Deans Discussion Group Meeting 1-1999

Meeting 1/99 of the Committee of Deans Discussion Group was held between 4.00 pm and 9.15 pm on Tuesday, 16 March 1999 in the Monash City Office, Level 11, 30 Collins Street, Melbourne.

Professor D A Robinson, Vice-Chancellor and President, Presiding

Professor P LeP Darvall, Deputy Vice-Chancellor (Research and Development)

Professor A W Lindsay, Deputy Vice-Chancellor (Academic and Planning)

Mr P B Wade, General Manager

Professor J K Redmond, Dean, Faculty of Art and Design

Professor R T White, Dean, Faculty of Education

Professor M L Brisk, Dean, Faculty of Engineering

Professor S Parker, Dean, Faculty of Law

Professor C B Chapman, Dean, Faculty of Pharmacy

Professor R W Davies, Dean, Faculty of Science

Professor John Rosenberg, Dean, Faculty of Information Technology

Mr P Siggins, Manager, University Secretariat

Apologies were received from Professor John Maloney, Deputy Vice-Chancellor — International and Public Affairs, Professor John Rickard, Dean — Faculty of Business and Economics, Professor Nick Saunders, Dean — Faculty of Medicine and Professor Marian Quartly, Dean — Faculty of Arts. Members noted that the Discussion Group would not include Dean's alternates. Minutes of the Discussion Group meetings would be circulated at formal meetings of the Committee of Deans.

A copy of a memorandum of 2 December 1998 from the Vice Chancellor to the Committee of Deans had been distributed.

The Vice Chancellor introduced discussion and dealt with four matters as follows:

All Group of Eight members have acknowledged the need for a front office for the Group of Eight to be established, staffed by an officer who would be provided with some assistance. Issues under consideration were the name for the Group of Eight, location of the office, the Group agenda, and relations with the AVCC. In discussion, it was noted that membership of the Group of Eight was a significant bonus in presenting the Monash image abroad; the perception that Monash was a member of the top group of universities in the Australian higher education system, which was highly ranked in world terms, was useful internationally.

A paper was distributed and members noted that Marketing and Development would be reconfigured. Some major functions of the former Marketing and Development portfolio would transfer to Mr Stephen Dee under the heading Public Affairs. Discussions with relevant staff were proceeding.

The Vice Chancellor informed members of the Council resolutions passed at meeting 2/99 held on 15 March 1999. These resolutions supported the AVCC policy on the membership of student organisations, recognised the wide range of student organisations and their contribution to the university's environment and opposed the proposed legislative amendment to the Higher Education Funding Act.

The Vice Chancellor informed members that the selection committee to fill the position of Dean of Arts had brought a recommendation to Council that an offer of appointment be made. Council had approved the recommendation and the appointee, Professor Homer E Le Grand, currently Dean of Arts at the University of Melbourne, would commence on 1 July 1999. Professor Terry Threadgold would be Acting Dean until 30 June 1999.

In the broad discussion of topics for consideration of future "discussion group" meetings attention was given to engagement profile issues. In this context extensive consideration was given to a perceived lack of attention to strengthening research in the University as a whole. Professor Darvall took the view that on average 30% of research activity should be included in engagement profiles. Debate followed with members suggesting a variety of scenarios and refinements of Professor Darvall's position. Other related issues were discussed including the appropriate balance between research and teaching, capacity to be promoted on the basis of teaching performance, staff workloads (including the perception that people were "too busy to do research"), leadership in teaching and research, the distribution of appropriate rewards and recognition for researchers, and resource allocation.

The Vice-Chancellor summarised the discussion noting that the fundamental issue of the identity of Monash University underpinned much of what had been said. To adequately address the matters raised in discussion, all the components of modern academic life would need to be identified, mapped and appropriately rewarded.

The Vice-Chancellor advised that Monash University might be described as a 'research extensive university' rather than as a 'research intensive university'. The challenge facing the discussion group and the authors of the Monash Plan was to articulate the university's identity in concrete terms leaving behind the post Dawkins rhetoric of 'real universities' versus the rest of the Higher Education sector.

Other issues emerged from the broad discussion and were requested to be listed for consideration at the 4 May Discussion Group meeting. They are:

Monash University — the corporate image (including identification of the image and projecting that image);

International Issues (including the service provided by Monash International and strategic matters)

Leadership (including concepts of leadership in recent literature - Professor Stephen Parker)

Engagement Profiles (including the need for a strategic approach in their development — Deans suggested a briefing by staff from the General Manager's area).

At the conclusion of the evening, Deans were encouraged to attend the Monash/Melbourne Protocol meeting to be held 25 March. It was also agreed that for 1999, 50% of meetings would be Deans Discussion Group and 50% formal meetings of Committee of Deans. A revised schedule setting out the amended program is attached (Attachment 1).