Committee of Deans Meeting 6-1996

Meeting No. 6/96 of the Committee of Deans was held between 2.15 pm and 4.15 pm on Tuesday 14 May 1996 in the Sir George Lush Room, Ground Floor, University Offices 3.1, Clayton Campus.

Janice H Newham
jahn

Secretary

96/0463

There were present:

Professor R J Pargetter, Acting Vice-Chancellor, Chair

Professor P LeP Darvall, Deputy Vice-Chancellor

Professor P C Chandler, Pro Vice-Chancellor

Professor M Quartly, Dean, Faculty of Arts

Professor A Russell, for 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 R Porter, Dean, Faculty of Medicine

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

Professor R W Davies, 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 for the initial presentation was:

Ms C Harris, Director, Affirmative Action Agency

Apologies were received from:

Professor M I Logan AC, Vice-Chancellor

Professor Chipman, Deputy Vice-Chancellor

Professor West, Pro Vice-Chancellor

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

Before items on the Agenda were considered, from 2.00 to 2.30 pm Ms C Harris, Director, Affirmative Action Agency, addressed the Committee and answered questions on progress with Affirmative Action in the Australian scene and its relationship to change management, performance indicators and "best practice".

M I N U T E S

1. Minutes

The Minutes of Meeting No. 5/96 were confirmed and signed.

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

2.1 Quality Review Funding, Round Three (1995) (Item 5.1)

The Committee received and noted a memorandum dated Tuesday, 30 April 1996 from Professor P LeP Darvall, Deputy Vice-Chancellor, addressed to Mr D Phillips, First Assistant Secretary of the Higher Education Division of Department of Employment, Education Training and Youth Affairs, regarding an expenditure plan. (D60/96)

In response to a query for clarification from the Dean of the Faculty of Education, the General Manager Mr P B Wade confirmed that formal notification of the funding allocation had been received, enabling the details to be publicised.

3. Vice-Chancellor's Report

3.1 Performance Indicators and Benchmarking: Diversity in Australian Higher Education Institutions, 1994

The Committee received documentation regarding Diversity in Australian Higher Education Institutions, 1994 (D61/96). Also received under separate cover was the final report, published as the Higher Education Series Report No 26 of February 1996. (Members only, D62/96)

Commenting on the limited usefulness of the statistics provided in the published report, Deputy Vice-Chancellor Professor P LeP Darvall said that he and the Vice-Chancellor would continue to work with Mr I Dobson, Associate to Professor Darvall, to influence the definition of performance indicators and the collection of meaningful data.

3.2 Potential Government Funding Cuts for Higher Education

This item was considered at the end of the Agenda, as an extension of item 8.1. The matter related to the briefings given by the Vice-Chancellor at the previous Meeting (item 3.8) and at the Meeting of Council on 6 May 1996 about the possibility of a reduction in federal tertiary education funding.

The following documents were received:

Memorandum dated 29 April 1996 from the Dean of Computing and Information Technology, prepared for discussion and as an input to advice to be given to the AVCC (D63/96); Letter dated 26 April 1996 from the Acting Vice-Chancellor to the Executive Director of the AVCC (D64/96); Memorandum dated 10 May 1996 from the General Manager (D68/96, faxed to Deans on 13 May and tabled at the Meeting).

Acting Vice-Chancellor Professor R J Pargetter briefed the Committee on recent discussions held with the State and Federal Ministers for Education about the expected cuts to tertiary education funding. General Manager Mr P B Wade advised Deans that he and his staff were preparing information on staff profiles to assist them with planning. With Professor Darvall's endorsement Mr Wade said he would extend the closing date for applications under the current Early Retirement Scheme to encourage additional eligible staff to apply. The Committee noted Mr Wade's advice that the University would be unlikely to offer a similar Scheme in 1997.

The Committee discussed the University's responsibilities to its staff and in the area of accountability for its performance. It was agreed that a quick reaction was needed in informing the Federal Government of the implications of the cuts for achievement of the University's longer term objectives, and in obtaining accurate and relevant information to deal with the imposed cuts in the short term.

Professor M Quartly, Dean of the Faculty of Arts, tabled a memorandum which she had sent that week by email to all Faculty staff. (D73/96) It was noted that the Dean intended to meet with all staff on 22 May 1996.

The Committee agreed to ask the Vice-Chancellor for a public statement concerning the impending cuts. It was also agreed that the Central Budgets Committee be requested to consider various options at its meeting on 27 May 1996 and to advise the Committee.

3.3 Summary of Items Discussed at the Vice-Chancellor's Executive Meetings

A Summary of Items pertaining to Meetings held on 2 May and 9 May 1996 was received and noted. (Tabled, D69/96)

3.4 Communications, Computing and Multimedia Advisory Board

A memorandum from the Vice-Chancellor dated 13 May 1996, with a report from Professor G K Egan, was received and noted. (Tabled, D71/96)

4. Urgent Matters

There were no matters raised under this item.

5. Research Matters

5.1 Report from the Committee of Associate Deans (Research): Provision of Replacement Maternity Leave for Researchers

The Committee received a memorandum from Ms M J Gleeson, Secretary to CADRES, together with a report dated 30 April 1996 regarding the provision of replacement maternity leave for researchers. (D65/96)

Deputy Vice-Chancellor Professor P LeP Darvall introduced the proposal. He confirmed that the total cost was estimated at $48,000 and that this cost was to be split 50-50 between Faculties and the Centre. In accordance with the recommendation from CADRES the Committee endorsed the proposal set out in the report, in advance of its consideration by the Academic Board.

5.2 Proposal to establish a High Performance Computing Facility

The Committee received a memorandum from Mr Peter Annal, Director, Computer Centre, dated 2 May 1996 addressed to Professor P LeP Darvall, Deputy Vice-Chancellor, together with a proposal to establish a High Performance Computing Facility (HPC). (D66/96)

Members noted that the table on page 3 of the document (page 28 of the Agenda) contained commercially sensitive information which was provided for members only.

Deputy Vice-Chancellor Professor Darvall commended the proposal and informed the Committee that CADRES had given it their support. Professor Darvall confirmed that the total funding of $770,000 would be made up as suggested by the Director of the Computer Centre, Mr P R Annal, in his memorandum - that is, $450,000 from Quality round 1 and $320,000 from Quality round 3 funding.

The proposal received general support from members but at the same time concerns were expressed about the inadequacy of computer facilities for students, especially in view of the fact that Quality round 1 funds were intended to be used for teaching.

The Committee therefore resolved:

to endorse the proposal to purchase the high performance computing facility; to ask the Central Budgets Committee to address at its next meeting the question of provision of computer services for students.

A question was raised about ongoing management costs in respect of the HPC. Members noted that the proposal covered running costs and agreed that the Director of the Computer Centre be commended for the thoroughness of the documentation and of the consultation with users which had taken place. The Dean of the Faculty of Medicine, Professor R Porter, asked to be represented on any user group formed to manage the facility.

5.3 Introduction to Teaching for PhD Candidates

A memorandum from Deputy Vice-Chancellor Professor Darvall was received and noted. (Tabled, D70/96)

Professor Darvall asked that members respond direct to him about the proposal.

5.4 Chair in Injury Prevention

Documentation was received concerning a proposal to establish a Chair in Injury Prevention at the Monash University Accident Research Centre and with a part-time appointment in the Department of Epidemiology and Preventive Medicine. (Tabled, D72/96)

The Dean of Medicine expressed his support for the proposal, indicating that the Faculty accepted the responsibility for sustaining the Chair. The Committee noted that the primary location for the Chair was to be the Accident Research Centre but that the partial appointment in the Faculty of Medicine facilitated the enrolment of PhD students. It was also noted that development of the second Chair mentioned in the documentation, a Chair in Road Safety, was also coming to fruition, and that the General Manager would discuss further details with the two Deans concerned.

The Committee endorsed the proposal to establish a Chair in Injury Prevention.

6. International Matters

There were no matters raised under this item.

7. Special Items

There were no matters raised under this item.

8. Matters Raised by Deans

8.1 Budget and Review Issues

The Committee received a memorandum from Professor C R Williams, Dean of Law, dated 6 May 1996, regarding budget and review issues. (D67/96)

Introducing the discussion, Professor Williams referred to his memorandum and emphasised the possibility of making substantial savings by reviewing administrative functions. He moved the recommendations appearing on page 2 of his memorandum. Asked to comment, the General Manager, Mr P B Wade indicated his concurrence with the Dean's approach of reviewing all functions according to their value and performance, but suggested that the recommendations in the memorandum did not go far enough; a review of cost effectiveness should allow for the possibility of relocating a service or function to elsewhere within the University or to an external source. Mr Wade also proposed that the focus of such reviews should be broader than the division of funding between the Centre and the Faculties and include academic activities, for example, the cost effectiveness of small sized classes.

Professor Williams agreed to a broadening of the wording of his recommendations to reflect Mr Wade's comments. The Committee therefore resolved that: That a process be developed for reviewing the administrative activities of the University with a view to determining whether each function or service is necessary or warranted in its current form or at its current level, or whether it could be carried out in a more cost effective manner in another form. That Deans be involved in this process, and in the process of determining an equitable division between the Centre and the Faculties of any savings achieved and the funding of any functions or services recommended for transfer.

9. Reports of Administrative Divisions / Departments

9.1 Scheduled Reports

There were no reports scheduled for the Meeting. It was noted that reports from Financial Services Division, the Deputy General Manager and CASMAC were due at Meeting 7/96 to be held on 4 June 1996.

10. General Business

There were no matters raised under this item.

11. Next Meeting

The next Meeting of the Committee of Deans will be held at 2.15 pm on Tuesday, 4 June 1996 in the Boardroom (Room 203 Level 3) of Berwick Campus, Clyde Road, Berwick, with arrangements made by Deputy Vice-Chancellor, Professor J L C Chipman as follows:

a Campus Planning meeting at 11.30 am;

a light lunch served at 12.30 pm;

a tour of the campus at 1.30 pm prior to the Committee of Deans Meeting.

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 SWAS 1994

Director, Professional Development Centre SWAS 1995

SWAS 1996