Meeting 1/2002 of the Scholarships Committee was held on Friday, 19 July 2002, between 2:15 pm and 4:15 pm in the James McNeill Room, 1^st floor of Administration Building 3A, Clayton campus.

Kerri Wilson-Reid

Secretary

There were present: Professor R Norris (Chair), Mr C Avram, Professor M King, Professor R Willis, Ms E Tava and Ms S Nadathur.

In attendance were: Mrs P Herman, Mr G Toohey, Mr R Newham, Mr P Yates, Ms K Gardner, Ms D Aitken and Ms K Wilson-Reid (Secretary).

No apologies were received.

A list of the Committee’s membership was circulated for reference (p 1).

The Committee welcomed new members Professor Rob Norris, Dean, Faculty of Science (Chair), Professor Rob Willis, Associate Dean International, Faculty of Business and Economics, Mr Chris Avram, Associate Dean Postgraduate Studies, Faculty of Information Technology and Ms Shyamala Nadathur, research student, Faculty of Medicine, Nursing and Health Sciences.

The Committee also welcomed Ms Pam Herman, Manager, Research Graduate School, Ms Donna Aitken, Manager, Coursework Scholarships, Mr Roger Newham, Director, Business Administration and Protocol, Mr Peter Yates, Director, Services and Systems, and Ms Kay Gardner, Manager, Equity and Diversity Centre, who had been invited to attend the meeting.

The Committee noted that certain items had been starred as requiring discussion.

The Minutes of Meeting 1/2001, held 9 February 2001, were circulated (p 3-10). These minutes were originally circulated in February 2001.

The Chair highlighted that the majority of the Committee’s membership was new and had not been present at the previous meeting. The Committee agreed that it would be appropriate for the minutes to be noted rather than approved. Those who had been members at the previous meeting noted that there were no concerns with the minutes.

Action/Information: Ms K Wilson-Reid

The Academic Board, at its Meetings 1/2001 and 3/2001, approved the Scholarships Committee’s Terms of Reference. These were circulated for information (p 1).

At Academic Board Meeting 3/2001, a member requested that the Terms of Reference be amended to refer to the promotion of scholarships. The Board noted that this matter would be given further consideration at the next Scholarships Committee meeting.

It was noted by some members that this may be a more detailed role than had been originally anticipated for the Committee. Further discussion occurred and it was agreed that it would be appropriate for the Committee to perform this role in an ‘oversight’ capacity. The Committee agreed that, for this purpose, it should receive relevant information in the existing annual reports of the Coursework Scholarships Committee (CSC) and the Research Graduate School Committee (RGSC), and that the Marketing and Public Affairs division should also submit a report on this matter.

Mr R Newham, Director, Business Administration and Protocol, proposed that the Director of Marketing and Public Affairs be included in the Committee’s membership.

Action/Information: Ms K Wilson-Reid; Ms P Herman; Ms D Aitken; Ms M Jackson; Mr R Newham

The annual report of the Coursework Scholarships Committee (CSC) to the Scholarships Committee, prepared by the Coursework Scholarships Office, Student Administration, was circulated (p 11-42).

Mr C Avram, CSC Chair, spoke to this annual report and highlighted some key issues including progress with the administration of equity and merit scholarships. Members noted Mr Avram’s advice that one area that required further efforts was the continued lack of response from faculties regarding auditing of coursework scholarships and awards.

Ms K Gardner, Manager, Equity and Diversity Centre, thanked the CSC and the Development Office for their work in relation to the "Scholarships for the Future" (agenda p18). A member also noted a minor amendment that was required on p 17 of the agenda to change "Coursewok" to "Coursework".

Action/Information: Ms D Aitken

The annual report of the Research Graduate School Committee (RGSC) to the Scholarships Committee, prepared by the Research Graduate School, was circulated (p 43-50). Additional documentation was tabled by Mrs P Herman, Secretary to the RGSC, including the ‘2001 Annual Report of the Monash Research Graduate School’ and the ‘Statistical Report 2002: Scholarships and Awards, Doctoral Candidature and Examinations’.

Professor M King, Executive Chair of the RGSC, and Mrs P Herman, Secretary to the RGCS, informed members about the report and some of the highlights from the year such as the full funding that had been achieved for travel grants, the H1 equivalence procedures that were now in place and the fifteen ICT scholarships that had been secured by Monash.

Professor King informed the Committee about an issue regarding distribution of the international postgraduate scholarship fund, which was a 3% levy on international student tuition fees income. Members noted that this fund had been distributed between research and coursework scholarship initiatives. In light of the strong demand for international onshore higher degree by research (HDR) scholarships, the significant benefits to the university of international HDR completions, and the fact that not all of the coursework allocation had been used, Professor King proposed to the Committee that a greater proportion of the 3% levy be allocated to the research area.

Discussion followed and the Committee noted several points in relation to the need to maintain the current coursework allocation including:

• equity, marketing and external competition issues;

• the unequal proportion of research and coursework students on scholarships and the difficulties comparing impact and benefits of scholarships between the two areas; and

• articulation from honours to further research.

The Committee agreed that an alternative solution would be to increase the 3% levy to 4%, and to use the additional 1% for the research area.

The Committee discussed the importance of research completion rates and mechanisms currently in place to encourage and monitor completions. A query was also raised and members were informed about the RGSC’s action in relation to recommendation 14 of the Scholarships Review Committee.

Action/Information: Professor M King; Ms P Herman

At Scholarships Committee Meeting 1/2001, progress was noted for implementation of each of the recommendations from the report of the Scholarships Review Committee to the Vice-Chancellor (August 1999). As noted in that meeting’s minutes, approximately two thirds of the recommendations had been implemented.

Following that meeting, certain matters were put to the Academic Board in the Report of the Scholarships Committee, and reports on implementation of other recommendations were requested by the Committee for consideration at this meeting. Further detail about SRC Recommendations 14, 16, 17 and 28 was contained in the RGSC report under item 6.2 of the agenda.

(Members noted that the Report of the 1999 Scholarships Review Committee was located at: http://www.adm.monash.edu.au/unisec/res/reports.html )

The recommendations were spelt out in the report circulated (p 51-52).

Action/Information: Mr R Newham; Ms C Knowles

The recommendation was spelt out in the report circulated (p 53-58). An additional document, ‘Data on Access, Participation, Success and Retention 2000-2002 (Martin Indicators)’ was tabled by Ms K Gardner, Manager, Equity and Diversity Centre.

Ms Gardner spoke to this item, and highlighted that the university would be judged by the Department of Education, Science and Training (DEST) on its ability to meet national equity indicators. The report provided information in relation to special equity needs that were not covered by the Equity and Merit scheme. Ms Gardner gave an overview of the proposals contained in the report for additional support to be considered for key groups including Indigenous Australians, single parents with low socio-economic status, and rural and isolated students with low socio-economic status. Members noted that these initiatives would be separate from existing scholarships and would require separate application processes that would be administered by the Coursework Scholarships Office.

Members discussed aspects of the proposal including the need for strong support for equity initiatives, the importance of providing a costing model for consideration during approval of the proposals, and encouragement for the Marketing and Public Affairs division to become involved with these initiatives by seeking support from outside the university for matching funds.

Action/Information: Ms K Gardner; Mr R Newham

The recommendations that faculties were asked to provide reports on (circulated p 59-80) included:

This item was starred at the meeting. Ms K Gardner commented on the importance of ongoing efforts in the area of equity. The Committee noted Ms Gardner’s suggestion that a brief proforma could be developed for completion by faculties in order to inform the Scholarships Committee about these initiatives on a continuing basis. Ms D Aitken, Manager, Coursework Scholarships Office, invited faculties to contact the Coursework Scholarships area for advice in relation to equity scholarships.

Action/Information: Ms K Gardner; Professor R Norris; Ms K Wilson-Reid

A report from the Student and Staff Services Division was forwarded to members before the meeting. (The report under this item was requested by the Academic Board.)

The matters that Student and Staff Services reported on were:

This item was starred at the meeting. Queries were raised regarding:

• intellectual property arrangements whilst participants were on scholarship; and

• clarification about which area would fund additional benefits other than the stipend. Mr P Yates advised that additional benefits would be dealt with at the departmental level.

Action/Information: Mr P Marshall; Mr P Yates; Ms K Wilson-Reid; Solicitor’s Office

An extract from Academic Board Minutes 3/2001, including matters reported from the last Scholarships Committee meeting, was circulated (p 81-84).

Members noted especially that the Academic Board had approved a change to procedure (refer SRC recommendation 19) such that allocation of Monash Equity and Merit Based Support Bursaries would now be allocated by the Coursework Scholarships Committee.

At its Meeting 3/2002, the university’s Education Committee gave in principle approval for a series of recommendations by an academic transcript working party. The report that had been put to the Education Committee was circulated (p 85-88). As recommendations 4 and 7A impacted on the role of the Scholarships Committee, it was noted that procedural issues about committee roles would be put to this Committee for consideration. The relevant matters approved were that merit-based scholarships, and faculty-based (merit) scholarships, would be included on academic transcripts, where the inclusion of those scholarships had been approved by the Scholarships Committee.

Mr P Yates, Director, Systems and Services, noted that the approval process for annual lists of academic scholarships to be included on transcripts needed to be agreed.

The Committee was asked to consider whether it would be appropriate for the Education Committee, that was already approving matters in relation to academic transcripts, to maintain responsibility for approval of these scholarship matters so as not to disjoint the approval process regarding transcripts. Professor King noted that it was previously agreed that the Education Committee could approve transcript matters on behalf of the RGSC, as Professor King was a member of both committees. Members considered the proposal and concluded that faculties should forward their lists of scholarships to be recorded on transcripts via the CSC and the RGSC to the Scholarships Committee.

Secretarial Notes: Subsequent to the meeting:

A) It was noted by the Chair and the Secretary that the agreed approval process would take an unduly long time to finalise. Members are asked to note that the approval process that will be put to the Academic Board will conclude at the level of the Scholarships Committee, and not proceed to the Academic Board or the Education Committee. Members are asked to contact the Secretary upon receipt of the minutes if there are any concerns with this change.

B) It was noted by the Coursework Scholarships Committee that, for 2002, the lists of faculty scholarships would need to be forwarded by faculties and approved within the next few months. As the next normal meeting of the Scholarships Committee will not occur until 2003, members are asked to note that the Scholarships Committee will need to conduct a meeting for this purpose via circulation of papers only (with lists as required from the CSC and the RGSC) at the appropriate time before the end of 2002.

Action/Information: Members; Ms K Wilson-Reid; Mr P Yates; Ms D Aitken; Mrs P Herman

At its meeting in 2001, the Committee provided initial guidance for the format of annual reports to be received from the CSC and the RGSC, that they should include whether any issues had inspired particular debate and whether a lack of funds had been encountered in any area where further support from the University may be required.

Further consideration was given to the format of annual reports at this meeting. Professor King noted that the RGSC prepared various other reports and that, to avoid duplication, it would be preferable for that Committee to submit a brief annual report to the Scholarships Committee with other relevant reports as attachments. In relation to the CSC, Mr Avram noted that a structured report format would be preferred.

Action/Information: Mrs P Herman; Professor M King; Ms D Aitken; Mr C Avram

Mr P Yates, Director, Systems and Services, tabled a brief proposal at the meeting. Additional supporting information, that was also tabled at the meeting, can be located at: http://www.monashfoundation.org/boa.html

Mr Yates spoke to this item and informed members about the nature of the scholarships to be awarded to exceptional postgraduate students each year. These were Commonwealth Government funded awards titled General Sir John Monash Awards, that were the equivalent of the Rhodes Scholarships or the Fullbright Scholar Programme. The appropriate member of the Department of Education, Science and Training (DEST), had contacted the university about the potential for Monash to administer these awards taking into account an apparent synergy between the government scheme and the similarly titled Sir John Monash Scholarships programme.

The Committee considered the proposal, including the potential marketing and other benefits for the university, and gave its support noting that the university should be assured that all ongoing costs associated with the proposal would be fully recoverable.

Action/Information: Mr P Yates

The Scholarships Committee meets annually, or more frequently if circumstances require. It was noted that the next normal meeting of the Committee would be scheduled and advised in 2003.

A meeting will also be held via circulation of papers only, later in 2002, as noted in minute 8 above.

Professor Robert Norris, Scholarships Committee Chair

Mr Chris Avram, Chair, Coursework Scholarships Committee

Professor Max King, Executive Chair, Research Graduate School Committee

Professor Robert Willis, Nominee of the Vice-Chancellor in relation to international operations

Ms Eleina Tava, Coursework student representative

Ms Shyamala Nadathur, Research student representative

Ms Pamela Herman, Manager, Monash Research Graduate School (or nominee)

Mr Gerard Toohey, Manager, Student Administration (or nominee)

Mr Roger Newham, Director, Business Administration & Protocol, Marketing & Public Affairs (or nominee)

Mr Peter Yates, Director, Services and Systems, Student and Staff Services

Ms Kay Gardner, Manager, Equity and Diversity Centre (or nominee)

Ms Kerri Wilson-Reid, Academic Services Officer, University Secretariat (Secretary)

Mr Tony Calder, Director, Secretariat and Executive Services

Ms Donna Aitken, Manager, Coursework Scholarships, Student Administration (nominee of Mr Toohey)

Ms Caroline Knowles, Marketing Manager, Recruitment, Prospective Students Office (nominee of Mr Newham)

Ms Margaret Heagney, Coordinator, Student Equity Unit (nominee of Ms K Gardner)