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A Special Meeting of the Committee of Convocation was held in the Council Chamber, Old Quadrangle, University of Melbourne, on Wednesday 21 April 2004 at 5.45pm.
PRESENT
Dr RJ Condron in the Chair,
Mr AW Abbott,
Ms LJ Boston, Dr C Close, Ms HM Cohn, Mr RE Cook, Ms JM Crowe, Mr BFB Dance, Mr DM Dodd, Mr AT Douglas, Dr SC Ducker, Ms JH Elton Brown, Ms HM Fitzpatrick, Mr MW Gorton, Mr AG Handberg, Dr JK Harcourt, Mr RTA Hardcastle, Mr PR Hirst, Mr J Humphrey, Mr JC Jones, Mr FAM Lees, Dr PA Lowe, Mr RA McGauran, Mr JG Meehan, Mrs AM Neal-Adam, Dr JR Nelson, Mr JF Nicholas, Dr DG Parbery, Ms E Parker, Dr B-A Rodan, Miss AS Rusden, Dr S Sahhar, Dr L Simpson, Dr J Stillman, Mr GH Thomas,
Ms MA Weston.
BUSINESS
0. Preliminary Matters
0.0 Welcome to the President of Academic Board
The President welcomed to the meeting Professor Field Rickards, the President of Academic Board, and advised that Professor Rickards was attending the meeting to speak on the 2003 Course Experience Questionnaire.
0.1 Welcome to the Senior Vice-Principal
Mr Ian Marshman, the Senior Vice-Principal, was welcomed by the President, who advised he was attending the meeting to speak on the University of Melbourne’s response to the Commonwealth Government’s Higher Education Reform (the Nelson Reform).
0.2 Welcome to new member
A new member, Mr Michael Gorton, was welcomed to the meeting by the President. Mr John Jones formally introduced Mr Gorton by giving a brief synopsis of his career and professional associations.
0.3 Report of Returning Officer
The University Secretary spoke to this item. Mr Currie announced the results of a call for nominations to fill casual vacancies and the office of Deputy President which would expire shortly. He reported Mr AG Handberg re-elected to the office of Deputy President for a term expiring 30 April 2005 , Ms E Parker elected to a casual vacancy for a representative of the Graduates in Arts and Social Work for a term expiring in 2007 and Ms AM Ada elected to a casual vacancy for a representative of Graduates of the Institute of Land and Food Resources for a term expiring in 2005.
1. Apologies and Leave of Absence
Apologies were received from Mr G Bartle, Dr DA McCann, Dr L McKenzie and Dr J Stillman.
Leave of Absence had previously been granted to Mr MJ Anderson and Ms L Juracich for this meeting; Miss AS Rusden for the May meeting; Ms JH Elton Brown and Dr P Lowe for the May and June meetings; and Ms LJ Boston for the June meeting.
Leave of absence was granted to Mr ML Anderson for the May meeting, Mr G Bartle for the May, June and July meetings, Mr JC Jones for the May and June meetings and to Ms JM Crowe for the July meeting.
2. Starring of Additional Items
No additional items were starred.
3. Minutes of Meeting 1/04 (17.3.2004)
The minutes of meeting 1/04 held on 17 March, 2004 were adopted.
4. Matters Arising
4.1 Course Experience Questionnaire 2003
Professor Field Rickards, President of Academic Board, spoke to this item. He outlined the history of the Course Experience Questionnaire, which had been introduced in 1994 by the then Vice-Chancellor Professor David Penington. When the University received a poor response by its graduates in 2001, the Acting Vice-Chancellor Professor Sally Walker set up a Working Group to explore how the University could improve its rating. Professor Rickards was pleased to be able to report that the recent result had been a favourable one for the University and there generally had been a steady increase over several years in overall student satisfaction.
4.2 Other Matters Arising
The University Secretary announced that the following matters were currently being investigated by him and he hoped to be able to provide the requested information at the next meeting:
- If there were set procedures to determine how Faculties appoint their committees;
- Details of the ownership of the old Dental Hospital site;
- If it is appropriate for the Melbourne Theatre Company to receive funding paid out of fee income;
- If it was permissible to have reported to the Committee the remuneration for deans; and
- A comparison of the present situation of fee paying students compared with the situation as it existed for students when HECS was first introduced.
5. Report 1/04 to April 2004 Council
The Committee received the report for information.
6. Legislation and Standing Resolutions
6.1 Statutes amended by Council at its April meeting
None.
6.2 Regulations amended by Council at its April meeting
The Committee noted the Regulations amended by Council as detailed in the Report.
(1) |
Amendment of Regulation R3.1 recommended by Academic Board |
To amend the requirements for postgraduate course work programs in order to allow for the effect of credit (4/04) |
(2) |
Amendment of Regulation R3.2 recommended by Academic Board |
To amend the requirements for postgraduate course work programs in order to provide for the award of credit (5/04) |
(3) |
Amendment of Regulation R3.3 recommended by Academic Board
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To amend the requirements for postgraduate course work programs in order to provide for the award of credit (2/04)
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(4) |
Amendment of Regulation R3.4 recommended by Academic Board |
To amend the requirements for postgraduate course work programs in order to provide for the award of credit (3/04)
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(5) |
Amendment of Regulation R3.5 recommended by Academic Board
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To amend the requirements for course work programs in order to provide for the award of credit (10/04)
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(6) |
Amendment of Regulation R3.6 recommended by Academic Board
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To amend the requirements for postgraduate course work programs in order to provide for the award of credit (12/04)
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(8) |
Amendment of a Regulation R6.72 recommended by the University Secretary |
To amend the terms of the John Adey Prize in Psychiatry (33/03)
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(9) |
Amendment of Regulation R6.102 recommended by the University Secretary |
To amend the terms of the Gilbert Rigg Scholarships (23/04)
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(10) |
Amendment of Regulation 17.1.R18 recommended by the University Secretary |
To amend the membership of the Endowments and Trusts Committee (24/04)
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(13) |
Amendment of Regulation 7.1.R2 recommended by Council |
To change the name of the Chair in Education (Leadership and Management) listed in Schedule A of the regulation governing academic and general staff ranks and titles (27/04)
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(14) |
Revocation of Regulation 7.1.R2 recommended by Council |
To add a Chair to Schedule A of the regulation governing academic and general staff ranks and titles (28/04)
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(15) |
Amendment of Regulation R6.72 recommended by the University Secretary |
To amend the terms of the Louise Homfrey Prizes (31/04)
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A member queried the amendment of the regulation with regard to the use of the funds. The University Secretary advised that the Trusts Officer had advised the Legislation Committee that it was proper to amend the terms of the award to dispense with the distinction between undergradujate and graduate productions rather than proceed to the donors’ second preference for use of the gift. |
(16) |
Amendment of Regulation R6.49 recommended by the University Secretary |
To amend the terms of the James Cuming Memorial Scholarships (30/04)
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(17) |
Amendment of Regulation R6.58 recommended by the University Secretary |
To amend the terms of the Fred Walker Scholarship (29/04)
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(18) |
Amendment of Regulation 8.1.R9 recommended by the University Secretary |
To replace the schedule of fees for 2004 - 2006 in the regulation (32/04) |
6.3 Standing Resolutions made and amended by Council
The University Secretary reported that the Standing Resolution for the Strathfieldsaye Institute Committee had been revoked following the disposal of the property.
6.4 Statutes proposed for consideration by Council at its next meeting
None.
6.5 Regulations proposed for consideration by Council at its next meeting
The Committee noted the following regulations which should be considered at the May meeting of Council.
(1) |
Amendment of Regulation 17.1.R19 recommended by the University Secretary |
To delete an institution from the Schedule of recognised institutions (34/04)
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(2) |
Amendment of Regulation 7.1.R2 recommended by Council |
To add three Chairs to Schedule A of the regulation governing academic and general staff ranks and titles (37/04) |
(3) |
Amendment of Regulation 7.1.R2 recommended by Council
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To add a Chair in the schedule of Chairs to the regulation governing academic and general staff ranks and titles (38/04) |
(4) |
Revocation of Regulation R6.88 recommended by the University Secretar |
To revoke the regulation for the Edward Walter Outhwaite Scholarship (35/04)
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(5) |
Making of Regulation R6.72 recommended by the University Secretary
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To make a regulation to govern the Edward Walter Outhwaite Scholarship (36/04)
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7. Report of Council Meeting 4/04 (5/4/04)
7.1 Vice-Chancellor's Report
7.2 Oral report on Council Meeting
Dr Condron invited Mr Allan Handberg, who as Deputy President had attended the April Council meeting in lieu of the President, to give an oral report. He reported that the Nelson Reforms had taken up most of the business of the meeting and that although the University of Melbourne Posgraduate Association’s representative had tabled a proposal, that Council did not believe it should defer consideration of the issue.
8. Reports of Faculty Meetings and Committee Meetings
8.1 Planning and Budget Committee 2/04
The Committee received the report for information.
8.2 Finance Committee 2/04
The Committee received the report for information.
8.3 Buildings and Estate Matters
The Committee received the report for information.
8.4 Student Support Committee
The Committee received the report for information.
9. Alumni Relations Report
In the absence of Ms Catherine Spencer, the Fundraising Co-ordinator in the Development Office who had been scheduled to attend the meeting to give a report, the Committee’s representative on the Alumni Relations Committee, Mr Allan Handberg, gave a brief oral report. He advised that a review of the Alumni Relations Program had been recently undertaken.
10. Guest Speaker
The guest speaker at dinner was Dr Nick Hoffman, Senior Research Fellow in the School of Earth Sciences. Dr Hoffman’s recent research had focussed on the planet Mars. He gave a Powerpoint presentation of the latest images available from the recent Mars space program focussing on the surface of the planet as well as detection by specialist scientific equipment of the presence of various minerals.
11. President's Report
11.1 Annual Ordinary Meeting of Convocation, Wednesday 28 April 2004
The President reminded members that Professor Kwong Lee Dow, the Vice-Chancellor, would be the guest speaker at the Annual Ordinary Meeting of Convocation and that the topic of his address had been amended slightly. The title of Professor Lee Dow’s presentation is ‘The Nelson Reforms – Costs and Benefits for Melbourne Students and their University’.
11.2 Correspondence Received from Dr Norman Curry
The President reported that he had received a response from Dr Curry to the letter he had sent upon his retirement from the University’s Council, the contents of which he outlined to members.
12. Information related to Committee of Convocation
12.1 Membership List – current
The Committee received the membership list for information.
12.2 Email Address List of Members – current
The Committee received the list for information.
13. Any Other Business
13.1 University of Melbourne’s Annual Report 2003
The Committee received the University’s Annual Report 2003 for information.
13.2 University of Melbourne’s Response to the Commonwealth Government’s Higher Education Reform
Mr Ian Marshman, Senior Vice-Principal, outlined the University’s initiatives as agreed by Council at the April meeting.
13.3 Government Commissioned Research-Related Reviews
The Committee received the three Reviews for information.
14. Receipt of Unstarred Items
The unstarred items were received.
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