Meeting 5/2000 of the Committee of Deans was held between 2.15 pm and 5.12 pm on Tuesday, 4 July 2000 in the Sir George Lush Room, ground floor, University Offices Building 3a, Clayton Campus.

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

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

Ms A Crook, Deputy Vice-Chancellor and Vice-President (Resources)

Professor H Le Grand, Dean, Faculty of Arts and Interim Dean, Faculty of Science

Associate Professor B Hoffert, Acting Dean, Faculty of Art and Design

Professor G Palmer, Dean, Faculty of Business and Economics

Professor M L Brisk, Dean, Faculty of Engineering

Professor S Willis, Dean, Faculty of Education

Professor J Rosenberg, Dean, Faculty of Information Technology

Professor S Parker, Dean, Faculty of Law

Professor G Taylor, Acting Dean, Faculty of Medicine

Professor C Chapman, Dean, Faculty of Pharmacy

Associate Professor John Hurst, Associate Dean Teaching, Faculty of Information Technology for Item 4.3.2.1

Mr John Trembath, Divisional Director Facilities and Services for Item 4.4.2

Professor Merran Evans, Director, Planning and Academic Affairs for Item 4.3.3

Mr P Siggins, Manager, University Secretariat

Professor Peter LeP Darvall, Deputy Vice-Chancellor and Vice-President (Research and Development) chaired the meeting and welcomed:

Apologies were received from Professor David Robinson, Professor John Redmond and Professor Nick Saunders.

The minutes of Meeting 4/2000 held 16 May 2000 were confirmed.

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

There were no matters arising.

A paper titled Learning Subjects Exchange (LSX) was tabled.

Professor C Chapman spoke to the paper.

Professor Chapman advised that a major challenge was to find the most appropriate way of connecting prospective clients with targeted courses. Professor Chapman agreed to bring a brief report describing how Deans might operate in terms of negotiating with other Faculties acceptable outcomes regarding "trade- offs" to the next ordinary meeting of the Committee of Deans (22 August 2000).

Associate Professor Hoffert agreed to bring a report on identified issues to the next ordinary meeting of the Committee of Deans (22 August 2000).

Professor Rosenberg spoke to this item.

Professor Rosenberg advised that the working party established to consider this matter had met and he anticipated that a report would be available for consideration by late September/early October. Professor Rosenberg commented that the term ‘central features of the Monash experience’ in this context, required definition. Professor Rosenberg agreed to provide a one page paper describing the elements to be covered in the Monash Directional Statement to the next ordinary meeting of the Committee of Deans (22 August 2000).

Three papers were tabled as follows:

Ms Crook introduced the paper Support Services Strategic Plan noting that in her consideration of the functioning of support services at the University there was a range of planning documents but no support services plan. It was apparent that there was a need to systematically bring together the various attempts to support the achievements of the various plans for the University. A Strategic Planning Workshop was held from 30 April to 2 May 2000 with all Support Services staff reporting directly to the three Deputy Vice-Chancellors and Vice-Presidents, the Vice-Chancellor and a representative group of faculty managers. Following that, further workshops were held on 1 and 2 June with their direct reports. The output of the workshops was worked on by a subset of the initial workshop members to produce the draft Support Services Strategic Plan. Ms Crook advised that following the meeting of Deans, it was intended to present and discuss the plan, amended as necessary, at a series of open forums to be attended by Support Services staff. Academic staff would be invited to attend if they so wished and the plan would be finalised for approval by the Vice-Chancellor’s Group.

Ms Crook noted that, in addressing the Support Services Emerging Structure document, the right-hand side of the table represented emerging businesses which would be established with a view to capitalising on the University’s intellectual property, physical property, services and accommodation. She noted that the Deputy Chancellor, Mr Paul Ramler, was currently developing a paper on a corporate governance structure and that the Council governance seminar, to be held in November, would address the reporting lines and other aspects of the emerging business structure. Ms Crook indicated that a policy framework for the University’s intellectual property would be discussed at the next Committee of Deans and this would be followed by consideration of a paper on equity policy. She also indicated that at the next meeting of the Deans Discussion Group (25 July), Monash Marketing and Recruitment would be under consideration and that Mr Dee and Mr Pollock would be invited to attend.

There was also discussion of arrangements concerning quality assurance and evaluation and the need to be prepared for the next quality round.

In closing discussion, Professor Darvall requested Deans to give consideration to the documents presented and to provide responses within a fortnight of the meeting. He noted that Ms Crook wished to commence the open forums for staff and that she was seeking Deans’ comments on the strategic plan rather than the structure document.

A paper titled Monash corporate brochure brief was tabled.

There was general endorsement for the concept of this project as set out in the paper presented. Professor Darvall invited Deans to review the material and to provide ideas for the best possible items under each of the headings set out in the paper by the close of business on 14 July 2000.

A paper titled Monash Involvement in CRC proposals, July 2000 was tabled.

Professor Darvall briefed the meeting on the proposed CRCs for submission and commented that the list was impressive and revealed the wealth of expertise available in the University. The Committee noted the information.

A paper titled Science, Technology and Innovation Initiative was tabled. Professor Darvall briefed the meeting on Applications for Funding Round One and the Committee noted the information.

Professor Darvall advised that SMURF 2 allocations for the development of research strengths would be made as soon as other necessary commitments were finalised. Professor Darvall agreed to write to Deans in the near future.

A paper titled Integrated Academic and Resource Planning Revised Approach and "Content" ProForma was distributed.

Professor Lindsay advised that some of the main changes outlined in the paper included collapsing the pro-formas into a single pro-forma. A prototype for trial would be developed in August and a trial run would be conducted in each faculty by September. Professor Lindsay advised that he was seeking comment on the three attachments to the paper. Before taking the paper to the Academic Board, he was seeking the general endorsement of the Committee of Deans.

Professor Willis noted that the paper proposed devolving to the faculties some of the course approval processes currently under the Academic Board and Education Committee. However, it was her view that academic staff tend to focus on and be concerned with subject development and she suggested that this would need to be addressed. In response, both Professor Lindsay and Ms Crook suggested that the proposed model would work equally well with subjects as with courses. Professor Willis also asked for advice regarding how the rearrangement of existing components within courses would be addressed through this process. There was also comment on the need for market research and the use and retention of market intelligence in this context. Professor Palmer also commented on the emerging need for cross-faculty developments in the post Mt Eliza era.

The Committee endorsed the paper presented.

A paper titled Information Technology Lead Site Report Document Technologies was tabled.

Associate Professor John Hurst was in attendance for this item and presented a vision for University document systems. His presentation covered the need to consider documents as the "corporate memory" of the University. Associate Professor Hurst presented a model which he believed could provide a range of advantages for the University. Professor Darvall thanked Associate Professor Hurst for his presentation on behalf of the Committee of Deans.

A paper titled Development of the New Undergraduate Medical Curriculum was distributed.

Professor Grahame Taylor was in attendance for this item and presented a report on the development of the new undergraduate medical curriculum and presented the objectives of the new medical curriculum and advice for others undertaking similar projects. Professor Darvall thanked Professor Taylor for his presentation on behalf of the Committee of Deans.

A paper titled Draft issues paper Masters degrees was distributed. Four appendices to this paper were distributed separately: Extract from the ANU Ballard "Review of Graduate Coursework"; Extracts from Masters Degree Working Party Report, approved at Academic Board (6/98); G08 Universities policies and practices and Faculty offerings and competitors.

Members commented on the position of the honours degree in the qualifications framework noting that it was not a common qualification outside the Australian and Scottish education systems. However, there was consensus that the preferred position for Monash in terms of masters programs was to be placed in the middle range of G08 Masters offerings.

The paper contained three proposals. The Committee of Deans accepted the first proposal which is as follows:

Following endorsement by the Committee of Deans, Professor Lindsay would take proposal 1 to the next meeting of Academic Board.

Concerning proposals 2 and 3, it was agreed that further advice from Deans and the PhD and Scholarships Committee would be sought before submitting these proposals to the Academic Board.

Professor Rosenberg introduced discussion of this item advising that it was his expectation that summer semester courses across the University were offered on a full fee basis. Ms Crook advised that the University would need to be clear about what expectations students had been given in relation to fees for these courses. In closing discussion, Professor Darvall advised that further advice would be provided in relation to this matter.

Ms Crook advised that this project had arisen from the work that Professor Le Grand had been engaged in in the Faculty of Science. A working group had been established including representatives from the Faculties of Science, Medicine and Engineering and the Centre for the Environment and, at this stage, it was envisaged that the Science precinct would be a living/learning/academic environment as per the concepts underpinning other recent developments. Professor Darvall invited Deans to submit their ideas, particularly suggestions that would "make the place thrive" including suggestions about potential participants in the precinct.

Ms Crook introduced this item and Mr John Trembath presented a model of the envisaged campus development. Ms Crook noted that Council had agreed that the project should proceed to the next stage of a more detailed financial analysis being provided to Council by the Divisional Director, Facilities and Services. Members noted the information provided and also noted the commercial confidentiality to be observed in any discussions about this project.

A paper titled Naming of Buildings Policy was distributed.

Professor Stephen Parker spoke to this item and Mr John Trembath responded to Professor Parker’s comments. The Committee agreed that it would be appropriate for Professor Parker and Mr Trembath to rewrite and develop the policy for submission to the Vice-Chancellor’s Group and Council.

A paper titled Proposal for the establishment of a Chair of Pharmacy Practice was distributed.

The Committee approved the proposal to fill the Chair as detailed in the paper presented.

A paper titled Professor/Director of Medical Education, Centre for Medical and Health Sciences Education was distributed.

The Committee approved the proposal to fill the position as detailed in the paper presented.

A paper titled Proposal for the Establishment and Advertisement of Two Chairs – Chair of Political Science and Chair of Social Enquiry was distributed.

The Committee approved the proposal to fill the two Chairs as detailed in the paper presented.

A paper titled Policy on Honorary and Other Appointments with Academic Status within the Faculty of Medicine was distributed.

Professor Grahame Taylor spoke to the paper and Professor Colin Chapman indicated that a paper on honorary appointments within the Faculty of Pharmacy was in the process of being considered. Professor Darvall indicated that Professors Taylor and Chapman and Mr Peter Marshall should meet to discuss the proposals for honorary appointments and that such proposals should be considered by the Special Professorial Appointments Subcommittee of Council. The Committee endorsed Professor Darvall’s suggested consultation and approval track.

A paper titled Professor of General Practice: Chair of Department of General Practice in the School of Primary Health Care was distributed.

The Committee approved the proposal to fill the Chair as detailed in the paper presented.

A paper titled Professor/Director of Trauma was distributed.

The Committee approved the proposal to fill the position as detailed in the paper presented.

A paper titled Professor/Director of Neurosurgery was distributed.

The Committee approved the proposal to fill the position as detailed in the paper presented.

Professor Lindsay indicated that progress was being made with legislation concerning courses and degrees and the appointment of associate and deputy deans.

Professor Darvall indicated that the next Deans Discussion Group would contain items dealing with intellectual property, commercialisation and marketing and recruitment.

The next meeting of the Deans Discussion Group will be held at 4.00 pm on Tuesday, 25^th July 2000 in the City Office.