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A working party has been established by the vice-chancellor to consider strategic directions for the Gippsland campus.
There are two main reasons why the working party is timely, said Professor Robinson. First, the university needs to be in a position to respond positively and realistically to the Gippsland regional strategy which is currently being considered by the State Government. Second, in preparing the Monash Plan: 2000-2004, it needs to be clearer about the nature and role of each campus within the greater Monash.
Chaired by Dr Geoffrey Knights, Deputy Chancellor, the working party includes Mr John Hutchinson, University Council member who also chairs the Gippsland campus Advisory Committee; Professor John Anderson, Campus Director at Gippsland and Berwick; Mr David Phillips, the Vice-Chancellor's Special Advisor on Corporate Planning; Professor Merran Evans, Associate Chair of Academic Board; and Mr Bob Burnet, Assistant General Manager, Student Services Division.
"Clearly, as a major player in the Gippsland region, Monash must ensure that the pattern of activities at our Gippsland campus best supports economic, social and other developments," said Professor Robinson.
The working party will meet as soon as possible and, as a first priority, discuss with deans the faculties' future plans for courses and research activity at the campus.
Dr Knights said a clear picture was needed of where Monash Gippsland stands in relation to both the Gippsland community and to the rest of Monash.
"It is important that we make a community effort in education for the area, not just a university effort. The working party will look closely at the educational potential for Gippsland," he said.
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One of Australia's leading intellectuals, Professor Barry Jones, AO, has joined the Faculty of Information Technology as an adjunct professor.
The former parliamentarian delivered his inaugural lecture on 'The Information Revolution: Its impact on the economy, society and politics' to academics, IT business leaders and policy-makers in Melbourne last week.
The dean of the Faculty of IT, Professor John Rosenberg, said that since retiring from federal parliament, Professor Jones had been approached by five Australian universities. "I am delighted he has agreed to become an adjunct professor of Monash University," he said.
"In the early 1970s, Professor Jones was the first public figure in Australia to draw attention to the concept of the information revolution and its social and policy implications."
A fellow of three Australian academies, Professor Jones was elected in March as a visiting fellow of Trinity College, Cambridge.
One of his major research interests has been the social impact of technology. His book, Sleepers, Wake! Technology and the Future of Work, first published in 1982, is considered a classic text and is still used in most courses dealing with technology's social implications.
The new adjunct professor's activities will include research, special faculty/industry seminars and lectures for postgraduate students.
"Professor Jones's exceptional knowledge and experience as both a scholar and a policy-maker, together with his extensive organisational contacts and understanding of government, will prove invaluable to Monash," Professor Rosenberg said.
Agreement is reached with student unionAgreement has been reached between Monash University and the Student Union at the Gippsland campus on issues arising from last month's changed funding arrangements. Following the decision to reduce funding to the Student Union and to establish a Student Amenities and Services Unit to ensure the continuation of services to students on the campus, the campus director, Professor John Anderson, has been meeting regularly with the Student Union to settle the basic ongoing relationship. Professor Anderson said all of the records and equipment formerly used by the Student Union were now available for their use again. Similarly, the office space used to support the Student Union's representation and counselling roles will continue to be available to the Student Union. "The present members of the Board of the Student Union inherited a very difficult financial position which made it impossible for them to deliver appropriate services to students this year. The university is now keen to work with the Board to develop new arrangements for the delivery of student services and facilities at the campus," he said. The terms of the reference of a review of student services will be announced shortly. Discussions with the Student Union about the role it can play in the review are currently under way. Professor Anderson stressed that he had every confidence in the capacity of the Board of the Union to represent student views in the review process. |
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Monash University's School of Nursing, in the Faculty of Medicine, has signed a memorandum of understanding with the Malaysian Nurses Association (MNA) to collaborate on professional development activities.
The agreement calls for Monash and the MNA to develop and carry out activities of common interest to both parties. It was signed recently by Monash vice-chancellor Professor David Robinson and MNA president Ms Lee Siew Hoon.
The MNA is a professional nursing organisation, representing registered nurses in Malaysia. It aims to promote a high standard of nursing ethics and the advancement of nursing as a profession in Malaysia.
The Monash-MNA partnership will concentrate on professional development activities, including the promotion of courses and programs and the exchange of academic material and research.
The agreement provides Monash with space to exhibit at all major conferences and conventions organised by the MNA. As well, the association will assist Monash in seminars and talks conducted by the university for course promotion and professional development purposes.
Monash has already scheduled activities to promote its Bachelor of Nursing (Post Registration) course, with the assistance of the MNA. The two-year course is offered at Monash University Sunway Campus Malaysia in both on and off-campus modes.
How to finetune an already successful Orientation program was the topic under discussion at the Monash Orientation 2000 Summit, held at the Clayton campus last Friday.
More than 100 staff and student representatives from around the university gathered to hear presentations on the latest Orientation research conducted at Monash, breaking into small groups to discuss key Orientation issues and problems and to suggest strategies for the program's improvement.
A presentation by student Fiona Darwin from MUFSO gave a student perspective of Orientation, while Mr Ian White (CHED), Ms Cathy Kirkham (Marketing Services and Public Relations) and Ms Pru Bagley (Monash International) presented findings on students' expectations of Orientation, their impressions of Orientation information sources, and how successful Orientation had been for international students.
A discussion paper by summit organiser and Orientation director Dr Mark Peel, 'Orientation 2000: Issues and Strategies', formed the basis of the issues for group discussion.
These included the role of academic orientation activities and the links between academic and social orientation; linking student host schemes, first-year enrolment and pre-Orientation activities into Orientation; sending a stronger message to new students about the importance of attending Orientation; how to better provide information about learning, library and computer resources; linking Orientation to transition programs; and improving Orientation activities for international, distance, mature-age and part-time students.
Dr Peel said he considered the summit "a great success and an interesting and productive afternoon".
"The recommendations that have arisen from the discussions will ensure a more systematic and integrated approach to Orientation, with the result that students will have a more effective and enjoyable Orientation experience," he said.
"They will inform a statement of objectives and expectations of Orientation for all campuses, which each campus will be able to adjust according to the needs and interests of their students."
Monash's Elwyn Morey Centre has received more than $68,000 from the Victorian Government to further develop its early childhood intervention services.
The cheque was presented recently to Education dean Professor Richard White by the Member for Monash, Ms Denise McGill.
Named after Associate Professor Elwyn Morey, who recognised the importance of early childhood education and special education, the centre is renowned for its high quality early childhood intervention programs serving the needs of families whose children have significant developmental delays.
The additional funding will provide for the expansion of psychology and speech pathology services as well as the appointment of an occupational therapist.
Monash Briefs
More than 500 VCE students from 36 schools attended workshops run by Monash's Chemistry department last month as part of their Year 12 studies. The annual analytical instrumentation workshops provide Year 12 chemistry students with an opportunity to carry out in-depth analyses and fulfil work requirements for the subject. For more information about the workshops, contact Dr Ian McKinnon on extn 54518.
The 1999 state conference of the Association for Tertiary Education Management (ATEM) will be held on 29 and 30 April at the Riverwalk Hotel in Melbourne. The theme will be 'supporting virtual universities in the 21st century'. This year's conference is being held in conjunction with the annual conference of the Association for Development and Alumni Professionals in Education.For more information, contact Mr Clive Vernon on extn 31003.
This is the last issue of Monash Memo produced by Public Affairs. Future editions will be produced by the Personnel Division. |
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