Skip to content | Change text size
Assets | Includes | header.shtml
 

Strategy and Resources Committee Meeting 2-2009

Meeting 2/2009 of the Strategy and Resources Committee commenced at 4.00 pm on Thursday 12 March 2009 in the Sir George Lush Meeting Room, Building 3a, Clayton campus.

Rhonda Hinds
Secretary

MINUTES

1.    Attendance and apologies

There were present:
Professor Bill Charman, Professor Val Clulow (representing Professor Helen Bartlett), Professor Edwina Cornish, Professor Merran Evans, Mr Ron Fairchild, Professor Rae Frances, Professor Max King, Professor Stephen King, Professor HP Lee (representing Professor Arie Freiberg), Professor Rob Norris, Mr David Pitt, Professor Robin Pollard, Professor Tyrone Pretorius, Professor John Redmond, Professor Adam Shoemaker, Professor Tam Sridhar, Professor Phillip Steele, Professor Ron Weber, Professor Steven Wesselingh, Professor Sue Willis.

Apologies were received from:
Professor Richard Larkins AO, Professor Helen Bartlett, Professor Stephanie Fahey, Professor Arie Freiberg, Professor Jayne Godfrey, Professor Rod Hill, Mr Peter Marshall.

In attendance
Mr Damien Farrell, Director External Relations, Office of the Vice-Chancellor.

2.    Formal Items

An additional item 11.3 – Monash Response to the Victorian Bush Fires – was added and starred.

The Committee agreed that all items on the agenda not starred be adopted without discussion, and the action recommended be taken or the information therein noted.

3.    Minutes of Meeting 1/2009

The Committee confirmed the Minutes of SRC Meeting 1/2009, held on 5 February 2009.

4.    Matters arising from the Minutes

There were no matters arising from the Minutes.

5.    Vice-Chancellor’s Business

Professor Larkins was an apology for this meeting.

6.    Planning and Monitoring

6.1   Review of Graduations

Mr Damien Farrell presented the Report of the Review of Graduations, informing members that the Report’s recommendations had been approved by the Vice-Chancellor’s Group in December 2008.

Matters addressed by Mr Farrell during his presentation included:

  • The overall emphasis on development of graduations best practice and establishment of corporate memory, including the preparation of a Graduations Manual.
  • A thorough analysis of the financial aspects of graduations, including budgets, and arrangements for offshore graduations, necessitating implementation of new budgetary systems, including appropriate review and monitoring mechanisms.
  • Reduction in the number of domestic staff travelling to offshore graduations; in addition, following a suitable period of transition, Monash South Africa and Monash Sunway staff would take over management of their graduations.
  • Restructure of graduations co-ordination.
  • Aspects of the graduation ceremony, including reading of graduand names and delivery of the graduation address.
  • Transitioning to the new arrangements was expected to be complete within 12 months.

As a result of consequent and wide-ranging discussion, the Committee:

  • Received the report and noted Mr Farrell’s advice.
  • Endorsed the Report’s recommendations.
  • Further recommended that:
    • Mr Pitt clarify resourcing of separate budget units to provide graduation services.
    • The timetable of graduations be provided directly to Deans at the earliest opportunity.
    • Deans be given the option of endorsing a suggested guest speaker or providing a speaker of their own choice.
    • Mr Farrell investigate the use of graduates/senior students from the Music department to provide the musical accompaniment for graduations.
    • Mr Farrell investigate the use of retired staff from, for example, the Linguistics department to act as readers.
    • Bearing in mind that difficulties in pronunciation may require verification contact with individual graduands, automated pronunciation verification software be further investigated.

For information: Mr D Farrell, Professor A Shoemaker, Mr D Pitt

6.2   Senior Management Summit (SMS) 2009

Professor Merran Evans introduced the Report of the 2009 Senior Management Summit, noting that recommendations such as the review of the KPIs were being progressed.

The Committee considered the request to provide a recommendation on the venue and size of the 2010 Summit, and suggested that the Chancellor and incoming Vice-Chancellor be invited to provide guidance.

The Committee:

  • Received and noted the Evaluation Report.
  • Recommended that Dr Finkel and Professor Byrne be consulted on the size and format of the 2010 Summit.
  • Recommended that Professor Evans’ team provide details of the suggested venue to a future meeting of the Committee.

For information: Professor M Evans

6.3    Workforce Movements and Redundancy Status

In Mr Marshall’s absence, this item was deferred to the next meeting of the Committee.

6.4    Research Quality

Members had before them analyses of:

  • Disciplinary differences in the number of publications for Go8 universities as indexed by Thomson Reuters’ University Science Indicators, 2003-2007.
  • Disciplinary differences in the number of publications and citations per publication for Go8 universities as indexed by Thomson Reuters’ University Science Indicators, 1999-2003 to 2003-2007.

Professor Cornish introduced discussion on this item by encouraging members to provide suggestions for action at both faculty and central levels.

Professor King provided background to the papers, reminding members that citation analysis would be part of ERA, and cautioning that Monash’s citation rate was comparatively low.

Suggestions raised during discussion included:

  • The need to consider whether the results of the citation analysis were aligned with the strategies of publishing articles in quality journals and hiring good researchers.
  • Differentiation of the workforce and subsequent specialisation may accelerate the rate of publications and citations. However, it was necessary to take a longer-term view and build capability by effecting cultural change, including change to promotions criteria.
  • Monash’s staff profile included a relatively small proportion of Level E academics – consideration ought to be given to how Monash’s international profile could be lifted and inclusion in international disciplinary leadership groups could be increased. However, in so doing, it was necessary to have regard to disciplinary differences and also the needs of younger researchers.
  • The necessity of examining this issue on a disciplinary basis and deciding whether Monash wished to strive for excellence in all areas or divert its efforts to focus on a few.
  • Whilst high-citation researchers could be hired, it was also necessary to uplift the capability of early career researchers. In addition, staff should be reminded of top-quality journals on a daily basis.
  • It would be useful to analyse the strategies implemented by other universities. In so doing, however, it was observed that non-Go8 comparators may be more appropriate for some disciplines. It was also noted that strategies needed to be Monash - rather than Go8 - focussed.
  • Where the Thomson data was not useful to faculties, assistance should be provided to enable measure of quality and impact.

Members also observed that an aim of a university was to produce high-quality, high-impact research and that a consequence of such a focus on quality was a high ranking in indicators.

The Committee made the following recommendations going forward:

  • More recent data e.g. 2006-2008 should be obtained and analysed; non-Go8 comparators, where appropriate, should be included. Professors King and Sridhar would also work on forward projections.
  • Start points for debate would include:
    • Discussion on workforce differentiation, including consideration of whether Monash should have teaching-only positions.
    • Whether Monash’s recruitment and promotion practices are aligned with its goals (especially in research) and reflected by metrics (e.g. ERA).

For information: Professors E Cornish, M King, T Sridhar

7.    Budget and Financial Performance

7.1   31 December 2008 Financial Results

Mr Pitt presented the 2008 financial results, explaining that:

  • Since the last SRC meeting there had been a major shift to the Auditor-General’s views of investments. The interpretation of “significant” or “prolonged” decline in the value of investments had changed, resulting in impairment of the University’s investments to the extent of nearly $62M.
  • Impairment of investments did not mean a loss of cash, and Monash retained its investments in perpetuity. The capacity to borrow was not impacted, but borrowings (if any) would be undertaken with caution, given market instability.
  • There was, however, a marked impact on the financial ratios pre and post- impairment.
  • 2008 had seen a reverse in the generally decreasing South African debt, largely due to the adjustment of doubtful debts.
  • The University and all of its controlled entities had received Auditor-General sign-off.

The Committee received and noted the report of 31 December 2008 Financial Results.

7.2   Budget Process

The Committee received and noted the proposed SRC Schedule of Budget Activities.

7.3    Financial Reports

Members had before them the January 2009 Financial Report and Summary of the February 2009 Financial Report.

Speaking to the latter, Mr Pitt noted:

  • A cash gap of $25M.
  • Resources and Finance Committee’s approval of the proposal to seek debt funding in 2009 as roll-overs matured, to enable advantage to be taken of low interest rates.
  • The cash situation would be carefully monitored.
  • The free cash flow figures would be reviewed.

Responding to a member query regarding cash flow and international student numbers, Mr Pitt responded that an increase in enrolments of 4-6% had been budgeted, but that the numbers were considerably greater. As a result, there was potential for a positive impact on the cash gap.

For information: Mr D Pitt, Mr R Dias

8.    Policies

No policies were presented to this meeting.

9.    Standing Committees

9.1   Publications Committee

The Committee received and noted the Report of the Publications Committee meeting of 18 February 2009.

For information: Ms D Aitken

9.2   Copyright Advisory Group

The Committee received and noted the Report of the Copyright Advisory Group meeting of 14 November 2008.

For information: Ms J Burbidge

10.    Matters raised by members

11.    Other Business

11.1   Committee Evaluation

The Committee noted the summary of the 2008 evaluations.

11.2   Meeting Dates 2009

Members noted that the 12 November meeting has been rescheduled to 11 November (Wednesday), commencing at 4 pm, in the STRIP Meeting Room.

11.3   Monash Response to Victorian Bush Fires

The Chair advised the Committee that Professor Dave Griggs had suggested a co-ordinated Monash response to the recent Victorian bush fires. Members were advised that other universities had already offered research and development services to, inter alia, the State Government, and that a single point of co-ordination would help eliminate multiple and competing proposals.

The following issues were raised in discussion:

  • Great care should be taken with the approach to Government/Government authorities and the marketing of Monash services.
  • The Gippsland (post-bushfires) Forum was imminent and collation of a range of proposals was already underway.
  • Associate Deans (Research) should be the Faculty contact points for any co-ordinated activity.
  • Future capital works planning should include consideration of facilities targeted to assist e.g. fire fighting efforts during the bushfire season, but which Monash could use at other times.
  • It was noted that a recent proposal to establish an inter-professional emergency management simulation centre at the Berwick campus was relevant to these discussions.

The Committee recommended that Professor Bartlett, with the assistance of Professor Griggs and in consultation with Professor Steele, be requested to explore a co-ordinated Monash response to provision of research and development and other services arising out of the Victorian bushfires.

For information: Professor Bartlett, Professor Steele, Professor Griggs

11.4   Future agenda item

Members noted that Professor Willis would be invited to present to the Committee on the introduction of videoconferencing in the Faculty of Education.

12.    Next meeting

SRC Meeting 3/2009 is scheduled for Thursday 9 April 2009, commencing at 4.00 pm. Refreshments will be served after the meeting.