Senior Management Committee Meeting 5-2004

Meeting 5/2004 of the Senior Management Committee was held at 2.15 pm on Tuesday, 13 July, 2004 in the Council Room, 1^st Floor, University Offices Building 3a, Clayton campus.

Professor Richard Larkins AO - Vice-Chancellor and President, Presiding

Professor Stephen Parker - Deputy Vice-Chancellor

Professor Alan Lindsay - Deputy Vice-Chancellor (Academic)

Professor Edwina Cornish - Deputy Vice-Chancellor (Research)

Ms Alison Crook AO - Deputy Vice-Chancellor (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 Tam Sridhar - Dean, Faculty of Engineering

Professor Ron Weber - Dean, Faculty of Information Technology

Professor Edward Byrne - Dean, Faculty of Medicine, Nursing and Health Sciences

Professor Colin Chapman - Dean, Faculty of Pharmacy

Professor Rob Norris - Dean, Faculty of Science

Professor Chris Browne - President of the Academic Board

Mr Tony Pollock - Vice-President, International

Ms Meredith Jackson - Executive Director, Marketing and Public Affairs

Professor Max King - Director, Research Graduate School

Professor Merran Evans - Director, University Planning and Research and Director, Monash University Centre in London

Mr Greg Connell - Director, Audit and Risk Management

Professor Graham Webb - Director, Centre for Higher Education Quality

Ms Cathrine Harboe-Ree - University Librarian

Professor Denise Kirkpatrick - Director, Learning & Teaching

Mr John Levine - Divisional Director, Financial Resources Management

Mr John Matthews - Divisional Director, Corporate Finance

Mr Peter Marshall - Divisional Director, Student and Staff Services

Mr Renn Wortley - University Solicitor

Professor Rob Willis - Academic Director, Caulfield

Professor Phillip Steele - Academic Director, Berwick & Peninsula

Professor John Anderson, Mr Stephen Davey, Professor Arie Freiberg, Ms Janet Gaffey, Professor Merilyn Liddell and Mr Alan McMeekin

Professor H P Lee, Acting Dean, Faculty of Law

Ms H Bradbury, Corporate Finance Systems Manager for item 4.5.1

Mr N Pope, Employee Relations Consultant, Employee Relations and Consultancy Branch for item 4.3.1

Ms M Blackwell, Quality Advisor, Service Level Agreements, Centre for Higher Education Quality for item 4.5.2

Mr R Dias, Deputy Director, Financial Resources Management for item 4.5.4

The Minutes of Meeting 4/2004 of the Senior Management Committee held on 1 June 2004 were confirmed

Following discussion, it was resolved to amend the section on ‘Privacy and Freedom of Information’ to the following:

Professor Larkins advised members that additional detail on reviews underway/completed had been supplied by the Faculties of Medicine, Nursing & Health Sciences, and Arts.

Further discussion included:

• in 2005, faculties will be requested to report on actions taken to address areas of concern;

• the university needs to provide feedback to students regarding actions taken; and

• operational plans could include sections detailing how issues have been addressed.

Professor Larkins provided members with an update on a range of matters including:

South Africa – Mr David Gilmour’s report had been submitted and included several scenarios for the campus. A report, including recommendations would be submitted to the next meeting of Council.

Labor Party Policy – members were advised of the major features of the Labor Party education policy and were informed that if implemented in its current state Monash’s revenues would be significantly impacted.

Gippsland campus – staff consultation on proposed changes to the management structure were underway.

Other matters – including closer association with the CSIRO, additional HECS funded places at Peninsula and Berwick and the status of the new and revised equity initiatives.

Professors Parker and Evans outlined to members a range of matters relating to HESA including:

• the matrix of responsibilities for implementing major aspects of the legislation;

• proposed changes to the Fee Policy;

• Monash College pathways and equity initiatives;

• changes to the legislation relating to fees for summer semester may be amended; and

• the need to upgrade the Callista system in order to comply with HESA and the risks inherent in a hasty upgrade.

Load – members were advised that a report of recent clawbacks and load shifts would be presented to the next meeting of Senior Management Committee.

Mr Neil Pope was in attendance for this item.

Members noted the advice of Professor Lindsay, Mr Marshall and Mr Pope on the status of the current enterprise bargaining round.

Professor Cornish informed members that she understood DEST were interested in a number of aspects of the report. Aspects of recent debate included:

• High quality research underpins an innovative economy;

• a Research Assessment Exercise may be introduced by DEST and experience in the UK shows that such an exercise has focused research funding on fewer university; and

• the alignment of research to underpin business objectives will be looked at.

Members noted advice on the structure and mode of operation of the Monash Centre for Synchrotron Science. Further, a set of KPI’s will be developed to monitor the progress of the Centre.

Professor Cornish informed that several Memorandum of Understandings between Monash and CSIRO had, or did, exist.

Looking to the future, members were advised that both parties were exploring ways to get a more effective collaboration underway including strategies that would assist the humanities to have input into Flagship Programs.

Ms Heather Bradbury, Corporate Finance Systems Manager, was in attendance for this item.

Ms Bradbury outlined the objectives and benefits of the e-commerce gateway and provided members with a demonstration of the site.

In response to questions, members were advised that use of the e-commerce gateway by MONYX was under discussion, that all e-carts have contact details should problems be encountered and that the system was being made known to students including via their Fee Invoice.

Following discussion, Professor Larkins agreed in principal with the proposed recommendations and suggested that the current Web Services Working party continue with the power to co-opt additional members as necessary

The remaining actions and recommendations in the document were approved.

Members noted the advice that projected funding levels would remain tight despite projected increased revenues via the Higher Education Support Act (1993).

Mr Andrew O’Brien was in attendance for this item.

Members noted the proposal to revise the administration of student amenities fees at Monash.

Professor Larkins advised members that this matter would be reconsidered at the next meeting of the Vice-Chancellor’s Group and that further consultation on structures and the provision of services at Caulfield and Gippsland would occur.

Ms Crook introduced the item and advised members that round 2 Service Level Agreements had been circulated and discussed with faculty representatives.

Following discussion of matters relating to several Marketing and Public Affairs Service Level Agreements, and noting that two Service Level Agreements had been finalised, members were informed that the amended Service Level Agreements would be distributed to members while the remaining SLA continue to be developed.

Members noted the advice relating to the establishment of the new Medical School noting that Monash would continue to retain control of academic standards at the school.

During discussion, the following observations and/or suggestions were made:

• The Community Service Plan will be of interest to AUQA

• A member queried whether it was necessary that all community service activities must be endorsed and approved by the head of the unit.

In response, Professor Larkins suggested that the statement be reworked.

It was noted that implementation of the plan would result in another compliance report being prepared and submitted by faculties.

Noting the comments of members, the meeting was advised that the Development Office was trying to minimise the impact of the work level of faculties.

The next meeting of the Senior Management Committee will be held at 2.15 pm on Tuesday 31 August 2004 in the Council Room.