Deans Discussion Group Meeting 1-2001

Meeting 1/2001 of the Deans Discussion Group was held between 6:00pm and 8.50pm on Tuesday, 23rd January 2001 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)

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

Professor J Anderson, Pro Vice-Chancellor, South Africa Campus

Professor B Mackenzie, Pro Vice-Chancellor, Gippsland Campus

Professor D White, Pro Vice-Chancellor, Monash Centre, King’s College London

Professor J Redmond, Dean, Faculty of Art and Design

Professor H Le Grand, Dean, Faculty of Arts

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

Professor R Norris, Dean, Faculty of Science

Professor M Evans, Director, Planning and Academic Affairs

An apology was received from Professor Alan Lindsay, Deputy Vice-Chancellor and Vice-President (Academic and Planning).

The notes of Meeting 8/2000 (21 November 2000) of the Deans Discussion Group were received and noted.

Professor Evans introduced the topic Environment and Sustainability. A paper had been distributed, Environment and Sustainability at Monash prepared by Professor Chris Cocklin, Director, Monash Environment Institute. Professor Evans highlighted the recommendations listed on page 2 of the paper. There was general support for the recommendations as detailed in the paper and it was agreed that the next step would be for Professor Cocklin to be invited to attend a meeting of the Vice-Chancellor’s Group to discuss his paper.

Professor Palmer indicated that she would bring a paper to the Deans Discussion Group in the near future. Professor Rob Willis had been appointed as Director, MBA programs and he would co-author the paper with Professor Palmer.

The Vice-Chancellor indicated that Professor Evans would also be involved in the development of the paper. Members commented on the need for close definition of key terms such as ‘business’ and ‘professional’ in the development of the paper.

There was also general comment that these cross faculty proposals would need to address the criteria of intellectual and social importance and capacity to draw on existing strengths. Professor White indicated that the London Centre was a highly suitable venue for the delivery of high profile topics as part of a prestigious lecture series.

Professor Evans indicated that she would be communicating with Faculties/Centres about offerings/activities related to this topic. Members noted that relevant fields included Food Law and Policy, Agribusiness and the University’s involvement with the new CRC of Innovative Dairy Products. In the context of this discussion Professor Darvall reported that Monash was involved in 6 of the 19 newly announced CRCs.

The Vice-Chancellor reported that Council expected to see progress over 2001 in the following areas:

The three Deputy Vice-Chancellors to focus on the core of their portfolios:

• Research – improving support for and performance in research endeavour
• Academic and Planning – being absolutely on top of our quality processes, and able to report regularly to Council on ‘slices through’ the program portfolio, and
• Resources - bringing in the new ‘business model’ for budgeting and services provision.

• Governance

  • Implement and ensure benefit from the year 2000 innovations for ‘strengthening governance’ – Monash Commercial and the International Advisory Group, together with any proposals for ‘streamlining of governance’ agreed at the 18 December seminar, and

  • Improve still further the ability of Council to keep up with and contribute fully to Monash University’s strategy and directions.
    

• International Developments

  • Make sure the decisions already taken in relation to Malaysia, South Africa, London, Prato are driven forward for the benefit of both Monash and the locality in which they are set, and

  • Extend Monash’s visibility and present association with other high quality global organizations .
    

• eMonash

  • Continue progress on IT Strategic Plan, Pilot projects on e-teaching, IT roll out on overseas campuses and centres, Support Services Plan and directional statements for off-campus Monash, Monash portal, Science Direct, etc.

The Vice-Chancellor invited members to identify other key areas for consideration. Suggestions included, Faculty Foundations, Fund Raising, Alumni and Branding, Commercialisation of IP, Communication and Marketing and Community Relations. Members noted the Vice-Chancellor’s advice that these latter topics were embraced under the listing (as above) that Council had announced it wished to see progressed.

The next ordinary meeting of the Committee of Deans will be held at 2:15 pm, Tuesday 20^th February 2001, in the Sir George Lush Room.

The next meeting of the Deans Discussion Group will be combined with the Committee of Deans, to be held at 4:00pm, Wednesday 14^th March in the City Office.

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

Pro Vice-Chancellors

Deans