A meeting of the Council was held in the Council Chamber, University, on Monday 6 November 1995 at 4.00 p.m.
Present
Mr T L Anning, , Mr L J Carden, Mr A Chernov, 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, Associate Professor M W Nott, Mr V Perton, Mr I A Renard, Professor C A Saunders, Mr K C Stone, Mr M Taylor, Mr D V C Tricks, Mr D D Westmore, and Mr H S Wragge.
Ms D Costello, Mr B Donovan, Mr P O'Keefe and The Vice-Chancellor Designate, Professor A D Gilbert, were in attendance..
The Chancellor welcomed the Vice-Chancellor Designate, Professor A D Gilbert, who was attending the meeting as an observer.
Apologies were received from Miss Blood, Dr Manley, Mr Priestley and Mr Thwaites.
Leave of absence for this meeting had been granted to Professor Healy, Professor Kincaid- Smith and Mr Parris.
Leave of absence for the December meeting was granted to Miss Blood., Professor Healy and Professor Kincaid-Smith
The Registrar, as Returning Officer, advised that Sir Edward Woodward had been re-elected unopposed as Chancellor for a further three-year term, and reminded members that Dr Curry's term of office as Deputy Chancellor would finish on 31 December, and that nominations for Deputy Chancellor had been called and would close on Wednesday 15 November.
He also advised that Mr Anthony Sibillin had been elected as President of the Student Union, and would be an ex-officio member of Council in 1996, that Mr Toby Borgeest, a member of Council in 1992-93, had been re-elected to Council by the undergraduate students for a two-year term from 1 January 1996, and that the name of the President of the Postgraduate Association for 1996 would not be known until mid-January 1996.
He further advised that the term of office of the seven Governor-in-Council nominees would expire on 31 December, and it was hoped that the new appointments will be known before the December meeting of Council. Council would be considering a recommendation from the Vice-Chancellor on the co-option to Council of two Heads of the residential colleges later in the meeting
The Registrar then referred members to the tabled document A.02, which outlined the need to find a process to finalise co-options to Council not later than its December meeting. Council resolved to suspend the operation of Standing Resolution 3.20 to the extent necessary to allow Council to proceed with the identification of persons for co-option as outlined in the tabled document A.02. Council noted that Standing Resolution 3.20 would be redrafted and brought to Council early in 1996, with a view to avoiding the problems encountered in 1991 and 1995.
The minutes of meeting 6/95 of Council held on 2 October 1995, copies of which had been distributed were confirmed.
Items A.6.9, B.5(a) 5 and 6, B.12.5, B.13, D.3 and D.6 were starred for discussion.
6.1 Council received the Vice-Chancellor's First and Second Reports.
Council adopted the following recommendations:
that Professor C.B. Schedvin, Deputy Vice-Chancellor (Academic) and Professor B.A. Sheehan, Deputy Vice-Chancellor (Resources) be appointed members of Council for 1996;
that Professor C.B. Schedvin, Deputy Vice-Chancellor (Academic), be designated to perform the duties of Acting Vice-Chancellor during 1996;
that Professor J.R.V. Prescott and Professor T.W. Healy be appointed Pro Vice-Chancellors for 1996;
that the Rector of Newman College, Reverend Dr Peter L'Estrange, S.J., and the Principal of Ridley College, Reverend Dr Graham Cole, be appointed by co-option of the Council from 1 January 1996 to 31 December, 1999 under Section 5 (1) (g) of the Melbourne University Act;
that Associate Professor E Gauntlett be appointed as Head of the Department of Language Studies for the period 1 January 1996 to 31 December 1997;
that Associate Professor N Evans be appointed as Head of the Department of Linguistics and Applied Linguistics for the period 1 January 1996 to 31 December 1996;
that Associate Professor A Sagona be appointed as Head of the Department of Classics and Archaeology for the period 1 January 1996 to 31 December 1998;
that the appointment of Associate Professor P G Thorne as Head of the Department of Computer Science be extended to 30 September 1996;
that Professor L Sterling be appointed Head of the Department of Computer Science from 1 October 1996 to 31 December 1999;
that Professor R J Pepperell be appointed as Head of the Department of Obstetrics and Gynaecology (Royal Women's Hospital and Mercy Hospital for Women) for the period 1 January 1996 to 31 December 2000;
that Professor J McKenzie be appointed as Head of the Department of Genetics for the period 1 January 1996 to 31 December 1998;
that Professor K Nugent be appointed as Head of the School of Physics for the period 1 January 1996 to 31 December 1998;
that Professor F.A.C. Wright be appointed as Head of the School of Dental Science for the period 1 January 1996 to 31 December 1998;
that Professor J. McMeeken be appointed as Head of the School of Physiotherapy for the period 1 January 1996 to 31 December 2000;
that Professor K.J. Hardy be appointed as Head of the Department of Surgery(Austin & Repatriation Medical Centre) for the period 1 January 1996 to 31 December 1999;
that Dr B F Scarlett be appointed as Head of the Department of Philosophy for the period 1 January 1996 to 31 December 1997.
Council adopted the arrangements for support of pensioners previously funded from the 1986 Fund, as set out in the recommendations in the Vice-Chancellor's Second Report, amended as follows:
1. That the Vice-Chancellor be given authority to approve a contract with the Over 50's Friendly Society or its affiliate, Over Fifties Focus, for one of these two organisations to employ, on a half-time basis, a professional social worker. If the case load is found to require it, the service could be expanded up to the equivalent of a full-time position in the first year. The social worker's task would be to make contact, by telephone or in writing, with every one of the pensioners each year. There would be an offer to visit each of those resident in Victoria should they wish to receive a visit to explore whether they are in need of support or advice beyond the benefits which they receive in the form of their pension. Expert advice on financial planning would be available if desired by the pensioner.
2. That the cost of employing the social worker, together with administrative overheads and running costs, would be met by the University and would be a charge on the funds held in escrow following closure of the Superannuation Fund. Where specific financial planning advice is needed, this would be arranged within or outside the Over 50's Investment Group and any appropriate separate charges would be accepted.
3. That Personnel Services in the University of Melbourne would facilitate access to the names and addresses of pensioners. (Current information about names and addresses will be sought from SSAU; pensioners will be given the option of declining to have their names and addresses released.)
4. That in the event that the social worker deems a pensioner to be in need of financial assistance, the request for payment to the pensioner would come from the social worker directly to the Registrar. The Registrar (subject to 6 below) would authorise payment from the Retired Staff Welfare Fund, but should there be insufficient funds available, they would be supplemented by a transfer from the funds held in escrow, from time to time.
5. It is proposed that a Reference Group (RG) be established to receive an annual report from the Over 50s Focus on activities undertaken. This report is to be received during October of each year. The RG would advise the Vice-Chancellor on continuation of the arrangement for the following calendar year, should it deem this to be appropriate, or recommend to Council any major change in the above arrangements.
6. In the event that the Registrar considers a request for funding assistance to any individual received from the social worker to be inappropriate, the request would be referred to the RG for decision, such decision being final from the view point of the University.
7. The RG should comprise one of the Deputy Chancellors, as agreed between them, the Director of Personnel Services or nominee and a nominee of the Vice-Chancellor with experience relevant to the needs of retired persons, including financial matters, the nominee being not necessarily a member of staff of the University.
8. The above arrangements should be subject to review before the end of the third year in the light of experience as to the needs of pensioners, and the future of the Retired Staff Welfare Fund and of the funds currently held in escrow should be determined. An option to be considered would be provision of a 'block' life membership, actuarially determined as to cost, of the Over Fifties Focus to provide continuing support for the remaining group of pensioners.
Council complimented the Vice-Chancellor on achieving a satisfactory outcome in dealing with a difficult issue.
The President of the Academic Board, Professor Prescott, advised that the discussion paper - Buildings Committee and Capital Allocation (Appendix 2 to the Vice- Chancellor's First Report) had been endorsed by the Academic Board at its October meeting.
7.1 Council received the report of meeting 7/95 of the Joint Committee on Policy, held on 9 October, 1995.
Council adopted the following recommendations:
that the position of Professorial Fellow in Food Production Horticulture, as set out in Appendix A to the report, be approved;
that the proposed changes to the membership of the Faculty Board and to the Faculty Research Committee, as set out in Appendix B to the report, be approved with effect from 1 January 1996;
that a Chair of Operations Research in the Department of Mathematics, as set out in Appendix C to the report, be established;
that the proposed agreement for academic cooperation and exchange between the University of Melbourne and Fudan University, as set out in Appendix D to the report, be approved;
that the proposed agreement for academic cooperation and exchange between the University of Melbourne through the Faculties of Architecture, Building and Planning, and Engineering and Tongji University, as set out in Appendix E to the report, be approved;
that the proposed agreement of cultural, educational and scientific cooperation between the University of Washington and the University of Melbourne, as set out in Appendix F to the report, be approved;
that the agreement for academic exchange and cooperation between the University of Melbourne and the Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences (CAMS) and Peking Union Medical College (PUMC), as set out in Appendix G to the report, which the Vice-Chancellor had signed during his recent visit to Beijing, be endorsed;
that the agreement for academic cooperation and exchange between the University of Melbourne and Tsinghua University, as set out in Appendix H to the report, which the Vice-Chancellor had signed during his recent visit to Beijing, be endorsed;
that the proposed association with the International Medical College and an agreement with Sesama Medical College Management (the legal entity operating the IMC), as set out in Appendix I to the report, be approved;
that the affiliation agreement between the Australian Institute of Judicial Administration Incorporated (AIJA) and the University of Melbourne, as set out in Appendix J to the report, be renewed for a further term of five years to 23 January 2001;
that the Affiliation Agreement between the University of Melbourne, the Tasman Institute Ltd. and Tasman Asia Pacific Pty. Ltd., as set out in Appendix K to the report, be approved;
that the following agreements, as set out in Appendix L to the report, be approved:
(a) Memorandum of Intent between the University of Melbourne and Box Hill College of Technical and Further Education; and
(b) Memorandum of Intent between the University of Melbourne and Kangan Institute of Technical and Further Education.
8.1 Council received the report of meeting 7/95 of the Academic Board, held on 26 October,1995.
Council adopted the following recommendations:
than an honorary degree of Doctor of Science be conferred on a person whose career statement was tabled at the meeting of Council;
that a standing committee for the post of Professorial Fellow in Food Production Horticulture 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 Chair of Operations Research be established, as set out in Appendix B to the report, and that Professor-Kincaid-Smith be appointed as the member of Council who is not a member of staff of the University;
that the following new courses be offered in 1996:
Faculty of Music
Graduate Diploma in Music Composition, as set out in Appendix C to the report
Graduate Diploma in Music (Instrumental Teaching), as set out in Appendix D
to the report
School of the Victorian College of the Arts
Graduate Diploma in Arts Management, as set out in Appendix E to the report
Master of Visual and Performing Arts, as set out in Appendix F to the report
that the following new awards be established:
RCPA Scholarship in Pathology, as set out in Appendix G to the report
Gutteridge, Haskins and Davey Prize, as set out in Appendix H to the report.
Council noted that The Australian Chinese Medical Association Medical Prize (for 5th year MBBS students, first awarded 1991) has been discontinued temporarily due to lack of funding.
Council adopted revised Special Principles of Selection for entry to courses as set out below:
Faculty of Education
Special Principles of Selection for Entry to Second and Later Years of Undergraduate Courses, as set out in Appendix J to the report
Faculty of Medicine, Dentistry and Health Sciences
Special Principles of Selection for Entry to the Graduate Diploma in Epidemiology and Biostatistics, as set out in Appendix K to the report.
Council adopted the recommendation that a sub-quota of 10 places be set for graduate applicants for the Bachelor of Arts course in 1996.
Council received the report of Finance Committee meeting 9/95, held on 25 October, 1995.
Council agreed that the filling of the vacancies for two of the six outside members appointed to the Standing Committee on Staff Salaries be made at the meeting of Council in April 1996, noted that it had already approved arrangements which would be expected to lead to the appointment of Chairpersons to its Finance and Legislation Committees (minute 3 above refers), and agreed that nominations be called for other vacancies in the usual way immediately after the November Council meeting.
Council received the report of the Libraries Committee meeting 5/95, held on 10 October, 1995.
12.1 Council received the reports of the Buildings Committee meeting 7/95 held on 23 October, 1995 and a Special Meeting held on 27 October 1995.
Council agreed to defer consideration of the Landscape Conservation Management Plan until advice had been received from the Academic Board.
Council adopted the following recommendation:
that, in order that consideration of capital planning matters by both Council and the Academic Board will be better informed and that participation in decision-making be explicit, the following principles should prevail:
Recommendations from the Financial Planning Sub-Committee and Finance Committee, informed initially by advice from the Buildings Committee, will be forwarded to the Buildings Committee, and also by the President of the Academic Board to the Board, for comment prior to their consideration by Council.
The Deputy Vice-Chancellor (Resources) must keep the Buildings Committee informed on the evolution of the Capital Plan during the course of its development.
Discussion of Capital Planning and priorities will be a Council A8 item in May of each year.
Council and the Academic Board will continue to receive reports and recommendations from the Buildings Committee.
13.1 Council received the report of Administrative Committee meetings 35/95 to 39/95 inclusive.
Council adopted the recommendation that the 1996 VCAH Graduation Ceremonies be held on the following days:
15 March 1996 Dookie College 22 March 1996 Burnley College 29 March 1996 Longerenong College 19 April 1996 Gilbert Chandler College 13 December 1996 Glenormiston College
Appointment of Professor Emeritus
Council adopted the recommendation of the Chairperson of the Special Professorial Appointments and Awards Committee, that Professor G B Ryan be appointed as Professor Emeritus with effect from 20 November, 1995.
Council received the report of the Committee of Convocation meeting 6/95, held on 18 October, 1995.
16.1 Council received the report of the National Macaque Facility Committee of Management meeting 2/95, held on 7 September, 1995.
16.2 Committee Membership
Council adopted the recommendation that Standing Resolution 2.33 be amended to make provision for up to four people with relevant expertise to be co-opted to the Committee from time to time and for specified periods.
17.1 Council received the report of meeting 6/95 of the Standing Committee on Staff Salaries held on 19 October 1995
17.2 Council approved a bonus payment to a general staff member in a Centre, as set out in the report, and delegated authority to the Vice Chancellor to approve any future bonus payments to that individual.
18.1 Council received the report of meeting 8/95 of the Committee of Deans of Faculties, held on 19 October, 1995.
18.2 Amended Academic Year Dates for 1997 - School of Medicine
Council approved the revised 1997 academic year dates for the School of Medicine as set out in Attachment A to the report.
19.1 Council received the report of meeting 2/95 of the Standing Committee for the Chair of Dental Medicine, held on 2 November, 1995.
19.2 Council adopted the recommendation that the person whose career statement as distributed to the meeting be appointed to the Chair of Dental Medicine.
20.1 Council received the report of the Legislation Committee meeting 5/95, held on 30 October, 1995.
20.2 Council made the following items of legislation, as detailed in the report.
(1) Enactment of Statute 9.46 - To affiliate Tasman Institute Ltd. and Tasman Asia Pacific Pty. Ltd. to the University (46/95)
(2) Repeal of Statute 16.1 -Staff Superannuation Scheme (69/95)
20.3 Council made the following "R" Series Regulations as detailed in the report.
(1) Making - Regulation R6.196- To establish the Nancy Frances Curry Scholarship(22/95)
(2) Making - Regulation R6.197 - To establish The Alfred Nicholas Fellowship (59/95)
(3) Amendment - Regulations 5.1R1 & 5.1R2 - To revise membership of a faculty and a faculty committee (66/95)
(4) Amendment - Regulation 7.1.R2 - To establish two chairs
(5) Amendment - 7.1.R2 - Regulation To establish a chair
20.4 Council made the following "O" Series Regulations as detailed in the report.
(1) Amendment - Old Standing Resolution 6.5- School of Graduate Studies
(2) Amendment of Resolution given under Statute 12.5.1
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 a report on Conferring Ceremony 15/95, authorised by the Council, and held on Wednesday 4 October 1995 at 7.30 p.m.
Council received the report of meeting 5/95 of the Information Technology Policy Committee, held on 16 October, 1995.
Council received the report of meeting 9/95 of the Melbourne Theatre Company Board of Management, held on 15 September, 1995.
Council received the report of the Investment Committee meeting 4/95, held on 26 September, 1995.
Council received the report of the Biohazards Committee meeting 1/95, held on 4 October, 1995.
Council received the report of meeting 6/95 of the Animal Experimentation Ethics Committee,held on 21 September 1995.
Council received the report of meeting 3/95 of the Standing Committee for the Chair of Pasture Science, held on 19 October, 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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Date created: 9 November 1995
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