Members discussed a range of related matters including the use of IELTS scores and the small percentage of the total number of international students using IELTS for entry to Monash and the greater number of students who successfully gained admission to Monash courses via Monash College programs.

Referring to the recent bombings in London, the Vice-Chancellor informed Council that over thirty staff and students known to be in the vicinity of London were contacted, and of those contacted all were reported as safe. The University was still attempting to contact three staff members. One former staff member now working in London, Mr Sam Ly, had been injured and was in a critical condition.

(Secretarial note: Mr Sam Ly, who worked for Monash University from 1999 to 2003, had died as a result of injuries received in the bomb blast that destroyed the double-decker bus in London on Thursday, 7 July.)

Concluding his report, the Vice-Chancellor supported the Chancellor’s statements on the magnitude of the achievements of the retiring Deputy Vice-Chancellor (Resources), Ms Alison Crook AO.

RESOLUTION CL4/2005/69

Council received and noted the Vice-Chancellor’s Report to Council.

(File RMO1998/2347)

Council members were invited to note that discussion of this topic had been deferred pending approval by the Monash Commercial Board of a revised business plan for 2005/2006. Members were invited to note that the Report of the Board of Monash Commercial Pty Ltd (refer item 9) included a Statement of Financial Performance and overview of recent transactions approved by the Commercialisation Executive Committee.

RESOLUTION CL4/2005/70

Council noted that a report on the activities and initiatives of Monash Commercial Pty Ltd would be submitted for Council’s consideration at a later Council meeting.

(File RMOR2000/106)

The Vice-Chancellor introduced the item. Mr Greg Connell, Director, Audit and Risk Management, was in attendance.

Following an outline of the methodology used to formulate the Consolidated Risk Management Profile, members discussed the risks identified in the risk profile and made a number of suggestions including the following:

• need to include other risk treatment strategies including those relating to quality;

• include in the risk treatment strategies services provided to current and prospective students;

• members also queried why the category was deemed financial; and

• it was suggested that Monash still needed to narrow the gap between the information it provided to students and what was actually delivered to students.

• while the category was financial, it was noted that the risk also related to both reputation and research; and

• it was suggested that current cost containment strategies should also be added

• risk treatment strategies should include the University’s focus on quality including the outcomes of questionnaires/surveys; and

• Professor Parker informed Council that the MEQ data would be ready by December for consideration by Council at its conference in February.

• during discussion, it was noted that the risk assessment was qualitative not quantitative and Professor Parker informed Council that the draft staff survey instrument had been prepared and that over time, the data from the staff survey would provide the University with base-line data.

Another suggestion was to include as a risk the need to manage state and federal government relations.

Members requested that the revised consolidated risk summary be distributed with the minutes.

(Secretarial note: The revised Consolidated Risk Profile will be amended over the coming weeks and will be distributed to members when available.)

RESOLUTION CL4/2005/71

Council received the report titled Consolidated Risk Management Profile – April 2005 and noted the advice of the Vice-Chancellor.

(File RMO2003/0514)

Professor Rob Norris, Dean, Faculty of Science and Chairman of the OHS & E Committee and Mr Paul Barton, Manager, OHS & E, were in attendance.

Mr Barton provided Council with a PowerPoint presentation on the major changes introduced by the new Act including a summary of the key changes. These included:

• the expanded liability for officer’s failing to take reasonable care;

• the inclusion of psychological health;

• increased consultation requirements;

• representatives across sites rather than zone representatives;

• union rights of access;

• increased penalties; and

• the introduction of a process to review inspector’s decisions and notices.

As part of Monash’s ongoing focus on improving OHS outcomes, Mr Barton advised Council that the University was continuing to implement a continuous improvement approach to OHS with a desired outcome of obtaining AS/NZS 4801:2001 certification by the first quarter of 2006.

A copy of the slides presented by Mr Barton is attached to the Minutes. (Attachment 1)

RESOLUTION CL4/2005/72

Council noted the advice of Mr Paul Barton, Manager, Occupational Health, Safety and Environment.

(File RMO1999/1413)

Preliminary planning for the Senior Management Summit and Council Planning Conference in 2006 had commenced.

Council members were invited to note, in an email dated 12 May 2005, that the Council Planning Conference would commence on the afternoon of Thursday, 16 February 2006 and conclude in the afternoon of Friday, 17 February 2006. Both the summit and Conference would be held at The Mansion Hotel, Werribee.

(File RMO1998/2347)

Members discussed the appointment to professor process and the promotion to professor process and debated the need for prompt notification of promotions via the proposed delegation to the Vice-Chancellor or whether it would be more appropriate for Council to retain the power to appoint to professor via promotion.

At the conclusion of the discussion, it was resolved to support the proposed delegation to the Vice-Chancellor with the addition of a letter from Council to staff promoted to professor.

RESOLUTION CL4/2005/73

Council delegated to the Vice-Chancellor the power to approve promotions to professor as recommended by the University Professorial Promotions Committee.

(File RMO1998/3177)

The Executive Committee of Council, acting under its delegation from Council, met on 23 May 2005 and approved the proposal to establish and fill the position of Deputy Vice-Chancellor and Vice-President (International) and the establishment of a Deputy Vice-Chancellor selection committee as detailed in the document forwarded to the members of the Executive Committee.

RESOLUTION CL4/2005/74

Council noted the approval granted by the Executive Committee of Council at its meeting held on 23 May 2005.

(File RMO1998/0734)

RESOLUTION CL4/2005/75

Council noted the unconfirmed Minutes of the Special Meeting of Audit Committee held on 27 June 2005.

RESOLUTION CL4/2005/76

Council received the report titled Consolidated Risk Management Profile – April 2005 and noted the advice of the Vice-Chancellor.

(File RMO1997/1579)

During discussion, Professor Edwina Cornish informed Council that her office was looking to develop a governance framework and processes to ensure appropriate management of unincorporated joint ventures and that this would be reported to Council at a later meeting.

RESOLUTION CL4/2005/77

Council:

declared that in its opinion, in relation to each of the four UJVs (listed below), it was in the interests of the affairs and concerns of the University for Monash to form or participate in the formation of the joint venture required by current State Government policy, subject to the legal documentation for each UJV being checked and approved by the University Solicitor’s Office.

1. Australasian Stormwater Biofiltration Technologies

2. Gippsland Regional Automation Centre (GRACe)

3. Centre for Power Transformer Diagnostics and Life Management

4. Australian Centre for Health Care Innovation

delegated to the Deputy Vice-Chancellor (Research) the power to sign on behalf of the University the Unincorporated Joint Venture Agreements and any other related agreements relating to the above named STI funded projects.

(Files RMO2005/0646, RMO2005/0647, RMO2005/0645, RMO2005/0174)

The Vice-Chancellor advised Council that negotiations with the developer had progressed and that two financial options were being considered. Council was advised that the final proposal would be presented to Council at a later meeting once the new Vice-President (Finance) had had time to assess both options.

Ms Crook outlined to Council the process to date including the use of a Probity Auditor to oversee the matter.

RESOLUTION CL4/2005/78

Council:

• endorsed Resources and Finance Committee's recommendation that the University write to the Education Minister to seek approval for the sale of the relevant land at the western end of the campus; and

• noted the report (Appendix B) and that the financial impact of this and other major projects would be reviewed by the Vice Chancellor’s Group.

(File RMO2002/1017)

In response to a question seeking clarification on several matters, it was requested that Mr Peter Marshall, Divisional Director, Student and Staff Services supply to Dr Carol Williams, the two documents referred to in paragraph 2 of the agenda papers (page 8….53) and that Ms Crook provide confirmation to Dr Williams that the website referred to in paragraph 16 had been established and that affected staff were receiving the summary letter.

Council was advised that attempts to obtain external funding for this development had not progressed. Investigations were continuing into other financing models, but if these were not fruitful, the development would go ahead in stages, with Stage 1 costing $118.8m to commence in 2006 and to be completed by the end of 2008.

Council noted the advice of the Vice-Chancellor of the importance of this development to the University.

In response to a question, Professor Stephen Parker, Senior Deputy Vice-Chancellor advised Council that repatriation of International Marketing and International Student Services activities into the University’s operations would have a net zero outcome for the Monash group.

RESOLUTION CL4/2005/79

Council noted the proceedings of meeting 2/2005 of Resources and Finance Committee held on 22 June2005.

(File RMO2004/1407)

RESOLUTION CL4/2005/80

Council received and noted the report of the Board of Monash Commercial Pty Ltd of meeting held on 30 May 2005.

(File RMOR2001/112)

RESOLUTION CL4/2005/81

Council received and noted the report of meeting 3/2005 of the Academic Board held on Wednesday, 23 May 2005.

(File RMO2004/0809)

RESOLUTION CL4/2005/82

Council approved the establishment of the E-Research @ Monash Centre.

(File RMO2003/0269)

For action or noting by: Chairman and Secretary of The e-Research@Monash Working Group