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'Lovely Lips' from The Snuff Puppets Inc. meets Professor John Maloney at the art exhibition held during Disability Awareness Week. Photo by Richard Crompton. |
The sixth Disability Awareness Week at Monash got off to a colourful start last week with a launch at the University Gallery on Clayton campus.
The opening of the first art exhibition to be associated with Disability Awareness Week attracted a large and enthusiastic crowd. 3D snuff puppets wandered around the gallery spaces, which were filled with artworks on both canvas and paper, as well as mixed media, ceramics, textiles and photographs.
Opening the exhibition and launching Disability Awareness Week, deputy vice-chancellor Professor John Maloney said Monash was proud to be associated with the artists and community organisations that had brought the exhibition together.
"I'm impressed with the vibrancy of colour and strength of expression in these works of art," he said. "The exhibition celebrates collaboration between the artists, their communities and the university."
Professor Maloney thanked the staff of the Disability Liaison Office, the University Gallery and the community groups involved for their hard work in putting the exhibition together.
"It is clearly a first, not only for Monash University, but also for the community, to have such a varied, comprehensive and exceptional exhibition for Disability Awareness Week," Professor Maloney said.
After declaring the week launched and the exhibition open, Professor Maloney invited guests to enjoy entertainment by the Monash University Student Theatre. The short piece celebrated the diversity and artistry of all students in the Monash community, as well as in the communities of artists who had created the exhibition.
Eighteen staff from Monash and the University of Melbourne were joined by Monash vice-chancellor Professor David Robinson and Melbourne vice-principal (administration) Mr Ian Marshman at Daylesford last week.
As part of the collaborative program 'Learning About Managing', the two senior managers spent time with the group, talking about higher education in the emerging global order.
According to Professor Robinson, higher education has undergone a massive expansion worldwide, from 30 million people in the 1960s to 70 million today.
"Universities have always been international - it is the essence of academic life," Professor Robinson said. "But you can do 'virtually' anything now, and today students worldwide can pick the eyes out of the system.
"Every student has become a 'mixed-mode' student. We have to shift our thinking to be able to offer a Monash global program anywhere, in any mode and to any student."
Mr Marshman noted the trend in the US towards 'mega' universities, where 11 universities each now have more than 100,000 students. "They have cut some of their operating costs enormously," Mr Marshman said.
"The University of Melbourne takes planning very seriously. By next year, we expect that 25 per cent of University of Melbourne students will be full-fee paying, which brings with it a whole new set of expectations about the quality of the university experience. In the competitive global market, we have to ensure that we match those expectations."
In the discussion which followed, Professor Robinson and Mr Marshman fielded a range of questions on the strategic challenges for universities. Primed by an earlier session on leadership styles, the group also asked the speakers for their personal perspectives on leadership and management.
Commenting afterwards, a number of staff said they had gained a much better understanding of how their roles fitted in to the bigger picture.
"The time spent here was valuable for me too," Professor Robinson said. "It was certainly an enjoyable exchange of ideas."
Monash staff involved in the program were Ms Carolyn Barrie, Mr Shane Blogg, Ms Tara Coppa, Ms Cassie Goffin, Ms Lesley Green, Ms Heather Marshall, Ms Cathy Nystasos, Ms Kelly Tsagournos and Ms Robyn Warburton.
For further information about the program, contact Ms Sue Brown on extn 56813.
New hospital for BerwickHealth minister Mr Rob Knowles has announced that a new Berwick Community Hospital will be built adjacent to Monash's Berwick campus. The 150-bed public hospital, which will open late next year, will have 24-hour emergency care. Berwick campus director Professor John Anderson welcomed the announcement. "The reasons for building a hospital in this location are very similar to the reasons why Monash built a university campus here," he said. "This is a growth area of outer Melbourne and there are growing health and educational needs for the residents of Berwick and the surrounding suburbs. Monash is now firmly part of this community, and we welcome the arrival of the Berwick Community Hospital." A sign marking the site for the new hospital was unveiled by Mr Knowles in the presence of local politicians and representatives of the Berwick campus. |
Deputy vice-chancellor (Academic & Planning) Professor Alan Lindsay presented divisional librarian Ms Barbara Jacoby with a pictorial history of the Peninsula Campus Library to commemorate its official opening last week.
The $3.8 million purpose-built facility was designed by award-winning architects Williams and Boag to meet the expectations of 21st-century learning requirements.
The final result is a facility that combines traditional learning tools with an increasing range of electronic information sources.
University librarian Professor Edward Lim congratulated those involved in the project, including the architects, the university's Works and Services team, and the Peninsula campus library staff, who had taken a proactive role in many aspects of the project.
Opening the library, Professor Lindsay reminded the guests that the new building was not only a resource for the students who attend the Peninsula campus and other academic institutions but also a community resource.
"Any member of the public can use the library's facilities and obtain borrowing rights," Professor Lindsay said.
"The library also features a VTAC Access point, a dedicated computer terminal established to give people without Internet access an opportunity to access the Victorian Tertiary Admissions Centre's infonet. And prospective students will be able to come into the library, browse the VTAC Guide online, and lodge their VTAC applications."
He said the presentation of the pictorial history was particularly relevant in light of the significant role libraries played in preserving our history and past.
- Julie Ryan
Academic performance management - updateBy now academic staff will be aware that the current enterprise agreement between the NTEU and the university sets out quite specific requirements for performance management. The agreed performance management scheme documents a staff member's anticipated workload and recognises achievements the following year. By formalising the contact between academic supervisors and their staff, the professional development needs of staff can be addressed on a regular basis. Over the past nine months, there has been widespread consultation to prepare for the introduction of the scheme. All faculties and the NTEU have had input into the processes and the approved documentation. Staff involvedThe first part of the scheme involves all academic staff employed by Monash as at 30 June 1998 who are on fixed-term or continuing appointments. Fixed-term and continuing academic staff who joined Monash after that date need to have submitted an initial portfolio within 12 months of their start date. The scheme does not apply to casual or sessional staff. What needs to be doneIf the scheme applies to you, you need to meet with your supervisor and submit your initial portfolio containing your engagement profile and career development plan by 30 June at the latest. This date is not negotiable, as it forms part of the enterprise agreement certified in the Australian Industrial Relations Commission. Information availableThere is an information pack containing a booklet that describes the scheme, plus the approved proformas. If you would like a pack sent to you, contact extn 56800 or email Vicki.Mihalakopoulos@adm.monash.edu.au Alternatively, the performance management web site containing information on the scheme is at www.monash.edu.au/personnel/pdt/perf_man_scheme_acad/index.html Click on 'Engagement Profile' or 'Career Development Plan' to find the Word 6 and Word 95 versions of these forms, should you wish to work on screen. Assistance from supervisorsTo date, around 300 academic supervisors including deans and heads of departments have attended the training sessions associated with the scheme. They are fully informed and will be able to assist you with any queries. If you are unsure about who your supervisor will be under the performance management scheme, please contact your head of department. Information sessionsGeneral information sessions have been held on all campuses to answer questions about the scheme. Additional sessions are scheduled as follows: Caulfield: Monday 24 May, 1 pm to 2 pm, Clayfield room, building A. Clayton: Tuesday 25 May, 1 pm to 2 pm, Elizabeth Burchill room, building 68. Peninsula: Thursday 27 May, 1 pm to 2 pm, conference room, building C. Berwick: Monday 31 May, 1 pm to 2 pm, level 2, room 246. Should you wish to attend one of these sessions, email Susie.Bower@adm.monash.edu.au to indicate the date. Further inquiriesDuring the implementation of the performance management scheme, faculties are being supported by Personnel Services. Inquiries should be directed to the project manager, Cher Wallace, on extn 56807, or email cher.wallace@adm.monash.edu.au |
The chair of the Australian Research Council, Professor Vicki Sara, and six ARC members will be visiting Monash on Friday 14 May.
The ARC sees campus visits as an important means of maintaining links with universities. This is a major opportunity for Monash staff to provide feedback and comments to the ARC.
An open forum will be held at 10.15 am in R2, Rotunda, Clayton campus. All interested staff are welcome.
An address by Professor Sara will be followed by a question and answer session, giving current grant holders and potential applicants an opportunity to ask about ARC programs, policies and procedures. The ARC is particularly interested in hearing the views of early career researchers and unsuccessful applicants.
From 12 noon to 1 pm on the same day in the Menzies building, interested staff are invited to take part in informal discussions with the chairs of the four ARC committees:
Later in the afternoon, the visiting ARC members will see first hand a number of ARC-funded projects in the faculties of Law, Medicine, Arts, Science and Engineering.
For further details, contact the Research Grants and Ethics Branch on extn 53012.
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