Committee of Deans Meeting 4-1995

Meeting No 4/95 of the Committee of Deans was held on Tuesday 21 March 1995, in the Deans' Meeting Room, University Offices, Clayton, between 2.15 pm and 5.20 pm.

There were present:

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

Professor R J Pargetter, Deputy Vice-Chancellor

Professor P LeP Darvall, Deputy Vice-Chancellor

Professor J L C Chipman, Deputy Vice-Chancellor

Professor L H T West, Pro Vice-Chancellor

Professor P C Chandler, Pro Vice-Chancellor

Professor M Quartly, Dean, Faculty of Arts

Professor A Russell for Dean, Faculty of Business and Economics

Professor C J Bellamy, Dean, Faculty of Computing and Information Technology

Professor L Cairns for Dean, Faculty of Education

Professor M L Brisk, 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

Professor C B Chapman, Dean and Director, Victorian College of Pharmacy

Apologies were received from:

Professor J A Rickard, Pro Vice-Chancellor & Dean, Faculty of Business & Economics

Professor R T White, Dean, Faculty of Education

Mr P B Wade, General Manager

In attendance were:

Ms O Cornelius, Academic Registrar

Ms C E Anderson, Adviser to the Vice-Chancellor

Mr J White, Acting General Manager

Mr R Burnet, Director, Student Services

M I N U T E S

1. Minutes

The minutes of Meeting No 3/95 were confirmed and signed.

2. Matters arising from the Minutes not dealt with elsewhere in the Agenda

2.1 Reviews of Faculties

The Committee received and suggested amendments to a paper titled 'Reviews of Academic and Administrative Units' (D26/95), as presented with these minutes.

2.2 Development of Melbourne's Hospital Network

Copies of the University's submission to the Metropolitan Hospital Planning Board were tabled (D27/95); the Committee noted key issues in the submission, as outlined by the Dean, Faculty of Medicine.

3. Vice-Chancellor's Report

3.1 Directions for the Future

The Committee received for reference a tabled copy of an extract from the strategic plan of another University (D28/95).

Deans were invited to annotate their copies of the document with ideas and suggestions and to return them to the Vice-Chancellor, to assist with the development of a draft planning document for consideration by the Committee at its next meeting.

3.2 1994 Quality Review

The Vice-Chancellor invited suggestions from Deans for the allocation of funds to be received by the University as an outcome of the 1994 quality process. The view was expressed that consideration should be given to earmarking funds available for support of teaching activities within the University.

3.3 Items discussed at the Vice-Chancellor's Executive Meetings

The Committee received a tabled paper outlining issues discussed at meetings held on 16 February, 2, 8 and 16 March 1995 (D29/95).

4. Urgent Matters

No urgent matters were raised.

5. Research Matters

Professor Darvall outlined issues to be considered in the development of the University's submission to the 1995 quality review process. He indicated that inclusion of information relating to community service was to be included in the portfolio.

6. International Matters

Professor West advised that preliminary information concerning international student load had been circulated to Deans. It was anticipated that a full report would be available for the next meeting of the Committee.

7. Special Items

7.1 Review of Staff Selection and Associated Policies and Procedures

Professor Darvall advised that he had written to Deans to advise them that, at the special meeting held with Deans on 2 March 1995, it had been agreed that current procedures relating to staff selection, as presented in the Staff Handbook, were to remain in place, with appropriate amendments as recommended by the Vice-Chancellor to Council at Council Meeting No 4/93 (D30/95).

7.2 Conversion of Contract Appointments

The Committee noted the advice of Professor Darvall that the current entry relating to contract appointments in the Staff Handbook was to remain in force with a minor amendment.

7.3 Enterprise Bargaining

The Committee received a tabled confidential document (D31/95) and noted that mechanisms for achieving a 2% salary increase were still under review. The Deputy Vice-Chancellor advised that the following matters for negotiation had been identified: Compulsory performance appraisal for all staff;

Compulsory redeployment;

Reversionary tenure;

Span of hours;

Teaching assistants.

These issues were to be further discussed with the NTEU and Deans were to be consulted concerning their priorities for the University's Log of Claims.

7.4 Accelerated Appointment of Professors

The Committee noted that a proposal relating to the accelerated appointment of professors had been endorsed at the special meeting held on 2 March and referred to the Academic Board (Meeting 2/95) (D18/95).

7.5 Membership of Selection Committee: Deanship, Faculty of Science

The Committee considered membership of a decanal selection committee for the position of Dean, Faculty of Science, as approved by Council on 20 February 1995, as follows:

Vice-Chancellor (Chairman) Professor M I Logan
Deputy Vice-Chancellor, nominated by the Vice-Chancellor
General Manager Mr P B Wade
Professorial representatives of the Faculty of Science Four to be elected
Non-professorial representatives of the Faculty of Science Two to be elected
Academic Board nominees Professors M Quartly, G D Thorburn and R Coppel (co-opted)
Council nominees Professor J M Hearn Dr G A Knights

The Committee noted that:

nomination of Professor M Quartly to the Committee by the Academic Board satisfied Council's determination that the Committee should include a Dean (CL1/95/39);

the Chairman was to nominate Deputy Vice-Chancellors Darvall and Pargetter to membership of the Committee;

a student member of the Faculty Board was to be appointed to the Committee; in accordance with procedures, as detailed in the Staff Handbook, Professor J Warren, Dean of Science, was to be consulted by the selection committee.

7.6 Early Voluntary Retirement (EVR)

It was noted that applications from staff for EVR were due to be received by 31 May. The impact of the scheme was to be assessed prior to implementation; Professor Darvall undertook to discuss the scheme and circulation of relevant advice to faculties with the General Manager.

8. Matters raised by Deans

8.1 Chair of Medicinal Chemistry, Victorian College of Pharmacy

The Committee endorsed a proposal from the Board of the Victorian College of Pharmacy to advertise and fill a Chair of Medicinal Chemistry (D19/95).

9. Reports of Administrative Divisions / Departments 9.1 Report of Personnel Services Division

The Committee noted that the General Manager was to report to the next meeting.

9.2 Report of Student Services Division

The Director, Student Services, presented his report to the Committee (D20/95).

The Committee agreed that the report be referred to Faculty Registrars and to the Academic Board for information.

9.3 Report on CASMAC

The Acting General Manager presented his report to the Committee (D21/95).

10. General Business

10.1 Academic Medals and Valedictory Ceremonies

The Committee recognised that the proposal presented (D22/95) sought to address two issues which were not necessarily logically related: the issue of a common valedictory ceremony and the issue of the award of University medals for academic excellence. Professor Pargetter advised that little interest in a University valedictory ceremony had been expressed by students and that he would bring forward to the committee a paper relating to the award of medals, having ensured more discussion of the matter in the University community.

10.2 Spotting and Priming Talent for Postgraduate Scholarships

Deans were asked to provide Professor Darvall with responses on the proposal presented (D23/95). The matter was to be given further consideration in due course.

10.3 Format for Agendas

The Committee noted the new format for agendas (D24/95).

10.4 Role of CADeT

The Committee considered the terms of reference for the Committee of Associate Deans (Teaching) (D25/95). In the light of discussion, including a suggestion that an appropriate statute be developed, Professors Pargetter and Chipman undertook to review the document and present a proposal to the next meeting of the Committee.

10.5 Lifelong Learning

Professor Pargetter advised the Committee that copies of the NBEET publication 'Developing Lifelong Learners through Undergraduate Education' (August 1994) were to be made available to Deans. It was possible that a working party of Deans was to be established to consider relevant issues in due course.

11. Next Meeting

The Committee noted that the next meeting was to be held at 2.15 pm on Monday 10 April in the Deans' Meeting Room, Ground Floor, University Offices, Clayton campus.

28 March 1995

Distribution

Vice-Chancellor

Deputy Vice-Chancellors

Pro Vice-Chancellors

Deans

General Manager

Director, University Development

Adviser to the Vice-Chancellor

Deputy Dean, Business & Economics

Director, Organisational Development

Directors, Administrative Divisions

General Manager, OLA

University Librarian

Registrar, Victorian College of Pharmacy

Policy and Legal Counsel

Academic Projects Office

Policy and Planning Directorate (2)

Managers, Administrative Branches

Director, Computer Centre

Faculty Registrars

Director, Administration, Gippsland

Personnel Branch

Director, International Office

Director, Professional Development Centre

SWAS Members