Committee of Deans Meeting 2/98

Meeting 2/98 of the Committee of Deans was held at 2.15 pm on Tuesday, 24 February 1998 in the Sir George Lush Room, Ground Floor, University Offices Building 3a, Clayton Campus.

Tony Calder
Secretary
97/0025

MINUTES

1. Attendance and apologies

An apology was received from Professor D Robinson, Vice-Chancellor, Professor J Maloney, Deputy Vice-Chancellor - International and Public Affairs, and Mr P Wade, General Manager.

Professor N Saunders, Dean-elect - Faculty of Medicine attended for Professor R Porter, Professor A Russell attended for Professor J Rickard and Professor R Willis attended for Professor J Rosenberg.

Professor R J Pargetter, Special Adviser to the Vice-Chancellor on Admission Matters, was in attendance for item 4.4.3, Ms A Lazar was in attendance for item 6.1 and Mr P Marshall was in attendance for item 4.4.4.

2. Minutes

Due to an email malfunction, the minutes of meeting 1/98 were not received by all members. Minutes of meeting 1/98 to be confirmed at meeting 3/98.

3. Matters arising from the minutes not dealt with elsewhere in the agenda

3.1 Revised Budget Process  

Details of a special meeting of the Committee of Deans to discuss matters relating to a revised budget process were noted.

4. Vice-Chancellor's business

4.2 Deputy Vice-Chancellor (Research and Development)  

4.2.1 Malaysian Campus

A paper, D11/98, was tabled.

Members noted the media release announcing the invitation from the Malaysian Government to Monash University to take up a licence to establish a campus in Kuala Lumper in partnership with Sunway College.

4.2.2 Docklands

Professor Darvall advised the Committee that following a review of the financial implications, Monash had withdrawn from equity participation in the project.

4.2.3 Microsoft Software Licensing Arrangements

A document was attached (D5/98).

Professor Darvall advised the Committee that Mr Peter Annal, Director - Computer Centre, had negotiated an excellent outcome for the University as detailed in the document D5/98.

4.2.4 Special Monash Research Fund (SMURF)

A document was attached (D6/98).

Professor Darvall introduced the matter and advised Deans that faculty plans for internal allocation of the funds were due by 31 March 1998.

Following discussion about the way in which the distribution of the funds should be calculated, it was resolved that the methodology detailed in Table 2 of document D6/98 was to be used.

4.3 Deputy Vice-Chancellor (International and Public Affairs)

4.4 Deputy Vice-Chancellor (Academic and Planning)

4.4.1 Melbourne Monash Cooperation Protocol

Professor Lindsay advised the Committee that a paper outlining the strategic focus for the Melbourne Monash Protocol would be referred to the respective Councils.

4.4.2 Strategic Innovation Fund - Draft Guidelines

A document was attached (D7/98).

Professor Lindsay advised that an amended version of the document would be submitted to the Vice-Chancellor's Group the following week.

During discussion the following items of significance were noted:

• the primary focus of the Strategic Innovations Fund is to support the development of new course and teaching approaches, and
• the definition of 'faculty contribution' is yet to be fully resolved but will be clearly defined in the next iteration of the document.

4.4.3 Undergraduate Guaranteed Entry Scheme

Professor Pargetter, Special Adviser to the Vice-Chancellor on Admission Matters, was in attendance.

Professor Pargetter advised that the Committee that the Admissions Committee had re-examined the scheme and recommended that the scheme be continued for one year and then be subject to further review.

In support of the recommendation, it was noted that:

• the scheme had been well received by schools;
• it provided a good indicator for discussions with fee paying domestic students;
• the VTAC Guide would need to clarify that 'fee paying' was not equivalent to up front HECS payment; and
• the scheme potentially relieved some of the tensions associated with waiting to receive a placement offer.

Noting that the guaranteed entry level TER had been underestimated in several instance which resulted in faculties having to increase their intake in those programs, the Committee was advised that:

• the 1999 budget would include an allowance to support those faculties where the published guaranteed entry level resulted in a faculty having to exceed its projected target enrolments;
• the new budgetary process, currently under discussion, would need to consider the matter; and
• a review mechanism exists for those faculties who don't wish to participate in the scheme.

4.4.4 Enterprise Bargaining

4.5 General Manager

5. Matters raised by Deans

5.1 Proposal to establish, advertise and fill a Chair of Network Computing

The Committee approved a proposal from the Dean of Information Technology to establish, advertise and fill a Chair of Multimedia Technology as detailed in D8/98

For endorsement and transmission to Academic Board and Council.

5.2 Proposal to establish, advertise and fill a Chair of Rural Psychiatry

The Committee approved a proposal from the Dean of Medicine to establish, advertise and fill a Chair of Rural Psychiatry as detailed in D9/98.

For endorsement and transmission to Academic Board and Council.

6. Other business

6.1 Defamation : Guidelines for Academic Staff

Ms Amanda Lazar, Deputy University Solicitor, was in attendance and spoke to this item.

A document was attached (D10/98).

Following discussion, the Committee agreed that the document titled Defamation: Guidelines for Academic Staff should be made available to staff via publication on the Monash Web site and distributed once in hardcopy format to all academic staff.

6.2 General Library Committee - request for nomination.

The term of office of the current member of the General Library Committee nominated by the Committee of Deans, Professor M Quartly, expired in December 1997.

The Committee of Deans, with the concurrence of Professor Quartly, nominated Professor M Quartly (Dean - Faculty of Arts) as the decanal representative on the General Library Committee.

The term of office is to expire in December 1999.

7 Items for information

8. Next meeting

The next scheduled Committee of Deans meeting will be held on 17 March at 2.15pm in the Sir George Lush Room.

Distribution

(Hard copy):

Vice-Chancellor
Deputy Vice-Chancellors
Deans
General Manager
Executive Assistant to Vice-Chancellor