Monash University

Education Committee Meeting 6/96

Please note the change to the time of the Meeting. This Meeting will commence at 10 am

Meeting 6/96 of the Education Committee will be held on Wednesday 11 September at 10:00 am in the Sir George Lush Room, University Offices, Clayton campus.

Apologies: Telephone: 9905 2061; email: Randi.Brooks@adm.monash.edu.au.

4 September 1996 Ms ER Brooks, Executive Officer

AGENDA

*1. STARRED ITEMS
The Committee should note that certain items have been starred as requiring discussion. Additional items may be starred at the discretion of the Committee.
Recommendation:
That the Committee nominate any additional items to be starred, and then endorse the recommendations for items other than those starred.
*2. MINUTES
The Minutes of Meeting 5/96 held on Wednesday 14 August 1996 have been circulated.
Recommendation:
That the Committee approve the Minutes of Meeting 5/96 as circulated.
3. MATTERS ARISING FROM THE MINUTES
*3.1 Course and Subject proposals from Meetings 4/96 and 5/96
The Executive Officer will provide a report on the progress in resolving the comments made by the Evaluation Panels regarding course and subject proposals presented to Meetings 4/96 and 5/96. It is anticipated that any outstanding matters relating to these proposals will be resolved prior to the next meeting of this Committee.
Recommendation:
That the Education Committee note the advice of the Executive Officer regarding the progress in resolving comments made regarding course and subject proposals presented to Education Committee Meetings 4/96 and 5/96, and note that it is anticipated that all outstanding matters relating to these proposals will be resolved prior to the next Meeting of this Committee.
* 3.2 Master of Management - Resolution of Evaluation Panel Comments
At Meeting 4/96, Minute 11.2.2, the Committee considered a proposal to amend the Master of Management, and endorsed the proposal for submission to the Academic Board, subject to the presentation of further satisfactory documentation regarding the following points:
that students entering the award from each of the potential pathways (those with a Bachelor degree and a Graduate Diploma, those with an honours degree, and those entering via the new pathway of Executive Certificate, Graduate Diploma and prior work experience) would be measurably at an equal academic level; and that the majority of the subjects proposed for inclusion were at Masters level (ie fifth year academic level).
Further information has now been provided by the Department of Business Management, and is attached to this Agenda.
Recommendation:
That the Education Committee receive and note the advice provided by the Department of Business Management regarding the concerns raised by the proposal to amend the structure, time limits and entrance requirements of the Master of Management, and note that the conditions placed on the original approval of these amendments (Minute 11.2.2, Education Committee Meeting 4/96) have now been met.
* 3.3 Graduate Certificate in Decision Support Systems - Resolution of Comments
At Meeting 5/96, Minute 13.2.2, the Committee considered a proposal to establish a Graduate Certificate in Decision Support Systems, and endorsed the proposal for submission to the Academic Board, subject to clarification of the relationship between the methods of teaching and the objectives and the methods of assessment and the objectives.
Further information has now been provided by the Department of Information Systems, and is attached to this Agenda.
Recommendation:
That the Education Committee receive and note the advice provided by the Department of Information Systems clarifying the relationship between the methods of teaching and the objectives and the methods of assessment and the objectives, and note that the condition placed on the original approval of this proposal (Minute 13.2.2, Education Committee Meeting 5/96) has now been met.
* 3.4 Bachelor of Applied Science / Diploma of Applied Science - Resolution of Comments
At Meeting 4/96, Minute 17.1.2, the Committee considered a proposal to establish a new double award, Bachelor of Applied Science / Diploma of Applied Science (Materials Engineering), and endorsed the proposal for submission to the Academic Board, subject to consideration of this proposal by the Faculty of Engineering.
The Faculty of Engineering has now considered the matter and has no objection to the establishment of the course. A document is attached.
Recommendation:
That the Education Committee receive and note the advice provided by the Faculty of Engineering confirming that there is no objection from that Faculty to the establishment of a new double award, to be titled Bachelor of Applied Science / Diploma of Applied Science (Materials Engineering), originally endorsed by the Education Committee at Meeting 4/96, Minute 17.1.2, subject to consultation with the Faculty of Engineering. The Committee should note that this condition has now been met.
* 3.5 the honours degree of Bachelor of Arts (Police Studies) - New course
At Meeting 4/96, Minute 10.3.1, the Committee endorsed for transmission to the Academic Board a proposal to establish Police Studies as a new stream in the honours degree of Bachelor of Arts. This was an error on the part of the Executive Officer and the proposal should have been to establish a new course, to be titled the honours degree of Bachelor of Arts (Police Studies).
Recommendation:
That the Education Committee endorse for transmission to the Academic Board the proposal of the Faculty of Arts to establish a new course, to be titled the honours degree of Bachelor of Arts (Police Studies), and note that the approval granted to establish a new stream in Police Studies of the honours degree of Bachelor of Arts (Minute 10.3.1, Education Committee Meeting 4/96) should be rescinded.
4. Faculty Liaison with Solicitor's Office for Legislative Matters
At Meeting 3/96 (Item 15.2) the Committee requested that each Faculty formally nominate a person located in the Faculty Office to be the liaison for all matters regarding legislation for that Faculty.
A full set of nominations have now been received. The following persons will liaise with the University Solicitor's Office of behalf of their Faculty, College or Subfaculty:
Faculty of Arts Ms C Holland
College of Art & Design Ms M Hah
Faculty of Business and Economics Ms A Pilgrim
Faculty of Comp & Info Tech Mr K Hobbs
Faculty of Education Ms M Clarke
Faculty of Engineering Mr D Secomb
Faculty of Law Ms P Lister
Faculty of Medicine Ms J Tong
Subfaculty of Nursing Ms H Hind
College of Pharmacy Mr M Watson
Faculty of Science Dr P Rodan
Recommendation:
That the Committee refer this information to the University Solicitor's Office.
*5. MATTERS REFERRED TO THE ACADEMIC BOARD
The Executive Officer will provide a verbal report of the action taken at Academic Board Meeting 6/96, to be held on Wednesday 4 September. An extract from the unconfirmed Minutes of Academic Board Meeting 6/96 may be attached to the Minutes of this Meeting, if items of the Education Committee Report to the Board were amended or concerning which there was discussion at the Board or its Steering Committee.
Recommendation:
That the Committee note the advice of the Executive Officer regarding the action taken at Academic Board Meeting 6/96 held on 4 September 1996.
*6. ACTION TAKEN AT THE MEETING OF THE COMMITTEE OF DEANS
The Executive Officer will provide a verbal report of the action taken at Meeting 11/96 of the Committee of Deans held on Tuesday 3 September. An extract from the unconfirmed Minutes of the Committee of Deans may be attached to the Minutes of this Meeting, if necessary.
Recommendation:
That the Committee note the advice of the Executive Officer regarding the action taken at Committee of Deans Meeting 11/96 held on 3 September 1996.
*7. RESPONSIBILITY FOR MASTERS BY RESEARCH DEGREES
The PhD and Scholarships Committee has proposed that there be a revision to the terms of reference of the Education Committee and the PhD and Scholarships Committee, so that the Education Committee, while retaining certain responsibilities for subjects and for coursework Masters degrees, transfers the primary responsibility for endorsing for submission to the Academic Board new or amended Masters degrees by research Masters degrees to the PhD and Scholarships Committee.
A paper prepared by the Secretary of the PhD and Scholarships Committee is attached.
The Committee may wish to note that a potential disadvantage of the proposal is the likelihood that the majority of graduate subjects will, in the future, be subject to handling by both committees. Many of the graduate level subjects of the university are available to students enrolled in Graduate Certificate, Graduate Diploma or Masters programs of both types, and a number of these subjects are offered also as part of the honours programs of various faculties.
Recommendation:
That the Education Committee consider the recommendations detailed below, for submission to the Academic Board and implementation from January 1 1997; and note that in each case the specified responsibility is that of making recommendation to the Academic Board:
1.
The overview of research masters policy matters should become the responsibility of the PhD and Scholarships Committee;
2.
The Education Committee would retain sole responsibility for coursework masters degrees and thus the subjects offered solely within such programs;
3.
The PhD and Scholarships Committee shall assume responsibility for masters degrees by 100% research;
4.
The PhD and Scholarships Committee shall assume primary responsibility while inviting comments from the Education Committee for subjects in the PhD program;
5.
The PhD and Scholarships Committee shall assume primary responsibility while inviting comments from the Education Committee for subjects within professional doctorate programs;
6.
The PhD and Scholarships Committee shall assume primary responsibility while inviting comments from the Education Committee for subjects that are offered in research masters programs only;
7.
The PhD and Scholarships Committee shall assume primary responsibility while inviting comments from the Education Committee for subjects which can be undertaken in either a coursework or research masters degree
8.
In cases where comment is invited from the Education Committee, the PhD and Scholarships Committee shall, on receiving a submission from the relevant faculty, forward immediately a copy to the Education Committee. If no adverse comment is received from the Education Committee by the time the PhD and Scholarships Committee is ready to submit its recommendation to Academic Board, the submission shall proceed without further delay.
* 8. UNIVERSITY GRIEVANCE POLICY
At Education Committee Meeting 6/95, the Committee considered the individual Grievance policies of the Faculties of the University, and recommended that a document be circulated to Faculties regarding the development of a University Grievance Policy.
A document is attached, recommending the adoption of a University Grievance Policy, to be accompanied by appropriate legislation.
If the Committee agrees to circulate the document to Faculties, comments should then be returned to this Committee before 25 October, to allow submission of the proposal to the Academic Board at its final meeting for 1996.
Recommendation:
That the Committee consider the paper presented regarding the development of a University Grievance Policy, make a determination regarding proposed steps 11 to 14 of the paper, and refer the document to Faculties for comment.
9. REPORT OF THE DISTANCE EDUCATION AND OPEN LEARNING COMMITTEE
The Report of Meeting 4/96 of the Distance Education and Open Learning Committee held on 25 July 1996 is attached.
Recommendation:
That the Committee receive the report and note the proceedings of Meeting 4/96 of the Distance Education and Open Learning Committee, held on 25 July 1996.
*10. DISTANCE EDUCATION COURSES - COST-BENEFIT ANALYSIS
A memorandum from Mr C Vernon, Manager, Admissions and Records, is attached. Mr Vernon requests that consideration be given to incorporating a Cost-Benefit Analysis into the development process for the introduction of Distance Education versions of Monash courses.
Recommendation:
That the Committee consider Mr Vernon's request that a cost-benefit analysis be incorporated into the development process for proposals to offer new or existing courses via Distance Education.
*11. REVIEWS OF COURSES
At Education Committee Meeting 4/96, the Committee approved the guidelines, terms of reference, working group membership and timeline for implementation for the evaluation and review of existing undergraduate courses of the Faculty of Business and Economics. The Faculty now wishes to vary that timeline as detailed in the document attached.
As indicated in the memorandum from the Dean of the Faculty of Law, the Faculty has now completed a comprehensive Review of the curricula of all its degree programs. The full Report is available for perusal by members of the Committee.
The Committee had also requested at Meeting 4/96 that other Faculties consider the guidelines used and report to the Committee regarding their plans for review of courses. No information regarding this process has yet been received from other Faculties.
Recommendation:
That the Committee note the amendment to the timeline for review of existing undergraduate degrees of the Faculty of Business and Economics, note that the Faculty of Law has recently completed a comprehensive review of its degree programs, and remind all Faculties that a comprehensive timeline for review of courses has been requested.
*12. UNIVERSITY GRADING SYSTEM
A paper will be circulated separately or tabled for the Committee's consideration regarding the proposal to change the grading scale currently in use by the University. As part of the paper presented in 1995 regarding fourth year honours programs, it was recommended and subsequently approved by Council, that the grading scale in use for honours degrees be amended. As a result, the paper should be considered for circulation to Faculties, with comment to be received by this Committee before 25 October to allow a recommendation to be made to the final Academic Board and Council meetings for 1996.
Recommendation:
That the Committee consider, prior to circulation to Faculties for comment, the paper to be tabled regarding a proposal to amend the grading scale in use at the University.
*13. GRADUATE PROGRAMS OFFERED IN 1996
A document is attached, indicating the Graduate Programs offered by the University with intake in 1996. This document was circulated, with the memoranda also attached, earlier this week, and amendments to the listings of some Faculties will consequently need to be taken at the Meeting.
The corrected version of this listing will be forwarded to the Academic Board in accordance with that body's expressed wish to receive comprehensive information regarding the available programs of the University.
Recommendation:
That the Committee receive and note the list of Graduate courses offered by the University with intake in 1996, note the amendments to this list as received at the Meeting, and make comment regarding the list prior to its submission to the Academic Board for information.
*14. COURSE AND SUBJECT APPROVALS
A paper will be circulated separately or tabled regarding the responses of the small group which met to consider the dot points raised by the Evaluation Panels before Meeting 4/96 (Item 9 Agenda 4/96).
Recommendation:
That the Committee note the paper provided in response to the dot points raised by the Evaluation Panels at Meeting 4/96, regarding subject and course approval processes.
*15. MASTER OF NURSING - AMENDMENT TO STRUCTURE
This amendment was approved in principle by the Faculty of Medicine at its Meeting 3/96, held on 19 June 1996, as reported to Education Committee Meeting 4/96 (Item 16.1.2).
The proposal provides for greater ease of articulation between the Graduate Diplomas of the Subfaculty and the Masters degree program. Confirmation has been sought regarding the degree requirements to be completed at the fifth year level, and this information is expected to be provided at the Meeting.
It is proposed for introduction from Semester One 1997.
Recommendation:
That the Committee endorse for transmission to the Academic Board the proposal to amend the structure of the Master of Nursing to allow greater ease of articulation from the Graduate Diplomas of the Subfaculty of Nursing.
16. ANY OTHER BUSINESS
17. NEXT MEETING
The next Meeting of the Education Committee will be held on Wednesday 6 November. Course and subject proposal submissions for that meeting are due on or before 9 October; full reports are due on or before 25 October.
It is very important that all final submissions include a report or draft report from the Faculty Board. Please DO NOT staple proposals or submit double sided copies. Submissions should be electronically delivered where possible, or hand delivered.
Recommendation:
That the Committee note that the next Meeting will be held on Wednesday 6 November, and that course and subject proposal submissions for that meeting are due on 9 October, and final submissions for Meeting 7/96 are due on 25 October.

Membership

Professor R J Pargetter (Chairman)
Associate Professor R Alfredson, Engineering
Ms H Anderson, MUGSU, Gippsland
Mr J Beggs, MUSU, Inc, Caulfield
Professor J Bowers, Nursing
Associate Professor N Cameron, Science
Ms B L Chew, MPA, Masters
Associate Professor M Evans, Business and Economics
Mr M Hamilton, MUBS, Berwick
Mr D Imber, MSA, Clayton
Professor M King, PhD and Scholarships Committee
Ms S Langford-Jones, MUSU Inc, Peninsula
Mrs A McMillan, Computing and Information Technology
Associate Professor S McNicol, Law
Professor J Redmond, Art and Design
Professor L Roller, Pharmacy
Associate Professor G Taylor, Medicine
Mr G Tickell, Education
Mr J Welikala, MPA, Graduate Diploma
Associate Professor N White, Arts
Professor B Young, Co-Opted
Vacant, MUPSA

In Attendance

Mr R Burnet, Student Services
Professor T Hore, PDC
Professor C Raper, Pharmacy
Professor A Sohal, Business and Economics
Professor J Whitelaw, Arts
Faculty Registrar/Manager (in rotation) - Miss C Jordon

Executive Officer

Ms ER Brooks, Secretariat

Distribution

Mr P Annal, Computer Centre
Mr R Cochrane, M I Pty
Ms O Cornelius, Secretariat
Prof P LeP Darvall, Deputy Vice-Chancellor
Mr B Eddy, Solicitor's Office
Ms M Hah, Art & Design
Ms H Hind, Nursing
Ms C Holland, Arts
Ms E Knowles, Student Services
Mr T Lee, MUSU, Inc
Mr E Lim, Librarian
Mr M Murphy, MAS
Ms J Newham
Ms E Nolan, Arts
Ms S Parker, Bus & Eco
Ms M Rambert, FCIT
Mr P Summers, Policy and Planning
All Faculty Deans
All Faculty Registrars/Administrators