PART A    PROCEDURAL MATTERS

Dr Mizarina Dato’ Abu Bakar (Monash, Sunway)

The Chair thanked the following outgoing members for their contribution to the Committee: Professors Tony Dingle, Mark Davison and David Arnott, Associate Professors Sally Joy, Brenton Doecke, Pamela O’Connor and Mr Grant Machell.

All unstarred items on the agenda were adopted without discussion and the actions recommended taken or the information therein noted.

Additional item: Item 9 “Other Business” – 9.1 - Monash Honours Passport Project Plan.   A document was electronically circulated to members prior to the meeting.

The unconfirmed minutes of meeting 7/2007, held on Wednesday 13 December 2007 were approved with the following amendments:

• item 8.7 to read: “The Intervention Strategy Procedures had been devised in relation to the  National Code requirement to provide additional intervention for mid year students”.
• item 17 to read:  ‘‘Education Committee noted the Statement of International Purpose and the proposed amendments”.

Members noted that the following matters from Education Committee meeting 07-2007 were transmitted to Academic Board meeting 1-2008 for approval:

• Grading Scale Policy and Procedures
• Collaborative Coursework Arrangements Policy and Procedures
• ESOS Student Transfer Between Registered Providers Policy and Procedures
• ESOS Student Under Age 18 Policy and Procedures
• Course Structure Policy and Procedures
• Membership of Education Committee

The Chair reported that Academic Board meeting 1-2008 approved the following:

1. Grading Scale Policy and Procedures
2. Collaborative Coursework Arrangements Policy and Procedures
3. ESOS Student Transfer Between Registered Providers Policy and Procedures
   Note: Amendments were approved at Academic Board to extend the policy’s coverage to the offshore campuses by including the definition of ‘international student’.
4. ESOS Student Under Age 18 Policy and Procedures
   Note: Amendments were approved at Academic Board to extend the policy’s coverage to the offshore campuses by including the definition of ‘international student’.
5. Course Structure Policy and Procedures. It was noted that the question of what constituted a Master’s program would return to the Education Committee.
6. Addition to the membership of the Education Committee to include members from South Africa and Sunway campuses.

Resolution:

Education Committee approved the Academic Progress Intervention Strategy Procedures for transmission to Academic Board.

For information/Action:  Ms C Holland, Mr R Barrett, Ms N Mitchell

Members were informed that the Honours Passport Project was in response to Monash’s 2025 vision and the need to attract the very best students and engage them with exciting, rigorous academic experiences.  Project initiatives would include an enhanced honours model such as the Bachelor of Philosophy (Hons), greater engagement with students in later secondary school and Enhancement programs, widening choice and access for students with internships, volunteering and scholarships, and creating co-operative, relevant academic programs between faculties.

The Chair invited comment from members who welcomed the initiative with enthusiasm.  It was noted that a working group would be formed to continue work on various aspect of the project in readiness for formal approval of its constituent parts. 

Faculties who were interested in participating in developing course models were invited to contact Ms Michelle King, Senior Project Manager.

For information/action:  Ms M King

The Chair introduced Dr Kristina Macrae, Project Leader for the Sessional Workforce Project.   Dr Macrae briefly outlined the project which was designed to support the many sessional academic staff who made an important and valuable contribution to the academic endeavour of the university. 

Dr Macrae would be contacting Faculty Associate Deans with further details of the project.

For information/action:  Dr K Macrae

PART D       FACULTY REPORTS

Members noted that the schedule for the Biannual Faculty reports is as follows:

The first round of Faculty Biannual reports are due meeting 2-08 (submissions close 16 April).