Minutes - Meeting No 2/06

A Meeting of the Committee of Convocation was held in the Council Chambers, Old Quadrangle, University of Melbourne, on Wednesday 19 April 2006 at 5.45 pm.

PRESENT:

Ms L Boston (in the Chair), Mr AW Abbott , Ms AM Ada , Dr CE Close, Ms H Cohn, Mr R Cook, Mr BFB Dance, Ms J Digby, Mr DM Dodd, Mr AT Douglas, Ms JH Elton-Brown, Dr B Fary, Ms HM Fitzpatrick, Dr A Gibbs,
Mr AG Handberg, Dr JK Harcourt, Mr PR Hirst, Mr J Humphrey, Mr GLE Israel, 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,
Dr N McH Ramsey, Dr B-A Rodan, Miss AS Rusden, Dr S Sahhar, Dr L Simpson, Mr BN Southern,
Dr J Stillman, Mr GH Thomas, Ms MA Weston and Mr NJ Whiting.

IN ATTENDANCE:

Professor V Braach-Maksvytis, Deputy Vice-Chancellor (Innovation and Development),
Mr LN Currie, the University Secretary, Mr JM Green, the Assistant University Secretary and
Dr G Duke, Minute Secretary.

BUSINESS

0. Preliminary Matters

0.1 Report of Returning Officer

The Returning Officer, Mr LN Currie, reported that Ms J Digby has been elected to the Committee as a representative of the Graduates in Arts and Social Work for a term expiring on 31 December 2007.

0.2 Introduction of new member and welcome to the Deputy Vice-Chancellor (Innovation and Development)

The Chair welcomed Ms Digby to the Committee and Dr C Close read a short statement outlining Ms Digby’s resume for the information of members.

The Chair also welcomed the Deputy Vice-Chancellor (Innovation and Development), Professor V Braach-Maksvytis, who was attending the meeting as an observer.

The Chair noted that Professor V Braach-Maksvytis will speak to the Committee on the key responsibilities of the Deputy Vice-Chancellor (Innovation and Development) role at either the May or June meeting.

0.3 Election of a Committee of Convocation Nominee to the Theatre Board

Voting papers were distributed and votes tallied for the election of a Committee of Convocation nominee to the Theatre Board. Dr C Close was subsequently declared elected to the vacant position.

0.4 Proposed Changes to Meeting Time and Format Recommended by the President’s Advisory Group

The Committee discussed and approved the following recommendations from the President’s Advisory Group:

• Meetings should commence at 5.30 pm to ensure a 7.00 pm finish with the possibility of a 15 minute extension, if required
• When possible, members should provide the Minute Secretary with written reports rather than giving oral reports during the meeting.
• Recommendations and motions should also be set out in writing prior to the meeting.
• Question time following the guest speaker should be limited to 5-10 minutes.
• An action sheet and a standing item, “Issues of Concern to Members”, should be incorporated into the Agenda.

1. Apologies and Leave of Absence

Apologies were received from Ms JM Crowe, Mr MW Gorton, Dr DG Parbery, Ms E Parker and Ms C Rollinson

Leave of Absence previously had been granted to Mr G Bartle and Dr L McKenzie for the meeting.

Leave of Absence was granted to Dr P Lowe and Mr JG Meehan for the June meeting.

2. Starring of Additional Items

Item 10.7 was starred.

3. Minutes of Meeting 1/06 (15.3.2006)

The Minutes were adopted as a true and accurate record of the meeting, subject to a minor amendment to Item 8.

4. Action Sheet

Mr B Dance spoke to the Committee on the issue of length-of-service, noting certain trends in responses to the length-of-service questionnaires distributed prior to the March meeting. Mr Dance encouraged the 50% of members who had not completed the questionnaires to do so and noted that the length-of-service working group, comprising himself, Ms J Crowe and Mr P Hirst, would give a report to the Committee at the May meeting.

5. Matters Arising

5.1 Rationale for Committee Restructuring

The University Secretary reported to the Committee on changes to committee structures which took place in late 2005 and referred members to three tabled charts outlining the organisational structure of Council, Planning and Budget and Academic Board committees.

The University Secretary agreed to circulate for the next meeting two additional charts giving more information on the reporting relationships between the major committees and the areas of responsibility of the senior executive.

Professor Braach-Maksvytis also agreed to report to the Committee at either the May or June meeting on the role of the Advancement Committee in the promotion of alumni relations and confirmed that she will be taking primary responsibility for the development of alumni relations within the University.

The Chair noted that a new Committee of Convocation nominee will need to be appointed to the Student Support Committee.

5.2 Administrative Review of Property and Buildings Department

The University Secretary reported back to the Committee on a query from the previous meeting regarding Recommendation 11 contained within the Administrative Review of the Property and Buildings Department by the Audit Panel (Appendix 8 to the PBC Report to Council from meeting 11/05). The recommendation points to the possibility of introducing Design and Construct arrangements between consultants, contractors and the University in order to manage construction risk. The University Secretary reported that the University has agreed to undertake an independent review to assess various elements of the audit panel’s recommendations and has made no final decision on the various alternatives. The University Secretary agreed to report back to the Committee as soon as more information is available.

5.3 Associate Degrees

The Assistant University Secretary spoke to the Committee on a paper prepared by Professor Jeff Borland, Chair of the Academic Programs Committee (APC), on the status of Associate Degrees. The paper recommends that the Committee note that insofar as the University’s Associate Degrees have been approved by Council and are listed in Regulation 5.4.R1, holders of the degrees are graduates of the University and hence entitled to be members of the Committee of Convocation. The Chair noted that there remains an anomaly between the statement contained in the Australian Qualifications Framework (AQF) paper, that the Associate Degree is positioned alongside the Advanced Diploma, and the statement from APC in the 21 July 2005 Report to Academic Board, that “the Associate Degree is distinguished from the Advanced Diploma by being more focussed on academic matters with less emphasis on workplace competencies and by providing a superior articulation pathway to a Bachelor degree”. The Assistant University Secretary agreed to bring back more information to the next meeting.

5.4 Advice to the Committee of Convocation on 2005 Annual Ordinary Meeting (AOM) Notice of Motions

The Chair asked Committee members to comment on the document “Advice to the Committee of Convocation on the 2005 AOM Notice of Motions”. Concern was expressed that the final recommendation contained in the report is not consistent with the rest of the document and does not refer to the third and fourth motions relating to appointments on other University bodies. The Secretariat agreed to make the necessary amendments before the document is submitted to the 2006 AOM as the Committee of Convocation’s official response to Convocation on the 2005 AOM Notice of Motions.

The University Secretary also agreed to distribute for the next meeting a paper summarising the changes to the Melbourne University Act which impact upon the terms of members of the Committee of Convocation.

6. Report to Council 1/06 – 15 March 2006 submitted to 3 April Council

The Committee received the report for information.

7. Legislation, Regulations and Standing Resolutions

The Committee noted amendments to Statutes and Regulations approved by Council at its April meeting.

The University Secretary noted that Council is considering the introduction of Standing Orders to provide for the termination of the terms of office for Council members.

8. Issues of Concern to Members

8.1 Standards of Medical Education

Dr Harcourt and Dr Simpson drew the attention of Committee members to two papers they had tabled for the meeting on the issue of medical education standards. The papers express concern about a variety of issues, including the need to retain subjects such as anatomy, physiology, pharmacology and pathology as core parts of the medicine curriculum, the proposal to lengthen the duration of medicine degrees and the dilution of training associated with patient care.

The Committee agreed with a proposal that the six representatives of the graduates of Medicine, Dentistry and Health Sciences should meet with the Dean of the Faculty to discuss the issues of concern and then report back to the Committee at its next meeting in May.

9. Report of Council Meeting 3/06 (3/4/06)

9.1 Vice-Chancellor's Report

The Committee received the report for information.

Mr F Lees spoke to the Committee on Item 7 of the Vice-Chancellor’s Report regarding the future use and repair of the Grainger Museum. Mr Lees suggested that the Committee might like to appoint an observer to any body considering options for the museum. Committee members agreed that they would like to be informed of any developments and also appoint an observer to any body formed for the purpose of considering the future of the museum. Dr C Close was nominated as the Committee’s observer on any such body.

9.2 Oral report on April Council Meeting

The Chair reported on the following issues discussed by Council at its April meeting:

• The formation of a new Neuroscience Institute.
• Arrangements for the implementation of Voluntary Student Unionism in the Second Semester of 2006.

10. Reports of Faculty Meetings and Committee Meetings

10.1 Planning and Budget Committee, Meeting 2/2006

The Committee received the report for information.

10.2 Finance Committee, Meeting 1/2006

The Committee received the report for information.

10.3 Theatre Board Minutes 2/2006

The Committee received the report for information.

10.4 Engineering Faculty Review

The Committee received the report for information.

10.5 MDHS Faculty Board Meeting

The Committee received the report for information.

10.6 School of Dental Science Advisory Group

The Committee received the report for information.

10.7 Faculty of Veterinary Science Meeting 1/06

Dr J Stillman spoke to the Committee on an issue that was raised at the Faculty of Veterinary Science Meeting 1/06 regarding the apparent inequity between the marks required by Commonwealth Supported Place (CSP) and Fee-Paying students for entry to the Bachelor of Veterinary Science.

The University Secretary noted that at its July 2005 meeting Council had reported that the University was committed to the status quo for the 2006 selection round, but that the Academic Registrar and the Dean of the Faculty of Veterinary Science would collaborate to develop a proposal regarding 2007 and subsequent commencement, for submission to Academic Board.

Committee members agreed that they would like to receive a progress report on the proposal and be informed of any future developments.

11. Guest Speakers

There was no guest speaker at the meeting. Professor David Kemp, former Cabinet member and Federal Education Minister, spoke at the dinner on ‘Higher Education Reform’.

12. Alumni Relations Report

None.

13. President’s Report

No report was given by the President because the time allocated for the meeting had elapsed.

14. 2005 Annual Report of Convocation

The Chair asked Committee members to read the Draft 2005 Annual Report of Convocation and to let the Minute Secretary know of any amendments before 24 April so that the final report can be distributed at the 2006 AOM on 3 May.

15. Any Other Business

There was no other business.

16. Receipt of Unstarred Items

The unstarred items were received.

The meeting closed at 7.45 pm.