Monash University

Education Committee Meeting 7/94


Meeting No 7/94 of the Education Committee was held on Wednesday 2 November at 10:00 am in the Faculty Room on the ground floor, Faculty of Medicine Offices, Clayton campus.

There were present:

Professor L Chipman, Acting Chair
Associate Professor R Alfredson, Engineering
Dr G Baldwin, Policy and Planning
Professor A Barnett, Nursing
Professor E Barry, Arts
Professor C Bellamy, Computing and Information Technology
Associate Professor M Gill, Education
Associate Professor A Goldsmith, Law
Ms M Guli, MAS
Professor N Hallam, Science
Professor M King, PhD and Scholarships Committee
Ms H Morgan, MPA
Dr L Roller, Pharmacy
Associate Professor G Taylor, Medicine
Professor G Tucker, Business & Economics
Professor J Williamson, Art and Design

In Attendance:

Ms E R Brooks, Executive Officer
Mr R Burnet, Student Services
Ms O Cornelius, Academic Registrar
Associate Professor P Fitzpatrick, Centre for Drama and Theatre Studies
Mr K Hobbs, Faculty Registrar/Administrator
Mr E Lim, University Library

MINUTES

*1. STARRED ITEMS

The Committee starred additional items, being 10, 16.1, 20.2.1 to 20.2.4 inclusive, and 20.2.15 of these minutes. The Committee then endorsed the recommendations for items other than those starred.

*2. MINUTES

The Minutes of Meeting No 6/94 held on Tuesday 20 September 1994 were confirmed and signed as circulated.

3. MATTERS ARISING FROM THE MINUTES

3.1 Graduate Studies Sub-committee

Regarding Minutes 3.1 Meeting 6/94, 3.1 Meeting 5/94, 3.1 Meeting 4/94, 2.1 Meeting 3/94, 2.2 Meeting 2/94 and 12 Meeting 1/94: the Committee noted that the Sub-Committee met on Wednesday 21 September 1994 and would meet again on Friday 28 October 1994.

ERB

3.2 Academic Board approval of subjects

Regarding Minutes 3.2 Meeting 6/94, 3.2 Meeting 5/94, 3.4 Meeting  4/94 and 8.5 Meeting 3/94: the Committee noted that the University Solicitor Solicitor's Office was preparing a response to the paper submitted to them for comment.

ERB

3.3 Fees for Subjects Taken Over and Above Degree Requirements

Regarding Minutes 3.3 Meeting 6/94, 3.3 Meeting 5/94, 3.5 Meeting  4/94 and 9.5 Meeting 3/94: the Committee noted that most Faculties have forwarded their current fee policies to the Executive Officer, for a summary to be presented to the Education Committee at a later date.

ERB

3.4 Discipline Working Party

Regarding Minutes 3.5 Meeting 6/94, 3.6 Meeting 5/94, 5 Meeting  4/94 and 4 Meeting 2/94: the Committee noted that the working party  met on Friday 7 October and was beginning to draft a report for the Education Committee.

A/Prof Goldsmith

3.5 Conventions in Naming Degrees

Regarding Minutes 3.7 Meeting 6/94, 3.9 Meeting 5/94 and 11.1.12  Meeting 4/94: the Committee noted that this item would be brought to a later meeting of the Education Committee.

ERB

3.6 Honours Working Party

Regarding Minutes 3.8 Meeting 6/94, 4 Meeting 5/94, and 4.1.9  Meeting 3/94: the Committee received and noted the questionnaire circulated to Faculty staff by the working party and also noted that the working party was in the process of collating those responses.

ERB

3.7 Academic Medals

Regarding Minute 4 Meeting 6/94, the Committee noted that the revised paper would be presented to the next meeting of the Education Committee.

ERB

*3.8 Subject Quota Procedures

Regarding Minute 8 Meeting 6/94: the Committee noted that at Council Meeting 7/94 (Monday 31 October) Council endorsed the proposal "that Council delegate to the Deputy Vice-Chancellor the authority to approve subject quotas; and that Academic Board be asked to present to Council for information an annual listing of subject quotas approved."

3.9 Proposals requiring Further Clarification

Regarding Minutes 11.3.1 to 11.3.4 inclusive, 14.1 and 14.2 Meeting 6/94: the Committee noted that all items were clarified at or before Academic Board meeting 7/94, and were passed by the Board.

*4. UNIVERSITY ENTRY VIA NON-CREDIT COURSES

The Committee reviewed the documentation originally submitted  concerning this question, and determined that Regulation 4.1.2 made  pursuant to Statute 6.1.1 should be read to mean that the phrase "two subjects" indicated not less than twelve credit points. The Faculty of Arts was invited to make a submission to the Admissions Committee concerning the effect this may have on their admissions standard.

Prof. Barry

*5. MONASH UNDERGRADUATE SCHOLARSHIP

At Meeting 1/94, the PhD & Scholarships Committee was requested to  prepare a paper concerning the guidelines for selection for the Monash Undergraduate Scholarship, and to reconsider the title of the Scholarship. The Committee received the response of the PhD & Scholarship Committee, and determined that the proposal to award scholarships to students entering their fourth year of study should be forwarded intact to the Academic Board.

ERB

*6. YEAR LEVEL STANDARDS AND ASSESSMENT POLICIES

The Committee received the paper prepared by Dr Baldwin. The  Committee asked that the paper be referred to CADeT, where input should be sought from the Faculties involved and a response prepared for the 5 April meeting of the Education Committee.

*7. SUBJECT EVALUATION PILOT PROJECT

The Committee received and noted the memorandum from Professor Chapman concerning the Subject Evaluation Pilot Project.

8. MEETING DATES FOR 1995

The Committee received and noted the schedule presented for the  meetings of Council, Academic Board and Education Committee for 1995 (including submission deadlines for each committee). The Committee also noted that all meetings of the Education Committee would be held at 9 am in 1995.

ERB

9. MEMBERSHIP

*9.1 Student Representatives

The Committee agreed to allow the student representatives to seek  legal advice on the matter and return the proposal, with any  amendments, to the December meeting of the Education Committee for discussion.

M Guli
H Morgan

*9.2 Co-Opted Member

The Committee endorsed the recommendation of the Deputy  Vice-Chancellor to co-opt Dr Gay Baldwin, Planning Adviser in the Policy and Planning Directorate. This decision was taken earlier, immediately following the confirmation of the Minutes, to allow Dr Baldwin to participate fully in the meeting.

ERB

9.3 Gender Balance

The Committee noted the issue of gender balance in relation to filling vacancies.

9.4 Terms of Office

The Committee noted that the Term of Office for members other than students and ex-officio members was at the discretion of the person who nominated them for membership, rather than for a fixed term, as was originally indicated.

*10. EXCELLENCE IN TEACHING

The Committee noted and congratulated the achievements of those academics selected for the awards made by the Monash University Medical Undergraduates' Society each year for excellence in teaching in the first three years of the medical program. This year the winners were as follows:

First year - Mr Wilfrid Brook, Department of Anatomy

Second Year - Associate Professor Grahame Taylor, Department of Physiology and Assistant Dean of the Faculty of Medicine (equivalent to the Associate Dean (Teaching) in other faculties)

Third Year - Dr John Rawson, Department of Physiology

*11. MARKING AND SELECTION PRACTICES

The Committee received a memorandum from the Chair of the Admissions Committee of the Faculty of Law concerning in particular the current differences between sections of the university in terms of marking and the impact this can have on students seeking internal Dr Baldwin transfers between degree programs. After some discussion, the Committee requested that Dr Baldwin prepare a descriptive paper of current marking practices, including a summary of any other current investigations into those practices.

*12. REPORT OF THE UNIVERSITY LIBRARIAN

The Committee received the University Librarian's Summary of  Library Impact Statements (to 15 October 1994) and requested that the summary be submitted to the Committee of Deans with a view to investigating the issue of adequate resourcing and funding for new courses.

ERB

13. ITEMS PREVIOUSLY RETURNED TO FACULTIES

*13.1 Bachelor of Performing Arts

The Committee received the memorandum from the co-ordinators of the  Bachelor of Performing Arts, and heard a presentation from Associate Professor P Fitzpatrick recommending that the structure of the course should remain unchanged from that originally proposed, since any change would dilute the concentration in the discipline. The Committee rejected this idea, but agreed to the alternative recommendation presented by the co-ordinators, to allow a twelve point first year sequence to be taken within another Department or Faculty.

The Committee agreed to recommend that Academic Board remove the condition from the provisional endorsement granted to the original proposal, and grant approval on the understanding that students be permitted to take a twelve point first year sequence within another Department or Faculty.

ERB

*13.2 New Subject Proposals for 1995

The Committee received the amended proposals submitted for the subjects listed below.

13.2.1 MUM4960 Chief Practical Study

13.2.2 MUM4990 Chief Practical Study

13.2.3 MUM5980 Performance Research Project

The Committeee endorsed for transmission to the Academic Board the  subject proposals listed in items 13.2.1 to 13.2.3 inclusive.

ERB

*14. BACHELOR OF COMMUNICATIONS

The Committee received the submission concerning the proposed Bachelor of Communications, to be offered at the Berwick campus, in conjunction with awards offered by the Casey College of TAFE. The submission included proposals for major sequences in Communications, Library and Information Services, Information Technology, Advertising, Public Relations, and Journalism. The Committee noted that the proposal to amend the subject COT1800 Public Networks to allow it to be offered also as COT2800 (presented on p 2409 of the agenda) was an example of an excellent proposal to amend a subject.

The Committee discussed at length the issue of whether the proposal should have been considered by the usual Faculty procedures before submission to the Education Committee.

Acknowledging the time constraints affecting the introduction of the course in 1995, the Committee endorsed the course proposal in  principle for transmission to the Academic Board, subject to further  clarification of the regulatory structure and requirements of the  degree. These additional items are to be circulated urgently to the  members of the Committee, who are then asked to forward their  comments to Professor Chubb, who will address the Academic Board concerning the proposal. The contributing Faculties will also be asked to consider the proposal for the new course through their normal channels and report their discussion to the Education Committee.

I Gregory
Prof. Chubb
Prof. Barry
Prof Bellamy
Prof. Tucker

*14.1 Formal abbreviation

The Committee noted that Professor Pargetter had guaranteed that the formal abbreviation for the Bachelor of Communications would not be similar to that for Bachelor of Commerce, and agreed to leave the abbreviation as that shown in the course proposal, BComns.

15. FACULTY OF COMPUTING AND INFORMATION TECHNOLOGY EXECUTIVE REPORT

The Committee received the report of the Faculty of Computing and Information Technology Executive.

*15.1 Master of Digital Communications

The Committee endorsed for transmission to the Academic Board the ERB proposal to establish a Master of Digital Communications.

16. FACULTY OF EDUCATION EXECUTIVE REPORT

The Committee received the report of the Faculty of Education Executive.

*16.1 New subject proposals for 1995

16.1.1 GED2609 Curricula for Work-Related Learning

16.1.2 GED2610 Systematic Approaches to Work-Related Learning

The Committee endorsed for transmission to the Academic Board the subject proposals listed in items 16.1.1 and 16.1.2 above.

17. FACULTY OF ENGINEERING EXECUTIVE REPORT

The Committee received the report of the Faculty of Engineering Executive and considered each item requiring action separately for transmission to the Academic Board.

*17.1 Bachelor of Engineering

The Committee noted that this item includes a reference to a subject proposal which was submitted for approval in item 17.2.2,  and endorsed for transmission to the Academic Board the proposal to amend the stream in Mechanical Engineering of the Bachelor of Engineering by replacing the subject MEC4412 Manufacturing Methods with the subject MEC4452 Robotics.

ERB

17.2 Subject proposals for 1995

17.2.1 ELE4222 Biomedical Engineering

17.2.2 MEC4452 Robotics

17.2.3 MEC4454 Mechatronics

17.2.4 MEC3408 Mechanics and Deformation of Solids

17.2.5 MEC3491 Statistical Analysis of Mechanical Systems

The Committee endorsed for transmission to the Academic Board the subject proposals listed in items 17.2.1 to 17.2.5 inclusive.

ERB

17.3 Subject Amendment

The Committee noted that this submission was an excellent example of the information required by the Committee when considering a subject amendment.

The Committee endorsed for transmission to Academic Board the  proposal to amend the content of the subject MEC3409 Computer Assisted Engineering.

ERB

18. FACULTY OF MEDICINE REPORT

The Committee received the report of the Faculty of Medicine and considered each item requiring action separately for transmission to the Academic Board.

*18.1 Master of Nursing

The Committee endorsed for transmission to the Academic Board the proposal to revise the Master of Nursing course by permitting the  degree to be undertaken at either School or Centre of the Sub-Faculty, and permitting either research or a coursework/research combination to be used to satisfy the degree requirements.

Attached to these minutes is a page omitted from the Agenda (p 2490).

ERB

*18.2 Bachelor of Nursing (Post-Registration)

The Committee noted that the course will begin in January 1995, rather than in October 1994 as originally intended.

The Committee endorsed for transmission to the Academic Board the proposal to offer the existing Bachelor of Nursing  (Post-Registration) in Singapore from January 1995 through Distance Education, with facilitation and support from the Asia Pacific Management Centre Pty Ltd.

ERB

*18.3 Graduate Diploma in Family Medicine/Master of Family Medicine

The Committee endorsed for transmission to the Academic Board the proposal to extend the time limit for part time completion of the  Graduate Diploma in Family Medicine from 2 to 2½ years, and for part time completion of the Master of Family Medicine from 4 to 5 years.

ERB

18.4 Draft legislation

The Committee noted that draft legislation was received from the Faculty of Medicine and the Sub-Faculty of Nursing for the following Solicitor courses:

Master of Surgery

Bachelor of Nursing

Bachelor of Nursing (Post-Registration)

Graduate Diploma of Nursing (Tagged Specialty)

Graduate Diploma of Midwifery

the honours degree of Bachelor of Nursing

Master of Nursing

and that all documentation has been forwarded to the Solicitor's Office for action.

ERB

19. FACULTY OF SCIENCE REPORT

The Committee received the report of the Faculty of Science, noted the proceedings and considered each item requiring action separately for transmission to the Academic Board.

19.1 Restriction on subjects permitted

The Committee endorsed for transmission to the Academic Board the proposal that "except with the permission of Faculty Board,  candidates for the Bachelor of Science degree be permitted to count towards the degree no more than 24 points towards second year and no more than 24 points towards third year of subjects offered by the Department of Geography and Environmental Science".

ERB

19.2 Changes in Prerequisites for subjects from 1995

The Committee endorsed for transmission to the Academic Board amendments to prerequisites as follows:

for the subjects Microbiology 2011/2022 (MIC2011/MIC2022)

From: CHM1011 and CHM1022

To: CHM1011 and CHM1022 or BIO1011 and BIO1022 with VCE Chemistry

for the subjects Genetics 2011/2022 (GEN2011/GEN2022)

From: BIO1011 and BIO1022 and CHM1011 and CHM1022

To: BIO1011 and BIO1022 and VCE Chemistry. CHM1011 and CHM1022 are also strongly recommended.

ERB

19.3 Prohibited Combinations in the BSc Regulations

The Education Committee endorsed for transmission to Academic Board the proposal to remove existing prohibited combinations from the regulations for the BSc degree and to replace them with the following clause:

"A candidate shall not be entitled to count, for the purposes of the  degree, more than one subject from each of the pairs or groups of subjects specified in the faculty information handout."

ERB

19.4 Draft legislation

The Committee noted that minor amendments to the Faculty'sregulations have been forwarded to the Solicitor's Office for Solicitor action.

ERB

*19.5 Subject Quotas

The Committee approved the subject quotas as listed in the document provided by the Faculty of Science.

ERB

20. FACULTY OF ARTS REPORT

The Committee received the report of the Faculty of Arts and considered each item requiring action separately for transmission to the Academic Board.

*20.1 Bachelor of Arts - honours program in Archaeology of the Ancient Mediterranean

The Committee endorsed for transmission to the Academic Board the proposal to offer an additional stream in Archaeology of the Ancient Mediterranean in the existing honours degree of Bachelor of Arts.

ERB

20.2 New Subject Proposals for 1995

*20.2.1 ARY4720 Dissertation

*20.2.2 ARY4740 The Methodology of Archaeological Interpretation

*20.2.3 ARY4040 The Archaeology of the Dakhleh Oasis, Egypt

*20.2.4 ARY3790/ARY4790 Minoan Problems

20.2.5 GSC2506 Community History

20.2.6 MFA5000 International Relations 1: Diplomacy and Statecraft

20.2.7 MFA5100 International Relations 2

20.2.8 MFA5200 Economics 1: Principles of Microeconomics and Macroeconomics

20.2.9 MFA5300 Economics 2: International Trade and Investment

20.2.10 MFA5500 Australian Public Policy

20.2.11 MFA5600 International Law

20.2.12 MFA6300 International Trade Policy after NAFTA and Uruguay

20.2.13 MFA6750 North-East Asia in the Pacific Century: Challenges and Opportunities for Australia

20.2.14 MFA6100 Strategic Studies

*20.2.15 GSC1901 Introduction to Communication Studies (this proposal was to be presented at Education Committee 2/94)

The Committee endorsed for transmission to the Academic Board the  subject proposals listed in items 20.2.1 to 20.2.15 inclusive.

ERB

20.3 Subject Amendments for 1995

20.3.1 ARY3550 Coins, The Archaeologist and the Ancient Historian - to be offered also as ARY4550 Coins, The Archaeologist and the Ancient Historian

20.3.2 AHY3930 Imperial Egypt and the Mediterranean World - to be offered as ARY3930/ARY4930 Imperial Egypt and the Mediterranean World

20.3.3 AHY3950 Greek and Roman Egypt - to be offered as ARY3950/ARY4950 Greek and Roman Egypt

20.3.4 ARY2810/ARY3810 Introduction to Middle Egyptian Language - to be disestablished at second year level (ARY2810) and offered as ARY3810/ARY4810 Introduction to Middle Egyptian Language

20.3.5 AST4000/AST5000 Contemporary Issues in Asia - to be offered also as MFA6700 Contemporary Issues in Asia

20.3.6 LAW7068 International Environmental Law - to be offered also as MFA6600 International Environmental Law

20.3.7 MBA5270 Public Management - to be offered also as MFA6500 Public Management

20.3.8 MBA5330 Business and Government - to be offered also as MFA6530 Business and Government

20.3.9 MBA6970 Comparative Public Policy - to be offered also as MFA6550 Comparative Public Policy

The Committee endorsed for transmission to the Academic Board the  subject amendments proposed in items 20.3.1 to 20.3.9 inclusive.

ERB

19. ADDITIONAL ITEMS

20. NEXT MEETING

The Committee noted that the next meeting of the Education Committee was scheduled for 10 am on Wednesday 14 December 1994 in the Council Room, University Offices, Clayton Campus.

The Committee also noted that submissions for the agenda (single sided only) should be hand delivered to University Secretariat, University Offices, Clayton Campus by Friday 2 December 1994.

Members

Membership

Professor I Chubb (Chairman)

Associate Professor R Alfredson, Engineering

Dr G Baldwin, Policy and Planning

Professor T Barnett, Nursing

Professor E Barry, Arts

Professor C Bellamy, Computing and Information Technology

Professor L Chipman, Distance Education

Associate Professor M Gill, Education

Associate Professor A Goldsmith, Law

Ms M Guli, MAS

Mr A Hankin, MUSU, Inc.

Associate Professor N Hallam, Science

Professor M King, PhD and Scholarships Committee

Mr S Kulesza, MPA

Ms H Morgan, MPA

Dr L Roller, Pharmacy

Associate Professor G Taylor, Medicine

Professor G Tucker, Business and Economics

Professor J Williamson, Art and Design

In Attendance

Mr P Annal, Director, Computer Centre

Mr R Burnet, Student Services

Mr E Lim, University Librarian

Faculty Registrar/Manager (in rotation) -

Mr K Hobbs, FCIT

Executive Officer

Ms E R Brooks, Secretariat

Distribution

Mr B Corbitt, M I Pty

Ms O Cornelius, Secretariat

Ms J Dunn, Secretariat

Mr B Eddy, Solicitor's Office

Ms C Holland, Arts

Ms V Kelly, DVC's Office

Mr T Millikan, MAS

Mr M Murphy, MAS

Ms A Pilgrim, Bus & Eco

Ms J Sullivan, FCIT

Mr P Summers, Policy and Planning

All Faculty Deans

All Faculty Registrars/Administrators