2.1 Emergency Procedures

Mr J R Trembath briefed the meeting on the paper prepared by Occupational Health, Safety and Environment on behalf of the Monash University Occupational Health and Safety Policy Committee (D116/96), on the status of fire risk management and emergency preparedness at Monash University.

Mr Trembath highlighted aspects of the report including:

• a budget expenditure in excess of $3.5m assigned to fire risk management projects since 1988;
• development of a model to identify fire risk in buildings, with some 15 buildings still to be assessed.

The Acting Vice-Chancellor, Professor P LeP Darvall, asked Mr Trembath to brief the committee on the two recent fires in Monash buildings. Mr Trembath explained that on both occasions the emergency procedures had worked properly and that no person had been at risk.

The Dean of Education, Professor R T White, questioned the adequacy of fire prevention controls and emergency lighting provided in the Education building (previously raised at Meeting 9/96, 23 July 1996) and expressed his concern for the safety of those using the building. In response Mr Trembath advised that outside consultants had been engaged to assess the fire risk within the University and assured the Committee that the Education building risk had been assessed as well below the initial target limit.

In response to questions about fire safety training, Professor Porter, Dean of Medicine and Chair of the OH&S Committee, advised the meeting that Monash University policy was that people with emergency responsibilities within buildings (eg fire wardens) should be trained and that OH&S had a responsibility to train staff and ensure that fire drills were scheduled and held.

During discussion it was acknowledged that the more serious areas of fire risk had to be addressed first. It was agreed that Deans and Heads of Departments had a particular responsibility for ensuring fire training and evacuation drills were conducted

Mr Trembath undertook to brief the Dean of Education, Professor R T White on the methodology of assessing fire risk within the University.

3.1 Budget Planning for 1997

The Acting Vice-Chancellor, Professor P LeP Darvall, tabled the following confidential papers:

1996 Selection Report - Universities (D121/96)
Monash University 1996 VTAC TER by course (D122/96)
Monash University 1997 Budget Planning (D123/96)

Professor Darvall advised the meeting that the major problem in overcoming the budget reduction would be the anticipated salary increase which would not be funded.

The Committee discussed the table listing planned student load in 1997 (D123/96) and noted the requirement for a significant decrease in undergraduate numbers. Professor Darvall advised that the University strategy for implementing reductions would aim to consolidate on quality and ensure that no campus was seriously disadvantaged.

The Committee discussed the impact of reduced student numbers on Gippsland and Berwick campuses. Professor B Dunstan, Campus Director, Gippsland, expressed the need for a global view in any reduction of student numbers to ensure the continued viability of smaller campuses. He said that Gippsland campus could not support quality education with an on-campus student population of less than 2000 1000. Deans were encouraged to actively work to raise the attractiveness of courses at Berwick and Gippsland.
(amended by Committee of Deans, Meeting 13/96,15 Oct '96, JH Newham, Secretary)

The Acting Vice-Chancellor, Professor P LeP Darvall, briefed the Committee on the round of discussions with Deans on staff numbers. He advised that it was proposed to extend the offer of Voluntary Early Retirement (VER) for a further month, that a proposal for a Monash Package was to be discussed with the Union and that the voluntary fractional appointment offer had not attracted staff.

Professor Darvall explained that the proposed Monash Package was being canvassed because the anticipated reduction in funding of approximately 10% over two years would be difficult, despite rationalisation of courses.

In discussion about the voluntary fractional appointment offer, the Dean of Education advised the Committee that there was a perception amongst staff that, if they accepted the offer, after five years they might be made redundant. Professor Darvall agreed that the University might look at enhancing the proposal, that the current offer might be too cautious and misunderstood.

The Acting Vice-Chancellor, Professor P LeP Darvall, reported the following:

• the Group of 8 Universities were intending to form links with the Russell Group, a similar group of universities, in the United Kingdom;
• member universities were cooperating in the hope of advantaging students who might wish to transfer from one university to another within the Group of 8;
• the Group hoped to meet separately with the Minister for Education, Senator Vanstone, to spell out differences between the Group of 8 Universities and other universities;
• the group would produce a manifesto enunciating the differences between Group of 8 Universities and others.

A paper, CIPS Summary, 18 September 1996, prepared by Ms Deborah Lampard, (D119/96) was tabled.

The Acting Vice-Chancellor, Professor P LeP Darvall, noted that the University had filled only 41 out of a total of 131 places available and that the paper recommended that the University not participate further in the scheme. The General Manager, Mr P Wade, acknowledged the University’s obligation to ensure the current 41 students within the scheme could continue to study, and said the University would need repay the Commonwealth any additional funds held.

Professor J Anderson, Campus Director, Berwick, said that most of the 41 students currently in the scheme were studying at the Gippsland campus, and that this had been due mainly to the efforts of one person. He cautioned that it might be unwise to withdraw from the scheme without having considered all the options available and recommended the University take a longer term view (3-5 years) which could include video conferencing linked to industry training programs.

Professor Darvall asked Professor Anderson to provide him with a paper on the subject by the end of the week, for consideration in the budget planning context.

The Australian Vice-Chancellors’ Committee’s formal response to the Government’s higher education Budget measures was tabled (D 120/96) and received.

There were no urgent matters raised.

5.1 Monash Research Guide 1996

The Acting Vice-Chancellor, Professor P LeP Darvall, referred tothe recent publication Research Guide 1996 which had been forwarded to Deans separately. He advised that Council, at its meeting on 23 September 1996, had noted omissions in the document. Professor Darvall stressed the need for faculties to ensure information was available in a timely manner and recommended the content of the document be placed on the Web without delay.

The Acting Vice-Chancellor, Professor P LeP Darvall, tabled a newspaper article relating to the recent scientific discovery by a Logan Fellow (D124/96), for information.

6.1 Council Sub-Committee on Quality Assurance of Off-Shore Programs.

Pro Vice Chancellor (International Programs and Development), Professor L H T West, advised Deans of the role of the Off-Shore Quality Assurance Committee. He stressed that the Committee did not look at nor approve the content of Monash courses offered off-shore as they were approved by the usual approval processes, but that it ensured that courses conducted in overseas locations were of the same quality as courses conducted in Australia. This was achieved by looking at procedures, for example, to ensure entry standards were maintained, that assessment standards were adequate, that staffing arrangements and equipment and facilities were sufficient for course needs.

Professor West said that Council had requested that the Sub-Committee review all existing courses and that he was responsible for organising the review on behalf of the Sub-Committee. He said the review was currently being conducted by an external consultant from the Centre for Quality Assurance in International Education, Washington DC. Deans and administrators of courses conducted overseas had been advised of the impending review. Professor West said that some people had thought that Monash International was conducting the review and had directed comments/complaints there. He requested Deans to direct any further comments to his office as Pro Vice-Chancellor.

The Acting Dean of Computing and Information Technology, Professor R Willis, advised that a good relationship with one of the off-shore establishments may have been in jeopardy as a result of lack of consultation. After discussion it was noted that ill-timed communication may have had an effect in some locations.
(paragraph deleted as agreed, Committee of Deans, Meeting 13/96, 15 Oct '96. JH Newham, Secretary)

The Dean of Education, Professor R T White, questioned why an item dealing with scholarships for undergraduate students had been presented to Council on 23 September 1996, but had not been discussed by the Committee of Deans. He added that his view about the scholarships had not been sought, nor had his faculty been included in the new scheme. He queried whether other faculties were to be included in the group offering scholarships in due course.

The Acting Vice-Chancellor, Professor P LeP Darvall, explained why the proposal had been prepared quickly and advised Professor White that Deputy Vice- Chancellor Professor R J Pargetter would speak to Professor White and the Deans of the remaining faculties on his return from leave.

There were no matters raised by Deans.

The report on CASMAC prepared by the Deputy General Manager, Mr J S White, (D117/96) was received and noted.

The report prepared by the Academic Registrar, Ms O Cornelius, dated 11 September 1996 (D118/96) was received and noted.

Ms Cornelius briefed the Committee on the report, making particular reference to the role Academic Services would play in determining what would appear on the World Wide Web and the development of University guidelines for publication of information on the Web.

The Dean of Medicine, Professor R Porter, asked for an assurance that mechanisms were in place to monitor the effectiveness of placing information placed on the Web and questioned whether issues such as quality of information and savings had been addressed.

Ms Cornelius advised that she was preparing a proposal regarding the type and structure of information the University wanted to have on the Web. She acknowledged that the information currently available reflected the lack of a policy and that an in principle agreement regarding what the University wanted and how it was to be arranged was required quickly. Ms Cornelius said that the advantage of placing information on the Web was that it could be updated to provide current information. She assured Professor Porter that a print version of documents would still be available.

The Committee agreed that the University could not afford to lag behind in introducing this new technology. The Acting Vice-Chancellor, Professor P LeP Darvall, advised the Committee that a review of the value of the alternative method of providing information would be undertaken.

It was agreed that the calendar year should normally be used for such appointments, and noted that there would be occasions when the calendar year appointments could not be achieved.

The Acting Vice-Chancellor, Professor P LeP Darvall, proposed that, with the Committee's approval, he would write to the retiring Dean of Computing and Information Technology, Professor C Bellamy, thanking him for his outstanding contributions to the work of the Committee during the term of his appointment, and recording the great respect of his colleague Deans. The Committee endorsed Professor Darvall's proposal.