Meeting 5/2005 of the Committee of Deans will be held at 2.45 pm on Tuesday, 2 August 2005 in the Sir George Lush Room, Clayton Campus

Tony Calder, Secretary

Members having a direct commercial or financial interest in any item before this meeting must declare that interest to the Chair via the Committee Secretary prior to consideration of the item, and must not take part in a vote on any matter concerning it.

Apologies have been received from, Professor M Liddell, Pro Vice-Chancellor, Malaysia, Professor T Pretorius, Pro Vice-Chancellor, South Africa and Professor A Freiberg, Dean, Faculty of Law.

In attendance will be Professor M Pittard, Acting Dean, Faculty of Law.

Minutes of meeting 4/2005 of the Committee of Deans held on Wednesday, 22 June 2005 are attached. (Attachment 1)

The Vice-Chancellor will introduce the following item:

The Vice-Chancellor will provide members with an update on a range of issues and recent events.

Please also refer to item 7.1.

A document will be distributed shortly.

Given concerns, particularly about the downturn in enrolments in the Faculty of Information Technology and the potential impact of proposed VSU legislation, it could be helpful to start a discussion on how we would go about managing a financial crisis, if we were to have one.

I propose a number of possible ways of approaching crisis budgeting, if that is the situation we are in. It would be wise to start with an analysis of precisely how all the current 2005 budget targets are being met. If targets are not being met, or we believe that we face unexpected serious problems in 2006, then, by having an early discussion of where we are now would assist us in future discussions on University priorities and funding support. Perhaps we could begin with a preliminary discussion and follow up with more information at the next Committee of Deans on 2 August.

While it is a modest step towards the improved management of expenditure (both human and financial), I would like us to consider a process whereby, when changes are proposed or are afoot, as a ‘matter of course’ brief impact statements are prepared. I anticipate introducing such a process within my own faculty but think that it also would be helpful for any proposals with wider University impact.

For example, impact statements may include the following:

Who was doing the work and who will be doing it in future? eg new approach to credit cards

What will no longer be possible, what will become possible? eg on-line forms

What labour will it add or remove from the process? for whom? eg revision, addition or removal of form filling, membership of committees

What was the cost/quality, and what will be the cost/quality? for whom? eg novated leases for cars, Monash Brand guidelines, videoconferencing

What will be the ongoing maintenance costs after the project is complete and how will that be resourced? eg ITS initiatives, air conditioning (ask me!)

What are the opportunity costs? If we do this what will/may we have to give up? eg to fund these post docs will mean forgoing a reduction in SSR, which will enhance research more?

Impact statements should not be used in a way that inhibits change or dampens the enthusiasm of proponents of change, very often costs are warranted and/or necessary and shifts in costs sensible and ‘for the greater good’. However, we should be as fully informed as is practical about the impact of developments and about the relative impact of alternative or competing possibilities. If there were to be an overall increase in expenditure (financial or human) then we would be in a position to plan for it. If there were to be a shift in the location of the expenditure, the impact would be transparent and, if relevant, costs could be estimated and adjustments made in the starting point for budgets in following periods.

I am sure that many will look askance at the thought of more paper work and that for me to suggest it could be seen as a smidge inconsistent. I am not suggesting an elaborate form where the task becomes simply to fill in the boxes (and possibly even to mask the relevant information) and the purpose becomes to check up, but rather that we try to promote a good-will approach with an emphasis on transparency and good management.

I had thought of doing an impact statement for this proposal.

Attached is the document Clarifying Monash University policy in relation to off-campus learning. (Attachment 2) pp 5 - 8

Deans are set financial targets for all the fund categories including research. This makes it very difficult to predict with any certainty what the year end position will be. In the current circumstance, we have some major grants coming to Engineering, which are likely to be backdated. If this happens, some significant surplus and carry over will result. I would like to see if there is a better way of handling this.

The Minister for Education, the Honourable Dr Brendon Nelson MP, has proposed that there be a national senior secondary certificate called the Australian Certificate of Education to replace or complement Year 12 certificates issued by the individual states and territories. The Australian Council for Educational Research (ACER) has been contracted by the Department of Education Science and Training to investigate options for such a certificate. It is undertaking stakeholder meetings during August and September and has invited the Vice-Chancellor’s delegate to a meeting on 4 August 2005. A paper is attached. (Attachment 3)

Some areas of concern that Professor Norris has identified, from a science perspective include:

• mathematical statistics (taught by a number of faculties)

• mathematics in general

• some areas of physics (some aspects of physics may be taught in the Faculty of Engineering)

• some areas of biology (genetics, developmental biology, systems biology – some aspects may be taught in the Faculty of Medicine, Nursing and Health Sciences)

• geographical information systems (Is this geography or Geosciences?)

The four latter areas appear to be becoming problematical – how do we balance load issues (taught EFTSU) with discipline claims?

The next meeting of the Committee of Deans will be held at 4.00 pm on Tuesday, 20 September in the City Office.

Vice-Chancellor

Deputy Vice-Chancellor

Deputy Vice-Chancellor (Research)

Pro Vice-Chancellors

Deans/Acting Deans