Committee of Deans Meeting 8/2000

Meeting 8/2000 of the Committee of Deans was held between 4:00pm and 6.00pm on Tuesday, 21 November, 2000 in the Monash City Office, Level 11, 30 Collins Street, Melbourne.

Phillip Siggins, Secretary

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

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

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

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

Professor B Mackenzie, Pro Vice-Chancellor, Gippsland Campus

Professor J Redmond, Dean, Faculty of Art and Design

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

Professor G Palmer, Dean, Faculty of Business and Economics

Professor J Rosenberg, Dean, Faculty of Information Technology

Professor S Willis, Dean, Faculty of Education

Professor M Brisk, Dean, Faculty of Engineering

Professor S Parker, Dean, Faculty of Law

Professor N Saunders, Dean, Faculty of Medicine

Professor C Chapman, Dean, Faculty of Pharmacy

Dr M Peel, Senior Lecturer, School of Historical Studies, Faculty of Arts

Professor M Evans, Director, Planning and Academic Affairs

Associate Professor D Garrioch, Associate Dean (Teaching), Faculty of Arts

Professor T Brown, Social Work and Human Services, Faculty of Arts

Mr V Prpich, Director, Halls of Residence

Mr P Marshall, Divisional Director, Student and Staff Services

Items 8 Monash Commercial and 9 Student Accommodation Services preceded item 7 Statute 3.3 – Deans, Associate Deans and Sub-Deans of Faculties. Two additional items were considered at this meeting, Professors of Marketing and Register of Interests and these are dealt with as minutes 12 and 14 respectively.

The Minutes of Meeting 7/2000 (9^th October) and of the Special Meeting to consider the Budget 2001(10^th October) of the Committee of Deans were confirmed.

Substantive matters arising were dealt with in the body of the agenda. There were no other matters arising.

Professor Rosenberg advised that a draft version of the Directional Statement for Off-Campus Monash had been completed and would be forwarded to the Vice-Chancellor’s Group for comment. It was anticipated that it would be submitted to a future meeting of Academic Board.

Professor Parker spoke to this item noting that it had arisen from the Special Meeting of the Committee of Deans to discuss the Budget 2001 (10^th October 2000). Professor Parker advised that all faculties offered combined and/or double degree programs. However, technically, such programs were considered single courses; under DETYA guidelines a fee could not be charged for one part of a combined or double degree program. However, it was possible for Deans to consent to two degrees being undertaken simultaneously. As such, students undertaking two separate degrees concurrently would cover the same material as a combined/double degree program and may be able to be fee paying in only one part of the program. This may result in significant savings for the student and other advantages for the University .

Discussion of Professor Parker’s proposal raised issues including international enrolments in combined/double degree programs, different fee levels and discounting of fees. It was suggested that further consideration of these issues should involve faculty representatives. The Vice-Chancellor advised that the Vice-Chancellor’s Group would consider the matter and that some specialized advice may need to be sought.

The Committee received three papers:

1. Orientation and Transition;

2. Leading and Teaching Plan: Draft Transition Policy; and

3. ‘Transition’ Faculty Packages.

Dr Peel and Professor Evans spoke to the papers outlining the major features of the current practice and philosophy underpinning orientation and transition of students.

The Committee endorsed the Transition Policy as detailed in the document Leading and Teaching Plan: Draft Transition Policy and accepted the following recommendations:

The Committee received a paper Report on Lead Site Activity: Transition.

Associate Professor David Garrioch presented the report of the Faculty of Arts on transition. The Committee noted the features of the presentation including the underlying aims/principles, the major activities, the plan for 2001 and then proposed future directions for transition in the Faculty of Arts.

Professor Lindsay observed that Monash transition activities had achieved a level of excellence and were important features of the University’s teaching profile.

At the close of discussion the Vice-Chancellor thanked Professor Evans, Dr Peel and Associate Professor David Garrioch for their presentations.

Professor Lindsay advised that Statute 3.3 – Deans, Associate Deans and Sub-Deans of Faculties (Amendment No. 1 2000) had been made by Council at its 13 November meeting. It was anticipated that the statute may receive the Minister’s approval in 6 to 8 weeks time. Professor Lindsay advised Deans to proceed cautiously with making appointments as the University must remain in a position to demonstrate that no conditionally offered appointment purported to take effect prior to the date of Ministerial approval.

Ms Crook reported that Council had established Monash Commercial. Monash Commercial would operate with a Board and Support Group and be responsible for several groupings of commercial entities. The creation of Monash Commercial would maximise the contribution of commercial entities to the University.

The establishment of Monash Commercial set the context for item 9 Student Accommodation Services in which it was advised that the Halls of Residence were to move on to a commercial footing offering a wider range of accommodation services.

The Committee received a presentation from Professor Thea Brown and Mr Vladimir Prpich on student accommodation services. Features of the presentation were the substantial restructuring and repositioning of the Halls of Residence to become a more integral part of the University experience for an increasingly diverse range of students , staff, visitors and other potential clients. Mr Prpich’s presentation followed Professor Brown’s and focused on specific developments. These included mentoring processes, accommodating international students, network access in student accommodation and provision of accommodation over the summer break. The Vice-Chancellor thanked Professor Thea Brown and Mr Prpich for their presentation.

Professor Saunders spoke to this item. The Committee endorsed the proposal to establish and advertise the position of Professor, Rural Health Education to be funded by the Faculty of Law and the APEC Study Centre.

Professor Parker spoke to this item. The Committee endorsed the proposal to establish and advertise a Chair in International Trade Law to be funded jointly by the Faculty of Law and the Apec Study Centre.

Professor Gill Palmer spoke to this item. The Committee endorsed the proposal to establish, advertise and fill two positions for Professors in Marketing.

Professor Brian Mackenzie advised that the source of this matter was the figures submitted by Faculties in the annual planning cycle for the University Budget. A significant reduction in planned load for the Gippsland Campus had resulted from participating faculties making reductions that if seen in isolation, were relatively minor but the cumulative effect was significant for the future of the Gippsland Campus. Professor Mackenzie indicated that he would be providing plans and proposals for growth at the campus and he sought the support of the Deans.

In discussion members commented on the broader issue of maintenance of campuses across the University, the need for acceptable academic standards to be maintained to justify load shifts and the possibility of reviewing the Gippsland figures. The Vice-Chancellor noted the need for an academic plan for the Gippsland Campus that explicitly identified its strengths and weaknesses. It would be premature to take action in the absence of appropriate planning documents.

The Vice-Chancellor advised Deans that there was a need for the development of a formal and clear registry of staff interests. Such a registry would include details of gifts received, hospitality extended to staff and other ‘interests’. Such an initiative was necessary in the commercial environment in which the University was increasingly operating. Ms Crook indicated that a data base would be developed to meet this purpose.

In this context, Ms Crook reported that Council had provisionally approved a Confidentiality, Insider Trading/Share Transactions policy at its last meeting (13 November).

The committee received a paper, Annual Leave Balances which proposed a method of managing the University’s annual leave liability. Mr Marshall spoke to the paper.

The Committee endorsed the proposed process for addressing excessive leave balances.

16. Proposal to establish a Cross Faculty School

Members noted that the proposal to establish a cross faculty school, including both Physics and Materials Engineering, had been fully supported by the Boards of the Faculties of Science and Engineering.  The Committee noted, however that the title of the new cross faculty school was the subject of differing views.  In light of those differing views a whole University point of view was sought at the meeting to address this matter.

The member of the Committee of Deans gave careful consideration to the matter and recommended to the Chair of Academic Board that the title of the new cross faculty school be the School of Physics and Materials Engineering.

The next ordinary meeting of the Committee of Deans will be held Meeting at 2:15 pm, Tuesday 16th January 2001, in the Sir George Lush Room

The next meeting of the Deans Discussion Group will be held at 4.00pm on Tuesday 5 December 2000, in the City Office.

Vice-Chancellor and President
Deputy Vice-Chancellors and Vice-Presidents

Pro Vice-Chancellors