamy, Dean, Faculty of Computing and Information
Technology
Professor R.T. White, Dean, Faculty of Education
Professor C.R. Williams, Dean, Faculty of Law
Professor R. Porter, Dean, Faculty of Medicine
Professor C.B. Chapman, Dean and Director, Victorian College of Pharmacy
Professor I.D. Rae, Dean, Faculty of Science
An apology was received from Professor L.H.T. West.
Others present:
Mr P.B. Wade, General Manager
Professor P. Steele, for Campus Director, Peninsula
Ms O. Cornelius, Academic Registrar
Ms C.E. Anderson, Advisor to the Vice-Chancellor
M I N U T E S
68. Minutes
The minutes of Meeting No. 6/94 held on Wednesday, 4 May 1994, copies of
which had been circulated, were confirmed and signed.
69. Matters arising from the Minutes not listed elsewhere in the
Agenda
69.1 Academic Staff Career Development
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The Committee gave further consideration to a policy proposal tabled at
the last meeting.
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The Committee noted that, while no comments had yet been received, as
invited from the Academic Board, NTEU Executive members had expressed
general support for the proposed procedures. Further consideration was to be
given to the following issues:
. identification of appropriate persons with responsibility for retention
of reports;
. the potential for use of reports for purposes other than career
development;
. separation of procedures for addressing instances of unsatisfactory
performance (shown at Attachment III in the previously circulated document)
from career development procedures.
It was noted that discussions with the NTEU were to continue and, to
allow adequate time for input from the academic community, it was
anticipated that a finalised proposal would be referred to the 20 July
meeting of the Academic Board, with the Board to be advised of progress at
its meeting of 8 June.
The Committee noted that career development procedures had already been
implemented in the faculties of Business and Economics, Law and Medicine.
Refresher training for all heads of departments was to be arranged.
70.Report of the Vice-Chancellor
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70.1 Meetings held at campus venues
The Vice-Chancellor advised that he was to give further consideration to
the matter of holding meetings of the Committee at various campus venues. He
expressed the view that, if such meetings were to be held in future, it may
be appropriate for Deans to meet with local heads of department and to
receive annually reports/proposals from campus directors consistent with the
integrated nature of the University and identifying opportunities presented
by the nature and location of the campus concerned.
70.2 Meetings held prior to Academic Board meetings
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The Vice-Chancellor endorsed a suggestion that, in 1995, Deans revert to
meeting on Tuesdays on a three weekly basis; meetings held immediately prior
to Academic Board meetings, the practice trialled in 1994, were deemed to
allow insufficient time for consideration of tabled proposals and referral
of appropriate advice to the Board.
70.3 Profiles Visit
The Committee noted that the Profile visit to the University was to be
held on 30 August 1994.
70.4 Quality Review
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The Vice-Chancellor advised that guidelines for the forthcoming review
were not yet available. During discussion, the Committee noted:
. Ms Baldwin and Ms Kelly had commenced meetings with Deans to discuss
faculty activities in relation to teaching and learning and that faculty
achievements were being identified in the process;
. the Committee was to consider at its next meeting faculty activities
and a draft set of headings proposed for the next quality report; and
. it was anticipated that the quality review team would want to be
satisfied that appropriate quality control processes were in place; such
processes were to be in place as far as possible by the end of 1994.
70.5 Items discussed at the Vice-Chancellor's Executive Meetings
The Committee received a tabled paper (D70/94) which detailed items
discussed at VCE meetings held on 9, 19 and 24 May 1994.
The Vice-Chancellor elaborated on the following items.
70.5.1 Retirement Age
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The Vice-Chancellor advised that a policy proposal was to be developed,
for consideration by Deans, in regard to:
. employees who, under the terms and conditions of their appointment,
were due to retire at 65; and
. terms and conditions of appointment for employees appointed to continue
beyond age 65.
The Deputy Vice-Chancellor advised that the University was working with
the University of Melbourne to develop policy proposals on the matter.
70.5.2 Industrial Relations Legislation
IWC SEH
The Deputy Vice-Chancellor alerted Deans to the implications of new
Industrial Relations legislation relating to employment of contract and
casual staff: under the Act, contract staff may be in a position to claim
wrongful dismissal if their employment was not continued at the end of a
contract; casual staff may make similar claims if their casual employment
was not on- going.
The Committee noted that a paper on the implications of the legislation
was to be prepared.
70.5.3 Letter to Dean of Engineering re proposed staff cuts in the
Faculty of Engineering
The Committee noted that a tabled letter (D68/94) from NTEU had been sent
to non-union staff members of the Faculty of Engineering advising that the
faculty had been `designated as an area where the number of academics has to
be reduced'.
The Committee noted that the statement was incorrect, and that NTEU was
to send a letter of correction to affected staff.
70.5.4 Voluntary Student Unionism
The Committee noted tabled correspondence (D66/94) from Professor Michael
Osborne to all Victorian Vice-Chancellors which advised of the possibility
of an amendment to clause 12F(4) in the Bill currently under consideration
in State parliament and that deferral of consideration of the Bill, to
enable a comprehensive revision, was unlikely.
70.5.5 Other items noted
(i) Deans and, their `right-hand staff' were to be invited to meet with
the Administration Executive at monthly meetings of that group.
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(ii) The Deputy Vice-Chancellor was to prepare a paper on a proposed
valedictory ceremony at which University Medals for Academic Achievements
may be presented.
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(iii) A preliminary proposal for the establishment of an acute-care
hospital on Gippsland campus.
(iv) Development of land bought by Monash Medical Centre - an item for
further consideration.
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71. Urgent Matters
71.1 Items for information of Deans
The Deputy Vice-Chancellor distributed to Deans for information the
following documents.
(i) Diversity and Performance of Australian Universities (Higher
Education Series, Report No. 22, April 1994, DEET).
(ii) Guide to writing objectives for courses and subjects (to be read in
conjunction with Section 3 of the Education Policy).
(iii) The Course Experience Questionnaire - 1993 Survey.
(iv) 1993 Subject Results Distribution - all faculties.
Deans noted that an edited version of this report was to be presented to
the next meeting of the Academic Board and were invited to consider data
presented in terms of subjects where the distribution of results differed
from the normal faculty pattern, from other faculty patterns or from results
of the previous year.
Deans OC
71.2 Education Policy
The Deputy Vice-Chancellor advised that 1994 was to be seen as a
transition year during which objectives were being set for policy
development; some policies were to be developed and implemented but it was
recognised that not all could be achieved during the year. For example,
subject proposals which did not fully meet guidelines would be approved at
this stage, subject to appropriate amendment by faculties.
71.3 Handbooks
Deans
The Committee noted that the Faculty of Business and Economics had
undertaken to produce the 1995 faculty handbook in-house, and that a
considerable extension of time in which subject/course approvals could be
sought was envisaged. Deans were invited to consider adopting a similar
practice in other faculties.
71.4 Quality Assurance Program Funds
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The Committee noted that submissions from Deans had been considered by
the Working Party established to consider allocation of funds. A total of
$3.7m had been allocated to faculties and Deans were to be notified in
writing of details of allocations to each faculty.
During discussion of the allocation of funds, Deans noted that:
. under the DIT strategy, basic training in the use of systems was to be
provided;
. training beyond a basic level could be funded by faculties from quality
assurance program funds;
. faculties would need to give consideration to setting up their own
`help-desk' facilities to support the strategy.
72. Research Matters
72.1 1994 AVCC Financial and Publications Research Data Collection
PLePD
The Deputy Vice-Chancellor (Research and Development) tabled documents
concerning the above data collection (D65/94 and D69/94) and advised that
the data will be used as the basis for the development of a new composite
index to distribute the Research Quantum in 1995.
The Committee noted that the data presented were yet to be confirmed, and
also noted the University's position in relation to other universities in
regard to:
. publications data
. higher degree research completions data;
. financial data.
The Deputy Vice-Chancellor (Research and Development) undertook to
arrange to publicise the University achievements in these areas.
72.2 Notes from Pro Vice-Chancellor's (Research) meeting in Canberra
The Committee received and noted a tabled document (D64/94) on the above
matter, for information.
72.3 Faculty Research and Research Training Guidelines
PLePD OC
The Committee received, as an `exposure draft', proposed guidelines
(D67/94) for faculty research and research training. Noting that the
document was in preliminary form only, and that, when finalised, it was to
form part of the University's policy manual, the Committee agreed that it be
referred to the Academic Board for comment and feedback to the Deputy
Vice-Chancellor (Research and Development).
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73.Appointment of Associate Deans
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The Committee endorsed a proposal (D51/94) from MAS for the development
of guidelines for the appointment of Associate Deans.
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During discussion, Deans noted the advice of the General Manager that a
paper was to be prepared, for consideration by Deans at the next meeting, on
the process by which heads of department are remunerated.
74. Review of the Department of Obstetrics and Gynaecology
The Committee noted the report of the above review (D52/94), which was to
be referred to Academic Board through the Board of the Faculty of Medicine.
75. Divisional Administrative Reports
The Committee received reports from Administrative Divisions
(D53/94-D61/94) and noted the request of the General Manager for feedback on
the usefulness of faculty and department budget management reports (D55/94,
p23).
Deans PBW
The Dean of Medicine suggested that, in the context of the report of the
Equal Opportunity Unit on students with disabilities (D56/94, p28), the
University needed to consider its obligations under legislation to provide
support services/facilities to students with disabilities and its
obligations to the community at large, in which disabled graduates may not
be able to find employment. He suggested the problem presented considerable
difficulty for deans of medical schools.
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76. Other Business
76.1 Review Policy
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During discussion of the draft proposal (D62/94) the following issues
were raised:
. academic staff must feel ownership for the review process through
recognition of its value to them;
. the role, if any, of the Academic Board in the review process, and the
relevance of that body to administrative reviews;
. the advisory role of the Policy and Planning unit in relation to
administrative policies;
. the need for the University to establish a formal and systematic
process of review, to apply to all parts of the University, through the
development of appropriate policy and mechanisms to ensure its
implementation;
. the need for policy to provide for some flexibility in the calling of
reviews.
The Deputy Vice-Chancellor advised that a revised document was to be
referred to the next meeting of the Committee, for further discussion.
76.2 Maternity Leave Report
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Deans endorsed a proposal to establish a fund for maternity leave from
within budgets of identified budget areas (D63/94).
77. Next Meeting
The next meeting of the Committee of Deans is scheduled for 11.00 am on
Wednesday, 8 June 1994 in the Council Room, Gippsland Campus.
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25 May 1994
Distribution
Vice-Chancellor
Deputy Vice-Chancellors
Pro-Vice-Chancellors
Deans
General Manager
Campus Director, Peninsula
Director, University Development
Adviser to the Vice-Chancellor
Deputy Deans, Business and Economics
Heads, Administrative Divisions
Librarian
Director, Computer Centre
Policy & Planning Directorate (2)
Director, Administration, Gippsland
Director, Centre for International Students
Director, HEARU
Director, Buildings and Development
General Manager, OLA
Registrar, Victorian College of Pharmacy
Assistant to Deputy Vice-Chancellor
Special Projects Officer, Clayton
Managers, Administrative Branches
Faculty Administrators
Personnel Branch
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