Deans Discussion Group Meeting 6-2001

Meeting 6/2001 of the Deans Discussion Group was held at 4.00 pm on Tuesday, 4 September 2001 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 and Vice President, (Research and Development)

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 Campus

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 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 R Norris, Dean, Faculty of Science

Professor C B Chapman, Dean, Faculty of Pharmacy

Mr Tony Pollock, Executive Director, Office of International Affairs

Mr Ian Porter, Principal Adviser, International and Government Relations, Office of International Affairs

Mr Neil Bradley, Researcher, Office of the Deputy Vice-Chancellor and Vice-President (Resources)

The Notes of meeting 5/2001 held on 17 July 2001 were received and noted.

Professor Nick Saunders, Dean, Faculty of Medicine, Nursing & Health Sciences introduced the paper, University Operating Environment.

Professor Saunders informed members that the paper outlined some of the issues emerging as a result of changes to the University’s operating environment.

Issues raised by Professor Saunders included:

Summarising the issue, Professor Saunders suggested that it might be opportune to further discuss how Monash could operate more strategically in the changed environment.

During discussion, members identified the following related issues:

Concluding the discussion, the Vice-Chancellor thanked members for their contribution and noted that while some of the issues raised by Deans would be addressed by improved management information and the implementation of activity based costing, other issues would require further consideration at future meetings.

Mr Tony Pollock, Executive Director, Office of International Affairs and Mr Ian Porter, Principal Adviser, International and Government Relations, Office of International Affairs were in attendance for items 5.1 and 5.2.

Members noted that the first part of the document, The Global Development Framework, provided the rationale, framework and guiding principles for Monash’s international activities. The second part, The Global Development Plan 2002-2006, identifies the planning priorities and the ways and means of achieving them.

Members provided comments on a variety of issues including the order and format of the documents, the role of Monash College, the need to emphasise research collaboration, alumni, inclusion of a small vision statement outlining the benefits for students and staff, the establishment of a coordinating strategy group, inclusion of a section on Distributed Learning and the importance of establishing partnerships of high quality with partners of standing consistent with the name of Monash.

The Vice-Chancellor advised that the documents would be revised prior to being considered at Academic Board.

The Vice-Chancellor introduced the paper, Monash in North America and noted that over the past forty years, Monash had established an extensive network of research partnerships and other associations with leading North American institutions.

Noting that the proposed strategy should underpin Monash’s global approach, Deans were requested to review, and amend where necessary, attachment 6 titled "Important Monash/North American Links Identified by Deans in 2000" and forward updated schedules to Mr Ian Porter.

Mr Neil Bradley, Researcher, Office of Deputy Vice-Chancellor and Vice-President (Resources) introduced the item noting that the purpose of the Project was to establish policy areas that provided a framework for the planning, use and management of space.

Discussion focussed on ownership of space, the most appropriate management structure that would establish accountabilities for the management of space, provide clear responsibility for the management of centralised space and permit campus arrangements that expedited the resolution of problems.

Following endorsement of the broad direction of the paper, members were advised that the paper would be refined and that the following policy papers would be discussed at a future meeting:

Professor Sue Willis, Dean, Faculty of Education introduced the topic and noted that the Institute was to parallel the Science Precinct, engender enthusiasm and raise the profile of the humanities and social sciences, enhance intellectual resources and expertise to better serve local and international communities.

Matters raised during discussion included the need for the Institute to have a physical presence and a multi-disciplinary and research focus, the need to build on and encourage linkages and interactions between areas and the most appropriate type of organisational structure for the Institute.

The next meeting of the Deans Discussion Group will be held at 4 pm on Tuesday, 6 November 2001 in the City Office.

The next meeting of the Committee of Deans will be held at 2.15 pm on Tuesday, 20 November 2001 in the Sir George Lush Room.

Vice-Chancellor and Vice-President

Deputy Vice-Chancellors and Vice-Presidents

Pro Vice-Chancellors

Deans

Executive Director, Office of International Affairs

Principal Adviser, International and Government Relations, Office of International Affairs