A meeting of the Council was held in the Council Chamber, University, on Monday 6 March, 1995 at 4.00 pm.
Present
Mr T L Anning, Ms G M Blood, Mr L J Carden, Mr A Chernov, Mrs N E Davies, Mr J C Finemore, Dr K E Forward, Mrs P A Fry, Mrs B M Hamer, Professor P S Kincaid-Smith, 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, Mr R M Parris, Mr A M Priestley, Mr I A Renard, Professor C A Saunders, Mr K C Stone, Mr M Taylor, and Mr D D Westmore.
Ms R Bramwell, Ms P McKay, Mr B Donovan, and Mr P O'Keefe were in attendance.
The Chancellor advised that Dr Angela O'Brien had resigned from Council on taking up a new post at the Victorian College of the Arts. He welcomed Mr Timothy Anning, who had been elected to replace Ms McCoy as the general staff representative, to his first meeting of Council.
Apologies were received from Mrs Fry and Mr Tricks.
Leave of Absence for this meeting had been granted to The Hon Bill Forward and Mr Harry Wragge.
Leave of Absence for the April, July, September, November and December meetings was granted to Professor Kincaid-Smith.
The Registrar, as Returning Officer, advised that an election was being conducted to replace Dr O'Brien on Council as a member of academic staff other than the professors, and that it would be possible to advise the April meeting of Council of the outcome.
The minutes of the meeting 8/94 of Council held on 5 December 1994, copies of which had been distributed, were confirmed.
The minutes of the Special Meeting of Council held on 6 February 1995, copies of which had been distributed, were confirmed.
Items B.6 (2) and D.12 (1) were starred for discussion.
Council received the report of the Executive Committee meeting 2/94, held on 19 December, 1994.
8.1 Council received the First Vice-Chancellor's Report (Item A.4 [a]).
Council received the Second Vice-Chancellor's Report (Item A.4 [b]), together with three tabled papers - letters dated 1 March and 3 March and a memorandum dated 6 March 1995. The report was considered in conjunction with the Report of the Standing Committee on Staff Salaries (Item B.10).
The Vice-Chancellor outlined in detail the background to the dispute over the termination of a former member of the academic staff of the Melbourne College of Advanced Education named in the Vice-Chancellor's Report, including previous reports made to Council on the progress of the matter.
Council noted:
By a majority greater than two-thirds (a vote of 28 for the motion), Council endorsed the processes followed by the University in consideration of future employment for the person named in the report, including retrenchment in accordance with the provisions of Clause 20 of the Award.
The Vice-Chancellor pointed out that Recommendation 2 of the Joint Committee on Policy recommended changes to the Articles of Association of the Melbourne Business School, (Minute 9.3 below refers), and referred members of Council to the legal advice received that the authority of the University, through the Academic Board, to approve course changes, to monitor quality of programs and to authorise the granting of degrees, would be in no way diminished by the proposed changes. (Appendix 1 to the Final Report)
Council adopted the recommendation that Professors P N Joubert, Z A Parszewski, and K H Hunt be re-appointed as Honorary Professors from 1 January 1995 to 31 December 1995.
9.1 Council received the report of the Joint Committee on Policy Meeting 1/95 held on 13 February, 1995.
Council adopted the following recommendations:
that the Faculty of Agriculture, Forestry and Horticulture commence on 3 April 1995;
that, after noting the legal advice received in the Vice-Chancellor's Report (Minute 8.4 above refers), the proposed changes to the Articles of Association of the Melbourne Business School Limited, as set out in Attachment A to Appendix B to the report, be approved;
that the Ormond Chair of Music be refilled and that a Standing Committee be established;
that, in view of the developments as set out in Appendix C to the report, the proposal for a Joint Centre for Epidemiology and Public Health Medicine between Monash University and the University of Melbourne should lapse; and
that the proposed academic exchange agreement between the University of Melbourne and King's College, London, as set out in Appendix D to the report, be approved.
10.1 Council received the report of the Academic Board meeting 1/95, held on 23 February 1995.
Council adopted the following recommendations:
that a standing committee for the Chair of Pasture Science be established, as set out in Appendix A to the report, and that Mr Taylor be appointed as the member of Council who is not a member of staff of the University;
that a standing committee for the Ormond Chair of Music be established, as set out in Appendix B to the report, and that Dr Curry be appointed as the member of Council who is not a member of staff of the University;
that the following new student awards in the Faculties of Economics and Commerce and Science, be established as set out in Appendix C to the report:
11.1 Council received the reports of the Finance Committee meetings 11/94 and 1/95, held on 7 December 1994 and 6 March 1995 respectively, together with a tabled revised revenue and expense statement and balance sheet.
11.2 Draft Accounts for The University of Melbourne
The Chairperson of the Finance Committee, Mr Carden advised that at the request of the Auditor-General, the University had written back an amount of $14.753 million, being the operating lease payment expensed in 1993 as an extraordinary item, and that, mainly as a result of the addition of this item, the operating result after abnormal and extraordinary items was shown in the revised statements as $30,110,000, rather than the $15,388,000 in the original report.
In response to a request for further information on the long-term strategies of the Finance Committee, the Chancellor suggested that this would make an ideal topic for discussion at the next Council Briefing Session.
12.1 Central Budgets Committee
Council received the call for nominations for membership of the Central Budgets Committee, and noted that nominations would close on 23 March, 1995.
12.2 Membership of Committees - 1995
Council received a report listing membership of Council and Statutory Committees for 1995.
13.1 Council received the report of the Libraries Committee meeting 1/95, held on 14 February 1995.
13.2 Committee Membership
Council adopted the recommendation that the membership of the Libraries Committee be amended by the inclusion of one member nominated by the Committee of Convocation.
14.1 Council received the report of Administrative Committee meetings 4/95 to 7/95.
14.2 National Academy of Music Ltd
Council approved the Memorandum of Association and Articles of Association for the National Academy of Music as set out in Appendix A to the report, and adopted the recommendation that, in the event that minor variations were requested, the Vice-Chancellor be empowered to approve them on behalf of Council.
14.3 University Transport Policy
A recommendation for a revised version of Regulation "O" 9.10 was withdrawn for further drafting.
14.4 Membership of Council Committees
Council adopted a recommendation that "The Academic Registrar" be added to the membership provisions of the following "O" series regulations:
2.2 Administration Committee
2.10 Committee of Deans of Faculties
2.14 Joint Committee on Policy
Council received the report of the Committee of Convocation meeting 8/94, held on 21 December,1994.
16.1 Council received the report of meeting 4/94 of the Administrators of the MCAE Staff Superannuation Scheme, held on 14 December, 1994.
16.2 Amendment to the Trust Deed
"23. If at any time there are no members of or other persons entitled to benefits under this Scheme the Administrators may by resolution terminate the Scheme."
17.1 Council received the report of meeting 4/94 of the Administrators of the Staff Superannuation Scheme, held on 14 December 1994.
17.2 Amendment to Statute 16.1
"12. If at any time there are no members of or other persons entitled to benefits under this Scheme the Administrators may by resolution terminate the Scheme."
18.1 Council received the report of Special Meeting 1/95 of the Standing Committee on Staff Salaries, held on 1 March 1995.
18.2 The recommendations in the report were considered in conjunction with the Vice-Chancellor's Second Report - Minute 8.2 above refers.
19.1 Council received the report of meeting 1/95 of the Standing Committee for the Chair of Chinese, held on 20 February, 1995.
19.2 Council adopted the recommendation that the person whose career statement was distributed to the meeting be appointed to the Chair of Chinese.
20.1 Council received the report of the Legislation Committee meeting 1/95, held on 27 February 1995.
20.2 Council made the following items of legislation, as detailed in the report.
(1)Amendment of Statutes 1.1, 2.4, 12.5 and 12.8 - To include provisions deferred in 1994 (2/95)
(2)Amendment of Statute 16.1 - To enable termination of the Staff Superannuation Scheme(9/95)
(3)Amendment of Statute 9.27 - To make consequential amendments (2/95)
20.3 Council made the following "R Series" Regulations as detailed in the report.
(1) Enactment - Regulation R3.255-To establish the diploma in Modern Languages(116/94)
(2) Amendment - Regulation R6.72A - To establish the Leo Stach Memorial Scholarship(1/95)
(3) Amendment - Regulation R7.145 - To alter a provision governing committee-membership(3/95)
(4) Amendment - Regulation 7.1.R2 -To dis-establish a chair and to establish a chair(8/95)
(5) Enactment - Regulation R6.195 -To establish The Eileen Mary Harris Scholarship(10/95)
(6) Enactment - Regulation R3.256 - To establish a graduate diploma in Guided Imagery and Music(12/95)
20.4 Council made the following "R Series" Regulation, with an amended list of members shown in section 2, paragraph (a), Part (xix), to read:
(xix) "not more than three members of the student body, elected for a term of two years, by and from the student body of the faculty, at least one of whom must be from each of the constituent departments of the faculty"
(7) Amendment - Regulation 5.1.R1 - To revise membership of the new faculty of Agriculture, Forestry and Horticulture(14/95)
20.5 Council made the following "O Series" Regulations as detailed in the report.
(1) Amendment - Regulation "O"2.11 - Executive Committee
(2) Amendment - Regulation "O"2.14 - Joint Committee on Policy
(3) Amendment - Regulation "O"2.27 - Libraries Committee
(4) Amendment - Regulation "O"2.38 - Childcare Policy Committee and Management Committee
(5) Amendment - Regulation "O"6.3.17 -School of Languages
(6) Amendment - Regulation "O"9.7 - Rules made by Council Pursuant to Statute 12.2.10
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 15/94 to 19/94, authorised by the Council, and held on Thursday 10 November 1994 at 6.15 p.m., Monday 5 December 1994 at 2.45 p.m., Saturday 10 December 1994 at 10.30 a.m. and 3.30 p.m., and Wednesday 14 December 1994 at 7.30 p.m., respectively.
Council received the Annual Reports from Deans of Faculties for 1994, and in accordance with Standing Resolution of Council 3.23 the Chancellor asked members of Council to advise him if there were matters they wished to discuss with any Dean at a Council Briefing Session.
Council received the report of the Investment Committee meeting 5/94, held on 6 December 1994.
Council received the report of meeting 7/94 of the Animal Experimentation Ethics Committee, held on 24 November, 1994.
Council received the report of the Melbourne Theatre Company Board of Management meeting 8/94, held on 16 December 1994.
Council received the report of the Intellectual Property Committee meeting 3/94, held on 18 November, 1994.
Council received the report of the Alumni Relations Committee meeting, held on 9 November, 1994.
Council received the report of meeting 1/95 of the Standing Committee for the Edward Jenks Chair of Law, held on 9 February, 1995.
Council received the report of meeting 1/94 of the Standing Committee for the Director, Institute of Applied Economic and Social Research, held on 20 December, 1994.
Council received the report of meeting 1/95 of the Committee of Deans of Faculties, held on 16 February, 1995.
Council received the report of meeting 1/95 of the Standing Committee for the Foundation Chair of Linguistics or Applied Linguistics, held on 16 January, 1995.
Council received the report of the Melbourne Theatre Company Board of Management meeting 2/95, held on 17 February, 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.
Professor R E Widing II, Coles Myer Chair of Retailing and Professor P L Williams, Foundation Chair of Management (Law & Economics) were introduced to Council members and welcomed to the meeting.
Copyright © 1995, The University of Melbourne