A meeting of the Committee of Convocation was held in the Council Chambers, Old Quadrangle, University of Melbourne, on Wednesday 18 June 2003 at 5.45pm.

PRESENT

Dr RJ Condron in the Chair,
Mr AW Abbott, Mr MJ Anderson, Ms LJ Boston, Dr C Close, Mr RE Cook, Ms JM Crowe, Mr BFB Dance, Mr GF Dawson, Mr DM Dodd, Dr SC Ducker, Ms HM Fitzpatrick, Mr AG Handberg, Dr JK Harcourt, Mr RTA Hardcastle, Mr PR Hirst, Mr J Humphrey, Dr AA Jones, Mr FAM Lees, Dr PA Lowe, Mr RA McGuaran, Mr JG Meehan, Mrs AM Neal-Adam, Mr JF Nicholas, Dr IR Price, Mr J Puls, Dr NMcH Ramsey, Dr JT Robinson, Mrs MC Robinson, Dr B-A Rodan, Miss AS Rusden, Dr S Sahhar, Dr J Stillman, Ms MA Weston.

Professor Bob Richardson, Dean of the Institute of Land and Food Resources; Mr RIA Marshman, Senior Vice-Principal; Ms Samantha Citroen, Ms Amy Davidson and Mr Steve Rymer, all of whom are undergraduate students at the Creswick Campus of the Institute of Land and Food Resources; Mr LN Currie, University Secretary and Ms HA Davies, Minute Secretary, were in attendance.

BUSINESS

0. Preliminary Matters

0.0 Senior Vice-Principal

The President advised that the Senior Vice-Principal, Mr Ian Marshman, would later be attending the meeting to give a report on Melbourne University Private Ltd.

0.1 Welcome to the Dean, Institute of Land and Food Resources

The President welcomed to the meeting the Dean of the Institute of Land and Food Resources, Professor Bob Richardson, who attended the meeting to speak on a Forestry course presently conducted at the Creswick Campus of the Institute.

0.2 Welcome to the Students from Creswick Campus, Institute of Land and Food Resources

The President welcomed to the meeting the following students from Creswick Campus, who were to also speak to the Forestry Course, Creswick Campus item:

Ms Samantha Citroen, an undergraduate representative on the Forestry Course Review Committee;

Ms Amy Davidson, an undergraduate student who had taken a strong interest in the issue; and

Mr Steve Rymer, one of the students quoted in a newspaper article which had been tabled, and an undergraduate representative on the Forestry Course Review Committee.

0.3 Welcome to New Members to the Committee of Convocation

The President welcomed the following new members to the Committee of Convocation and called upon three current members to introduce each of them to the meeting as indicated:

Mr Frank Lees introduced Mr Alan Abbott, who had been elected to represent the graduates in Engineering;

Ms Jillian Crowe introduced Ms Helen Fitzpatrick, who had been elected to represent the
graduates in Education and Music (with the emphasis on Education); and

Mr Peter Hirst introduced Mr Robert McGuaran, who had been elected to represent the graduates in Architecture, Building and Planning.

0.4 Announcement by Returning Officer

Mr Len Currie, the University Secretary and Returning Officer, declared the next meeting of the Committee of Convocation a special meeting for the purpose of filling some casual vacancies.

1. Apologies and Leave of Absence

Apologies had been received from Ms Helen Cohn, Ms Eileen Parker and Mr Geoffrey Thomas as well as Ms Catherine Spencer, Acting Director of Development.

Leaves of Absence previously had been granted to Mr David Brownbill for this meeting through to August meetings, to Mr Alan Douglas, Ms Jane Elton Brown and Mr John Jones for this meeting and Ms Lesley Boston for the July meeting.

Leave of Absence was confirmed for Miss AS Rusden and Ms M Weston for the July meeting (which had previously been granted at the May meeting); Dr R Condron, Mr RA McGuaran and Dr NMcH Ramsey also for the July meeting and Ms JM Crowe and Dr John Harcourt for the September meeting.

2 Starring of Additional Items

Item 7.2 was starred to receive an oral report.

3. Minutes of Meeting 3/03 (21.05.2003)

The minutes of meeting 3/03 held on 21 May 2003 were approved.

4. Matters Arising

4.1 Distinguished Portraits Project (Minute 4.1)

The President advised that the Ian Potter Museum of Art had received the material which had been written and edited by the Committee and it was expected that the plaques would be printed within a few weeks. The University Secretary was making arrangements with the Protocol Officer regarding the possibility of having a special function after a meeting for an official unveiling of the plaques.

4.2 Melbourne University Private Limited (Minute 4.4)

Mr Ian Marshman, the Senior Vice-Principal, was welcomed to the meeting. He outlined the reasons for the apparent discrepancy between statements in the University Strategic Plan and figures in the Annual Report concerning the profitability of Melbourne University Private. Two thousand and one was the year of the merger between Melbourne Enterprises International and Melbourne University Private. The statement in the current Strategic Plan referred to the merged entity, which showed an overall profit in 2001, but the figure in the 2001 Annual Report referred to the loss by one of the entities on a pre-merger basis. The discrepancy with regard to 2002 figures arose because the Auditor-General had determined after the end of the financial year (but before the Annual Report was finalised) that certain expenditure previously treated as capital should be treated as part of the year's expenses, and the University had varied its accounts to conform with the Auditor-General's ruling.

Mr Handberg commented that MUP was reported in UniNews as being Hawthorn-based. The Senior Vice-Principal advised that that company had taken over the Hawthorn campus and will operate from there, although it will also have a small presence in University Square. The Chief Executive predominantly operated out of the Hawthorn campus.

4.3 Creswick Campus, Institute of Land and Food Resources (Minute 12.5)

Professor Bob Richardson outlined the reasons for the review of the structure of the Forestry course. The students (Ms Davidson, Ms Citroen and Mr Rymer) outlined their concerns regarding the time constraints in consultation and the approach which had been taken in marketing the course.

Comments by members of Convocation included:

• a suggestion that the course be structured with a sandwich year;
• the feeling that it may be a mistake to take no new enrolments for a year, as it would be preferable to maintain enrolments rather than have interest lost in the course;
• a concern that students could be disadvantaged by the temporary arrangements; and
• the suggestion that two successive degree courses be offered - such as for an architect.
  

5. Report 3/03 to be reported to August 2003 Council

The Committee received the report for information.

6. Legislation and Standing Resolutions of Council

The University Secretary advised that the Chair of Legislation Committee had withdrawn that committee's Report from consideration at the June Council meeting. His reason for doing so was that he wished the material to be reformatted with consistent explanatory notes.

7. Reports of Faculty Meetings and Committee Meetings

7.1 Student Support Committee 3/03

The Committee received the report for information.

7.2 Building and Estate Matters

The Committee received the tabled paper, and a brief oral report, for information.

8. Alumni Relations Report

Ms Spencer, Acting Director of Development who was to have attended in place of the Alumni Relations Manager who had taken annual leave, was unable to attend the meeting, consequently no report was given.

9. Guest Speaker at Dinner

The guest speaker at dinner was the Dean-Designate of the Faculty of Medicine, Dentistry and Health Sciences, Professor James Angus. Members previously had met Professor Angus when he had attended meetings in 1999 in his capacity as President of Academic Board. Professor Angus spoke on the future directions he planned for the Faculty.

10. President's Report

10.1 Elections to the Committee of Convocation

Dr Condron advised that the term of office of President and twenty-two members' terms on the Committee of Convocation would expire at the end of this year, and that there would be a call for nominations during the week commencing 7 July to fill these positions. It was further advised that a memo would be sent to all members of the Committee from the University Secretary which would enclose nomination forms and relevant information including which terms were due to expire at year end.

10.2 150^th Birthday Celebrations - Commemorative Tribute from the University

As part of its 150th Birthday Celebrations, the University presented to each member of the
Committee a commemorative tribute in its appreciation of services rendered to the University. This took the form of a copy of 'A Short History of the University of Melbourne' by Professor Stuart Macintyre and Richard Selleck. Each volume contained a commemorative name-plate.

10.3 Forthcoming Committee Events

The President advised that the following tours were being organised:

July: Prior to the July meeting there would be a tour of the Grainger Museum. The special
exhibition at that time would be 'Handwrits and Paper Trails' featuring Percy Grainger's music and manuscripts. Mr Brian Allison, the curator of the exhibit, also would be guest speaker at dinner. The President advised that currently the Baillieu Library was exhibiting 'Nature's Instruments' featuring items from the Grainger Museum.

[Secretary's Note: Comment was made at the meeting to the effect that the tour to the Percy Grainger Museum would be conducted in August, which was incorrect.]

September: A tour of the Veterinary Clinic and Hospital was being organised. In order to view the operations of the facility, it would be preferable to commence the tour during normal working hours so that equipment can be seen in use. In addition, the Committee's meeting will be held in Werribee along with dinner afterwards. Arrangements were being made to commence the meeting and dinner earlier than usual to allow for an earlier departure time.

It was suggested that the tour commence at 4pm and the meeting commence at 5.30pm. As Council will not be meeting in September, it is expected that there will be less business to transact without the usual Council documentation - consequently the meeting should end for pre-dinner drinks by 7pm so dinner may be served shortly thereafter.

The possibility of bus transport between campuses would be investigated.

11. Any Other Business

11.1 Draft Minutes - Annual Ordinary Meeting of Convocation

The Committee received the Draft Minutes for information.

11.2 Current Membership List - Committee of Convocation

The Committee received the current Membership List for information.

11.3 Our Universities - Backing Australia's Future

The Committee received the booklet for information.

11.4 Higher Education Reforms - Information for Students

The Committee received the paper for information.

11.5 Strathfieldsaye Estate

In response to a member's question, the Senior Vice-Principal outlined the reasons for the University's cy pres application in respect of the trust, the involvement of the Australian Landscape Trust, and the order of the Supreme Court.

12. Receipt of Unstarred Items

The Committee received all unstarred items.