Meeting 6/2001 of the Committee of Deans was held at 2.15 pm on Tuesday, 21 August, 2001 in the Sir George Lush Room, ground floor, University Offices Building 3a, Clayton campus.

Professor D A Robinson, Vice-Chancellor and President

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

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

Professor B Mackenzie, Pro Vice-Chancellor, Gippsland

Professor J K 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 S Willis, Dean, Faculty of Education

Professor M L Brisk, Dean, Faculty of Engineering

Professor J Rosenberg, Dean, Faculty of Information Technology

Professor S Parker, Dean, Faculty of Law

Professor N Saunders, Dean, Faculty of Medicine, Nursing and Health Sciences

Professor C B Chapman, Dean, Faculty of Pharmacy

Associate Professor Michael Page, Associate Dean, Teaching for Professor Robert Norris

Professor Merran Evans, Director, Planning & Academic Affairs

Mr Peter Marshall, Divisional Director, Student & Staff Services (by teleconference)

Mr Tony Pollock, Executive Director, Office of International Affairs

Mr Renn Wortley, University Solicitor

Ms Amanda Lazar, Deputy University Solicitor

Apologies were received from Professor Peter Darvall, Deputy Vice-Chancellor & Vice-President (Research & Development) and Professor Robert Norris, Dean, Faculty of Science.

The minutes of meeting 4/2001 of the Committee of Deans were confirmed.

The Vice-Chancellor introduced this item noting that there was a need for appropriate guidelines that were not overly bureaucratic but protected staff and the University from any real or perceived undue influence and possible criticism.

During discussion, it was agreed that Guideline 1 be amended to read:

"Staff must exercise judgement in determining whether the acceptance of any gift, benefit or hospitality could reasonably be interpreted..."

Two related issues flagged for future consideration were:

(i) the need for policy relating to gifts/donations for Faculty Foundations; and

(ii) at what point can gifts/donations be accepted from students/the family of students – one day, one month or one year after graduation?

Professor Evans introduced this item noting the increasing number of web sites selling essays, assignment, exam answers and notes. Members were advised that it was proposed to establish a Working Party to review the problem and provide a report to the Education Committee for consideration.

Mr Picouleau reported on recent discussions with the NTEU and noted that areas of disagreement were still the subject of discussions with both the NTEU and the AHEIA.

Matters raised during discussion included:

In concluding the discussion, it was noted that the document detailed "minimum standards" and that further detail on outputs should be included in Engagement Profiles.

Members noted the need for appropriate evaluation of teaching for the purpose of performance management.

Following discussion of the three options

(i) make MonQueST results obligatory for performance management;

(ii) make subject evaluation results obligatory for performance management; and

(iii) review present policy and processes concerning teaching evaluation

and related issues, it was agreed that Option (iii) be adopted and progressed by a Working party as proposed in the documentation.

Professor Lindsay introduced this item noting that during discussion of this matter at meeting 3/2001 of Academic Board, it was clear that the issues raised in relation to the postgraduate course level were closely intertwined and required more strategic and co-ordinated consideration.

Noting the importance of postgraduate course structures, it was proposed to further elaborate the issues involved and identify directions for further development of postgraduate awards.

Accordingly, three key clusters of issues were detailed in Attachment 6.

The Vice-Chancellor requested the views of the Deans and the following observations were made:

Concluding the discussion, Professor Lindsay thanked Deans for their contribution and advised that the Working Party proposed in the document would be established as soon as practicable.

Mr Renn Wortley, University Solicitor spoke to this item.

Mr Wortley advised members that once all faculties had made and promulgated their award regulations, Council would be asked to make a statute repealing sections 1 and 2 of Statute 6.1.2. – Courses and Degrees, and the devolution to faculty boards of authority to make regulations prescribing their awards would be complete.

Ms Crook introduced this item noting that a database of users of space and the condition of each area was being developed. Further, members were advised that the "Space Ownership Framework" would be a topic for discussion at the next meeting of the Deans Discussion Group.

Ms Crook requested that Deans give further consideration to the projected growth in student numbers as these would inform the Capital Development Plan.

Mr Tony Pollock, Executive Director, Office of International Affairs spoke to this item.

Mr Pollock provided members with a package of documents including the following:

Describing the ESOS Act changes as prescriptive and based on "good practice", Mr Pollock noted that many issues/concerns had been raised. These included the need to ensure the appropriateness of all documentation for prospective students so that the University did not incur penalties and the role of "Associates" of overseas representatives and referral agents.

Further issues raised during discussion included:

In concluding the discussion, the Vice-Chancellor noted that Mr Pollock and his colleagues were visiting all campuses and running a series of forums for staff and students.

Members were requested to forward any further issues to Mr Pollock who would attempt to resolve, provide appropriate advice or give guidance where requested.

Professor John Rosenberg, Dean, Faculty of Information Technology introduced this item.

Professor Rosenberg informed members that four Associate Professors had requested that he raise the issue of promotion to professor. Noting that Monash currently had no formal process for promotion to professor, Professor Rosenberg informed members that the demand for good senior staff in the area of information technology was growing steadily and could result in the loss of valuable staff. Further, Professor Rosenberg suggested that it might be an appropriate time to have a further discussion on pathways leading to promotion to professor.

Professor Lindsay advised members that the Special Professorial Appointments Committee had previously looked at the issue of pathways but could consider this matter and the related issue of the appointment process for Associate Professor.

In concluding discussion on the matter, the Vice-Chancellor advised that the matter could be considered alongside the other tasks undertaken by the Special Professorial Appointments Committee and brought back to the Committee of Deans for further consideration.

The Committee endorsed the proposal to establish and fill a Chair of Applied Sciences.

The Committee endorsed the proposal to establish and fill the Louis Waller Chair of Law.

The Committee endorsed the proposal to establish a Department of Multimedia and Digital Arts and to merge the existing Departments of Fine Art and Applied Arts into the Department of Fine Arts.

Professor Redmond, Dean, Faculty of Art and Design, informed members of the opening of the Fred Williams: Landscapes 1959 - 1981 exhibition at the Faculty of Art and Design Gallery and the recent donation of artwork to the gallery by Rio Tinto.

Professor Parker, Dean, Faculty of Law, provided members with an update on the status of the Institutional Self Review and informed members that Monash would not be subject to an AQUA audit in 2002.

The next meeting of the Deans Discussion Group will be held at 4.00pm on Tuesday 4^th September 2001 in the City Office.

The next ordinary meeting of the Committee of Deans will be held at 2.15pm on Tuesday 16^th October 2001 in the Sir George Lush Room.

Vice-Chancellor and President

Deputy Vice-Chancellors and Vice-Presidents

Pro Vice-Chancellors

Deans