Council Meeting 1-1991

Meeting No. 1/91 of the Monash University Council was held on Monday, 25 February 1991, in the Council Room, University Offices, at the Clayton campus, between 5.00 and 7.40 pm.

There were present:

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

Dr G.A. Knights, Deputy Chancellor

Professor M.I. Logan, Vice-Chancellor and President

Ms D.R. Anstee

Ms J. Arndt

Mr J.C. Blyth

Ms J.A. Chandler

Ms K.G. Clark

Dr C.K. Coogan

Mr R.P. Cresp

Dr S.A. Crossley

Mr P.F. Cutter

Mr D.R. Ellis

Mr H.A. Grayson

The Hon. J.V.C. Guest

Mr C.L. Hatsell

Dr J.M. Hearn

Associate Professor W.A. Howard

Ms M.G. Keys

Mr R.J.N. Kinsman

Dr J.E. Kolm

Mr W.A. Kricker

Mrs J.M. McPhee

Mr A.H. May

Professor W.H. Melbourne

Ms N.R. Natoka

Mrs B.D. Murray

Dr H.M. Nugent

Senator K.C.L. Patterson

Mr D.H. Peebles

Miss D.R. Pizzey

Professor C.T. Probyn

Mr P.H. Ramler

Mr R.G. Ritchie

Dr P.K. Rodan

Mr R.G. Rutter

Emeritus Professor A.G.L. Shaw

Mr D.J. Shore

Professor R.J. Snedden

Mrs J. Strauss

The Hon. Mr Justice R.C. Tadgell

Dr G.M. Vaughan

Dr L.E. Ward

Mr R.L. Whyte

Mr J. Wingate

Professor C.R. Williams

Mr N. Wood

Mr B.C. Yau

In attendance were:

Professor J.A. Hay, Deputy Vice-Chancellor (Academic)

Professor G.N. Vaughan, Deputy Vice-Chancellor

Professor T. Kennedy, Pro-Vice-Chancellor

Mr A.L. Pritchard, Registrar

Mr P.B. Wade, Comptroller

Mr M.D. Watson, Secretary

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

Mr G.F. Neat, Director of Communications

Miss J.M. Beck, Director of Protocol and Alumni Affairs

Apologies were received from:

Professor J.N. Crossley, who had special leave, and from Mr J.A. Hancock, Mr A.E. Crook, Professor P.LeP. Darvall, Ms L.J. Lawrie, Miss R.A. Lewitan, Mrs W. McDonell, and Mr T.W. Wallace.

M I N U T E S

1. INTRODUCTORY AND FORMAL BUSINESS

1.1 Special Leave

1.2 Membership

Council was informed that, in addition to the resignation of Professor B.O. West on 17 December as noted at the previous meeting, Mr R.V. Scott had also resigned on 17 December as had, on 14 February, Ms S. Moxham and Mr D. Jenkins.

The Chancellor thanked Ms Moxham for her contribution to Council since 1 July 1990 and for her prior involvement in the merger proceedings, sentiments that were endorsed by the meeting with acclamation.

Following their cooption, Ms Clark, Mr Cresp, and Ms Natoka were admitted to the meeting where they were congratulated on their appointment and welcomed by the Chancellor.

1.4 Matters Arising from the Minutes

1.4.1 Professor B.O. West

1.4.2 Teaching Practice Naming Proposal

1.4.3 Bachelor of Business/Bachelor of Engineering

1.5 Deaths of Former University Officers

Council noted with sadness the deaths during the summer recess of the following former principal officers of the University:

. on 25 December, Emeritus Professor W.A.G. Scott, foundation Professor of English and Dean of the Faculty of Arts, Pro-Vice-Chancellor 1972-76, second Vice-Chancellor of the University 1976-77, and Deputy Vice-Chancellor 1977- 1981; and

. on 16 January, The Honourable Sir Richard Eggleston, third Chancellor of the University 1975-83.

It was noted that separate memorial services had been held at Monash in the preceding week, both of which had been well attended from within the University and the community at large.

1.6 Australia Day Honours

Council noted that, in the Australia Day Honours List, Professor M.J. Kartomi, Head of the Department of Music, had been created a Member of the Order of Australia for services to ethnomusicology.

The meeting also noted that Mr D.R. Ellis, Director of the Sports and Recreation Association, and Clinical Associate Professor T.M. Adamson, of the Department of Paediatrics, had recently been presented with Advance Australia awards for their services to sports education and medicine respectively.

1.7 Gifts and Grants

Council noted with appreciation the attached listing of gifts and grants received by the University in December.

1.8 Donations to the Library

Council noted with appreciation the attached listing of books presented to the University Library since reported to the previous meeting.

1.9 Use of the University Seal

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

2. REPORT OF THE VICE-CHANCELLOR

2.1 Merger Matters

The Vice-Chancellor informed Council that the rationalisation of higher education in Victoria was still in a state of flux, with significant capital funding being withheld pro tem. As far as Monash was concerned, Professor Logan said he had informed the Minister that the University was not interested in the staff or students of the Rusden campus of Victoria College, but had a strong wish to acquire its land and buildings. He said he was prepared to negotiate for a transfer of capital funding with Victoria College and Deakin University to achieve this end. It was hoped, he said, that such action would not preclude continuing interaction between certain of the Rusden programmes and interested Monash faculties.

Professor Logan said Monash was still pursuing, with the full support of the College, its proposal for a merger of the Pharmacy College with the University in the face of opposition from The University of Melbourne and VPSEC. There was nothing further to report at present, he said.

Professor Logan also said he had informed the Minister that Monash would, under certain conditions, consider sponsoring Swinburne Institute of Technology in its bid to attain university status. Such a move, he said, would give Monash the opportunity to influence the delivery of higher education in the eastern and southeastern suburbs of Melbourne. Under any such arrangement, he said, Monash would exercise control of Swinburne's higher degree programme and senior appointments. He undertook to keep Council informed of developments in this regard.

2.2 Research Management

The Vice-Chancellor tabled and spoke to the attached paper. He said he had asked Professor Vaughan to assume the research management portfolio for 1991.

The research management structure proposed by the Vice-Chancellor and the accompanying information on the University's relative success in attracting research grant funding was discussed by Council, although it was noted that the matter had not yet been placed before the Academic Board. Professor Logan, Professor Vaughan, and Professor Hay took note of several comments and suggestions that arose during discussion.

2.3 1991 Enrolment

Council received and noted the attached paper, copies of which were tabled at the meeting, showing that cut-off scores had risen for most courses in the University for 1991, particularly at the Caulfield, Frankston, and Churchill campuses.

2.4 Promotion Criteria

At the request of the Vice-Chancellor, Professor Hay gave a progress report on discussions that were taking place with the aim of having one set of promotion criteria for academic staff across the whole University. He said the representative committee undertaking this task had met on three occasions, and was proceeding constructively with a high degree of unanimity.

2.5 Sexually Transmitted Diseases Research Centre

The Vice-Chancellor informed Council of a successful bid by a consortium from Monash and La Trobe Universities to the Victorian Health Promotion Foundation for $2.5M over a number of years to establish a Sexually Transmitted Diseases Research Centre to be based at La Trobe's Carlton campus. He said the operation of the Centre would be overseen by an advisory committee chaired by La Trobe University Vice- Chancellor, Professor Osborne. It was now proposed, he said, for both institutions to advertise jointly for a Professor/Director to head up the Centre, with the advertisement making it clear that the future of the position would be dependent on continuing funding from the VHPF. With this assurance, he said, Monash's financial commitment to the Centre would be very small. Professor Logan said the selection committee for the Professor/Director would be chaired by Professor Osborne with three other representatives each from La Trobe and Monash. He said the proposal had been put to and endorsed by the Academic Board at its previous meeting, and Professors Logan, Porter, and Carson had been nominated as the Monash representatives on the selection committee.

2.6 Student Residential Accommodation - Caulfield Campus

Council received and noted the attached paper from the Vice-Chancellor giving details of the proposed lease and purchase by the University, on extremely favourable terms, of a substantial and fully operational former Ministry of Education hostel in Dandenong Road, Armadale, for much-needed student residential accommodation to service the Caulfield campus.

3. REPORTS OF BOARDS AND COMMITTEES

3.1 Monash University College Gippsland Advisory Council

3.2 Academic Board

Referring to the report on the composition of the Academic Board at item 2 of the Board's report, the Vice-Chancellor said the proposed new constitution of the Academic Board had been endorsed by the Board with a high degree of unanimity. It was, he said, a good composition well representative of the academic community of the University as a whole. By way of clarification of the Report's recommendation 9, Council resolved that the President of the General Staff Association should have the right of audience, not just attendance, at meetings of the reconstituted Academic Board.

3.2.2 Legislation

3.3 Reports of Standing Committees

3.3.1 Executive Committee

Council received and noted the attached report on matters determined by the Executive Committee during the summer recess.

3.3.2 Buildings Committee

Council received and noted the attached minutes of a meeting of the Buildings Committee held on 29 November.

3.3.3 Nominations Committee

Council noted that the inaugural meeting of the Nominations Committee was scheduled to be held on Friday, 1 March.

3.4 Reports of Other Committees

3.4.1 Discipline Committee

3.4.2 Union Board

Council received and noted the attached minutes of a meeting of the Union Board held on 29 November.

The Chairman of the Board, Professor Vaughan, took note of comments made in relation to items 7.1.2 and 11 of the minutes.

4. GENERAL BUSINESS

4.1 Chair Appointments

4.2 Delegation of Power to Confer Degrees

In accordance with established procedure, Council resolved:

`That pursuant to Section 27 of the Monash University Act 1958, at each graduate ceremony to be held in 1991, the power given to Council to confer any degree or award any diploma in any faculty shall hereby be delegated to, and may be exercised by, the Chancellor or, in his absence, either of the Deputy Chancellors or, in the absence of both of them, the Vice-Chancellor.'

4.3 Centre for Molecular Biology and Medicine

4.4 Reports on Outside Studies Programmes and Overseas Leave

Council received and noted the attached reports from the following members of the University staff:

4.4.1 Associate Professor K.R. McLaren, Departments of Econometrics and Economics; and

4.4.2 Mr N.S. Paget, Higher Education Advisory and Research Unit.

5. ITEMS FOR REPORT

5.1 Legislation

Council noted that the following Statutes had been approved by the Governor in Council on the dates indicated:

. 11 December 1990

Statute 2.4 - The University Teaching Hospitals (Amendment No. 11) Statute; and

Statute 9.2 - Election of Members of the Academic Board.

. 19 December 1990

Statute 2.1 - The Council (Amendment No. 2) Statute;

Statute; and

Statute 3.5 - Administrative Staff (Amendment No. 2) Statute.

. 20 December 1990

Statute 3.4.6 - Adjunct Professors.

. 22 January 1991

Statute 1.1 - Interpretation (Amendment No. 9) Statute.

5.2 Meeting Dates for 1991

Members were reminded that Council had agreed to meet on the following dates for the remainder of 1991:

Monday, 8 April

Monday, 20 May

Monday, 1 July

Monday, 12 August

Monday, 23 September

Monday, 4 November

Monday, 16 December,

with the first three meetings at least commencing at 5.00 pm.