Education Committee Meeting 1-2007

Meeting No. 1/2007 of the Education Committee was held on Wednesday 7 March 2007, in the Sir George Lush Room, Building 3a, Clayton campus, between 2.15 and 3.45pm. 

MINUTES

Professor M Evans (Chair), Professor Arnott, Associate Professor G Codner, Associate Professor B Doecke, Ms R Harris, Professor O Hughes, Associate Professor J Hurst, Associate Professor S Joy, Ms Caitlin Grigsby, Ms G Key, Associate Professor T Luff, Dr L McCall, Professor D Murphy, Associate Professor P O’Connor, Associate Professor M Peel, Ms A Phelan, Dr J Roberts, Professor P Stewart, Dr D Taylor, Dr C Varsavsky, Professor G Webb, Ms E Wilson, Professor W Young, Mr P Yates, Ms C Cooze, Ms P Mahy.

By invitation:

Ms K Roth, Mr R Barrett

Professor T Dingle, Professor M King, Mr T Masocco, Dr T Patti, Associate Professor H Kreutz

Observer:

Ms S Arnott

Ms M Soederberg (Secretary)

On behalf of the Committee, the Chair welcomed the new members and those invited to attend.
 

Matters arising from meeting 7/2006 were discussed in conjunction with:

• item 11 – Education Related Findings of the AUQA Quality Audit; and
• item 16 – ESOS National Code.
   

Academic Board received and noted the report of Education Committee meeting 7/2006, received and noted the Learning and Teaching Performance Funding paper, and approved extension of the Education Committee membership to include the Director of CHEQ.
 

Reports from LTQC Meetings 1/2007 and 4/2006 were included in the agenda. Professor Webb highlighted the improved Course Experience Questionnaire and Graduate Destination Survey response rates that had been achieved in 2006 due to increased allocation of resources. However, funding is on a project basis and will cease in 2008.

7.1  Cancellation of Units

The Chair introduced the item.

RESOLUTION 1-07/5:

Education Committee:

• endorsed the revised Cancellation of Units Policy for submission to Academic Board; and
• approved the accompanying procedures.

Action/Information: Ms Shona Arnott

7.2  Posthumous Completion and Conferral of Awards

The Chair introduced the item.

RESOLUTION 1-07/6:

Education Committee:

• endorsed the revised Posthumous Completion and Conferral of Awards Policy for submission to Academic Board; and
• approved the accompanying procedures.

Action/Information: Mr Adrian Devey

7.3  Qualifications Categories Policy, Procedures and Schedule

The Chair introduced the item.

RESOLUTION 1-07/7:

Education Committee:

• endorsed the revised Qualification Categories Policy and the Schedule of Qualification Categories for submission to Academic Board; and
• approved the new Qualification Categories Procedures.

Action/Information: Ms Shona Arnott
 

The Chair introduced the item and invited comments.

Associate Professor O’Connor raised the following issues:

• Paragraph 35 of the procedure should refer to para 6 rather than para 5.
• Paragraph 35 should state that students can apply to the Administrative Appeals Tribunal for some classes of decisions and list those classes in an appendix.
• The powers of the Ombudsman as listed in paragraph 32 of the procedures are unusual for an Ombudsman.

It was proposed that the procedures be reviewed and amended according to Professor O’Connor’s suggestions. Ms Hewlett, Associate Professor Joy and Associate Professor O’Connor to liaise with Monash Research Graduate School Committee and make appropriate amendments to the procedures.

Members raised the issue of using a standard credit point range of multiples of six credit points. The Chair pointed out that although the policy states that units should be multiples of six credit points, exemptions are allowed with the approval by Education Committee.

Professor Webb presented the paper on Education Related Findings of the AUQA Quality Audit.

The Chair introduced the item. The Committee was informed that the Review of Coursework Committee (RoCC) had discussed graduate skills assessment and was of the view that in the light of the development of policies relating to graduate attributes at Monash it was not appropriate for Monash to be involved in the ACER program at the institutional level although individual students may wish to participate.

The Committee expressed agreement with the view of RoCC and noted that individual Faculties may also wish to participate for selected courses.

Professor Hughes reported that the Faculty of Business and Economics had been using the graduate skills assessment for all commencing students in the Master of Business Administration and were planning to roll it out to all graduate degrees in the Faculty.

14.1  Strategic Plan for Employability and Employment Outcomes

Mr Yates, Chair of the working party, provided a verbal update of the progress of the strategic plan. The working party will submit a written report to meeting 2/2007.

RESOLUTION 1-07/13:

Education Committee noted the advice of Mr Yates.

Action/Information: Mr Peter Yates
 

The Chair briefed the Committee on the background to the Credit Transfer Agreement. The agreement is a statement of principles and effectively recognises existing practice.

RESOLUTION 1-07/14:

16.1  Update on Monash Implementation of the 2007 ESOS National Code

The Chair introduced the item and invited Ms Roth and Mr Barrett to speak. The Office of the Deputy Vice-Chancellor (International) will be overseeing the implementation of the ESOS national code. Responsibility for the implementation rests with Student Administration and Systems within the Student and Community Services Division.

Mr Barrett outlined the broad structure and approach to the implementation. The implementation group consists of four working parties and Mr Barrett invited advice of any stakeholders that had not been included in the working parties.

It was suggested that the Implementation of the ESOS National Code be reported and discussed regularly at EPPC to ensure that feedback is given at the right level as the National Code could potentially affect policy. The issues that concern Education Committee and EPPC are particularly those emanating from Working Party 3.

It was suggested that Monash College be represented on Working Party 1 and that a Monash College representative attend EPPC meetings when the National Code is on the agenda.

Any further information from DEST regarding the implementation will be forwarded to Faculties.

RESOLUTION 1-07/15:

Education Committee

• noted the arrangements in place to implement the Revised National Code, that further reports will be provided, and any issues necessary will be referred;
• requested that Ms Roth and/or Mr Barrett report regularly to the Education Policy and Programs Committee on the implementation of the ESOS National Code.

Action/Information: Ms Kate Roth, Mr Rob Barrett, Ms Sue Bell

16.2  Other background information

The Committee noted two background papers relating to the implementation of the ESOS National Code that were included in the agenda:

• Briefing Paper prepared by University Planning and Statistics
• Faculty of Business and Economics paper on the Revisions to the ESOS National Code
   

RESOLUTION 1-07/16:

18.1  Graduate Attributes

Professor Webb spoke to the item. From the AUQA Audit Report it was clear that many staff and students did not know what the graduate attributes were.

Professor Webb invited discussion of the idea of limiting the university-wide graduate attributes to reflect just three themes - Internationalisation, Research-Led teaching and Communication – aligned with the strategic education goals of the University. The graduate attributes would be realisable, not just aspirational, be embedded in the curriculum and assessable.

Faculties and/or courses would then build on these university-wide attributes and define further attributes that may be specific to the Faculty, discipline or profession.

The Review of Coursework Committee is also discussing the graduate attributes. This issue will be discussed further at coming Education Committee meetings.

Members expressed support for the concept.
 

Faculties report their approved courses and units to Education Committee biannually. The last round of reports were submitted to meeting 5/2006.

RESOLUTION 1-07/17:

Final submissions for the agenda for Meeting 2/2007 are due by Wednesday, 28 March 2007. Meeting 2/2007 will be held on Wednesday 18 April 2007 at 2.15pm in the Sir George Lush Room, building 3a, Clayton Campus.