Council Meeting 3-1998

Meeting No. 3/98 of the Monash University Council was held between 5.00 pm and 7.05 pm on Monday, 11 May 1998, in the Sir George Lush Room, Clayton Campus.

Mr D W Rogers AO, Chancellor (presiding)
Mr P H Ramler AM, Deputy Chancellor
Professor D A Robinson, Vice-Chancellor and President
Professor A W Lindsay, Chair of Academic Board

Professor P LeP Darvall, Deputy Vice-Chancellor (Research & Development)
Professor J E Maloney, Deputy Vice-Chancellor (International and Public Affairs)
Mr P B Wade, General Manager
Ms H Dunne, Executive Assistant to the Vice-Chancellor
Ms K Wilson-Reid, Secretary to Academic Board

Mr P Siggins, Manager, University Secretariat

In opening the meeting, the Chancellor drew to the attention of Council a revised format for the Council papers. Confidential items had been listed together as a separate minor agenda and new folders had been distributed with the papers for each item separately tagged.

The Chancellor advised that Professor Bob Williams, Dean of Law, would be at the Council dinner following the meeting to respond to any questions raised concerning the annual report of the Faculty of Law through the Academic Board.

An apology was received from Dr G A Knights.

A request for special leave from Meeting 3/98 for Mrs J M McPhee was approved at Council Meeting 2/98. A request for special leave from Meetings 3/98, 4/98, 5/98 and 7/98 was received from Senator K Patterson and Council approved her request.

Item 5 - Report of the Membership Committee, was starred and discussed at the meeting.

Council resolved on the motion of the Chancellor:

Dr J Hearn spoke to this item as Acting Chair of the Membership Committee and advised that the Membership Committee had held two recent meetings and had received 44 nominations for the position of Chancellor to date. Dr Hearn further advised that it was hoped that the Committee would be able to bring a clear recommendation to the 29 June or 10 August meeting of the Council. On behalf of the Membership Committee, Dr Hearn thanked members of Council who had submitted nominations to the Committee.

RESOLUTION CL3/98/73

Council received and noted the oral report of the Acting Chair of the Membership Committee, Dr J Hearn.

(File RMO97/1107)

RESOLUTION CL3/98/74

Council noted the report of the Vice-Chancellor dated 29 April 1998 on the affixing of the Common Seal to documents executed under Seal pursuant to Statute 8.1, Section 2.1.5.

(File RMO97/0889)

Items 7, 8, 9, 13, 16, 17.4.1 and 18.3 were starred and discussed at the meeting.

Council resolved on the motion of the Chancellor:

‘that all items on the agenda not starred be adopted without discussion, and the action recommended be taken, approved or the information therein noted’.

The Minutes of Meeting No 2/98 held on 16 March 1998 were circulated.

RESOLUTION CL3/98/75

Council confirmed the Minutes of Meeting No. 2/98 held on Monday, 16 March 1998.

Authorised observers were admitted to the meeting following confirmation of the Minutes.

Members recalled that at Meeting 1/98 (16 February 1998), Professor A W Lindsay, Deputy Vice-Chancellor (Academic and Planning), undertook to provide Council with a further description and specification for the Undergraduate Diploma as part of a briefing on the Monash Qualifications Framework scheduled for Meeting 3/98 of Council (11 May 1998). (Minute Part C 1.3.6.2 Council 1/98 refers)

This matter was dealt with under Item 13 Council Special Topic.

(File RMO98/0597)

Members recalled that at Meeting 2/98, Council approved the proposal to establish a Centre for Clinical Effectiveness, within the Department of Epidemiology and Preventive Medicine subject to the submission at the next meeting of Council of the full details of the proposed Centre including a business plan.

Council noted that a proposal for establishment of the Centre was being developed and would be submitted to the 29 June meeting of Council.

(File RMO98/0947)

At the invitation of the Vice-Chancellor, Professor Maloney, Deputy Vice-Chancellor (International and Public Affairs), provided Council with an oral report on his and Mr Wade’s attendance at a conference titled "Australia Unlimited". The guest speaker at the conference was Ms Le Tan, a Monash student and Young Australian of the Year. An international audience was present and the occasion was highly successful with Monash University receiving excellent publicity from Mr Howard, the Prime Minister, for its Monash Abroad Program within the context of the Government’s new Youth Ambassadors for Development Program initiative.

Professor A W Lindsay, Deputy Vice-Chancellor (Academic and Planning) presented the topic "Learning and Teaching". (Minute Part B 1.1 Council 1/98 refers)

Professor Lindsay reported that new and innovative ways to enhance the learning environment at Monash were being explored and developed. He presented details of the emerging student profile at the University which was increasingly mature aged, diverse, employed, looking for employment skills and qualifications, international, fee paying and expecting the University to deliver quality service. Professor Lindsay advised that the University was responding to student needs by developing approaches to teaching and learning which are more student-centred and flexible. The process was student centred insofar as it encouraged active participation by the student, built on previous learning, fostered the desire to learn and centred around the concept of life long learning. The process was flexible in a variety of ways and provided options in terms of the pace, place, time and style of the students’ learning. Council noted that technology and multi media would also increasingly redefine the learning environment at Monash. In the discussion that ensued, Professor Lindsay emphasized that technology was not a substitute for high-quality teaching and that technology must serve educational objectives, not drive them. Professor Lindsay drew attention to the Monash Qualifications document and to the proposed undergraduate diploma programs contained in the paper presented.

There was lively discussion and Professor Lindsay received Council’s congratulations on his excellent presentation.

RESOLUTION CL3/98/76

Council received and noted the presentation "Learning and Teaching".

RESOLUTION CL3/98/77

Council received and noted the additional information regarding undergraduate Diplomas and endorsed the proposed award structure of Diplomas involving sequential undergraduate studies of 48 points.

(File RMO98/1433)

RESOLUTION CL3/98/78

Council noted that, on 20 March 1998, the Executive Committee of Council, by way of a postal ballot of its members conducted in accordance with its constitution, approved, on behalf of Council the following recommendations:

• That Council approve the change of name of the Company from Monash Merchandising Company Pty Ltd to Monash Unicomm Pty Ltd.
• That Council, subject to each of them lodging with the Company the consent and disclosure forms prescribed by the Corporations Law, nominates the following persons as initial Directors of Monash Unicomm Pty Ltd:
  • Mr Paul Ramler AM
  • Mr David Neilson
  • Mr Robert Burnet
  • Mr Peter Summers
  • Mr Joe Curtis

(File RMO97/0893)

RESOLUTION CL3/98/79

Council noted that, on 3 April 1998, the Executive Committee of Council, by way of a postal ballot of its members conducted in accordance with its constitution, approved, on behalf of Council the following recommendation:

• That Council approve an offer of appointment to a Chair of Anatomy and the position of Head, Department of Anatomy be made to the person named in the document presented.

(File Personnel)

Council noted that the Audit Committee met on 11 May 1998 and the report of that meeting would be forwarded to the next meeting of Council on 29 June 1998.

(File RMO97/1579)

In discussion of the Report, Council noted the references made to the report Science at Monash. The Vice-Chancellor commended the Report for its quality and thoroughness and advised Council that he supported all its recommendations.

RESOLUTION CL3/98/80

Council received and noted the Report of the Corporate Planning Committee of Council Meeting 2/98 held on Monday, 6 April 1998.

(File RMO97/0884)

RESOLUTION CL3/98/81

Council noted the proceedings of the Corporate Planning Committee as detailed in the document presented.

RESOLUTION CL3/98/82

Council received and noted the Report of Meeting 3/98 of the Academic Board held on Wednesday, 22 April 1998.

(File RMO97/1283)

RESOLUTION CL3/98/83

Council made the following legislation titled:

• Statute 6.1.2 - Courses and Degrees (Amendment No 2 1998);
• Statute 6.1.2A - Monash Mt Eliza Graduate School of Business and Government Ltd (Amendment No 1 1998); and
• Faculty of Business and Economics Regulations (Amendment No 1 1998).

(Files RMO97/1038, RMO97/1267, RMO97/1095), RMO97/1030, RMO97/1028)

RESOLUTION CL3/98/84

Council approved, subject to the drafting of appropriate legislation, the proposal to:

• remove reference to the approval of subject quotas from Statute 6.1.1 - University Entrance and Admission to Courses;
• establish a formal procedure whereby subject quotas are approved by the Education Committee; and
• ensure that where quotas apply to first year subjects, students are clearly informed about the quotas in all literature available to prospective students.

(File RMO97/1134)

In discussion, Council indicated approval of the establishment of the Institute of Public Health Research but deleted from the original recommendation endorsed by the Faculty of Medicine and Academic Board the words "as detailed in the document presented" on the basis that the University had yet to commit itself to the capital costs as identified in Section 9 of the Proposal.

RESOLUTION CL3/98/85

Council approved the establishment of the Institute of Public Health Research, a joint initiative of Monash University and the Southern Health Care Network.

(File RMO97/0622)

RESOLUTION CL3/98/86

Council approved the proposal of the Board of the Faculty of Science to establish a Centre of Applied and Professional Psychology, as detailed in the document presented.

(File RMO97/0095)

RESOLUTION CL3/98/87

Council endorsed amendments to the membership of the Advisory Board of the Institute of Reproduction and Development as detailed in the document presented.

(File RMO97/0668)

RESOLUTION CL3/98/88

Council approved a proposal to establish, advertise and fill a Chair of Australian Indigenous Studies within the Faculty of Arts, as detailed in the document presented.

(File RMO97/0553)

RESOLUTION CL3/98/89

Council approved the proposal of the Faculty of Information Technology to establish, advertise and fill the Chair in Network Computing, as detailed in the document presented.

(File RMO97/0768)

RESOLUTION CL3/98/90

Council approved the proposal of the Board of the Faculty of Medicine to establish, advertise and fill the position of Professor / Director of Developmental Disability Health, as detailed in the documentation presented.

(File RMO98/0296)

RESOLUTION CL3/98/91

Council approved, on the recommendation of the Board of the Faculty of Science, the appointments of Associate Deans listed below:

• appointment of Professor G Coleman as Associate Dean (Research) for 1998;
• re-appointment of Dr K Macrae as Associate Dean (Teaching) for 1998.

(File RMO97/0855)

RESOLUTION CL3/98/92

Council approved the proposal of the Board of the Faculty of Medicine to award the degree of Doctor of Medicine to:

• Professor E J Ozanne-Smith, for her thesis titled:

  ‘Evaluation of a public health intervention: community based injury prevention’; and

• Dr H M Prince, for his thesis titled:

  ‘Autologous transplantation with gene transfer into myeloma cells’.

(File RMO98/0448)

RESOLUTION CL3/98/93

Council, on the recommendation of the Board of the Faculty of Science:

• approved the appointment of Dr G Hyman to fill a casual vacancy for the representative of the Caulfield / Peninsula section of the Department of Psychology, in accordance with Statute 2.3, Section 6.1; and
• subject to the drafting of appropriate legislation, approved an amendment to the Faculties Regulations to extend the membership of the Board of the Faculty of Science to include the Deans (or Deans nominees) of the Faculty of Art and Design and the Victorian College of Pharmacy.

(File RMO97/0904)

RESOLUTION CL3/98/94

Council noted the Proceedings of Meeting 3/98 of the Academic Board held on 22 April 1998, as detailed in the document presented.

RESOLUTION CL3/98/95

Council received the Report of the Resources and Finance Committee Meeting held on 20 April 1998.

(File RMO98/0946)

RESOLUTION CL3/98/96

Council ratified the appointment of the following as Directors of the Monash University Sunway Operating Corporate Entity:

• Professor D A Robinson
• Professor J E Maloney
• Mr R J Cochrane

(File RMO98/1483)

RESOLUTION CL3/98/97

Council noted the proceedings of the Resources and Finance Committee as detailed in the document presented.

(File RMO98/0946)

RESOLUTION CL3/98/98

Council noted that the Resources and Finance Committee approved motions for acceptance of an updated Business Plan 1998 to 2002 and for acceptance of The Final Legal Agreement, as approved by both parties and the Monash University Solicitor.

(File RMO98/1483)

Council received oral reports from the Vice-Chancellor, Mr Paul Ramler AM, Deputy Chancellor and Professor J E Maloney, Deputy Vice-Chancellor (International and Public Affairs) on this item.

RESOLUTION CL3/98/99

Council noted that the Resources and Finance Committee considered documents describing the proposal to establish a Monash University campus in South Africa. The Vice-Chancellor, the General Manager and the General Manager, Monash International Pty Ltd had made oral reports about the proposal.

RESOLUTION CL3/98/100

Council noted that Committee Members had passed a resolution in support of the project and had authorised the Vice-Chancellor to sign a Heads of Agreement on Monash’s behalf.

(File RMO97/0672)

RESOLUTION CL3/98/101

Council noted the Report of Meeting AC1/98 of the Gippsland Advisory Council held on Tuesday 3 March 1998.

(File RMO98/1492)

RESOLUTION CL3/98/102

Council approved the appointment of new external members - Mr John Mitchell, Dr Martin Kent and Dr Chin Kon Yuen - to the Gippsland Advisory Council under section 1.2.8 of Statute 2.13 - Special provisions for the governance of Monash University (Gippsland Campus) and noted that further recommendations would be forthcoming.

(File RMO98/1492)

RESOLUTION CL3/98/103

Council noted the Proceedings of Meeting AC1/98 of the Gippsland Advisory Council held on 3 March 1998 as detailed in the document provided.

RESOLUTION CL3/98/104

Council noted that the following had accepted their offers of appointment and wished to pass on their thanks to Council:

• Professor B.W. Cherry - Honorary Professorial Fellow, Department of Materials Engineering
• The Hon. Sir Daryl Dawson - Adjunct Professor, Faculty of Law
• Associate Professor A.M. Flitman - Fixed-Term Professor, School of Business Systems
• Honorary Professor G.T. Kovacs - Professor/Director, Department of Obstetrics and Gynaecology, Box Hill Hospital
• Professor J. McKay - Fixed-Term Professor, Monash Asia Institute
• Associate Professor C.A. Mitchell - Professor, Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology
• Dr J.I. Rood - Personal Chair in Microbiology
• Professor C. Tingvall - Director, Accident Research Centre

(File Personnel)

RESOLUTION CL3/98/105

Council approved the establishment of selection committees for a Chair of Australian Indigenous Studies and Director of Monash Aboriginal Programs, and the positions of Professor of Surgery, Cabrini Hospital, Professor/Director of Infectious Diseases, The Alfred and Professor/Director of Medical Oncology, Southern Health Care Network as detailed in the document presented.

(File Personnel)

RESOLUTION CL3/98/106

Council received reports from the following staff:

Faculty of Arts

Michael Ackland, Department of English
Philip Anderson, Department of Romance Languages
Chris Atmore, Department of Anthropology & Sociology
Paul Bishop, Department of Geography & Environmental Science
Heather Bowe, Department of Linguistics
Chris Chamberlain, Department of Anthropology & Sociology
Beth Edmondson, HUMASS
Barry Ellem, Department of Anthropology & Sociology
Chris Goddard, Department of Social Work & Human Services
Lesley Hewitt, Department of Social Work & Human Services
Peter Hiller, Department of Anthropology & Sociology
Jeanette Kennett, Department of Philosophy
Wallace Kirsop, Department of Romance Languages
Lincoln Li, Department of History
Arthur McDevitt, Department of Classics and Archaeology
Leonie Naughton, Department of Visual Arts
Marko Pavlyshyn, Department of German & Slavic Studies
Jan van Bommel, Department of Anthropology & Sociology
Annette Van den Bosch, Department of Visual Arts
Millicent Vladiv-Glover, Department of German & Slavic Studies

Faculty of Medicine

Dr Paul Gleeson, Department of Pathology and Immunology
Faculty of Education
Associate Professor Len Cairns

Faculty of Business and Economics

Mr William Richardson, Department of Accounting and Finance
Dr Lynne Bennington, Department of Management
Dr Stuart Orr, Department of Management
Dr Ian Roos, Department of Management

(File RMO97/0028)

RESOLUTION CL3/98/107

Council conferred an award in absentia as detailed below:

Ms Tanya Michelle Brash - Bachelor of Science

(File RMO98/1493)

RESOLUTION CL3/98/108

Council ratified the Vice-Chancellor’s nomination of Professor N Saunders, Dean Elect, Faculty of Medicine, as the University’s nominee to the Victorian Institute of Forensic Pathology Council for a period of three years from 5 May 1998.

(File RMO98/0964)

RESOLUTION CL3/98/109

Council made the Monash University Accident Research Foundation Regulations (Amendment No. 1 1998).

The next meeting of Council is scheduled to be held at 5.00 pm on Monday, 29 June 1998 at the Caulfield Campus.