1996

THE UNIVERSITY OF MELBOURNE

COUNCIL MEETING NO 6

A meeting of the Council was held in the Council Chamber, University, on Monday 7 October, 1996 at 4.00 p.m.

Present

Mr T L Anning, Mr T C Borgeest, Professor W A Bebbington, Miss G M Blood, Mr L J Carden, Mr A Chernov, Mrs N E Davies, Mr J V Eddey, Mrs B M Hamer, Professor P Kincaid-Smith, Mr J Li, Professor S F Macintyre, Associate Professor P T McTigue, Mr V Perton, Mr G J Spring, Associate Professor M R Theobald, Mr D V C Tricks, and Ms C M Walter.
Mr B Donovan, Ms A Knight, Mr P O'Keefe and Mr C Wootton were in attendance.

Business

1. Leave of Absence (Item A.01)

Apologies were received from Rev. Dr Cole, Hon. B Forwood, Professor Prescott, Mr Taylor and Mr Westmore.

Leave of absence for this meeting had been granted to Professor Beswick, Dr L'Estrange, Professor Klein, Dr Lochtenberg, and Mr Renard.

Leave of absence for the November meeting of Council was granted to Professor Kincaid-Smith and Professor Theobald.

2. Minutes of Meeting No 5/96 (Item A.1)

The minutes of meeting 5/96 of Council held on 2 September 1996, copies of which had been distributed, were confirmed.

3. Starring of Additional Items (Item A.2)

Two tabled papers, Items A.4(c) and B.3(5) were starred for discussion.

4. Vice-Chancellor's Report (Items A.4[a] and A.4[b] )

4.1 Council received the First and Second Vice-Chancellor's Reports, plus a tabled Supplementary Report and a Report from Andersen Consulting.

Council adopted the following recommendations:

4.2 Appointments: Pro Vice-Chancellors

that Professor T W Healy and Professor S A Walker be appointed as Pro Vice-Chancellors for 1997.

4.3 Chair Selection Committees

that nominated members of Council, each of whom had agreed to serve, be added to Chair committees as follows:
General PracticeMrs Fay Marles
Biochemistry and Molecular BiologyProfessor David Beswick
Managerial AccountingMr John Eddey
EconomicsMr Victor Perton
4.4 Melbourne University Press

4.4.1 Chairperson of M.U.P. Board

Council adopted the recommendation that the Deputy Vice-Chancellor (Resources), Professor B A Sheehan, be appointed as Chairperson of the Board of Management of the Melbourne University Press for a five year term from 1 January 1997, in the first instance.

4.4.2 Director of M.U.P.

Council noted that Mr John Meckan had been appointed as the Director of the Melbourne University Press for a five-year term from 7 October, 1996.

4.5 Motion to Adopt or Receive 'Unstarred' Items of Business

Council agreed to change the order of business, and adopted two recommendations to put this into effect:

(i) that the current Item A.2 be shown on the Notice Paper as follows:

A.2 (a) Starring of additional items
(b) Motion to adopt or receive 'unstarred' items of business

(ii) that Standing Resolution 3.16 be amended by the deletion of the last line of Paragraph 8.

4.6 Feedback on Quality of Teaching

Council noted that the Average Mean Performance figure for the Arts Faculty, as shown in Table 1 of Appendix 1 to the report, should have read 3.90, not 4.35 as shown.

4.7 The Asia-Pacific Graduate School of Energy and the Environment

The Vice-Chancellor outlined the underlying rationale for the proposal for an Asia-Pacific Graduate School of Energy and the Environment, and spoke to the high Level Business Case prepared by Andersen Consulting, which had been distributed in confidence to Council members.

Council noted that the Asia-Pacific Graduate School of Energy and the Environment would not be part of the Asia-Pacific Institute, but would be a separate entity.

4.8 Proposed Amendments to Victorian University Acts

Council noted draft legislation relating to Hawthorn Institute of Education and the role of the Governor as Visitor of the University of Melbourne.
5. Administrative Committee (Item A.5)

5.1 Council received the report of Administrative Committee meetings 26/96 to 29/96 inclusive.

Council adopted the following recommendations:

5.2 Draft Principal Dates for 1997

that the December 1997 Council meeting be scheduled for 1 December 1997;

5.3 V.C.A.H. Graduation Ceremonies

that the following graduation dates in 1997 be approved:

Dookie14 March
Longerenong21 March
Burnley11 April
Gilbert Chandler2 May
Glenormiston19 December

5.4 Amenities and Services for Students

5.4.1 Amenities and Services Fees - Hawthorn Campus

5.4.1.1 that the Amenities and Services Fee levels proposed for 1997, as set out in Appendix A to the report, be approved for students undertaking all their subjects on the Hawthorn campus;

5.4.1.2 that the indicative fees for the Hawthorn campus for 1998, as set out in Appendix A to the report, be approved in principle with firm 1998 fee levels to be approved during 1997 when the Amenities and Services Fees are set for the remainder of the University;

5.4.1.3 that the Hawthorn campus be formally considered a University "outstation" from 1999 for the purpose of determining the Amenities and Services fee level; and

5.4.2 Amenities and Services for Students - 1997

5.4.2.1 that, with the exception of Recommendation 3, the recommendations contained in the Report to Council on Amenities and Services for Students - 1997 (Appendix B to the report) be approved.

5.4.2.2 A recommendation that an additional $132,000 be allocated from the S.P.R.C. capital fund for the landscaping of the area north of Tin Alley, was withdrawn for further consideration.

6.Planning and Budget Committee (Item A.6)

6.1 Council received the report of meeting 6/96 of the Planning and Budget Committee, held on 11 September 1996.

Council approved the following recommendations:

6.2 Melbourne Scholarships Policy Committee

6.2.1 that the name of the Melbourne Scholarships Advisory Committee be changed to the Melbourne Scholarships Policy Committee.

6.2.2 that the membership, functions and terms of reference of the Melbourne Scholarships Policy Committee, as set out in Attachment 1 to the report, be approved.

6.3 Recognition of Hospital Under Statute 6.1 Regulation 6.1.R1 (Clinical Schools in the School of Medicine)

that the Melbourne Clinic (Healthscope Limited) and the Albert Road Clinic (Ramsey Healthcare Group) be recognised as hospitals fulfilling the requirements for degrees and diplomas in the School of Medicine for clinical instruction in the discipline of psychiatry in the undergraduate medical course;

6.4 Chair of General Practice

that a Chair of General Practice be established in the Department of Public Health and Community Medicine;

6.5 Chair of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology

6.5.1 that the forthcoming vacancy in the Chair of Biochemistry (Medical) be re-filled and that a Chair Committee be established as soon as possible;

6.5.2 that the Chair be re-titled "Chair of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology";

6.5.3 that a candidate be sought to provide leadership in teaching and research in the general field of biochemistry and molecular biology and that preference may be given to a candidate with an international reputation in the applications of molecular biology in the biomedical sciences;

6.6 Chairs of Managerial Accounting

that up to two Chairs of Managerial Accounting be established; and

6.7 Chair of Economics

that a new Chair of Economics be established. The area of expertise sought is applied microeconomic theory.

6.8 Academic Year Dates

Council noted that a recommendation on Academic Year Dates 1998 had been withdrawn, to enable the Academic Board to give the matter further consideration.

6.9 Strategic Planning

The Vice-Chancellor reminded members of Council that the draft strategic plan entitled "Earning Esteem" had been discussed at the September meeting of Council, and invited members of Council to provide him with written submissions on the document to assist in the preparation of the strategic plan in its final form, to be discussed at the Strategic Planning Conference of Council in February 1997

7. Committee of Convocation (Item A.7)

Council received the report of the Committee of Convocation meeting 5/96, held on 18 September, 1996.

8. Academic Board (Items B.1[a] and B.1{b])

8.1 Council received the report of meeting 6/96 of the Academic Board, held on 26 September, 1996, together with a supplementary report from the Acting President.

Council adopted the following recommendations:

8.2 Chair of General Practice

that a committee for the Chair of General Practice be established, as set out in Appendix A to the report;

8.3 Chair of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology

that a committee for the Chair of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology be established, as set out in Appendix B to the report;

8.4 Chairs of Managerial Accounting

that a standing committee for up to two Chairs of Managerial Accounting be established, as set out in Appendix C to the report;

8.5 Chair of Economics

that a standing committee for the Chair of Economics be established, as set out in Appendix D to the report; and

8.6 New Courses

that the following new courses, as set out in appendices to the report, be established:

Postgraduate Diploma in Improvisational Music Therapy (Appendix E)
Graduate Diploma in Music Recording and Production (Appendix F)

8.7 Student Awards

Council approved the following new student awards, as set out in the appendices to the report, be established in the Faculties of Economics & Commerce and Science:

BHP Award for Advanced Managerial Accounting (Appendix G)
Desmond J Cleary Memorial Prize (Appendix H)
Deloitte Touche Tohmatsu Prize (Appendix I)
Australian Institute of Banking and Finance Inc Prize (Appendix J)
Economic Society of Australia Prizes (Appendix K)
Sir Alfred Kemsley Memorial Scholarship (Appendix L)
Peter J Doos Award (Appendix M)

8.8 New Course

Council approved the following new course in the Faculty of Science for introduction in 1997:

Master in Information Systems, as set out in Appendix A to the Supplementary Report.

9. Finance Committee (Item B.2)

9.1 Council received the report of the Finance Committee meeting 8/96, held on 25 September, 1996.

9.2 1997 Budget

9.2.1 Council approved Attachment 1 to the report, the 1997 Budget Document.

9.2.2 Council adopted the recommendation that an allocation of $475.901 million be made available to the Planning and Budget Committee.

9.2.3 Council authorised the Planning and Budget Committee to make initial expenditure allocations of up to $475.901 million for 1997.

9.3 Financial Statements for the Distribution of the Amenities and Services Fee

Council adopted the recommendation that the statements in Attachment 2 to the report be published in accordance with the conditions laid down in the Tertiary Education Act 1994.

10. Human Resources Committee (Item B.3)

10.1 Council received the report of the Human Resources Committee meeting 4/96, held on 20 September, 1996, together with a tabled supplementary paper.

10.2 Selection Committee Recommendations for Appointment to Level D

Council adopted the following recommendations:

10.2.1 that selection committees for appointment to Level D continue to be augmented by four members of promotions panels and/or senior members of the professoriate agreed by the President of the Academic Board and the Academic Promotions Officer;

10.2.2 that three of the four additional members be from outside the Faculty concerned;

10.2.3 that, wherever possible, the additional members meet with the Selection Committee for the selection process;

10.2.4 that one of the additional members, nominated by the Selection Committee, be required to document the reasons for the Selection Committee's judgement against the promotions criteria; and

10.2.5 that a report from the Human Resources Consultant who services the Selection Committee, be forwarded to the Human Resources Committee for approval; the report to provide details of:

  • the names of the additional members
  • the search procedure
  • any other procedural activities, such as the candidate giving a lecture
  • evidence of compliance with affirmative action
  • the names of the members of the Selection Committee procedures, and
  • final recommendation,

with the following attachments:

  • the additional member's report
  • a career statement; and
  • the selection criteria.

10.3 University Policy on Absences due to Strikes and Union Stop-Work Meetings

Council approved the amended policy on absences due to Strikes and Union Stop-Work Meetings, as contained in Attachment A to the report.

10.4 Alcohol and Drugs Policy

Council approved the policy on alcohol and drugs in the workplace, as contained in Attachment B to the report.

10.5 Senior Appointments Committee

Council noted the tabled supplementary paper which listed the names of the persons referred to in section 5 of the report.

11. Legislation Committee (Item C)

11.1 Council received a report on two items approved by the Legislation Committee at meeting 5/96, held on 26 August, 1996, but withdrawn from consideration of the Council at its meeting on 2 September, 1996, pending approval by the Academic Programs Committee and the Academic Board. These bodies had approved the items at meetings held during September 1996.

11.2 Council made the following Regulations as detailed in the report:

(1)Making of Regulation R3.290To establish the Postgraduate Diploma in Improvisional Music Therapy (65/96)
(2)Making of Regulation R3.291To establish the Graduate Diploma in Music Recording and Production (66/96)

12. Summary of Reports on Matters dealt with by the Vice-Chancellor (Items D.2[a] and D.2[b])

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).

13. Conferring Ceremonies(Item D.3)

Council received a report on Conferring Ceremonies 11/96 to 15/96, authorised by Council, and held on Friday 23 August, 1996 at 4.30 p.m., Wednesday 28 August, 1996 at 7.30 p.m., Saturday 7 September, 1996 at 10.30 a.m. and 3.30 p.m., and Wednesday 11 September, 1996 at 7.30 p.m., respectively.

14. Strathfieldsaye Institute of Teaching and Research in Agriculture and Allied Sciences

Council received the report of meeting 3/96 of the Strathfieldsaye Institute of Teaching and Research in Agriculture and Allied Sciences, held on 12 September, 1996.

15. Motion to Adopt or Receive "Unstarred Items of Business" (Item F)

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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