Committee of Deans Meeting 11-1994

Meeting No 11/94 of the Committee of Deans was held on Wednesday 31 August 1994, in the James McNeill Room, Clayton Campus between 12.00 noon and 2.00pm.

There were present:

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

Professor I W Chubb, Deputy Vice-Chancellor

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

Professor P LeP Darvall, Deputy Vice-Chancellor (Research and Development)

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

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

Professor M Quartly, Dean, Faculty of Arts

Professor R Willis, for Dean, Faculty of Computing and Information Technology

Professor R T White, Dean, Faculty of Education

Professor W H Melbourne, Dean, Faculty of Engineering

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 J W Warren, Dean, Faculty of Science

An apology was received from Professor P C Chandler, Pro Vice-Chancellor.

In attendance were:

Mr P B Wade, General Manager

Ms O Cornelius, Academic Registrar

Ms C E Anderson, Adviser to the Vice-Chancellor

Mr P Summers, Policy Adviser

Observers:

Ms B Hughes, SWAS

Ms P Alexander, SWAS

Dr M Clayton, SWAS

M I N U T E S

100. Minutes

The minutes of Meeting No 10/94 held on 20 July 1994, copies of which had been circulated, were confirmed and signed.

101. Matters Arising from the Minutes not listed elsewhere in the Agenda

101.1 Review Policy

The Deputy Vice-Chancellor advised that a document was not yet available.

101.2 Valedictory Ceremony and University Medals for Academic Merit

The Committee noted that this matter was under consideration by the Education Committee.

101.3 Policy on Centres

The Committee considered a separately circulated paper (D103/94) and noted that proposed policy dealt only with the University's research centres.

The Committee endorsed the proposal, for transmission to the Academic Board, subject to clarification of reporting requirements for centres loosely connected with faculties.

101.4 Malaysia

The Pro Vice-Chancellor (International Programs and Development) reported that, as a result of the desire of the MSC - Syme Business School in Malaysia to increase its intake, the University was moving to extract itself from the twinning arrangement with that body and to establish an alternative arrangement with a different partner.

The Committee noted the advice of the Pro Vice-Chancellor concerning possible changes to the Malaysian education act, and the potential implications for the University's teaching arrangements in Malaysia.

101.5 Deans' Annual Reports

The Secretary undertook to prepare a draft list of items to be addressed in Deans' annual reports to Academic Board and Council, for circulation to Deans for comment/input in the first instance.

102. Report of the Vice-Chancellor

102.1 Educational Profile Visit

The Committee noted that the visit had taken place on 30 August. Issues discussed had included:

× the University's commitment to reinstate its higher degree by research student load to 10% of total load by 1997 (currently 5.9%);

× the possibility of trading some undergraduate and higher degree by coursework (in load) load for higher degree by research load.

The Committee noted:

× a tabled paper (D104/94) which detailed the University's higher degree by research situation;

× DEET's new definition of a research degree provided for a research component of at least 66%;

× the University maintained its position concerning Berwick campus, and was to write to the Minister advising that no student load was to be transferred to the campus unless capital funds were made available;

× the HEC/DEET paper on resource allocation to higher education (circulated with the agenda for Academic Board meeting 6/94) made it clear there was to be no growth in the system.

102.2 Quality Visit

The Vice-Chancellor reminded the Committee of the visit of the Quality Review Team on 5 September; the Team had defined members of the University community with whom it wished to meet.

102.3 Subject Evaluation

The Deputy Vice-Chancellor tabled a report prepared by the Professional Development Centre (D105/94), which presented summarised data collected in a pilot survey conducted in 1993.

The Deputy Vice-Chancellor advised that, subject to a review of core questions and careful timetabling of the exercise, students were to be surveyed again at the end of Semester 2 1994.

102.4 Organisational Issues

The Vice-Chancellor advised that he would present to a future meeting of the Committee a range of broad organisational issues for consideration.

102.5 Items Discussed at the Vice-Chancellor's Executive Meetings, August 1994

The Committee noted items discussed, as outlined in a tabled paper (D105/94).

103. Urgent Matters

Nil.

104. Research Matters

The Committee noted data presented with the agenda (D91/94) which detailed the position of the University in 1992 and 1993, in relation to other tertiary institutions, with regard to:

× national competitive research grants;

× other public sector research funding;

× industry and other funding for research;

× research funding per FTES;

× publications;

× higher degree by research course completions.

The Deputy Vice-Chancellor (Research and Development) advised that, with regard to research, Monash was probably ranked at the lower end of the Great 8 scale and that preparation of the University's quality portfolio for 1995, when the quality exercise was expected to concentrate on research, had commenced.

105. Divisional Administrative Reports

The Committee received divisional administrative reports circulated with the agenda (D92/94 - D100/94).

During discussion:

× the General Manager briefed the Committee on a proposal for the introduction of a corporate card; a detailed proposal was to be considered by the Finance Committee in due course;

× it was agreed that Deans were to be invited to have input to the preliminary planning phase for the 1995 budget, that broad issues were to be referred for consideration to the next meeting of the Committee and that subsequently, as in 1993, discussions between the Vice-Chancellor, Deputy Vice-Chancellor and Deans on an individual basis would be held to consider and resolve fine- tuning issues;

× the Deputy Vice-Chancellor undertook to advise the Committee at its next meeting on costs associated with opening the University Library after hours, and of Library opening hours at other tertiary institutions;

× the General Manager undertook to advise on procedures in place for implementing the University's staff appraisal policy, including guidelines for the development of new-format position descriptions.

106. Other Business

106.1 Naming of Awards

The Committee considered issues relating to the naming of awards (D101/94), and the Deputy Vice-Chancellor (Academic Projects) undertook to:

× write to Deans on the matter, to ask that faculties recommend through their boards that existing Associate Diplomas be renamed Diplomas;

× receive advice from the Dean, Education, concerning naming of the current Diploma in Education;

× receive advice from the Dean, Arts, concerning naming of existing graduate diplomas for which non-graduates were eligible.

106.2 Chair in Biochemistry

The Committee approved, for referral to the Academic Board, a proposal from the Faculty of Medicine to advertise and fill a Chair of Biochemistry, the position to be advertised as Professor of Biochemistry (continuing), and Head of the Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology (5-year appointment) (D102/94).

107. Next meeting

The next meeting of the Committee of Deans is scheduled for 2.15 pm on Tuesday 20 September 1994 at the Victorian College of Pharmacy, Parkville.

Deans noted that they had previously been invited to attend a meeting at Parkville campus at 1.00 pm, prior to the meeting of the Committee.

1 September 1994

Distribution

Vice-Chancellor

Deputy Vice-Chancellors

Pro Vice-Chancellors

Deans

General Manager

Director, University Development

Adviser to the Vice-Chancellor

Deputy Deans, Business and Economics

General Manager, OLA

Heads, Administrative Divisions

Registrar, Victorian College of Pharmacy

Librarian

Assistant to Deputy Vice-Chancellor

Director, Computer Centre

Special Projects Officer, Clayton

University Solicitor

Managers, Administrative Branches

Policy & Planning Directorate (2)

Faculty Registrars

Director, Administration, Gippsland

Personnel Branch

Director, Centre for International Students

Director, Professional Development Centre

D1194M