Meeting No. 4/2005 of the Education Committee will be held on Wednesday, 13 July 2005, in Room 1139, Building 903, Berwick campus, commencing at 2.15pm.

PLEASE NOTE CHANGE TO VENUE.

Apologies: Please telephone: 9905 5061, or e-mail to: Samantha.Rose@adm.monash.edu.au

Ms Shana Chong, Secretary

Members having a direct commercial or financial interest in any item before this meeting must declare that interest to the Chair via the Committee Secretary prior to consideration of the item, and must not take part in a vote on any matter concerning it.

Agenda

PART A PROCEDURAL, POLICY & COMMITTEE MATTERS

*1. INTRODUCTION

Professor Merran Evans, Pro-Vice Chancellor (Planning), will chair the meeting.

2. ATTENDANCE, MEMBERSHIP AND APOLOGIES

Invited to attend:

Mr Gerard Toohey, Manager Student Administration

Ms Satya Webster, Manager Timetable Systems

Mr Vern Garth, Manager Examinations

Dr Henk Eijkman, CeLTS (observer)

New members:

Mr Kirk Slywa, MUGSU undergraduate student member, replacing Mr Benjamin Batten.

Mr Leslie Whiteley, MPA postgraduate coursework member, replacing Ms Marina Rahman.

Apologies:

Professor Graham Webb, Associate Professor Louis Roller, Associate Professor Sally Joy, Dr Louise McCall, Mr Leo Ostroburski, Professor William Young

3. 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 nominates any additional items to be starred, and endorses the recommendations for all items other than those starred.

4. MINUTES

The unconfirmed minutes of Meeting 3/2005, held on 18 May 2005, were circulated on 15 June 2005.

RECOMMENDATION:

That the Committee approves the Minutes of Meeting 3/2005 held on 18 May 2005.

5. MATTERS ARISING FROM THE MINUTES

5.1 Faculty Course Offerings and Supporting Regulations p 1 - 4

Documentation is attached. The Faculty of Law has submitted a report regarding the status of updating its award and course of study regulations.

RECOMMENDATION:

That the Committee receives and notes the Faculty of Law audit of awards and course of study regulations.

Secretarial note: Action plans have been submitted by the Faculties of Business and Economics and Law following the 30 June deadline, as requested by the Education Committee 3/2005.

6. ITEMS OF INTEREST FROM ACADEMIC BOARD MEETING 2/2005

The Academic Board noted all matters that were reported for information from Meeting 2/2005 of the Education Committee.

*6.1 ITEMS FOR FURTHER CONSIDERATION AS REFERRED BY ACADEMIC BOARD MEETING 4/2005

6.1.1 Changes to Special Consideration Policy p 5 - 8

The Academic Board on 6 July decided not to endorse the proposed changes to the Special Consideration policy, as recommended by Education Committee at its Meeting 2/2005 held on 16 March. Faculties have since been advised that the proposed changes to award special consideration for students sitting four or more exams in the first week of any official exam period should not be applied for semester one, 2005 and beyond.

The Academic Board has requested that the Education Committee identify and discuss the underlying issues associated with examination timetabling. At its Meeting 2/2005, the Education Committee noted that a briefing regarding the issue of examination scheduling would be submitted to Education Committee for consideration. Mr Vern Garth, Manager Examinations, has been invited to attend the meeting.

The Education Committee minute for this item from Meeting 2/2005 is attached as background.

RECOMMENDATION:

That the Committee:

• notes the recommendation of Academic Board; and
• explores longer term solutions to the underlying problems with the scheduling of examinations.

6.1.2 Entry Scheme Proposal - Gippsland campus

The PVC (Gippsland) proposed an alternate course entry pathway at Gippsland to increase the number of school leavers on the campus. Admission would be by direct entry and based on criteria, developed in consultation with local schools, rather than just ENTER scores.

One option is the Diploma of Introductory Undergraduate Studies, an award approved by Council in 1998. This Diploma consisted of an academically coherent program of 48 credit points of first year units. Successful completion would enable admission to a relevant degree with credit as appropriate.

However, the Diploma of Introductory Undergraduate Studies was stipulated to be an exit only award. This would need to be changed if this pathway was to be established.

RECOMMENDATION:

That the Committee:

• notes the advice of the Chair in relation to this proposal;
• approves removal of the restriction stipulating that the Diploma of Introductory Undergraduate Studies be an exit only award; and
• approves the offering of the Diploma of Introductory Undergraduate Studies by direct entry.

*7. TIMETABLING – POLICY AND PROCEDURES p 9 - 28

In preparation for the 2006 timetable, Central Student Administration has undertaken a comprehensive consultation process to develop the draft Policy and Procedures for Timetabling to replace the interim Timetable Policy (refer attached), which can be located at:

http://www.adm.monash.edu/unisec/pol/acad50.html.

The Manager, Policy and Publications within Student Administration (SSSD), has undertaken a consultative process involving the Timetable Systems unit (SSSD), Syllabus Plus User Group (which has timetable representatives from each faculty), Faculty Managers, Equity and Diversity, Facilities & Services, Monash University Facilities & Conference Office (MUFCO), and the Student Administration Network. Faculties in turn may have consulted with their own staff more broadly. The draft Policy and Procedures documentation represents the culmination of this process of dialogue and consensus.

Mr Gerard Toohey, Manager Student Administration and Ms Satya Webster, Manager Timetable Systems, have been invited to attend to this item.

RECOMMENDATION:

That Education Committee:

• receives the draft Policy and Procedures for Timetabling;
• considers and approves the Procedures – Timetabling; and
• endorses the Timetabling Policy, for onward transmission to Academic Board for approval,
• to achieve coordinated and consistent timetabling practices across Monash University in facilitating timely production of a single University timetable.

*8. GENERAL SIR JOHN MONASH AWARDS p 29 - 30

Documentation is attached. Applications for the 2005 General Sir John Monash Awards are being accepted until 31 August 2005 for eligible honours and masters students. Members are requested to encourage potential applicants to apply for the scholarship.

RECOMMENDATION:

That Associate Deans note the information regarding the General Sir John Monash Awards.

*9. EXECUTIVE SUMMARY OF THE REPORT ON MULTIMODAL AND DISTRIBUTED LEARNING AT MONASH: STRATEGIC DIRECTIONS p 31 - 34

Documentation is attached. As part of its terms of reference 2, the Flexibility Subcommittee was tasked to:

Advise on the development of a strategic plan for multi-modal and distributed learning, informed by research, and including the provision of support services.

The following executive summary is the result of two related studies on the status of multimodal and distributed learning, with references to distance education and off-campus studies, completed in 2004. The methodology involved a literature survey of distance education offerings at the Group of Eight universities and at Curtin University, extensive staff interviews and examination of Monash policies and procedures on distance education. The following document is submitted to the Education Committee on behalf of the Flexibility Subcommittee, in fulfilment of its terms of reference. The two appendices to the document are available from the Secretary or from Associate Professor Yoni Ryan, CeLTS.

Membership of the working group comprised of members of the Flexibility Subcommittee and two research consultants:

Dr Alistair Carr, Science

Ms Di James, Special Adviser to the DVC(A), ITS

Associate Professor Sally Joy, Business and Economics (convenor)

Professor Denise Kirkpatrick, Director Learning and Teaching

Dr George Kotsanas, Medicine, Nursing and Health Sciences

Mr Hoi Li, MPA coursework student member

Dr Louise McCall, Medicine, Nursing and Health Sciences

Mr Arthur O’Neill, research consultant

Ms Phoebe Palmieri, research consultant

Associate Professor Yoni Ryan, CeLTS

Ms Kay Steel, Library

Mr Peter Yates, Student and Staff Services Division

Ms Shana Chong, UAPS (secretary)

Professor Denise Kirkpatrick, chair, Flexibility Subcommittee, will introduce the item and Associate Professor Yoni Ryan will speak to the summary report.

RECOMMENDATION:

That Education Committee receives the document and provides comment to the recommendations on the strategic directions for multimodal and distributed learning at Monash.

10. OTHER BUSINESS

PART B: FACULTY REPORTS AND PROPOSALS

There are no items under this section for this meeting.

PART C: NEXT MEETING

The next scheduled meeting of the Education Committee (Meeting 5/2005) will be held at 2:15 pm on Wednesday, 7 September 2005. The meeting will be held in the Sir George Lush Room, Building 3a, Clayton campus.

All final submissions for the agenda for that meeting are due by Wednesday, 24 August 2005.

Membership:

Professor Stephen Parker (Chair)

Ms Jenny Allen

Dr Heinz Kreutz

Professor Tony Dingle

Associate Professor Sally Joy

Dr Debbie Corrigan

Associate Professor Brenton Doecke

Professor Robin Alfredson

Professor William Young

Professor David Arnott

Professor Jeffrey Waincymer

Associate Professor Tony Luff

Dr Louise McCall

Associate Professor Louis Roller

Dr David Taylor

Dr Cristina Varsavsky

Dr Tony Patti

Professor Max King

Professor Chris Browne

Professor Merran Evans

Professor Denise Kirkpatrick

Professor Graham Webb

Associate Professor Alan Farley

Ms Glenda Key

Mr Leo Ostroburski, MONSU - Caulfield

Mr Arthur Wasiak, MONSU Peninsula

Mr David Taft, MSA – Clayton

Mr Max Ribitzky, MUBS – Berwick

Mr Kirk Slywa, MUGSU - Gippsland

Pharmacy Students Association – position vacant

Mr Leslie Whiteley, MPA – masters by coursework

MPA – graduate/postgraduate diploma – position vacant

In Attendance:

Mr Clive Vernon

Mr Peter Yates (alternate for Mr P Marshall)

Ms Cathrine Harboe-Ree

Associate Professor Valerie Clifford

Associate Professor Yoni Ryan

Associate Professor Marg Lindorff

Associate Professor Michael Page

Ms Sally Stafford

Ms Shana Chong (Secretary)

Further Distribution:

Faculty Managers/Registrars (*9)

Mr T Calder

Ms P Williams

Ms P Herman

Ms B Le Grand