Minutes - Meeting No 6/06
A Meeting of the Committee of Convocation was held in the Council Chambers, Old Quadrangle, University of Melbourne, on Wednesday 16 August 2006 at 5.30 pm.
PRESENT:
Ms LJ Boston (in the Chair until 6.15 pm), Mr AG Handberg (in the Chair from 6.15pm), Mr AW Abbott ,
Ms AM Ada , Dr CE Close, Ms H Cohn, Mr R Cook, Ms JM Crowe, Mr BFB Dance, Ms J Digby, Mr DM Dodd,
Mr AT Douglas, Ms JH Elton-Brown, Dr B Fary, Dr A Gibbs, Dr JK Harcourt, Mr J Humphrey, Mr GLE Israel,
Mr FAM Lees , Mr RA McGauran, Dr R McMillan, Mr J Meehan, Mrs AM Neal-Adam, Dr JR Nelson, Mr
JF Nicholas, Dr R Otzen, Dr DG Parbery, Ms E Parker, Dr B-A Rodan, Miss AS Rusden, Dr S Sahhar,
Dr L Simpson, Dr J Stillman, Ms MA Weston and Mr NJ Whiting.
IN ATTENDANCE:
Mr JM Green, the Acting University Secretary, Dr G Duke, Minute Secretary and Ms E Murphy (Committee Secretary).
BUSINESS
0. Preliminary Matters
0.1 Report of Acting Returning Officer
The Acting Returning Officer, Mr JM Green, reported the following:
- Mr L Rowe 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.
- Mr E Bellchambers has been elected to the Committee as a representative of the Graduates in Science for a term expiring on 31 December 2009.
The Returning Officer noted that with the election of Mr Rowe and Mr Bellchambers all casual vacancies on the Committee have been filled.
0.2 Chair for Second Half of Meeting
The Chair noted that she would be leaving the meeting early because of another commitment and that the Deputy President, Mr A Handberg, would assume the Chair for the second half of the meeting.
0.3 Introduction of New Member
The Chair welcomed Dr R McMillan to the Committee as a new representative of the Graduates in Education and Music for a term expiring on 31 December 2009. Ms J Elton-Brown read a short statement outlining Dr McMillan’s resume for the information of members.
1. Apologies and Leave of Absence
Apologies were received from Mr M Corrigan, Mr MW Gorton, Mr PR Hirst, Ms HM Fitzpatrick and Mr GH Thomas.
Leave of Absence had previously been granted to:
- Dr P Lowe, Dr N McH Ramsey and Mr BN Southern for the August meeting;
- Dr A Gibbs for the August and September meetings; and
- Ms H Fitzpatrick, Mr AG Handberg, Ms E Parker and Ms A Rusden for the September meeting.
Leave of Absence was granted to
- Ms J Crowe for the September meeting.
- Mr J Humphrey for the October meeting.
2. Starring of Additional Items
Item 13 was starred.
3. Receipt of Unstarred Items
Unstarred items were received.
4. Minutes of Meeting 5/06 (19.7.2006)
The Minutes were adopted as a true and accurate record of the meeting.
5. Action Sheet
The Chair noted that Item 1 has been resolved and may be removed from the action sheet and that Item 3 (Length-of-Service Sub-Committee) would be dealt with under Agenda Item 6.1.
6. Matters Arising
6.1 Length-of-Service Sub-Committee
Committee members received two papers outlining the composition and the guidelines of the Length-of-Service Sub-Committee. The possibility of classifying representatives according to individual faculty rather than by the Committee of Convocation’s faculty classification groupings was discussed. The Sub-Committee’s Chair, Mr Dance, reported that an inaugural meeting of the Sub-Committee would be convened prior to the next Committee of Convocation meeting on 20 September.
Committee members also received a paper from Mr Nicholas raising issues pertinent to the classification of graduates in the six-yearly count of graduates which determines representation on the Committee. The Chair noted that the University Secretary, who was currently on long-service-leave, would be able to give expert advice on the issue of classifying graduates upon his return.
7 Report to Council
None.
8. Legislation, Regulations and Standing Resolutions
None.
9. Issues of Concern to Members
9.1 Annual Ordinary Meeting Dinner Sub-Committee
The Committee received a paper tabled by Mr Cook containing recommendations for the 2007 Annual Ordinary Meeting and Dinner.
Following discussion of the recommendations contained in the paper, the following motions were moved, seconded and carried by Committee members:
- That a Sub-Committee be set up to:
- develop a plan for the Dinner which will follow the Annual Ordinary Meeting of Convocation in 2007;
- make suggestions as to the place and time for the holding of the Annual Ordinary Meeting which will precede the Dinner; and
- present a report on the same to the Committee of Convocation at or before its October 2006 meeting.
- That in any event the President proceed to:
- engage a major speaker for; and
- fix a date for
this event.
Committee members agreed that, in light of the University’s new emphasis upon Knowledge Transfer, the 2007 Annual Ordinary Meeting would be a good opportunity to promote the work of the Committee among the broader University and external community. The Chair reported that she would attempt to engage the recently appointed Governor of Victoria, Professor David de Kretser AC, to speak at the event.
10. Report of Council Meeting
10.1 Vice-Chancellor's Report
None.
10.2 Oral report on Council Briefing – Taking Stock
The Chair reported on the “Taking Stock” Council Briefing held on 14 August in the Woodward Conference Centre and attended by a significant number of Committee of Convocation members.
The Vice-Chancellor’s “Taking Stock” presentation identified a number of strengths and weaknesses in the University’s current performance.
The strengths include:
- Research;
- Quality of student intake;
- Student outcomes;
- International rankings.
The weaknesses include:
- Research commercialisation;
- Low research student numbers;
- Lack of high citation researchers;
- Access and equity;
- Fundraising;
- Sustainability of infrastructure.
The “Taking Stock” Council Briefing also included a progress report on the implementation of the University’s “Growing Esteem” strategy. Committee members agreed that although the Committee of Convocation is supportive of “Growing Esteem”, it nonetheless has an important role to play both in providing constructive criticism and in ensuring concerns about issues such as access and equity, the educational content of the new degrees and professional standards are addressed.
One particular area of concern is the relationship between “new generation” degrees and their predecessors. Attendees at “Taking Stock” were informed that the new Juris Doctor (JD) graduate law program will be more intellectually rigorous than the old Bachelor of Laws (LLB) program. Concern was expressed that the new JD is very different from both the LLB and its predecessor with the same name, which was designed primarily as a pathway to the legal profession for adults with years of professional experience, and that there would be some devaluation of both the LLB and the old JD as a result of the change.
The Acting University Secretary informed Committee members that the vast majority of the “new generation” graduate degrees would be designated as Masters degrees.
It was noted that the President of Convocation and another representative of the Committee have been invited to attend the Heads and Deans Conference on 23 August.
[Mr Handberg assumed the Chair during Item 10.2].
11. Reports of Faculty Meetings and Committee Meetings
11.1 Theatre Board Minutes 6/2006
The Committee received the report for information.
11.2 Faculty of Education 1/2006
The Committee received the report for information.
11.3 Faculty of Engineering, 3/2006
The Committee received the report for information.
11.4 Faculty of Medicine, Dentistry and Health Sciences
The Committee received the report for information.
11.5 School of Medicine Planning Day Report
The Committee received the report for information.
12. Guest Speakers
The Chair reported that Professor Andrea Hull, Director of the Victorian College of the Arts (VCA), would be the speaker at the dinner.
13. Alumni Relations Report
The Committee received the report for information. The Chair noted that the report was primarily a list of past functions and did not contain information on future alumni relations activities that are relevant to the Committee of Convocation.
13.1 Australian University Alumni Council
Committee members noted that Mr Meehan has taken over from Dr Lowe as the Committee of Convocation’s representative on the Australian University Alumni Council. Mr Meehan will attend the Australian University International Alumni Conference in Brisbane later in the year.
14. President’s Report
The President left the meeting early and hence there was no report.
*15. Any Other Business
15.1 Strategic Plan
Committee members received and noted a copy of the Committee of Convocation’s strategic plan. It was agreed that members should engage in close consideration of the strategic agenda and inform the Minute Secretary of any recommendations they have regarding the need for revisions prior to the next meeting. The Minute Secretary agreed to distribute the 2005 Committee of Convocation Annual Report for the next meeting so that members could examine the ways in which the different strategic objectives contained in the strategic agenda are currently being met.
16. Items for Future Discussion
16.1 Austudy for Postgraduate Students
In response to a query regarding the availability of Austudy for postgraduate students the Acting University Secretary agreed to bring back information to the next meeting.
17. Any Other Business
17.1 Induction Sub-Committee
The Chair reported that the first meeting of the Induction Sub-Committee had been held prior to the meeting and that the Sub-Committee would report to the next Committee of Convocation meeting on proposals for the induction of new members and attendance at graduation ceremonies.
The meeting closed at 7.00 pm.
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