A meeting of the Council was held in the Council Chamber, University, on Monday 3 April 1995 at 4.00 pm.
Present
Mr T L Anning, Ms G M Blood, Mrs N E Davies, Mr J C Finemore, Dr K E Forward, Hon B Forwood, Mrs P A Fry, Mrs B M Hamer, Mr P Kirby, Professor A G Klein, Mr J Li, Professor T A McMahon, Associate Professor P T McTigue, The Rev Dr K R Manley, Associate Professor M W Nott, Mr R M Parris, Mr A M Priestley, Mr I A Renard, Professor C A Saunders, Mr K C Stone, Mr D V C Tricks, and Mr D D Westmore.
Mr B Donovan, Mr P O'Keefe and Ms R Senior were in attendance.
The Chancellor advised that Associate Professor Michael Nott had been elected to replace Dr O'Brien as a representative of the academic staff other than the professors, and welcomed him to his first meeting of Council.
Apologies were received from Mr Carden, Mr Chernov, Professor Larkins, and Mr Perton.
Leave of Absence for this meeting had been granted to Professor Kincaid-Smith and Mr Wragge.
Leave of Absence for the May meeting was granted to Professor Larkins.
The Registrar, as Returning Officer, formally advised that Associate Professor Michael Nott had been elected as a representative of the academic staff other than the professors. He also advised that due to a failure in the nomination process for an election for three Council representatives on the Central Budgets Committee, he had declared the election null and void. The Vice-Chancellor, on behalf of Council, would confer with senior officers and arrange to have the vacancies filled.
The minutes of the meeting 1/95 of Council held on 6 March 1995, copies of which had been distributed, were confirmed.
Items B.6(5), B.12(1), B.13(5) and D.5(a)4 were starred for discussion.
6.1 Council received the First and Second Vice-Chancellor's Reports, together with a tabled supplementary paper analysing student feedback on the quality of teaching.
Council approved the following recommendations:
that Professor G B Ryan be re-appointed Dean of Medicine, Dentistry and Health Sciences for the period 1 January 1996 to 31 December 2000;
that Professor David James, Professor of Mechanical Engineering at the University of Toronto, be appointed as a Visiting Professor in the Faculty of Engineering for the period 1 August 1995 to 31 January 1996;
that Emeritus Professor Akira Yazawa, Emeritus Professor of Tohoku University, Japan, be appointed as a Visiting Professor in the Faculty of Engineering for the period 1 August 1995 to 31 October 1995;
that, should the Vice-Chancellor be unavailable at any time between 22 April 1995 and 6 May 1995, the Deputy Vice-Chancellor (Resources) be appointed to perform the duties of the Acting Vice-Chancellor;
that Professor Cheryl Saunders be appointed as Acting Dean of the Faculty of Law for the period 1 April 1995 to 30 September 1995; and
that the Vice-Chancellor and the Registrar be appointed as the two University of Melbourne representatives on the Board of the Melbourne Business School.
6.7.1 Council determined that, for the purposes of Section 40A(1) of the Melbourne University Act, the management or conduct of the affairs or concerns of the University requires the University to participate in the formation of, and be a member of, the limited company, "The Victorian Co-operative Multimedia Centre".
6.7.2 Council agreed to empower the Vice-Chancellor to authorise and endorse the Memorandum and Articles of Association where he has received legal advice that the final documents meet the requirements of the Melbourne University Act for University formation of and participation in limited companies in Victoria.
6.8.1 Council adopted the recommendation that the proposed Board of the National Academy of Music be as follows:
Council approved a recommendation that Professor Sheehan be appointed as the Acting Chairperson of the National Academy of Music Board, for the time being.
The Vice-Chancellor reminded members of Council that the next Briefing Session of Council would be held at 5 p.m. on Monday 3 June, and that the University's finances would be the major item for discussion.
The Vice-Chancellor reported on progress toward the establishment of an Asia-Pacific Institute. He advised that with the planned significant increase in the number of overseas students, the University was exploring a number of options for the provision of student accommodation, including the possibility of construction of a suitable building in the Eastern Precinct.
This item was dealt with in conjunction with a slightly amended recommendation from the Academic Board. Council resolved that a second Chair of Optometry be established, which would strengthen the research or the clinical teaching activities of the Department, or both.
Council approved the strategic plan of the Registrar's Division, as set out in Appendix B to the report, and noted a request for an expansion in the range of financial information provided to Council.
Council adopted the recommendation that the Transport Research Centre be disestablished with effect from 30 June, 1995.
Council adopted the recommendation that an honorary degree of Doctor of Laws be conferred on a person whose career statement was tabled at the meeting of Council.
A recommendation amending the original recommendation of the Joint Committee on Policy was dealt with in conjunction with the original recommendation. (Minute 7.2 above refers.)
Council adopted the recommendation that a standing committee for a second Chair of Optometry be established, as set out in Appendix A to the report, and that Mrs Fry be appointed as the member of Council who is not a member of staff of the University;
Council adopted the recommendation from meeting 10/94 of the Joint Committee of Policy that the Chair of Agricultural Economics be disestablished.
Council approved the additional allocations for building projects in 1995, and the return to Reserve Funds of allocations for cancelled building projects, as set out at Attachment A to the report.
Council approved the recommendation that the General Fund be closed by:
Council approved the following in relation to 1995 Operating Grant Funding:
Council approved the allocation of $100,000 per annum from Reserve Funds for the period 1995 to 1997 from which the Vice-Chancellor has the discretion to approve salary supplementation to senior professors who are leaders in research.
It was noted that such supplementation may be subject to superannuation at the request of the recipient and approved for up to three years, and is renewable following review of performance.
Council endorsed a recommendation to make a one-off allocation from Reserve Funds of $25,000 to increase the capital of the Truganini Scholarship Fund.
It was reported that the Annual Accounts had not, at that stage, been approved by the Auditor-General, but that it was hoped that they would be signed later in the day. It was noted with commendation that this year the accounting reports had been completed one month sooner than in past years.
Council received the report of the Central Budgets Committee meeting 1/95, held on 3 March, 1995.
11.1 Council received the report of the Buildings Committee meeting 1/95, held on 27 February, 1995.
Council adopted the recommendation that "O" Series Regulation 9.8 - Space Requests of New Developments, be repealed.
12.1 Council received the report of the Administrative Committee meetings 8/1995 to 11/1995.
Council approved the redrafted University Transport Policy, as set out in Attachment A to the report.
Council approved the recommendation that the policy of providing pro-rata long service leave payments to staff members who resign within six months of marriage or who marry within three months of resignation, as set out in Attachment B to the report, be discontinued, with immediate effect.
In response to a question about the delay in setting up evening child care, the Vice-Chancellor advised that the delay was due mainly to the problem of finding an appropriate venue, that he was aware of the urgency of the need for such a facility, and that once a suitable location had been identified, the University would be moving as quickly as possible.
Council received the report of meeting 1/95 of the Academic Staff Development Committee, held on 10 March, 1995.
Council received the report of the Committee of Convocation meeting 1/95, held on 15 March, 1995.
15.1 Council received the report of meeting 1/95 of the Committee for Sport and Physical Recreation, held on 7 February 1995.
Council adopted the recommendation that Professor Frank Larkins be appointed as Chairperson.
15.3.1 Council resolved that it recognises the desire of the Sports Union to change its name to Melbourne University Sports Association, and directed that Statute 15.2 be amended accordingly in due course;
15.3.2 Council resolved to continue to recognise the Sports Union under its new name, in the terms of Statute 15.2; and
15.3.3 Council approved the new constitution as set out in the attachment to the report.
16.1 Council received the report of meeting 1/95 of the Human Research Ethics Committee, held on 1 March 1995.
Council approved the proposal for re-structure of the operations of the Human Research Ethics Committee, as set out in Attachment A to the report.
17.1 Council received the report of a special meeting and meeting 1/95 of the Special Professorial Appointments and Awards Committee, held on 8 March and 21 March 1995, respectively.
Council approved the following recommendations:
Faculty of Medicine, Dentistry and Health Sciences
that Dr J S Cebon, whose career statement was tabled at the meeting of Council, be appointed as a Senior Associate with the title of Associate Professor in the Department of Medicine (Austin Hospital and Heidelberg Repatriation Hospital) for the period 4 April, 1995 to 3 April, 2000 subject to him continuing to hold the post of Director of the Ludwig Institute Oncology Unit at the Austin Hospital;
that Dr G G Hogg, whose career statement was tabled at the meeting of Council, be appointed as a Senior Associate with the title of Associate Professor in the Department of Microbiology for the period 4 April, 1995 to 3 April, 2000 subject to him continuing to hold the post of Director of the Microbiological Diagnostic Unit in the Department of Microbiology;
that Mr A M Sizeland, whose career statement was tabled at the meeting of Council, be appointed as a Senior Associate with the title of Associate Professor in the Department of Surgery (Royal Melbourne Hospital and Western Hospital) for the period 4 April, 1995 to 3 April, 2000 subject to him continuing to hold the following posts at the Royal Melbourne Hospital - Head of the Otolaryngology Unit, Head of the Head and Neck Oncology Unit, Head of the Clinical Research Programme of the Ludwig Institute;
that Professor J D Fenton, whose career statement was tabled at the meeting of Council, be appointed as a Professorial Associate with the title of Professor in the Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering for the period 4 April, 1995 to 3 April, 2000 subject to him continuing to hold his present appointment as ARC Senior Research Fellow at Monash University;
that Dr R I Mair, whose career statement was tabled at the meeting of Council, be appointed as a Professorial Associate in the Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering for the period 4 April, 1995 to 3 April, 2000;
that Dr R Bishop, whose career statement was tabled at the meeting of Council, be appointed as a Professorial Associate with the title of Professor in the Department of Paediatrics for the period 2 April, 1995 to 1 April, 2000 subject to her continuing to hold her present appointment as NH&MRC Senior Principal Research Fellow at the Royal Children's Hospital;
that Professor F Beck, whose career statement was tabled at the meeting of Council, be appointed as a Professorial Associate in the Department of Anatomy and Cell Biology for the period 4 April, 1995 to 31 December, 1996 subject to him continuing to hold his present appointment as Senior Principal Research Fellow at the Howard Florey Institute;
that Mr C P Clarke, whose career statement was tabled at the meeting of Council, be appointed as a Professorial Associate in the Department of Surgery (Austin Hospital and Heidelberg Repatriation Hospital) for the period 4 April, 1995 to 3 April, 2000 subject to him continuing to hold his present appointment at the Austin Hospital; and
that Dr J R Zalcberg, whose career statement was tabled at the meeting of Council, be appointed as a Professorial Associate in the Department of Medicine (Austin Hospital nd Heidelberg Repatriation Hospital) for the period 4 April, 1995 to 3 April, 2000 subject to him continuing to hold his present appointment at the Heidelberg Repatriation Hospital.
Council adopted the following recommendations:
that Sir Zelman Cowen, whose career statement was tabled at the meeting of Council, be re-appointed as a Professorial Associate in the Faculty of Law for the period 1 July, 1995 to 30 June, 1996;
that Sir Ninian Stephen, whose career statement was tabled at the meeting of Council, be re-appointed as a Professorial Associate in the Faculty of Law for the period 16 June, 1995 to 15 June, 1996;
that Professor J M Bowler, whose career statement was tabled at the meeting of Council, be re-appointed as a Professorial Associate with the title of Professor in the School of Earth Sciences for the period 1 July, 1995 to 31 December, 1997;
that Professor D D Danks, whose career statement was tabled at the meeting of Council, be appointed as Professor Emeritus from 1 April, 1995; and
that section 3.5 of the terms of reference of the Special Professorial Appointments and Awards Committee be amended as set out in Appendix A to the report.
18.1 Council received the report of meeting 1/95 of the Equal Opportunity Standing Committee, held on 17 March, 1995.
A recommendation that academic staff selection committees be required to include at least two persons who have attended workshops on equal opportunity issues in the recruitment and selection of academic staff was referred back to the Equal Opportunity Standing Committee for further consideration and report back.
19.1 Council received the report of meeting 1/95 of the Students Loan Fund and Bursaries Committee, held on 10 March, 1995.
Council received a recommendation that library borrowing rights of students with overdue loans be restricted, and referred the recommendation to the Libraries Committee for its consideration, and requested that the matter be brought back to Council through the Academic Board.
A reported concern about a possible equity issue in relation to student use of personal computers in examinations was noted. It was suggested that this was an academic issue which should be considered by the Academic Committee.
20.1 Council received the report of the Alumni Relations Committee meeting 1/95, held on 8 February, 1995.
Council noted that planning towards an Alumni Association Academic Festival, to be held in April 1996, was proceeding.
Council noted that resource allocation to branches of UMAA was anticipated and disbursement of membership fees under the control of the Alumni Relations Committee would take place from time to time.
21.1 Council received the report of meeting 1/95 of the Russell and Mab Grimwade Miegunyah Fund Committee, held on 2 March, 1995.
Council adopted the following recommendations:
that, in accordance with Section 5(3) of Regulation R7.175, 10% of the 1994 income of the Miegunyah Fund ($41,493), be allocated from the Miegunyah Fund for the publication by the Melbourne University Press of the "Miegunyah Volumes";
that the additional sum necessary to fully fund the Grimwade Research Fellowship in 1995 of $25,292 be provided from the Miegunyah Fund;
that $15,000 be allocated from the Miegunyah Fund to augment the $10,000 allocated in 1994, which was provided to part-fund an Internship in the Print Room of the Baillieu Library; and
that up to $30,000 be allocated for projects associated with the History of the University project. The specific amount or amounts to be approved by the Vice- Chancellor on behalf of the Committee for expenditure by the Department of History to maintain the momentum of the work, should funding be required before the next meeting of the Committee.
22.1 Council received the report of meeting 2/95 of the Standing Committee for the Edward Jenks Chair of Law, held on 24 March, 1995.
22.2 Council adopted the recommendation that the person whose career statement was distributed to the meeting be appointed to the Edward Jenks Chair of Law.
Council received the summary of reports on matters dealt with by the Vice-Chancellor, as set out in Items D.2(a) and D.2(b).
Council received reports on Conferring Ceremonies 1/95 to 6/95, authorised by the Council, and held on Saturday 4 March 1995 at 10.30 a.m. and 3.30 p.m., Tuesday 7 March 1995 at 7.30 p.m, Thursday 9 March 1995 at 7.30 p.m., and Saturday 18 March, 1995 at 10.30 a.m. and 3.30 p.m., respectively.
Council received the report of meetings 3/94, 6/94 and 1/95 of the Information Technology Policy Advisory Committee, held on 20 June 1994, 12 December 1994, and 13 February 1995, respectively.
Council received the report of meeting 1/95 of the Animal Experimentation Ethics Committee, held on 9 February, 1995.
Council received the report of meeting 1/95 of the Melbourne Theatre Company Board of Management, held on 20 January 1995.
Council received the report of meeting 1/95 of the Strathfieldsaye Institute of Teaching and Research, held on 3 March, 1995.
Council received the report of meetings 3/94 and 4/94 of the Human Research Ethics Committee, held on 15 November 1994 and 21 December 1994, respectively.
Council received the report of meeting 1/95 of the Standing Committee for the Chair of Nursing, held on 16 March, 1995.
Council received the report of meeting 2/95 of the Committee of Deans of Faculties, held on 16 March, 1995.
Council received the report of meeting 1/95 of the Standing Committee on Staff Salaries, held on 16 March 1995.
In accordance with established procedure it was formally agreed that the items of business that had not been specifically discussed should be adopted where containing recommendations or received where containing reports.
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