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Strategy and Resources Committee Meeting 7-2009

Meeting 7/2009 of the Strategy and Resources Committee commenced at 4.00 pm on thursday 6 August 2009 in the Sir George Lush Meeting Room, Building 3a, Clayton.

Rhonda Hinds
Secretary

MINUTES

1.     Attendance and apologies

There were present:
Professor Ed Byrne AO (Chair), Professor Helen Bartlett, Professor Merran Evans, Professor Stephanie Fahey, Mr Ron Fairchild, Professor Rae Frances, Professor Rod Hill, Professor Max King, Professor Stephen King, Professor HP Lee (representing Professor Arie Freiberg), Mr Peter Marshall, Professor Rob Norris, Mr David Pitt, Professor Robin Pollard, Professor Tyrone Pretorius, Professor John Redmond, Professor John Sheridan (representing Professor Tam Sridhar), Professor Adam Shoemaker, Professor Phillip Steele, Professor Peter Stewart (representing Professor Bill Charman), Professor Ron Weber, Professor Steven Wesselingh, Professor Sue Willis.

Apologies were received from:
Professor Bill Charman, Professor Edwina Cornish, Professor Jayne Godfrey, Professor Arie Freiberg.

In Attendance:
Mr David McWaters, Divisional Director Corporate Finance (for item 7.1)
Mr Reynold Dias, Divisional Director FIRM, (for item 9)
Mr Alan McMeekin, Chief Information Officer (for item 10.3)

2.     Formal Items

An additonal item 4.2 - OSP - was added to the agenda and starred.

The Committe agreed that all other 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 5/2009

The Committee confirmed the Minutes of SRC Meeting 5/2009, held on 11 June 2009.

4.     Matters arising from the Minutes of Meeting 5/2009.

4.1   Education Investment Fund (EIF) (item 6.3)

Members had before them a memorandum on preparations for the forthcoming EIF rounds.  Mr Marshall reported on the status of selection of bids to be submitted in each of the EIR categories and indicated that:

  • A team was ready to provide dedicated support to each of the preferred bids.
  • The preferred bids would be circulated to the Committee, and to Council.

Members discussed the key features of bids likely to be successful, Monash's capacity to support bids that were successful and emphasised the importance of synchronicity of projects with Monash's long-term strategies and the Government's 2040 agenda.

For information:  Mr P Marshal, Ms M Blackwell

4.2   Outside Studies Progrm (OSP (item 8.1)

It was agreed that offline discussion regarding Section 3 of the Staff Development Procedure - OSP be undertaken and reported back to the Committee.

For information:  Professor J Redmond, Mr P Mashall

5.     Vice-Chancellor's Business

Professor Byrne outlined his proposals for the future operation of the Committee, emphasising the single, cohesive management team approach and highlighting:

  • The interrelationship between the Committee and VCG.
  • The Portfolio-based management of business before the Committee.
  • The de-emphasising of the routine and intensifying of the Committee's focus on the key strategic issues facing Monash, including change management processes and supporting Monash's academic strengthening.

Professor Byrne then proceeded to outline some initial proposals for underpinning Monash's academic strengthening:

  • Establishment of a short-term Committee to examine requirements for full Professorship, with a view to developing enhanced academic performance management.  The Committee would be consulted prior to circulation of proposals to the wider academic community.
  • Establishment of a cluster model for provision of support functions to the key academic entities - the faculties, with developmental work to be undertaken by Task Forces, reporting back to SRC.  Members were encouraged to consider how this process might work, with a view to further discussion at the next meeting.

Other issues mentioned by Professor Byrne included Monash's submission to the Deputy Prime Minister's invitation to outline proposals in response to key Government education reforms, recent discussions around international student security and Monash's improvement in the Good Universities Guide ratings.

6.     Education Portfolio

6.1   Portfolio Report

Professor Shoemaker outlined further details of the Monash response to the Deputy Prime Minister's invitation, noting that it was an opportunity to look forward, re-examine key themes and focus on low SES access issues.

6.2   Annual Plan Progres Report

The Committee received and noted the 2009 Annual Plan Mid-year Progress Exceptions Report.

For information:  Professor A Shoemaker

7.     Research Portfolio

7.1   University Framework for Legal Structures

The Committee received and approved the proposed Framework for Legal Structures.

For information:  Professor E Cornish, Mr D Pitt, Mr D McWaters

7.2   Laureate Fellowships

The Committee received and noted the report on the award of Australian Laureate Fellowships.

For information:  Professor E Cornish, Ms H Oswald

8.     International Portfolio

8.1   Portfolio Report

Professor Fahey reported on a number of current issues relation to the International Portfolio including:

  • Development of strategies to support the cohort of international students, noting that deliverations on this issue would be brought forward to the next meeting of the Committee.
  • Ramifications of the issue of an invitation by the Castan Centre to Mme Rebiya Kadeer (Uighur Congress), in particular re-affirmation of the primacy of freedom of speech and development of appropriate protocols for issue of invitations to high-profile figures.

8.2   Monash Network

Professor Fahey introduced the Monash Network:  Arrangements Between Australian and Non-Australian Campuses explaining its genesis as an evolution of the increasing maturity of the offshore campuses and emphasising its rationale as a "One Monash" framework, but with increased devolution of responsibility at campus level.

Whilst generally endorsing the report and recommendations, members canvassed a range of issues during discussion, including the need to emphasise the primacy of the global Monash academic mission, and likely challenges in cross-faculty and divisional implementation within a federated system.

During discussion, a number of further recommendations were made:

  • Extension of the scope and methodology of the report to the Gippsland campus.  It was agreed that there be further offline discussion with subsequent return to the Committee for further consideration.
  • Recasting of recommendation 5 by the Vice-Chancellor and Deputy Vice-Chancellor (International) to emphasise faculties' responsibility to work with relevant campus teams to drive Monash's academic mission.
  • That the Committee further discuss the intersection of campus, faculty and discipline, including implications for course development, appointments and promotions.
  • That responsibility for Coursework Education Policy be added to the university-wide responsibilities retained by the Deputy Vice-Chancellor (Education); and that responsibility for approval of partnerships in vocational education be added to the university-wide responsibilities retained by the Deputy Vice-Chancellor (International).
  • That further work be undertaken on recommendation 7, with a view to adding an appropriate qualifier.

The Committee received the report on the Monash Network:  Arrangements between Australian and Non-Australian Campuses and, subject to the further work recommended above, approved the recommendations contained therein.

For information:  Professor S Fahey

9.     Finance Portfolio

9.1   IT Lease Facility

Noting that a proposal for development of an internal lease facility would (as part of the Desktop Management component of ICT Shared Services implementation) be brought to the Committee for consideration, the Committee received and noted the report on the IT Lease Facility Review.

For informatin:  Mr D Pitt, Mr P Naujoks

9.2   2010 Budget

Mr Pitt presented to the Committee on the financial strategy for 2010, outlining the proposed three-level approach and overall targets (including total savings target of $52M).  Increasing efficiency was crucial for all universities, and to that end, faculties and the centre would be required to drive down costs and maximise revenue.

During discussion on the financial strategy, members were advised that, following agreement on the savings targets, the Task Forces (agenda item 5 refers) would undertake identification of those financial strategies that would enable Monash to focus on its core academic direction.

Mr Pitt proceeded to outline a number of savings measures to be implemented immediately and encouraged submission of further savings ideas.  He also advised that VCG would expect to receive details of implementation of efficiency measures on a rolling basis.  He concluded that presentation by outlining the next steps in development of the 2010 Budget around the targets.

The Chair then summarised the following key features of the 2010 Budget strategy:

  • Savings were to be found as a group i.e. by the faculties and the centre.
  • "Buy in" to the process was crucial for achieving the targets sought.
  • Tools would be developed to assist faculties and divisions reach their targets.
  • Whilst targets may be ambitious, they were necessary to position Monash on a sounder financial footing going forward.
  • The Committee would engage in a series of high-level discussions on these issues.

For information:  Mr D Pitt, Mr R Dias

9.3   Financial Reports

The Committee received and noted the Financial Reports for June 2009.

For information:  Mr D Pitt, Mr R Dias

9.4   Update on Finance Policies

The Committee received and noted the update from Mr McWaters on the applicability of the finance policies to the Sunway campus.

For information:  Professor R Pollard, Mr D McWaters

10.     Administration Portfolio

10.1   Enterprise Bargaining

The Committee received and noted the report on Enterprise Bargaining negotiations.

For information:  Professor A Shoemaker, Mr P Marshall

10.2   Annual Leave Management

Noting that a paper outlining the process proposed for managing excess annual leave balances would be placed on a future agenda, the Committee received and noted the report by Mr Marshall on annual leave management.

For information:  Mr P Marshall

10.3   Lotus Notes and Student Email

Mr McMeekin reported on the difficulties experienced in the roll-out of Lotus Notes and work undertaken to rectify implementation problems, highlighting the recent server stability, noting that attention would now focus on usability, training and support and advising that additional functionality was about to be released.  Thunderbird would continue to be supported if staff did not wish to move to Lotus Notes.

He outlined the proposal to move to an outsourced collaboration services model, noting that business models were being redeveloped to counter objections (on grounds such as privacy) to outsourcing of functions such as staff email.  Members were advised that ITS was negotiating with Google to provide an outsouced model for students, which would be operational next year.

The Committee received and noted the update on Lotus Notes and Student Email.

For information:  Mr P Marshall, Mr A McMeekin

10.4   Privacy of Student Records

The Committee approved the Privacy of Student Records Policy and Procedures.

For information:  Mr P Marshall, Mr G Toohey, Mr D Secomb

11.     Advancement Portfolio

Members noted that a report would be brought forward to the following meeting.

12.     Other Business

12.1   Proposal for DVC/Deans Scheduled Meetings

The Committee received and noted the proposal for the scheduling of Deans/DVC meetings.

12.2   2010 Meeting Dates

The Committee received and noted the 2010 meeting schedule.

13.     Next Meeting

SRC Meeting 8/2009 is scheduled for Thursday 3 September 2009, commencing at 4.00 pm.  Refreshments will be served after the meeting.