Council Meeting 6-1990

Meeting No. 6/90 of the Monash University Council was held on Monday, 13 August 1990, in the Council Room, University Offices, at the Clayton campus, between 3.00 and 5.00 pm.

There were present:

The Hon. Sir George Lush, Chancellor, in the Chair

Professor J.A. Hay, Acting Vice-Chancellor

In attendance were:

Professor I.J. Polmear, Deputy Vice-Chancellor (Research)

Professor G.N. Vaughan, Deputy Vice-Chancellor

Dr T. Kennedy, Chief Executive Officer, Monash University College Gippsland

Mr A.L. Pritchard, Registrar

Mr P.B. Wade, Comptroller

Mr M.D. Watson, Secretary

Associate Professor L.H.T. West, Executive Assistant to the Vice-Chancellor

Miss J.M. Beck, Director of External Relations and Alumni Affairs

Mr J. Clark, Information Officer

Apologies were received from:

M I N U T E S

1. INTRODUCTORY AND FORMAL BUSINESS

1.1 Special Leave

The following applications for special leave were granted:

Mr Crook and Mr Guest for 13 August;

Emeritus Professor A.G.L. Shaw for 13 August and 24 September;

Mr Shore and, in the event of him needing it, Mr Rutter for 24 September; and

Mr Ritchie for 24 September and 5 November.

1.2 Membership

The Chancellor reported that Dr Moore had given notice of his intention to resign as a member of Council on 10 October, and explained the procedures set down in the Monash University (Chisholm and Gippsland) Act 1990 that would govern the cooption of his successor.

1.3 Minutes

The minutes of Meeting No. 5/90 held on 2 July, copies of which had been circulated, were confirmed and signed subject to incorporation of the following amendments:

item 1.5.1

substitution of 'all disciplines, and would not be restricted to the sciences' for 'where desirable, exchanges at undergraduate and postgraduate levels as well as for staff' in the last two lines;

item 3.2

addition of 'The Vice-Chancellor did assure Council that it was intended to review the constitution of the Academic Board.' as an additional final paragraph;

item 4.2.2

inclusion of 'including a meeting of the two staff committees' following 'review' in the last line': and

item 4.2.6

substitution of 'unjustifiable' for 'justifiable' in the penultimate line.

1.4 Matters Arising from the Minutes

1.4.1 Union Board

It was noted that the action agreed to in regard to item 9.2.3 of the 31 May meeting of the Union Board would ensure that some resolution of the issues raised would come back to Council in due course via the minutes of the Buildings Committee.

1.5 Gifts and Grants

Council noted with appreciation the attached listing of gifts and grants.

1.6 Donations to the Library

Council noted with appreciation the attached listing of books presented to the University Library.

1.7 Use Of the University Seal

Council noted and approved the attached listing of documents to which the University Seal had been affixed.

1.8 Election Of Deputy Chancellor

Council noted the attached statement from the Returning Officer giving notice of an election for a second Deputy Chancellor pursuant to the direction of Council at its previous meeting.

2. REPORT OF THE ACTING VICE-CHANCELLOR

2.1 Victoria College

Professor Hay gave an account of informal discussions commenced in 1988 exploring the possibilities of links being established between Monash University and Victoria College - discussions that had been suspended during the Chisholm and Gippsland merger operation - and of his recent overtures to put a Monash bid for part or all of Victoria College back into serious contention in the face of a counter-bid by Deakin University. He said the question of the College's future had been reviewed by the Victorian Post-secondary Education Commission and a number of options aired, the firmest of which envisaged the Rusden campus coming to Monash and the operations of the Prahran campus going to Melbourne. Negotiations were proceeding, he said, within a framework of perceived academic complementarities and funding realities. Professor Hay said the matter was to be discussed by the Victoria College Council on 15 August, and undertook to keep Council informed of further developments.

2.2 Victoria State Opera

Professor Hay reported that the committee appointed at the previous meeting to explore further the viability of the Victoria State Opera Company Limited becoming a centre of Monash University had met and that matters appeared to be proceeding satisfactorily, notwithstanding a late expression of interest lodged by the University of Melbourne. He said the proposition would be considered by the Opera Board in the near future, and undertook to keep Council informed of progress.

2.3 Personal Chairs

Professor Hay tabled the attached paper, from the Committee of Deans. Council approved the establishment of the Personal Chairs Committee as recommended but deferred consideration of the revised Regulations.

2.4 Nominations Committee

Professor Hay said that the Vice-Chancellor would speak to this item at the next meeting.

The Chancellor reported that he had received comments on his proposal from Mr Ramler, whom he had replied to, and from Ms Moxham, whom he had spoken to.

2.5 Amending Legislation

Professor Hay tabled the attached draft legislation to give effect to the academic programmes and structures of the merged institution, and explained the reasons that had led to it bypassing the Academic Board and being put to Council without prior notice.

Council made the following legislation:

2.5.1 Statute 2.3 - The Faculties (Amendment No. 13) Statute;

2.5.2 Faculties (Amendment No. 105) Regulations;

2.5.3 Statute 6.1.2 - Courses and Degrees; and

2.5.4 Statute 1.1 - Interpretation (Amendment No. 8) Statute,

subject to members being accorded the opportunity to notify the Secretary within the following seven days of any substantive amendments that they thought necessary.

2.6 Joint Amenities Finance Committee

Council endorsed the attached submission from the Deputy Vice- Chancellor and the Comptroller.

2.7 Student Regulations

Following explanations from Professor Hay and the Registrar, Council noted that a broadly representative Vice-Chancellor's Working Group on Student Regulations had been established to:

consider elements of the task and place in priority order those issues requiring regulations which should be dealt with promptly; and

prepare recommendations for consideration by the Committee of Deans, faculty boards, the Academic Board and Council.

2.8 CSIRO Affiliation

Professor Hay informed Council that, following recent discussions, Monash was close to reaching agreement on the terms of a Memorandum of Understanding with local and neighbouring Divisions of CSIRO which, inter alia, would

facilitate the joint purchase and use of major items of equipment and supervision of research by graduate students.

2.9 Department of Social Work

Professor Hay informed Council of strong concerns expressed by the Head and staff of the Department of Social Work about the relocation of their department from the Faculty of Arts to the School of Social and Behavioural Studies in the new Faculty of Professional Studies, as recommended by the Merger Implementation Committee and its Academic Programs and Structures Working Party and subsequently approved by the Monash and Chisholm Councils. In response to these concerns, Professor Hay advised that an ad hoc committee would report to the next Council meeting on any change in the faculty location of the Department of Social Work. He said the committee would comprise:

Professor J.A. Hay,

Professor R.J. Pargetter,

Professor R.J. Snedden, and

two members of the former Academic Programs and Structures Working Party.

and would seek advice from two outside specialists, including Professor C. Benn of the University of Melbourne.

3. REPORTS OF BOARDS AND COMMITTEES

3.1 Academic Board

It was noted that the inaugural meeting of the Academic Board scheduled for 1 August had not been held in view of a delay in approval by the Governor in Council of the Statute made by Council at its previous meeting.

Accordingly, Council made the following legislation and approved the recommendations of a routine nature contained in the attached report submitted by the Vice-Chancellor on behalf of the Board:

3.1.1 Courses and Degrees (Faculty of Economics Commerce and Management)

(Degree of Bachelor of Accounting) Regulations;

3.1.2 Courses and Degrees (Faculty of Economics Commerce and Management)

(Degree of Bachelor of Commerce) Regulations;

3.1.3 Courses and Degrees (Faculty of Education) (Degree of Master of

Educational Policy and Administration) (Amendment No. 1) Regulations;

3.1.4 Courses and Degrees (Faculty of Engineering) (Degree of Bachelor of

Engineering) (Amendment No. 7);

3.1.5 Courses and Degrees (Faculty of Medicine) (Degree of Master of

Psychological Medicine) (Amendment No. 5) Regulations; and

3.1.6 Courses and Degrees (Faculty of Science) (Degree of Bachelor of Science)

(Amendment No. 5) Regulations.

3.2 Reports or Standing Committees

3.2.1 Finance Committee

Council received the attached minutes and appendices of the meeting of the Finance Committee held on 31 July and approved the recommendations therein.

3.2.2 Biosafety Committee

Council received and noted the attached minutes of the Biosafety Committee held on 21 June.

3.2.3 Students' Grants and Loans Committee

Council received and noted the attached minutes of the meeting of the Students' Grants and Loans Committee held on 12 June.

3.3 Reports Of Ad Hoc Committees

3.3.1 Sir John Monash Chair of Electrical Power Engineering Selection Committee

Council received the attached report and supplementary report from the selection committee established at Meeting No. 8/89 to consider applications for the Sir John Monash Chair of Electrical Power Engineering and approved the recommendation in the supplementary report that an offer of appointment be made.

3.4 Reports of Other Committees

3.4.1 Superannuation Trustees

Council approved the amendments to the 'M' Superannuation Scheme

Trust Deed as submitted and set out in the attached memorandum from the Superannuation Officer.

3.4.2 Union Board

Council received and noted the attached minutes of the Union Board held on 19 July.

4. GENERAL BUSINESS

4.1 Conferring of Degree in Absentia

Council conferred the degrees and awarded the diplomas set out in the attached listing.

4.2 Chair Selection Committees

Council appointed the designated chair selection committees as set down in the attached paper, subject to inclusion of the following additional Council representatives nominated by the Acting Vice-Chancellor:

Librarianship, Archives and Records

Ms Anstee and Dr Vaughan,

with Professor W. Boyd Rayward, Head of the School of Librarianship at the University of New South Wales, as a specialist consultant;

Philosophy

a female member of Council to be appointed by the Vice-Chancellor:

English

Mrs McPhee; and

Company Law

Miss Lewitan.

In addition, Council appointed Ms Arndt and Mr Cutter to replace Mrs

McDonell on the Chair of Meteorology Selection Committee and the

Honorary Chair of Education Validation Committee respectively.

4.3 Staff Appointments and Resignations

Council noted the attached details of recently appointed members of staff and listing of resignations of University personnel.

4.4 Appointments made by the Vice-Chancellor

Council ratified the action of the Vice-Chancellor in appointing Dr I A.

Nicholls as Head of the Department of Earth Sciences from 1 August

1990 to 30 June 1991.

4.5 Appointment of Authorised Officers

Council resolved:

That the following persons be appointed as authorised officers of the

University -

a) pursuant to section 77(4) of the Road Safety Act 1986 and

Regulation 902(f) of the Road Safety (Procedures) Regulation

1988 for the purpose of taking proceedings generally for any breach

of Regulations made under Part VIII of that Act;

b) pursuant to the Monash University Parking Permit Rules 1986 for

the purpose of enforcing those rules; and

c) generally to enforce discipline within the University.

Citino, Dominic

Watson, Mark William

4.6 Legislation

Council made the following legislation, copies of which are attached and, in the case of the Statute, authorised the affixing thereon of the University Seal and its submission to the Governor in Council for approval:

4.6.1 Statute 6.1.1 - Courses and Degrees (Amendment No. 9) Statute;

4.6.2 Courses and Degrees (Faculty of Economics and Politics) (Degree of

Master of Business Administration) (Amendment No. 12) Regulations;

4.6.3 Courses and Degrees (Faculty of Economics and Politics) (Master of

Business Administration (Mt Eliza)) (Amendment No. 1) Regulations;

4.6.4 Courses and Degrees (Faculty of Economics and Politics) (Degree of

Master of Management) (Amendment No. 3) Regulations;

4.6.5 Courses and Degrees (Faculty of Economics and Politics) (Graduate

Diploma in Business Administration (External)) (Amendment No. 1) Regulations;

4.6.6 Courses and Degrees (Faculty of Economics and Politics) (Graduate

Diploma in Accounting) (Amendment No. 2) Regulations;

4.6.7 Courses and Degrees (Faculty of Engineering) (Degree of Bachelor of

Engineering) (Amendment No. 7) Regulations;

4.6.8 Courses and Degrees (Faculty of Law) (Degree of Bachelor of Law)

(Amendment No. 33) Regulations;

4.6.9 Courses and Degrees (Faculty of Arts) (Degree of Master of

Librarianship) (Amendment No. 7) Regulations;

4.6.10 Faculties (Amendment No. 104) Regulations; and

4.6.11 Academic Dress (Amendment No. 7) Regulations.

Council also made the following additional legislation as requested in the attached memorandum from the Secretary of the Koorie Research Centre Board:

4.6.12 Elizabeth Eggleston Memorial Fund (Amendment No. 1) Regulations.

4.7 Reports on Outside Studies Programmes and Overseas Leave

Council received and noted the attached reports on outside studies programmes and overseas leave from the following members of the University staff:

4.7.1 Dr L. Austin, Department of Biochemistry;

4.7.2 Mrs S. Campbell, Faculty of Law;

4.7.3 Mr G.J. Fitzgerald, Department of Classical Studies;

4.7.4 Dr S.M. Hesse, Department of German and Slavic Studies;

4.7.5 Dr G.G. Hiller, Department of English;

4.7.6 Professor J.S. Kahn, Department of Anthropology and Sociology;

4.7.7 Dr A.P. Kershaw, Department of Geography and Environmental Science;

4.7.8 Mr R. Krever, Faculty of Law;

4.7.9 Professor C.G. Peirson, Department of Accounting and Finance;

4.7.10 Dr J.M. Powell, Department of Geography and Environmental Science;

4.7.11 Dr J.I. Rood, Department of Microbiology;

4.7.12 Professor R.V. Short, Departments of Anatomy and Physiology;

4.7.13 Dr B.M. Propert, Department of Anthropology and Sociology; and

4.7.14 Mr H.V. Stainsby, Department of Philosophy.

4.8 Meeting Dates for 1991

The following dates were agreed upon for meetings in 1991 pursuant to the provision of Statute 2.1 that requires Council to meet at six-weekly intervals between late February and mid-December:

Monday, 25 February

Monday, 8 April

Monday, 20 May

Monday, 1 July

Monday, 12 August

Monday, 23 September

Monday, 4 November

Monday, 16 December

It was noted that a submission from Mr Ramler on the timing of meetings in 1991 would be brought to Council's attention at its next meeting for consideration in the Vice-Chancellor's presence.

5. ITEMS FOR REPORT

5.1 Next Meeting

Members were reminded that the next ordinary meeting of Council was scheduled to be held on Monday, 24 September, commencing at 3.00 pm.