Committee of Deans 1-2005
Meeting 1/2005 of the Committee of Deans was held at
4.00pm on Tuesday, 8 February 2005 in the Monash City Office, Level 11,
30 Collins Street, Melbourne.
MINUTES
1 Attendance and apologies
There were present:
Professor R
Larkins AO, Vice-Chancellor
Professor S
Parker, Senior Deputy Vice-Chancellor
Professor A
Lindsay, Deputy Vice-Chancellor (Academic)
Professor E
Cornish, Deputy Vice-Chancellor (Research)
Ms A Crook AO,
Deputy Vice-Chancellor (Resources)
Professor B
Mackenzie, Pro Vice-Chancellor, Gippsland
Professor M
Liddell, Pro Vice-Chancellor, Malaysia
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 S
Willis, Dean, Faculty of Education
Professor J
Sheridan, Acting Dean, Faculty of Engineering
Professor R
Weber, Dean, Faculty of Information Technology
Professor R Fox,
Acting Dean, Faculty of Law
Professor E
Byrne, Dean, Faculty of Medicine, Nursing and Health Sciences
Professor C
Chapman, Dean, Faculty of Pharmacy
Professor R
Norris, Dean, Faculty of Science
Professor M
King, Pro Vice-Chancellor, Research and Research Training
Professor D
Kirkpatrick, Director, Learning and Teaching
Apologies:
Professor J
Anderson, Pro Vice-Chancellor, South Africa
Professor T
Sridhar, Dean, Faculty of Engineering
Professor A
Freiberg, Dean, Faculty of Law
Secretary:
Mr T Calder, Director, Executive Services
2 Minutes
Minutes of meeting 7/2004 of the Committee of Deans held
on Wednesday, 10 November 2004 were approved. (Secretarial note:
Meeting 8/2004 was cancelled.)
3 Matters arising from the
Minutes (not dealt with elsewhere in the Agenda)
3.1 Evaluation of Deans and
Pro Vice-Chancellor
The Vice-Chancellor informed members that the matter was
being progressed by Professor Parker and Professor G Webb, Pro
Vice-Chancellor (Quality). Professor Parker informed members that the
methodology for administering the instrument was still being discussed.
Outcome: Both the evaluation instrument and the
methodology for administering it to be presented at a future meeting of
Committee of Deans.
(Action/Noting – Professor Parker)
3.2 Managing admissions and
enrolments at Gippsland Campus in 2005
Members noted the advice that this matter had been dealt
with via the revised Load Planning Guidelines.
Outcome: No further action for Committee of Deans.
4 Vice-Chancellor
4.1 Minister Nelson’s agenda
The Vice-Chancellor provided members with an update on
major issues including Commonwealth and/or State legislative control of
universities, voluntary student unionism, the need to prepare for the
introduction of the Research Quality Framework and the National
Collaborative Research Infrastructure Strategy and the debate on
numerical indicators versus "the portfolio approach" for the Learning
and Teaching Performance Fund.
Outcome – Item for the information of members.
4.2 Gippsland Campus Budget
Ms Crook informed members that an indicative budget for
2006 would be developed followed by an actual budget in 2007.
During discussion, it was noted that:
-
faculties retained critical involvement in the quality
control relating to disciplines; and
-
as faculties would be suppliers of academic services
to the campus – and at times may be purchasers of services from
Gippsland – service level agreements would be developed between
faculties and the Pro Vice-Chancellor, Gippsland.
Outcome: Development of the Gippsland budget would
progress as detailed in the document presented.
(Action/Noting – Ms Crook)
4.3 International student
numbers and budget
Members were provided with an update on international
student numbers.
Outcomes:
-
it was noted that some budget modifications may be
required; and
-
it would be prudent to investigate the ramifications
on the pipeline of the reduction of commencing international students.
(Action/Noting – Professor Larkins & Ms Crook)
4.4 Budget process for 2005
Outcomes:
-
Vice-Chancellor’s Group to meet with each faculty (in
the faculty’s office) to discuss the performance of the faculty, key
objectives for the coming year and proposed faculty initiatives; and
-
noted the need to discuss ways of better addressing
faculty surpluses and the "cost of research".
(Action/Noting – Ms Crook)
4.5 Monash South Africa – Pro
Vice-Chancellor
The Vice-Chancellor advised members that Professor
Tyrone Pretorius had been appointed Pro Vice-Chancellor, Monash South
Africa. Further, members were advised that Professor John Anderson would
return to Australia to the position of Pro Vice-Chancellor (Business and
Industry).
Outcome – Item for the information of members.
4.6 Secondment of Mr Tony
Pollock to IDP
Members were informed that following the resignation of
the CEO of IDP Education Australia, Mr Pollock had agreed to be seconded
to the position of CEO on a .8 basis until the appointment of a
permanent Chief Executive Officer.
Outcome – Item for the information of members.
4.7 Vice-President -
Advancement
Members were informed that a good field of applicants
had applied for the position and an appointment would be made shortly.
Outcome – Item for the information of members.
5 Deputy Vice-Chancellor (Academic)
5.1 Development of the Graduate Certificate
in Higher Education
Following an introduction by Professor D Kirkpatrick of
proposed changes to the Graduate Certificate in Higher Education,
members provided a range of suggestions for further consideration.
Outcome:
-
Professors Parker and Kirkpatrick to discuss the
changes suggested changes of
by members;
-
a review of the probationary period be initiated in
order to identify any systemic weaknesses and ensure that the
probationary period focussed on enhancing performance;
-
the criteria used for confirming appointments be
revisited. Professor R Norris to provide an example; and
-
the matter of confirming appointments to be considered
at the next meeting of the Committee of Deans.
(Action/Noting – Professors Parker, Lindsay and
Kirkpatrick)
6 Deputy Vice-Chancellor
(Research)
6.1 Monash Environment
Institute (MEI)
Professor Cornish informed Deans that she was looking to
achieve representation from all faculties on the advisory board for the
Monash Environment Institute.
A proposal to facilitate water-related research and
education – "Monash Water" – was distributed at the meeting.
Outcome: Deans were requested to respond to Professor
Cornish’s request for faculty representation on the MEI Advisory Board.
(Action/Noting – Professor Cornish and Deans of
Faculties)
7 Deputy Vice-Chancellor
(Resources)
7.1 Heads of Department
Package
Ms Crook informed members that Attachment 2 Proposed
Head of School/Department Framework that outlined the proposed terms
and conditions had been withdrawn for further consultation and that the
proposal to introduce a generic position description template was the
major item for discussion.
Comments of members included:
-
the structures of faculties differed across the
University from faculties that had no school or department structure
eg Education and Law to Medicine with a school structure where each
school consisted of a number of departments;
-
in response to a comment that the "key results areas
and responsibilities" overly emphasised the goals of the University,
not the faculty, it was suggested that the document be amended where
appropriate to include reference to "faculty and university" and
"campus" as needed;
-
Key Selection Criteria – amend third dot point to
"Excellent leadership and staff management skills, with demonstrated
experience in managing organisational units" or something similar;
-
that the document was a template that could be
tailored to meet specific needs of faculties; and
-
it was suggested that the document needed to be
flexible enough to cater for the wide range of complexities inherent
in a complex entity such as Monash and that a "complexity index"
should be built into the process.
Outcome – Ms Crook noted the comments of members and
advised that the generic position description template would be revised
accordingly.
(Action/Noting – Ms Crook)
8 Matters raised by Deans
8.1 Monash North America
technology transfer forum - mid April
Following advice from Professor Le Grand that leading
American technology transfer experts would be at Monash on 11 April
(approximately), the Vice-Chancellor suggested that the visitation be
co-ordinated with the visit of Dr Richard Lambert.
Outcome: Professor D Copolov, Senior Advisor on Special
Initiatives, to assist with co-ordinating the visit with activities
relating to the visit of Dr Lambert.
(Action/Noting – Professors Le Grand and Copolov)
8.2 Informal approaches from
Indonesia re long-term assistance in reconstruction, training,
peace-building
Outcome: Professor Le Grand to progress any issues by
linking in with the working party convened by Professor G Bouma.
9 Other Business
9.1 Role and membership of the
Committee of Deans
Members participated in an extensive discussion on the
relative roles of the Committee of Deans and Senior Management
Committee, membership and effectiveness of agenda
items and the role of the Committee. Following advice
that the role of the Senior Management Committee was also under review,
members noted the suggestion of Professor Larkins that operational
matters should, under normal circumstances, be included on the Senior
Management Committee agenda.
Outcome: Members were invited to forward any further
views to Professor Larkins or the Secretary. While ongoing changes to
improve the effectiveness of the Committee would be instigated during
2005, an end-of-year evaluation would occur including a comparison of
the performance and effectiveness of the Committee of Deans and the
Senior Management Committee.
10 Next meeting
The next meeting of the Committee of Deans will be held
at 4.00 pm on Tuesday, 22 March 2005 in the City Office.
Distribution
Vice-Chancellor
Deputy
Vice-Chancellor
Deputy
Vice-Chancellor (Academic)
Deputy
Vice-Chancellor (Research)
Deputy
Vice-Chancellor (Resources)
Pro
Vice-Chancellors
Deans/Acting
Deans
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