Committee of Deans Meeting 9-1994

Meeting No. 9/94 of the Committee of Deans was held on Tuesday 28 June 1994, in the Conference Room, 118 Krongold Centre, Clayton campus, between 2.15 pm and 9 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 L.H.T. West, Pro Vice-Chancellor (International Programs and Development)

Professor J.L.C.Chipman, Pro Vice-Chancellor (Gippsland Campus)

Associate Professor J. Whitelaw, Acting 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 C.B. Chapman, Dean and Director, Victorian College of Pharmacy

Professor I. Nicholls, Acting Dean, Faculty of Science

An apology was received from Professor Porter

In attendance were:

Mr P.B. Wade, General Manager

Mr J. White, Deputy General Manager

Professor P. Steele, for the Campus Director, Peninsula

Ms O. Cornelius, Academic Registrar

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

Mr P. Summers, Policy Adviser

Dr S. Matchett, Executive Director, University Development

M I N U T E S

85. Minutes

The minutes of Meeting No. 8/94 held on 8 June 1994, copies of which had been circulated, were confirmed and signed, subject to the following amendments:

(i) Amend Minute 80.3 to read as follows:

80.3 Monash Mt Eliza Graduate School of Business and Government Ltd

The Acting Vice-Chancellor advised that the agreement for the establishment of the new Graduate School, which is controlled by Monash, had been finalised, and that the Board of the School would meet for the first time in the near future.

(ii) Amend the list of those present to include professor J.L.C. Chipman, Pro Vice- Chancellor (Gippsland Campus).

85.1 Welcome

The Vice-Chancellor welcomed Associate Professor J. Whitelaw, Acting Dean, Faculty of Arts and Professor I Nicholls, Acting Dean, Faculty of Science. He also welcomed Dr S. Matchett, recently appointed Executive Director, University Development.

86. Matters arising from the Minutes not listed elsewhere in the Agenda

86.1 Academic Staff Career Development

The Deputy Vice-Chancellor advised that this matter was in hand.

86.2 Meetings held at campus venues

The Committee endorsed the Vice-Chancellor's proposal that the schedule of meetings proposed to be held at campuses other than Clayton be reviewed; where no specific purpose for an off-Clayton campus could be arranged, such as a meeting of the Committee with Heads of Departments, then meetings were to be held in the James McNeill Room.

86.3 Valedictory Ceremony and University Medals for Academic Merit

The Deputy Vice-Chancellor advised that this matter was in hand.

86.4 Remuneration of Heads of Department.

The Committee considered a tabled paper (D82/94) which outlined a proposed Deans allowance and grading model for Heads of Department, and noted that the Director, Personnel Services was to consult with each Dean on the proposal.

During discussion, the Committee noted that:

. the issue of Directors of Centres/Institutes was to be considered as part of the consultative process described above;

. University policy provided for allowances of the amount proposed to be payable by faculties; payment was not discretionary;

. other factors may need to be included in the proposed equation for determining allowance amounts, including complexity, staff numbers and numbers of students (not EFTSU); and

. the University's requirements of Heads of Department required clarification and were to be specified in a finalised proposal.

The General Manager advised that he would refer the matter to the Committee again in due course; in the meantime, Deans were asked to refer queries/comments to him.

86.5 Review Policy

The Vice-Chancellor advised that, as had been reported to Council the previous night, reviews were to be conducted of the faculties on a periodic basis; the first two would be the Faculties of Science and Medicine.

Faculty reviews were to be chaired by the Vice-Chancellor or Deputy Vice- Chancellor. Issues to be considered in the review process included curricula, degree structures/pathways, management, structure, inter-faculty relationships and other major issues identified from time to time. Reports of reviews were to be referred to Council.

The Committee noted that a developed proposal on review policy was to be referred to the next meeting of the Committee.

87. Report of the Vice-Chancellor

87.1 Vocational Education and Training

The Vice-Chancellor advised of the general support expressed by Council for his proposal that the University become more involved in vocational education and training. A proposal was to be presented to the Committee in due course, for its consideration and subsequent referral to Council.

87.2 History of Monash

Deans were invited to refer to the Vice-Chancellor documents they may hold which relate to the history and activities of the University.

87.3 Matters considered by the Vice-Chancellor's Executive

The Committee noted a tabled paper (D83/94) which listed matters discussed by the Vice-Chancellor's Executive at meetings held on 22 June and 28 June 1994.

87.4 Co-opted Dean on Council

The Vice-Chancellor advised that, in the light of the resignation of Professor I Rae, Dean of Science (effective from September) he would recommend to Council the co-option of Professor M. Quartly, Dean of Arts.

88. Urgent Matters

88.1 Review of Recruitment Advertising

The Deputy Vice-Chancellor advised that policy on recruitment advertising had been reviewed in the light of comments received from faculties. The current policy provided for the advertisement of all academic positions in the 'Australian'; in future, positions at the level of Lecturer Level B and above, with a duration above one year, were to be advertised in the Australian; all other positions were to be advertised in the Age or elsewhere, as appropriate.

A policy paper was to be distributed.

89. Research Matters

The Deputy Vice-Chancellor (Research and Development) advised the Committee that:

. intellectual property legislation had been approved by Council the previous night;

the legislation provided for the establishment of the Intellectual Property Committee, which would replace the Patents Committee;

. revised Research Management Guidelines were to be referred to the next meeting of the Academic Board;

. discussions with Deans and Associate Deans (Research) had commenced; and

. problems with MUSIS had been identified in relation to higher degree by research completions data.

90. Other Business

90.1 Information Technology Developments - MEMFIS

The Deputy General Manager presented an overview of information technology developments, as outlined in a tabled paper (D84/94). Deans

JW

A tabled paper (D85/94), being a page inadvertently omitted from the previously circulated paper on MEMFIS, was received, Deans noting that the recommendations therein were in a developmental stage and that their comments to the Deputy General Manager were invited.

During discussion, it was suggested that it would be beneficial for senior management to identify desired benefits of the new technology and efficiencies that may be achieved; deans would need to understand what was involved in MEMFIS and to decide if they wanted to use the system. Costs to faculties needed also to be recognised, and it was suggested that deans may need to identify areas where savings may be made in order to fund the introduction of the new technology and on-going costs associated with its utilisation, maintenance and development.

The Deputy General Manager undertook to provide regular reports on developments to the Committee.

91. Divisional Administrative Reports

The committee received reports from the:

. Deputy General Manager

. Director, Facilities Services

. Acting Director, Financial Services

. Director, Personnel Services

. Director, Research Services

. Director, Student Services

. University Librarian

. Director, Computer Centre

During discussion:

. the General Manager advised of an anticipated loss to the University of $1.2m in interest earnings in 1995 due to a revised method and timing of salary payments from DEET;

. the Deputy Vice-Chancellor (Research and Development) undertook to investigate the continuing practice of multiple handling of applications for approval of experiments involving animals.

92. Next Meeting

The next meeting of the Committee of Deans is scheduled for 12 noon on Wednesday 20 June 1994 in the James McNeill Room, Clayton campus.

Distribution

Vice-Chancellor

Deputy Vice-Chancellors

Pro-Vice-Chancellors

Deans

General Manager

Campus Director, Caulfield and Peninsula

Director, University Development

Adviser to the Vice-Chancellor

Deputy Deans, Business and Economics

Heads, Administrative Divisions

Librarian

Director, Computer Centre

University Solicitor

Policy & Planning Directorate (2)

Director, Administration, Gippsland

Director, Centre for International Students

Director, HEARU

General Manager, OLA

Registrar, Victorian College of Pharmacy

Assistant to Deputy Vice-Chancellor

Special Projects Officer, Clayton

Managers, Administrative Branches

Faculty Administrators

Personnel Branch