Committee of Deans Meeting 12-1994
Meeting No 12/94 of the Committee of Deans was held on Tuesday 20
September 1994, in the Board Room, Victorian College of Pharmacy, Parkville,
between 2.15 pm and 4.50 pm.
There were present:
Professor M I Logan, Vice-Chancellor, in the Chair
Professor J L C Chipman, Pro Vice-Chancellor (Gippsland Campus)
Professor P C Chandler, Pro Vice-Chancellor
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 T Sridhar, for 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
Apologies were received from:
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 A Rickard, Pro Vice-Chancellor & Dean, Faculty of Business
and Economics
In attendance were:
Mr P B Wade, General Manager
Ms O Cornelius, Academic Registrar
Ms C E Anderson, Adviser to the Vice-Chancellor
M I N U T E S
108. Minutes
The minutes of Meeting No 11/94 held on 31 August 1994, copies of which
had been circulated, were confirmed and signed.
109. Matters Arising from the Minutes not listed elsewhere in the
Agenda
109.1 Library Opening Hours
Item deferred to the next meeting of the Committee.
110. Report of the Vice-Chancellor
110.1 Admission of International Students
The Vice-Chancellor advised of an arrangement between another university
and TAFE for international students to undertake the first year of a
Commerce degree at certain TAFE colleges, with entry to the university
guaranteed on successful completion of that first year of study.
The Committee noted that international students would be paying a
comparatively low fee for their first year of study.
110.2 Monitoring Degree Quality
The Vice-Chancellor advised that, at its meeting of 19 September, Council
had endorsed his proposal to establish a small committee to monitor the
quality of Monash degrees.
110.3 Student Organisations Statute The Committee noted that
Council, at its meeting of 19 September, had approved a Statute concerning
student organisations which was designed to:
× give effect to the state government's voluntary student unionism
legislation;
× provide for an umbrella body to facilitate student input on
university-wide issues;
× re-structure student associations on Clayton campus.
It was noted that implementation of the legislation was to be monitored,
with the legislation to be reviewed in due course if necessary.
110.4 Enterprise Bargaining
The Vice-Chancellor invited from Deans suggestions as to how the
University may seek to achieve increased productivity, an issue fundamental
to the enterprise bargaining process.
It was suggested that it could be useful to set up a process of
consultation with staff to seek their input on enhancing productivity.
110.5 Items discussed at the Vice-Chancellor's Executive Meetings,
September 1994
The Committee noted items discussed, as outlined in a tabled paper
(D123/94).
111. Urgent Matters
111.1 Subject Evaluation
The Pro Vice-Chancellor, Gippsland campus, presented a tabled paper which
detailed proposed changes to core items for subject evaluation
questionnaires (D122/94).
Deans were invited to refer comments and suggestions concerning the
questionnaires to Dr Gay Baldwin, Policy and Planning Unit, and to advise
her of the proportion of subjects to be evaluated in each faculty, noting
that a maximum of 25% of subjects currently on offer could be handled by the
Professional Development Centre.
112. Research Matters
112.1 Research Strategy
The Committee noted the Vice-Chancellor's advice that the Deputy
Vice-Chancellor (Research and Development) had established a small group of
variable membership to develop a research strategy for the University.
113. Divisional Administrative Reports
The Committee received divisional administrative reports circulated with
the agenda (108/94 - D116/94).
During discussion:
× the General Manager advised that he would arrange for a summary paper
on CASMAC developments/problems to be circulated to Deans;
× it was agreed that recommendations of the University Librarian
(D114/94, p35) concerning electronic publishing be referred to the General
Manager, to consider their financial feasibility;
× Deans sought clarification on the proposed method of distribution to
staff of new policy on Academic Staff Career Development (D111/94), and also
sought further information concerning implementation of performance
appraisal policy for general and research staff;
× the General Manager advised that he would bring forward to a meeting of
the Committee a report on accumulated recreation leave (over 30 days); the
Vice-Chancellor advised that he would raise the matter again at the Academic
Board and write to staff, on the advice of the General Manager, who had
accumulated leave of say, over 80 days.
114. Other Business
114.1 Deans' Annual Reports
The Committee discussed a previously circulated paper which presented
draft guidelines on the content of Deans' annual reports on academic
activities to Academic Board and Council (D117/94).
During discussion, the following suggestions were made:
× to replace the statement about the `use to which the teaching quantum
has been put' with `actions taken to increase the quality of teaching and
learning eg. examples of innovative teaching';
× to include a preface linking the faculty's activities with University
and faculty objectives;
× to include at item 3 other types of grants;
× to identify income-generating activities;
× to identify international activities (in line with University
objectives);
× to detail other programs, projects, activities;
× to detail research activities and report on processes by which research
is directed/developed;
× to include information about staff appointments, profiles, etc;
× to include relevant data, including financial information.
It was agreed that:
× inclusion of a reference to Faculty Mediators was to be checked;
× the General Manager would develop a common format for presentation in
reports of appropriate data;
× a revised draft was to be presented to the next meeting of the
Committee.
114.2 1995 Budget
Having advised that meetings to discuss 1995 budgets were to be arranged
between Deans, the Vice-Chancellor, the Deputy Vice-Chancellor and Messrs
Harris and Levine, the Vice- Chancellor outlined basic parameters within
which the budget planning process was to take place:
× no growth in the system;
× state funding was to reduce by about 25%;
× an increase in the research quantum was anticipated.
Deans' views were sought on:
× the allocation of funds to faculties;
× the 2% quantum for teaching;
× the previously foreshadowed shift in load to the postgraduate area, and
consequent increase in Monash scholarships;
× the future of the development fund, and its possible limitation to
already committed expenditure only;
× proposed commitment to an Institute/Centre for the Environment;
× anticipated increase in Library funding;
× areas where an early retirement scheme may be implemented;
× sources of income, such as charging fees for off-load graduate
students, non-award students, summer schools.
The view was expressed that identified and costed University-wide
commitments should be taken `off the top' before an allocation of funds was
made to faculties and the administration.
A paper was to be presented to the next meeting of the Committee.
114.3 Associate Deans (Teaching)
Item deferred to the next meeting of the Committee.
114.4 Chair of Journalism
The Committee endorsed a proposal from the Board of the Faculty of Arts
to advertise and fill a Chair of Journalism, for referral to Academic Board.
114.5 Chairs of Education
The Committee:
× endorsed a proposal from the Board of the Faculty of Education to
advertise and fill a Chair of Educational Policy and Administration, for
referral to Academic Board; and
× subject to further consideration by the Faculty of Education and the
Faculty of Science in the light of outcomes of the forthcoming review of the
Faculty of Science, with a view to considering a joint appointment and/or
closer links between the faculties in relation to Science education, the
Committee endorsed a proposal from the Board of the Faculty of Education to
advertise and fill a Chair of Science and Technology Education.
115. Next meeting
Deans noted that the next meeting of the Committee of Deans was scheduled
for 12 noon on 12 October 1994 in the James McNeill Room, Clayton Campus.
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
Policy and Legal Counsel
Managers, Administrative Branches
Policy and Planning Directorate (2)
Faculty Registrars
Director, Administration, Gippsland
Personnel Branch
Director, Centre for International Students
SWAS
Director, Professional Development Centre
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