Committee of Deans Meeting 2-2002

2.15 pm

Tuesday, 26 February, 2002

Sir George Lush Room, Ground floor, University Offices Building 3a, Clayton campus.

Professor David Robinson, Vice-Chancellor and President

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

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

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

Professor Brian Mackenzie, Pro Vice-Chancellor, Gippsland

Professor John Redmond, Dean, Faculty of Art and Design

Professor Homer Le Grand, Dean, Faculty of Arts

Professor Gill Palmer, Dean, Faculty of Business and Economics

Professor Sue Willis, Dean, Faculty of Education

Professor Michael Brisk, Dean, Faculty of Engineering

Professor Stephen Parker, Dean, Faculty of Law

Professor Robert Norris, Dean, Faculty of Science

Professor Colin Chapman, Dean, Victorian College of Pharmacy

Professor Leon Piterman, Deputy Dean, Faculty of Medicine, Nursing and Health Sciences (for Professor Saunders)

A/Professor Robin Pollard, School of Business Systems, Faculty of Information Technology for (Professor Rosenberg)

Professor Merran Evans, Director, Monash University Centre, London for item 4.1

Mr John Matthews, Divisional Director, Corporate Finance Division for item 4.4.1

Ms Annabel Carle, Communications Manager, Corporate Finance Division for item 4.4.1

Apologies were received from Professor N Saunders, Dean, Faculty of Medicine, Nursing and Health Sciences, Professor B Bignall, Pro Vice-Chancellor, Malaysia, Professor J Rosenberg, Dean, Faculty of Information Technology

Ms Janty Taylor

Ms Samantha Rose

The minutes of meeting 1/2002 of the Committee of Deans held on 15 January 2002 were confirmed.

Professor David Robinson, Vice-Chancellor, addressed the meeting about the University Council meeting in South Africa on 15 October 2002 and asked Deans, apart from those with business on the Council agenda, to avoid visiting the campus during the Council visit.

Professor Stephen Parker, Dean, Faculty of Law, reported on developments at the Monash University Centre in London and included the following highlights:

1. An alumni function was conducted with representatives from several law firms in London who expressed an interest in involvement with the Monash University Centre in London.

2. The Principal and Deputy Principal of King’s College have expressed interest in research collaboration with Monash and the need to increase awareness and knowledge of priority research areas. Further, they offered to provide Monash with their non-public RAE material which would give Monash an insight into the research strengths of King’s College.

3. The Monash University Centre in London has held discussions with the Menzies Centre for Australian Studies about relocating to the Centre’s proposed new location on the Strand.

4. The High Commissioner for Australia has expressed support for the Monash University London Centre and has undertaken to look for opportunities that would further its development.

5. The proposed new premises for Monash University Centre in London are in an excellent position on the Strand opposite Australia House and proposed refurbishment designs have been discussed with architects.

6. Further discussions have been held with Professor Bill Kent, Director Monash University Centre Prato, about ongoing links and collaboration between the Prato and London Centres.

Professor Merran Evans, Director Monash University Centre, London informed the meeting that events have been organised with visiting academic staff to London and Prato Centres and requested that Deans advise her of proposed visits by staff to the two Centres.

Professor Darvall, Deputy Vice-Chancellor (Research and Development), noted the large number and high quality of applications for ARC grants. In addition, applications were currently being submitted for NHMRC funding. Professor Darvall also advised Deans that Monash was bidding, with other medical institutes, for grants from the Information and Communication Technology Centre of Excellence and Biotechnical Centre for Excellence. An application is also being made to the European Union for health research funding.

Professor Darvall also noted the establishment of the Institute for Global Movements would proceed for approval through Academic Board.

Mr John Matthews, Divisional Director, Corporate Finance and Ms Annabel Carle, Communications Manager, Corporate Finance Division spoke to this item.

Ms Carle made a presentation to the meeting about the major points of the upgrade. In the presentation, Ms Carle noted that further upgrades to SAP are planned which will include a Windows-based approach in the future. Staff training on the new upgrades will take place in late April. Deans were advised that consultation and advice about the operational use of SAP may be provided to individual departments, on request.

A document was attached

Professor Michael Brisk, Dean, Faculty of Engineering spoke to the meeting about the proposal to establish a Chair in Biotechnology in the Department of Chemical Engineering. Professor Brisk noted that the field of chemical engineering was changing away from traditional engineering to biotechnical engineering and it was appropriate that the structure of the Department of Chemical Engineering should reflect this. The appointment in biotechnical engineering may also extend beyond one faculty and an appointee with capacity for cross-faculty activities would prove to be a benefit.

Following discussion on the appropriateness of the word "Biotechnology" in the title of the position, Professor Robinson noted Professor Brisk would nominate the appropriate title after discussion with the Deans of other relevant faculties.

The Committee approved the proposal of the Faulty of Engineering to establish the Chair in Biotechnology.

A document was attached.

The Committee approved the proposal of the Faculty of Medicine, Nursing and Health Sciences to establish and fill the position of Professor/Director of Aged Care Medicine.

A document was attached.

The Committee approved the proposal of the Faculty of Business and Economics to fill the Chair in Accounting and Finance.

A document was attached.

Professor Lindsay, Vice-Chancellor (Research and Development) introduced the item and the attached paper, which proposed a broader review of the Graduate Certificate in Higher Education.

Professor Sue Willis, Dean, Faculty of Education spoke to this item. Professor Willis advised the meeting that the intention of the paper was to separate the issue of probation and the requirement to undertake the Graduate Certificate. Professor Willis noted that at the time of appointment, a committee would decide if the Graduate Certificate is required to be undertaken by the successful applicant. Where a level D teaching position was offered, the committee would make its decision as to whether the Graduate Certificate was to be undertaken, based on references provided about the applicant’s previous teaching experience. The committee may also find it appropriate to set probationary conditions for the applicant’s appointment involving the Graduate Certificate.

Professor Michael Brisk, Dean of the Faculty of Engineering, enquired if the proposal regarding successful applicants undertaking the Graduate Certificate in Higher Education would also apply to academic staff appointed to the Malaysian campus. In response, Professor Lindsay noted that an advisory committee of that campus advises on the suitability and applicability of procedures for that campus based on local issues.

The meeting discussed equivalent and faculty specific courses which could be undertaken in place of the Graduate Certificate in Higher Education. During discussions it was noted that courses already in place at faculty level would be taken into account in the review of the Graduate Certificate in Higher Education.

Professor Colin Chapman, Dean of the Victorian College of Pharmacy, enquired about the timeframe of the review of the Graduate Certificate of Higher Education. Professor Chapman noted that it would be advantageous for the review to commence as soon as practicable, as undertaking the course had implications for the research activities of newly appointed staff.

Professor Lindsay advised the review should be completed by June 2002 and would involve consultation with all faculties.

A document was circulated at the meeting

Professor Stephen Parker, Dean of the Faculty of Law outlined the joint project undertaken by the Faculty of Law and the Centre for Higher Education Quality to investigate the experiences of students undertaking undergraduate courses in the Faculty of Law.

The aim of the project was to find out more about the profile of students and their impressions of the faculty. The survey used in the project was administered to 400 students and focus groups were also used. It is intended that the results will be used to improve the teaching and resourcing of the LLB course. One specific result of the project was that students preferred small group teaching such as tutorials of 15 to 25 students.

Further, the project is to be used as a base line survey instrument which may be used each two years in a regular survey of current and former Monash Law students.

Professor Parker noted a committee would now develop a response to the results.

Professor Lindsay praised the presentation of the project and noted he would request Professor Graham Webb, Director, Centre for Higher Education Development and Professor Merran Evans, Director, Planning and Academic Affairs to examine the results for co-ordination with the Monash Student Experience.

Professor Mackenzie, Pro Vice-Chancellor, Gippsland campus noted that the expected attendance at an alumni event at the Gippsland campus was expected to exceed 300.

Professor Robinson noted that the timetable for intra faculty reviews is currently being established.

Professor Robinson informed the meeting he had recently met with the Presidents of the students associations. During the meeting, the Presidents raised concerns about the English language competence of academic staff of the University. It was further noted that in instances where some academic staff had incompetent English skills, it may present problems for international students who themselves may in some cases have limited English skills.

During discussions the following issues were raised:

1. The possible inclusion of competency in English as a mandatory selection criterion for teaching positions.

2. The limited number and utility of systematic tools available to measure students’ opinions about the quality of teaching. In the context of evaluations by students of their courses, the evaluation of the content of a subject by students may be confused with the evaluation of teaching in that subject.

3. The difficulties existing in the effective assessment of staff performances in teaching using the current measurements available. Other effective measures may include peer appraisal, student satisfaction and the use of Monquest to improve teaching performance.

4. The proper performance management appraisal of teaching quality using a suitable diagnostic tool may be a valid issue for the University to follow up.

5. The practice of some faculties initially allocating smaller teaching loads to new staff as an introduction to teaching in the faculty.

6. During the appointment process, some faculties included a "seminar presentation" as part of the selection criteria.

It was agreed that this matter would be picked up by Professor Lindsay as part of the oversight of performance management.

The next meeting of the Deans Discussion Group will be held at 4.00pm on Tuesday 19th March 2002 in the City Office.

The next ordinary meeting of the Committee of Deans will be held at 2.15pm on Tuesday 12th March 2002 in the Sir George Lush Room.