Committee of Deans Meeting 4-1996

Meeting No. 4/96 of the Committee of Deans was held between 2.15 pm and 4.25 pm on Tuesday 26 March 1996 in the Sir George Lush Room, Ground Floor, University Offices 3.1, Clayton Campus.

Janice H Newham
jahn

Secretary

95/1065

There were present:

Professor R J Pargetter, Acting Vice-Chancellor, Chair

Professor P LeP Darvall, Deputy Vice-Chancellor

Professor J L C Chipman, Deputy Vice-Chancellor

Professor P C Chandler, Pro Vice-Chancellor

Professor L H T West, Pro Vice-Chancellor

Professor M Quartly, Dean, Faculty of Arts

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

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

Professor R T White, Dean, Faculty of Education

Professor M L Brisk, Dean, Faculty of Engineering

Professor C R Williams, Dean, Faculty of Law

Professor B Tonge for 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

In attendance were:

Mr P B Wade, General Manager

Dr S Matchett, Executive Director, Marketing and Communications

Ms C E Anderson, Adviser to the Vice-Chancellor

Ms J H Newham, Secretary

Present by invitation were:

Professor G K Egan, Chair, Communications Computing &Multimedia Advisory Board

Mr P R Annal, Director, Computer Centre

Apologies were received from:

Professor M I Logan AC, Vice-Chancellor

Professor R Porter, Dean, Faculty of Medicine

At the commencement of the Meeting the Committee agreed to the Acting Vice- Chancellor's suggestion that the agenda be re-ordered with items 9.1 and 9.2 considered after item 1.

M I N U T E S

1. Minutes

The Minutes of Meeting No. 3/96 were confirmed and signed.

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

2.1 Open Learning Funding

A memorandum (D30/96) from the Acting Vice-Chancellor as Chair of the Distance Education and Open Learning Committee, Professor R J Pargetter, was received in relation to the matter raised by the Dean of Arts at the previous meeting (Item 10.3.1).

Deans 96/0409

The General Manager, Mr P B Wade, referred to the consultation with Deans being conducted by Mr J Harris on this subject. He asked that Deans let him know if there were any problems with this process.

The Committee noted Professor Pargetter's memorandum and the advice provided by Mr Wade.

2.2 1995 Annual Reports of Deans and Senior Officers to the Academic Board and Council - Revised Schedule

OC JHN KWR

A revised Schedule had been prepared by the Secretary on the basis of the discussion at the previous meeting (item 10.4) and circulated for confirmation by Deans and other senior officers. The final Schedule was tabled and was received and noted by the Committee (D41/96). Deans

TH

PRA

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2.3 Disability Discrimination Act - Action Plan Survey Responses

GB

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At Meeting 15/95 of the Committee of Deans a question had been raised about responses received to the Survey conducted by the Disability Liaison Office.

A document prepared by Ms G Bruce, Executive Officer, Monash University Advisory Committee for People with Disabilities was received and noted (D31/96).

2.4 Quality Round 3 (Q3) Funds

Deans

JHN

At previous Meeting (Item 3.3) Deans' views were sought on the distribution of "Q3" funding.

95/1616

Before dealing with the specific issue of Q3 funds the Committee received a document provided by the General Manager titled "Operating Budget Planning" (D 43/96) dated 25 March 1996, which had been circulated by facsimile on 25 March. The document related to Quality funds and a number of other issues discussed by the Committee at previous meetings, including future load planning on the campuses and Australian fee paying postgraduate load.

Mr Wade introduced the paper and invited comments from members. After some discussion about fee charging options, on Mr Wade's suggestion it was agreed that the item be listed on the agenda for consideration at the following meeting.

With respect to the distribution of Quality funds, Acting Vice-Chancellor Professor R J Pargetter and Deputy Vice-Chancellor Professor P LeP Darvall invited Deans to lodge their specific bids for funding by the appropriate date.

3. Vice-Chancellor's Report

3.1 Co-opted Decanal Members of Council

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OC

The Committee received a paper prepared by the Secretary as a result of the discussion at Meeting 3/96 (D32/96).

RTW

MLB

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The Committee was required to nominate two Deans for co-option to Council membership in time for consideration at Council Meeting 3/96 on 6 May 1996. The Committee was also asked to approve either Option A or Option B as a procedure for determining the order of appointment of decanal members of Council in future.

There was general agreement that the differentiation of faculties into "laboratory" and "non- laboratory", as presented in Option A, was no longer appropriate. On this basis it was agreed that Option B - determination of the order of decanal appointments to Council alphabetically - was the preferred option. However in view of the fact that the Faculty of Education had apparently not been represented on Council since 1981 it was agreed that the proposal be implemented starting with the Dean of Education rather than the Dean of Arts. The Secretary agreed to amend the document to this effect and advise the Secretary to Council.

The Committee acknowledged that the decanal membership provisions, and the membership and role of Council in general, would likely be revisited as a result of the Hoare Committee report and the arrival of a new Vice-Chancellor in 1997.

3.2 Timing of Meetings of Faculty Boards

JHN

ERB

The Chair, Professor R J Pargetter, said that the Education Committee and the Academic Board had been considering new course proposals for 1997, some of which had not been presented to faculty boards and still required refinement at faculty level. He suggested that, in order to avoid the situation next year where proposals would again be approved subject to faculty board ratification, Deans consider holding a meeting of their faculty boards early enough in the year to approve new course proposals for consideration by the March meeting of the Academic Board.

Deans agreed to give this matter their attention. Deans

Faculty

Registrars

96/0413

4. Urgent Matters

4.1 Audit of Monash International 91/0336

The General Manager, Mr P B Wade, advised the Committee that the audit investigation of Monash International mentioned at Council Meeting 2/96 had resulted in the discovery of a theft. The Committee noted that effective steps had been taken to recover the funds. Mr Wade also informed the Committee that financial systems and procedures were being tightened at Monash International and that he was expecting to receive a final audit report shortly.

93/0453

Professor C Chapman, Dean and Director of the Victorian College of Pharmacy, asked in the context of usage of the computer network if local calls were timed. The Dean of Computing and Information Technology Professor Bellamy confirmed that so far, local calls were not timed.

5. Research Matters

There were no matters raised.

6. International Matters

There were no matters raised.

7. Special Items

7.1 Monash University Staff Development Policy

JHN

TH

At Meeting 2/96 a draft Staff Development Policy (D10/96) had been received and noted and members were invited to comment. 94/1012

Deputy Vice-Chancellor Professor Darvall proposed that, as no comments had been received, the draft Policy be now submitted to the Academic Board and Council. The Committee agreed to this proposal.

7.2 1996 Voluntary Early Retirement Scheme

PM

JHN

A proposal for a Voluntary Retirement Scheme, prepared by Mr P Marshall, Director, Personnel Services, was received (D33/96). 96/0428

Introducing the proposal, which had been flagged in Mr Marshall's report at Meeting 2/96, the General Manager drew the Committee's attention to the timetable for immediate implementation, and to the new provision for a retirement planning allowance.

The Committee endorsed the draft Voluntary Retirement Scheme for 1996 as proposed in the document and the covering memorandum dated 20 March 1996.

8. Matters Raised by Deans

8.1 Rhodes Scholarship

PLePD

ID

A memorandum dated 20 March 1996 from Professor C R Williams, Dean of Law, was received (D34/96). 96/0439

Speaking to his memorandum, Professor Williams suggested that the matter of the award of the Rhodes Scholarship across the nation be investigated to determine if any bias existed in the decision making process.

The Committee agreed that Mr I Dobson, Professor Darvall's Associate, be asked to collect the following information:

the winners over the previous ten years in each state, and the universities at which they qualified;

the number of finalists in each state, and their universities;

the membership of the Victorian selection committee for the Scholarship, and the universities and faculties they represented;

the appointment procedure for membership of the committee.

8.2 Chairs in the Faculty of Medicine

BR

JHN

The Committee received some preliminary documentation relating to vacant Chairs in Anatomy and Surgery (D42/96, tabled). 92/1451

96/0469

Professor Tonge confirmed that further documentation would be presented at a later Meeting of the Committee for endorsement, before the proposals were submitted to the Academic Board and Council in the usual way.

9. Reports of Administrative Divisions / Departments

9.1 Report of the Communications Computing & Multimedia

Advisory Board

GKE

JHN

OC

See also item 9.2. AC

AM

A report dated 18 March 1996 was received (D35/96). REW

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Professor G K Egan, Chair of the Communications Computing & Multimedia Advisory Board, had been invited to the Meeting to speak to his report. In his introduction he highlighted "the coordination of disparate but related initiatives" as the key role of the Advisory Board, and drew the Committee's attention to a number of matters requiring action which were not specific to the computing arena. He mentioned the lack of codified structures in the University in terms of archivists and postmasters, current ambiguity and confusion in the processes of development and authorisation of policy and the maintenance of records, and the need for definition and authorisation of an official Monash publication. To address these issues, Professor Egan proposed the identification of specific roles and responsibilities for the Academic Registrar, the University Solicitor and the University Archivist, as detailed in his report.

The Acting Vice-Chancellor Professor Pargetter and the General Manager Mr Wade supported Professor Egan's comments with reference to the findings of Dr Neilson's review of the office of the Academic Registrar carried out in November 1995. Mr Wade reminded members that the review had the support of the Committee and the Academic Board. To assist the Academic Registrar to meet the additional responsibilities, the General Manager announced that new positions had been approved in her area.

In response to a query the General Manager confirmed that all University records were not to be held by the Academic Registrar and the recording mechanism could vary from faculty to faculty. Mr Wade said however that certain policy requirements ought to be put in place to identify the status of records, ensure consistency of disposal procedures and to enable the approval process for all University policy to be tracked.

There was some discussion about the need for the duties and responsibilities of administrative staff to be made known - perhaps by the use of a consistent position naming scheme or short "position statements" - to assist the decision making, consultation and approval processes within the University.

Professor Egan's report, and the strategy described within, was noted by the Committee. The Meeting affirmed the list of issues to be addressed by the Advisory Board (page 1 of the report) as appropriate.

9.2 Report of the Computer Centre

PRA

JLCC

Issues covered and resolutions made under this item also related to item 9.1. PBW

GKE

A report dated 14 March 1996 was received (D36/96). 89/0875

Mr P R Annal, Director, Computer Centre, had been invited to the Meeting to speak to his report. He drew the Committee's attention to the following points:

The Computer Centre was currently attempting to solve problems in the time taken for students to gain Novell connections. The difficulties were caused by inconsistencies among computers across the University in the way they had been set up. (This point had not been included in the report.)

Section 1.4.2 User Pays (page 6 of the report). Mr Annal asked for comments about this policy.

Section 1.7 High Performance Computer Facility (pages 9-10). Response form the faculties had been positive. Mr Annal invited the Committee's views on the funding proposal under Section 1.7.1.

Section 2.1 Enhancement of DITS email (page 13). For information.

Section 2.2 Tele-teaching phase 2 (pages 13-14). Mr Annal suggested that Phase 2 be dependent upon the results of Phase 1.

Section 2.5 Transition to faculty operation of teaching laboratories (pages 14- 15). Mr Annal explained the rationale behind this change, referring to the $4.5 million funds spent by the Computer Centre on upgrading facilities in teaching laboratories and the consequential lack of attention to infrastructure. He suggested that faculties take over responsibility for equipment and the Centre look after the infrastructure. He invited comment.

Section 3.1 Standards and policies (page 17). Mr Annal mentioned the current lack of clarity in the policy approval process at the University.

3.2 Budget (pages 17-18). Mr Annal questioned the relationship between the University's strategic plan and the budget.

Mr Annal suggested that the University consider introducing a commercially produced student information technology handbook for free distribution to students, and asked what process was appropriate to deal with the matter.

The Committee discussed several of these points. On the issue of "user pays", the Dean of Computing and Information Technology, Mr C J Bellamy, referred to the Statute covering the responsibilities of the Computer Centre and suggested that the user pays principle was in conflict with this legislation.

Deputy Vice-Chancellor Professor P LeP Darvall informed the Committee that the allocation of $450,000 from Quality round 1 had been set aside for the high performance computer facility, but another step remained in the decision process before final approval. With respect to the transition to faculty operation of computer laboratories, Professor Darvall suggested the conduct of a pilot project in a suitable discipline.

The General Manager, Mr P B Wade, affirmed the need for a more effective electronic communication system than Pegasus. Professor Quartly, Dean of Arts, asked if a strategy to replace existing equipment could be addressed in further discussions.

The Committee resolved that:

On the suggestion of the General Manager and with the support of Professor Egan, the Communications Computing and Multimedia Advisory Board be asked to propose the appointment of a consultant to complete a scoping task, covering the identification of available resources, currrent activities and key future activities. Mr Wade was asked to attend the meeting of that Board scheduled for the following week;

The Chair of the Computing Committee, Deputy Vice-Chancellor Professor J L C Chipman, also a member of the Advisory Board, be asked to bring a Computing Committee perspective to discussions of the Board;

The Director of the Computer Centre be asked to provide to the following Meeting of the Committee of Deans a short paper listing explicit recommendations from his report.

10. General Business

10.1 Language and Learning Policy

JHN

KWR

At Meeting 8/95 of the Academic Board, a number of matters were referred to various staff and bodies for advice as input to a University Language Policy. The Committee of Deans was asked to consider the development of a Policy in the light of the various responses, by 23 April 1996. The responses were requested for presentation at this meeting of the Committee, in order that the Policy discussion might take place at the Committee's Meeting 5/96 on 23 April 1996. MC

RC

95/0700

In addition to the reports prepared by Ms R Clerehan, Head, Language and Learning Services Unit and submitted to previous meetings, the following responses were received:

Memorandum dated 8 February 1996 from the Manager, Occupational Health, Safety & Environment (D37/96);

Faculty of Education Response (D38/96);

Memorandum dated 20 March 1996 from the Head, Language and Learning Services Unit (D39/96); and

Memorandum by email dated 20 March 1996 from the Director, Professional Development Centre (D40/96, tabled).

The Committee gave preliminary consideration to these documents in preparation for the Policy discussion at Meeting 5/96. The Secretary was asked to send reminders to those whose responses had not been received.

In response to a comment from the Professor M Quartly, Dean of Arts, about the resources implications of some of the responses, it was agreed that priorities for action would be determined at the following Meeting of the Committee; advice on the budget implications would then be requested before any Policy proposals were put to the Academic Board. The Committee noted therefore that the submission would probably be made to Academic Board Meeting 5/96 instead of 4/96.

10.2 Meeting at Berwick Campus

The Committee noted that Meeting 7/96 of the Committee of Deans was to be held in the School Board Room, Level 3 at the Berwick Campus on Tuesday, 4 June 1996. 87/0410

11. Next Meeting

The next meeting of the Committee of Deans will be held at 2.15 pm on Tuesday, 23 April 1996 in The Sir George Lush Room, Ground Floor, University Offices 3.1, Clayton Campus.

Distribution

Vice-Chancellor

Deputy Vice-Chancellors

Pro Vice-Chancellors

Deans

Head, Sub-faculty of Nursing

Director, Monash University College of Art and Design

General Manager

Executive Director, Marketing & Communications

Adviser to the Vice-Chancellor

Deputy General Manager

General Manager, Monash International

Directors, Administrative Divisions

General Manager, Open Learning

University Librarian

Academic Projects Office

Policy and Legal Counsel Managers, Administrative Branches

Policy and Planning Officer

Faculty Registrars

Director, Computer Centre

Personnel Services

Director, Professional Development Centre

SWAS 1994

SWAS 1995

SWAS 1996