Minutes - Meeting No 4/05

A Meeting of the Committee of Convocation was held in the Council Chambers, Old Quadrangle, University of Melbourne, on Wednesday 15 June 2005 at 5.45pm.

PRESENT:

Dr RJ Condron in the Chair,
Mr AW Abbott, Ms AM Ada, Ms LJ Boston, Dr C Close, Ms HM Cohn, Mr DM Dodd, Mr AT Douglas, Ms HM Fitzpatrick, Dr JK Harcourt, Mr RTA Hardcastle, Mr J Humphrey, Mr GLE Israel, Mr JC Jones, Mr FAM Lees, Mr RA McGauran, Dr L McKenzie, Mr JG Meehan, Mrs AM Neal-Adam, Dr JR Nelson, Mr JF Nicholas, Dr B-A Rodan, Ms C Rollinson, Miss AS Rusden, Dr S Sahhar, Dr L Simpson, Mr BN Southern, Dr J Stillman, Mr GH Thomas and Ms MA Weston.

IN ATTENDANCE:

Professor P McPhee, Deputy Vice-Chancellor (Academic),
Professor I Caple, Dean of the Faculty of Veterinary Science,
Mr JM Green, Assistant University Secretary and
Miss HA Davies, Minute Secretary.

BUSINESS

Preliminary Matters

Welcome to Professor Peter McPhee

The President welcomed to the meeting Professor Peter McPhee, Deputy Vice-Chancellor (Academic), who attended the meeting to speak on the ‘Melbourne Experience’ Working Group.

Welcome to Professor Ivan Caple

The President welcomed to the meeting Professor Ivan Caple, Dean of the Faculty of Veterinary Science, who attended the meeting to speak on ‘Representing Graduates Effectively’ in the Faculty of Veterinary Science.

1. Apologies and Leave of Absence

Apologies had been received from Mr G Bartle, Mr MW Gorton, Mr AG Handberg, Mr P Hirst, Dr D McCann, Ms E Parker and Mr N Whiting. Mr LN Currie, the University Secretary, also was an apology.

Leave of Absence had previously been granted to Ms J Elton Brown and Drs P Lowe, D Parbery and N Ramsey for this meeting, Ms LJ Boston, Mr AG Handberg and Miss AS Rusden for the July meeting and Mr GH Thomas for the July and August meetings.

Dr C Close and Ms M Weston were granted Leave of Absence for the July meeting.

2. Starring of Additional Items

No additional items were starred.

3. Minutes of Meeting 3/05 (18.5.2005)

The Minutes were adopted as a true and accurate record of the meeting.

4. a) Matters Arising from the May meeting of the Committee of Convocation

4.1 Progress on ad hoc Working Group (minute 11.1)

Ms Lesley Boston, as Chair of the Working Group, spoke to this item. Ms Boston reported that the Working Group had met on 30 May and discussed the matters pertaining to the motion put to the Annual Ordinary Meeting of Convocation by Ms Neal-Adam and Dr Sahhar, together with the Terms of Reference of the Working Group. It was advised that the Working Group will meet again on 20 June.

4.2 Representing Graduates Effectively (minute 4.1)

Professor Ivan Caple, Dean of the Faculty of Veterinary Science, reported on the favourable relationship that existed between graduates with the Faculty. This is evidenced in the high ranking given by Veterinary Science graduates in the Course Experience Questionnaire. Professor Caple reported that the Faculty was in contact with 87% of the graduates from the past four decades which augers well for the reunions of graduating classes being arranged by Professor Studdert. Professor Caple issued an invitation for the Committee of Convocation to make another visit to the Veterinary Science Centre at Werribee.

Following discussion about the selection procedure for entry into the Veterinary Science course, it was resolved that the Committee of Convocation requests that University Council review the perceived inequity regarding selection of students for CSP places in first year BVSc, between fee-paying Pre-Vet Stream students and CSP Science students.

4.3 ‘Melbourne Experience’ Working Group (minute 4.6)

Professor Peter McPhee, Deputy Vice-Chancellor (Academic) spoke to this item. He advised that he was Chair of the ‘Melbourne Experience’ Working Group, which will play a significant role on campus for the next few years. Professor McPhee suggested that students of the present day have a different university experience from what he and members of the Committee of Convocation would have received in their student days. However, his goal is to ensure that University of Melbourne students have the best student experience possible. This can be assessed in the Course Experience Questionnaire in which the University is currently ranked in the middle band.

Professor McPhee invited feedback and suggestions from the Committee of Convocation, which would be passed on to the ‘Melbourne Experience’ Working Group.

4.4 Cultural and Community Relations Committee (minute 8.5)

Mr John Meehan gave an oral report of the Cultural and Community Relations Committee meeting held on 6 May 2005, which had been deferred from the previous meeting.

4.5 Report on Assessment Issues and the Course Experience Questionnaire (minute 7.2)

John Green, Assistant University Secretary, gave a report on the presentation made to Council by the Vice-President of Academic Board, Professor Pattison, regarding the Board’s various Working Groups dealing with assessment issues and the discussion on the outcomes of the 2004 Course Experience Questionnaire presented by the President of the Board, Professor Skene.

5. Report 3/05 to be submitted to July 2005 Council

The Committee received the report for information.

6. Legislation and Standing Resolutions

The Committee noted that no Legislation or Standing Resolutions had been considered at June’s Council Meeting.

7. Report of Council Meeting 5/05 (6/6/05)

7.1 Vice-Chancellor's Report

7.2 Oral report on June Council Meeting

The President gave an oral report of the June Council meeting. Dr Condron advised that it was a closed meeting which focussed principally on two matters: the decision for the Faculty of Land and Food Resources to enter into negotiations with alternative Vocational and Education and Training providers for its VET programs as part of a repositioning of the Faculty and the proposed amalgamation of Melbourne University Private with the public University. Members of the Committee agreed that the University had handled the public relations aspect of these two contentious issues very well and had received a favourable response to the media announcements.

Attention was drawn to the arrangements to be adopted for appointment of deans outlined in the Vice-Chancellor’s Report. It was uncertain if the Vice-Chancellor intended to consult with Faculty staff. After discussion, it was resolved that the Committee of Convocation seek clarification of this point and recommended that all members of the Faculty be consulted with the appointment of its dean.

[Minute Secretary’s Note: Subsequent to the meeting, it was confirmed that the Vice-Chancellor intended to consult widely with Faculty members in relation to the appointment of the Deans of the Faculties of Architecture, Building and Planning and Music.]

8. Reports of Faculty Meetings and Committee Meetings

8.1 Planning and Budget Committee 4/05

The Committee received the report for information.

8.2 Finance Committee 3/05

The Committee received the report for information.

8.3 Faculty of Medicine, Dentistry and Health Sciences

The Committee received the report for information.

8.4 Theatre Board

The Committee received the tabled report for information.

9. Alumni Relations Report

The Committee received the tabled report for information.

10. Guest Speaker

The President reminded members that the guest speaker at dinner was Professor Frederick Mendelsohn, Director of the Howard Florey Institute. The title of Professor Mendelsohn’s presentation was The Neuroscience Revolution Offers New Hope for Brain and Mind Disorders.

11 President’s Report

The President had nothing further to report.

12. Any Other Business

12.1 Committee of Convocation – Nomination Forms for Terms Expiring 31/12/2005

The President drew the members’ attention to the Call for Nominations for the President of Convocation and Membership of the Committee of Convocation, Nomination Forms for the President of Convocation and Membership of the Committee of Convocation, and a list of members whose terms were expiring at year end that had been tabled.

13. Receipt of Unstarred Items

The unstarred items were received.