Committee of Deans

Meeting 1/2006 of the Committee of Deans was held at 2.15 pm on Tuesday, 21 February 2006 in the Sir George Lush Room, Building 3a, Clayton Campus.

MINUTES

1. Attendance and apologies

There were present:

Professor R Larkins AO, Vice-Chancellor

Professor S Parker, Senior Deputy Vice-Chancellor

Professor S Fahey, Deputy Vice-Chancellor (International)

Professor E Cornish, Deputy Vice-Chancellor (Research)

Mr R Fairchild, Vice-President (Advancement)

Mr D Pitt, Vice-President (Finance)/Chief Financial Officer

Professor B Mackenzie, Pro Vice-Chancellor, Gippsland

Professor M Liddell, Pro Vice-Chancellor, Malaysia

Professor M King, Pro Vice-Chancellor, Research and Research Training

Professor J Redmond, Dean, Faculty of Art and Design

Professor N Tapper, Acting Dean, Faculty of Arts

Professor G Palmer, Dean, Faculty of Business and Economics

Professor S Willis, Dean, Faculty of Education

Professor T Sridhar, Dean, Faculty of Engineering

Professor R Weber, Dean, Faculty of Information Technology

Professor A Freiberg, 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

Ms A Birmingham, Manager, Policy and Consultancy, Workplace Policy Branch for item 8.1

Mr D Phillips, Consultant for item 8.1

Ms M Harris, Faculty Manager, Faculty of Business and Economics for item 11.1

Mr C Rich, Manager, Curriculum Data, Faculty of Business and Economics for item 11.1

Apologies:

Mr P Marshall, Vice-President (Administration)

Professor T Pretorius, Pro Vice-Chancellor, South Africa

Professor H Le Grand, Dean, Faculty of Arts

Secretary:

Mr T Calder, Director, Executive Services

2. Minutes

Minutes of meeting 8/2005 of the Committee of Deans held on Wednesday, 14 December 2005 were confirmed subject to an amendment to Minute 7.2 to read as follows:

"7.2 Royalties for Postgraduate Programs at Malaysia Campus

Given the changes to Monash’s royalty stream and equity level in the new Malaysia Campus, Mr Pitt and Professor Liddell would develop, and discuss with deans, a funding model for graduate coursework and HDR students."

3. Matters arising from the Minutes (not dealt with elsewhere in the Agenda)

3.1 Representation on Vice-Chancellor’s Group by a nominated Dean or Deans

The Vice-Chancellor welcomed to membership of Vice-Chancellor’s Group, Professor Rob Norris.

4. Vice-Chancellor

4.1 Vice-Chancellor’s Business

The Vice-Chancellor noted the success and contribution made by participants at both the Senior Management Summit and Council Conference.

Members noted advice that a Council Working Party had been established to progress some aspects of the campaign as outlined in The Monash Campaign Plan.

4.2 Report on Visit to India, Bangladesh and Malaysia

The Vice-Chancellor outlined to members the activities and processes that contributed to the proposal, approved in principle by Council at meeting 1/2006 (17 February), to establish a joint research academy in Mumbai in association with the Indian Institute of Technology.

Professor Tam Sridhar invited deans to contact him to discuss any specific needs.

5 Senior Deputy Vice-Chancellor

6 Deputy Vice-Chancellor (International)

6.1 International Engagement

Professor Stephanie Fahey outlined to members some of the general and specific objectives of her position.

Professor Fahey advised deans that she would be pleased to meet with them to discuss initiatives relating to their faculty.

7 Deputy Vice-Chancellor (Research)

Professor Edwina Cornish informed members that the expected number of applications for Discovery Grants was holding up well compared to previous years and provided members with an overview of recent meetings with representatives from the State Government on the positioning of research activities within the State.

8 Vice-President (Administration)

8.1 Review of the Academic Performance Management Scheme

Ms Amanda Birmingham and Mr David Phillips were in attendance for this item.

Mr Phillips outlined to members the process and timeline for the review.

Matters raised by members included:

• a member suggested that as off-shore campuses operated in a slightly different context, the review team should arrange a teleconference with heads of schools at off-shore campuses to seek their views and inputs;

• the review should consider the issue of dual supervision where a staff member had an academic manager that was different to their immediate line manager;

• any review of the existing scheme should take into account the increasing occurrence of split appointments;

• projects/initiatives collecting data that contributed to overall performance management outcomes must be co-ordinated to maximise enhanced outcomes; and

• a suggestion that the review team also research some external industry practices.

The Vice-Chancellor thanked Ms Birmingham and Mr Phillips noting this was a critical project for 2006.

9 Vice-President (Advancement)

Mr Ron Fairchild provided an update on the following:

Course changes and publications

Following discussion at meeting 8/2005, meetings had taken place to ensure that flexibility was maintained.

The Monash Campaign Plan

While work with Pharmacy was progressing, other aspects of the plan were also progressing in accord with the timeline.

Director of Development

An announcement regarding the appointment should occur shortly.

A member noted that requirements and timelines for publications were sometimes in conflict with the approval/quality assurance aspects of course/unit approvals.

Following discussion, the Vice-Chancellor requested that the matter be referred for discussion at the Senior Management Committee.

10 Vice-President (Finance)

Mr David Pitt informed members of the following:

• Mr John Levine would be leaving Monash in April to pursue other business interests;

• the identification of a preferred candidate for the business strategy portfolio was close;

• reviews of a number of controlled and a related entity had commenced or were about to commence; and

• Caulfield Stage 2 – discussions with the developer were progressing.

11 Matters raised by members

11.1 Credit Assessment Policies and Articulation Agreements

(Sponsor Gill Palmer)

Ms Merilyn Harris and Mr Colin Rich were in attendance for this item.

Professor Palmer outlined to members the scope and importance of credit assessment to the operations of her faculty.

Ms Harris and Mr Rich provided a demonstration of the Faculty’s software that assisted in both informing prospective students of their eligibility for admission and produced a course map of any possible advanced standing.

During discussion, members discussed a range of issues including course versus unit outlines, differences in the amount of credit granted by different institutions, the use of bridging programs when cohorts of students were involved, the need to distinguish between "credit and exemptions" and the need to retain some flexibility when addressing credit for students who had undertaken a program of study at a quality institution.

Summarising the discussion, the Vice-Chancellor suggested that Professors Parker, Fahey, Liddell, Weber and Palmer and Ms Lee-Ann Norris progress the matter for consideration by Senior Management Committee and/or Academic Board.

12 Other Business

13 Topics identified for discussion at future meetings

13.1 What processes and activities should cease at Monash?

14 Next meeting

The next meeting of the Committee of Deans will be held at 4.00 pm on Tuesday, 21 March in the Monash City Office, Level 11, 30 Collins Street, Melbourne.

The Vice-Chancellor informed members that the format for meetings held at the City Office would be varied where the meeting would continue until 6.30 pm and then members would break for a meal.

Distribution

Vice-Chancellor

Senior Deputy Vice-Chancellor

Deputy Vice-Chancellor (International)

Deputy Vice-Chancellor (Research)

Vice-Presidents

Pro Vice-Chancellors

Deans/Acting Deans