Committee of Deans Meeting 16-1994
Meeting No 16/94 of the Committee of Deans was held on Tuesday 13
December 1994, in the Council Room, University Offices, Clayton campus,
between 2.15 pm and 4.30 pm.
There were present:
Professor P LeP Darvall, Deputy Vice-Chancellor (Research and
Development), in the Chair
Professor L H T West, Pro Vice-Chancellor (International Programs and
Development)
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 W H Melbourne, Dean, Faculty of Engineering
Professor C R Williams, Dean, Faculty of Law
Professor R Porter, Dean, Faculty of Medicine
Professor J W Warren, Dean, Faculty of Science
Apologies were received from:
Professor M I Logan, Vice-Chancellor
Professor I W Chubb, Deputy Vice-Chancellor
Professor R J Pargetter, Deputy Vice-Chancellor (Academic Projects)
Professor J A Rickard, Pro Vice-Chancellor & Dean, Faculty of Business &
Economics
Professor C B Chapman, Dean and Director, Victorian College of Pharmacy
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
Observer:
Mr J Mathews, Director, Division of Financial Services
M I N U T E S
139. Presentation
The Committee received and noted a presentation from Mr James Myers,
consultant on fundraising. Mr Myers spoke of his role as consultant to a
University committee on fundraising, to be chaired by the Deputy Chancellor,
Mr P Ramler, and of his experience in the United States, Australia and New
Zealand both as a fundraiser and as a consultant in the field. He advised
that the committee was to develop an integrated, institution-wide program to
coordinate fundraising activities and to develop associated protocols and
disciplines in consultation with Deans. The Committee noted Mr Myers' advice
about the necessity for universities to be involved in fundraising, the role
and responsibilities of the Vice-Chancellor and Deans, the role of alumni,
and received tabled papers which:
(a) outlined in diagrammatic form a possible future organisational
structure to support and implement fundraising programs, under the aegis of
the Monash Foundation and headed by a Pro Vice-Chancellor, Development (a
role currently undertaken by Professor Chandler) (D170/94); and
(b) a chart showing the structure of the University Relations department
of Seattle University which demonstrated the allocation of resources to the
various research activities required to support fundraising initiatives
(D171/94).
In time, Mr Myers saw the University establishing a central Development
Office, with responsibility to coordinate fundraising activities and to
undertake relevant research, with similar offices being established in
faculties, whence major fundraising initiatives would emerge.
Professor Chandler advised the Committee that the Monash Foundation was
looking to provide a framework of guidelines for fundraising within which
Deans could act and that support structures for activities had not yet been
finalised. The Dean of Medicine expressed reservations about the potential
for establishment of a bureaucracy which may inhibit fundraising activities;
he expressed the view that individual and independent roles for Deans and
heads of departments should be maintained.
140. Minutes
140.1 Amendment
The minutes of Meeting No 15/94 held on 23 November 1994, copies of which
had been circulated, were confirmed and signed, subject to amendment to
Minute 133.6 (document D151/94 re Review of Staff Selection and Associated
Policies and Procedures refers).
The Dean of Law requested an amendment to the Minute to indicate that the
Committee had not endorsed proposed amendments to the previously circulated
document; amendments proposed by him to the Director, Personnel Services,
had not been incorporated in the document and, with regard to the role of an
outgoing Dean in relation to the selection process for appointment of a new
Dean, he recommended that current practice, as cited in the Staff Handbook,
should be retained in any revised procedures.
The Committee noted that the paper was to be referred to it again for
consideration at the meeting scheduled for 7 February 1995.
140.2 Report on Language and Learning Activities
Minute 135.2 refers.
The Dean of Arts, having noted that the report on Language and Learning
Activities had been withdrawn from Academic Board meeting No 8/94 (AB
minutes 8/94, item 16 refers), requested that Deans have the opportunity to
consider the full report prior to its referral again to the Academic Board
in 1995.
The Committee requested that the report be referred to its first meeting
in 1995, prior to its referral to the Academic Board.
141. Matters arising from the Minutes not listed elsewhere in the
Agenda
141.1 Farrer Fire Committee of Inquiry
The Committee received and noted a report on the above matter (D153/94).
141.2 Multiple Entry Points and Entry Standards to Undergraduate
Courses for International Fee-Paying Students
The Committee received a report on the above matter (D154/94) and noted
that the proposal attempted to establish a policy framework within which
faculties may operate if they chose to do so.
The general principles presented having been agreed by the Committee, the
Committee having recognised that participating faculties were to set entry
standards for admission, the Pro Vice-Chancellor (International Programs and
Development) advised that he would discuss the matter with each Dean in
order to identify courses for which the scheme may be introduced.
141.3 Voluntary Early Retirement
The Committee noted the advice of the Deputy Vice-Chancellor (D155/94).
Some Deans expressed concern that they had not yet been contacted to express
their views on the scheme; others were concerned that insufficient time had
been given to them to ascertain numbers of staff who may be eligible for the
scheme.
141.4 Funding for Library Resources - New Courses/Subjects
The view was expressed that Deans were responsible to ensure funds were
allocated to the Library to cover the costs of resources required for the
introduction of new courses or subjects. It was suggested that, in cases
where a faculty had not allocated appropriate resources to the Library, the
Librarian should follow the matter up with the Dean concerned. It was also
suggested that the initial issue was one of planning; faculties may need to
develop strategic plans to stage and fund the introduction of new
courses/subjects (D156/94).
141.5 Membership of University Bodies (D165/94)
141.5.1 Monash University Club Management Committee
The Committee agreed to recommend Professor C Bellamy for appointment as
the Vice-Chancellor's representative to the Monash University Club
Management Committee in 1995.
141.5.2 General Library Committee
The Committee nominated Professor M Quartly, Dean of Arts, as its
representative to the General Library Committee for a three year term of
office (1995-1997).
141.5.3 Occupational Health and Safety Committee
The Committee noted that the Vice-Chancellor had nominated Professor J
Warren, Dean of Science, to membership of the Occupational Health and Safety
Committee in 1995.
141.6 Principal Dates 1995
The Committee noted principal dates for 1995 (D160/94).
141.7 Proposed Schedule of Decanal Presentations to Council 1995
The Committee approved the schedule of decanal presentations to Council
as presented (D161/94).
141.8 Divisional Administrative Reports
The Committee noted a tabled schedule for the presentation in 1995 of
reports of administrative divisions/departments (D166/94).
142. Report of the Vice-Chancellor
142.1 Directions for the Future
The Chair drew to the attention of the Committee a memorandum of 6
December 1994 from the Vice-Chancellor, concerning Directions for the
Future, which had been circulated separately to members.
He asked that the following material be compiled in a reference portfolio
and circulated to Deans to assist in their consideration of the issues
raised in the memorandum:
× a summary of responses from Deans to Development Plan questions (from
July 1993);
× a report of outcomes of the 1994 Deans' Retreat held at Queenscliff;
× the above-cited memorandum from the Vice-Chancellor;
× a document on the University's academic profile, prepared by the Deputy
Vice- Chancellor (Academic Projects);
× the documents presented by the Vice-Chancellor to the last meeting of
the Committee (Meeting 15/94, 23 November, D162/94 and D163/94).
Deans were invited to consider internal and external issues on which
advice was needed, as presented in the Vice-Chancellor's memorandum of 6
December, and to suggest additions, and during general discussion,
suggestions raised included the following:
× the need to identify and prioritise critical success factors;
× the need to identify faculty futures;
× the need to consider external factors relating to changes in the
community and governments;
× the need to identify the University's core business;
× the need to identify local alliances and types of institutions with
which the University wished to be allied;
× the need to recognise inevitable trends, such as government's desire to
relinquish responsibility for funding education;
× the potential impact of technological change on teaching and learning
methods, attendance patterns, delivery of information to students.
143. Urgent Matters
143.1 Reviews of Faculties
The Dean of Law reminded the Committee that guidelines for the conduct of
University reviews had not yet been referred to the Committee for
consideration, although the review process was well under way. He suggested
that general ground rules were required, which were to be acceptable to
Deans and which addressed such matters as:
× the composition of review committees;
× processes for the establishment of general terms of reference;
× processes for the establishment of faculty specific terms of reference;
× provision for consultation with the Dean at each stage of the review
process;
× provision of adequate lead time for Deans to prepare for reviews.
In response to the Dean of Law's advice that he intended to prepare a
discussion paper on the matter, the Chair suggested that such a paper be
referred to the Deputy Vice-Chancellor to be ultimately considered by the
Committee in conjunction with a draft policy paper considered earlier in the
year (Meeting 7/94, 24 May, D62/94).
The Committee noted the advice of the Secretary that a draft procedures
document was currently under consideration by the Deputy Vice-Chancellor.
The Dean of Medicine suggested that review guidelines should clarify
reporting mechanisms and the extent to which the Academic Board was to be
involved in the establishment of reviews and receipt of review reports. He
suggested also that review findings should be referred to the Academic Board
through the Committee of Deans.
144. Research Matters
144.1 Reviews of Centres
The Deputy Vice-Chancellor (Research and Development) advised Deans that
they should initiate reviews of centres associated with faculties.
145. Administrative Reports
The Committee received and noted reports from the University Librarian
(D167/94), the Director, Computer Centre (D168/94) and the Director,
Professional Development Centre (D169/94).
146. Other Business
No items were raised.
147. Next Meeting
The Committee noted that the next meeting of the Committee was
provisionally scheduled for 2.15 pm on Tuesday 17 January 1995 in the James
McNeill Room, University Offices, Clayton Campus.
The Committee noted that this meeting, if required to be held, was
scheduled to consider any issues relating to enrolments/achieving targets
which may require consideration and resolution.
Committee members noted that they would receive confirmation of the
meeting, or advice of its cancellation, on 12 January 1995.
Distribution
Vice-Chancellor
Deputy Vice-Chancellors
Pro Vice-Chancellors
Deans
General Manager
Director, University Development
Adviser to the Vice-Chancellor
Deputy Dean, Business and Economics
General Manager, OLA
Director, Administrative Divisions
Registrar, Victorian College of Pharmacy
University Librarian
Assistant to Deputy Vice-Chancellor
Director, Computer Centre
Special Projects Officer
Policy and Legal Counsel
Managers, Administrative Branches
Policy & Planning Directorate (2)
Faculty Registrars
Director, Administration, Gippsland
Personnel Branch
Director, Centre for International Students
SWAS Members
Director, Professional Development Centre
Academic Projects Office
D1694M
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