Minutes - Meeting No 3/05

A Meeting of the Committee of Convocation was held in the Council Chambers, Old Quadrangle, University of Melbourne, on Wednesday 18 May 2005 at 5.45pm.

PRESENT:

Dr RJ Condron in the Chair,
Mr AW Abbott, Mr G Bartle, Ms LJ Boston, Ms HM Cohn, Mr RE Cook, Ms JM Crowe, Mr BFB Dance,
Mr DM Dodd, Mr AT Douglas, Ms JH Elton Brown, Mr AG Handberg, Dr JK Harcourt, Mr RTA Hardcastle,
Mr PR Hirst, Mr J Humphrey, Mr GLE Israel, Mr FAM Lees, Dr DA McCann, Mr RA McGauran, Dr L McKenzie,
Mr JG Meehan, Mrs AM Neal-Adam, Dr JR Nelson, Mr JF Nicholas, Ms E Parker, Dr B-A Rodan,
Miss AS Rusden, Dr S Sahhar, Mr BN Southern, Dr J Stillman, Mr GH Thomas, Mr NJ Whiting.

IN ATTENDANCE:

Professor S Macintyre, Dean of the Faculty of Arts,
Mr LN Currie, University Secretary,
Mr JM Green, Assistant University Secretary,
Ms W Lawler, Director of Development and
Miss HA Davies, Minute Secretary, were in attendance.

BUSINESS

0. Preliminary Matters

0.0 Welcome to Professor Stuart Macintyre

The President welcomed to the meeting Professor Stuart Macintyre, Dean of the Faculty of Arts, who attended to speak on ‘representing graduates effectively’ in the Arts Faculty.

0.1 Welcome to Mr Noel Whiting

Dr Condron called upon Mr John Meehan to introduce Mr Noel Whiting, a newly elected representative of the graduates in Economics and Commerce, to the Committee.

1. Apologies and Leave of Absence

Apologies have been received from Ms AM Ada, Ms C Close, Ms HM Fitzpatrick, Mr MW Gorton, Ms C Rollinson and Ms MA Weston.

Leave of Absence had previously been granted to Mr J Jones and Dr L Simpson for this meeting, Drs P Lowe, D Parbery and N Ramsey for this and June meetings, Ms J Elton Brown for the June meeting, Mr AG Handberg and Miss AS Rusden for the July meeting.

Ms LJ Boston was granted Leave of Absence for the July meeting, Mr RTA Hardcastle was granted Leave of Absence for the August meeting and Mr GH Thomas was granted Leave of Absence for the July and August meetings.

2. Starring of Additional Items

Items 8.4, 8.5, 8.7 and 9 were starred to receive oral reports.

3. Minutes of Meeting 2/05 (20.4.2005)

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

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

4.1 Representing Graduates Effectively (Minute 4.1)

Professor Stuart Macintyre, Dean if Arts reported that a new position had been created, the Associate Dean (Development). He believed that the appointee, Associate Professor Alison Inglis, would improve the conduct of alumni relations in the Faculty with more initiatives being introduced. It was agreed that copies of the Arts Alumni publication should be distributed to members.

4.2 Proposal – Design Review Panel (Minute 4.2)

The finalised document was received for information.

4.3 Naming Rights for Academic Positions (Minute 8.1)

The Committee noted the extract of the Standing Resolution relating to naming rights for academic positions, which had been circulated for information.

4.4 Fee Paying Students in Veterinary Science

The University Secretary reported the number of fee-paying students in the pre-veterinary course was five, which placed an upper limit on the effect of students available in the Science course. Depending on how many of the five students achieved a result of 75% or better and the decision they took on the future of their course, there could be some small impact on the number of positions available for transfer from the Science course. Members of the Committee remained concerned at the potential unequal treatment of the two groups of applicants and stressed that the arrangements should be quite clear in documentation provided to prospective students.

4.5 Donations by the University of Melbourne (Minute 13.3)

The University Secretary referred members to the tabled memorandum from the Vice-Principal and General Counsel which set out a response to queries regarding donations to and by the University of Melbourne raised by Mr Geoff Dawson. The University Secretary agreed to pass on the General Counsel’s opinion to Mr Dawson.

4.6 ‘Melbourne Experience’ Working Group (Minute 7.2)

The Committee noted that Professor Peter McPhee would attend the June meeting to speak on the ‘Melbourne Experience’ Working Group.

b) Matters Arising from the May Annual Ordinary Meeting of Convocation

4.7 Minutes of meeting held 4 May, 2005

The Committee received the draft minutes for information. In addition, there was discussion regarding the Working Group formed to consider the motion raised at the Annual Ordinary Meeting of Convocation which is minuted in the President’s Report under Item 11.1.

5. Report 2/05 to May 2005 Council

The Committee received the report for information.

6. Legislation and Standing Resolutions

6.1 Statute submitted to May Council

The Committee noted the following Statute which was enacted by Council at its May meeting:

1

Enactment of Statute recommended by the Planning and Budget Committee

To affiliate the Brain Research Institute (53/05)

6.2 Regulations submitted to May Council

The Committee noted the following Regulations which were amended by Council at its May meeting:

1	Amendment of Regulation 6.1.R7 recommended by the University Secretary	To establish a Centre (55/05)
3	Amendment of Regulation 7.1.R2 recommended by the University Secretary	To add a Chair in the schedule of Chairs to the regulation governing academic and general staff ranks and titles (52/05)
4	Amendment of Regulation 8.1.R11 recommended by the University Secretary	To update the terms of the regulation governing Asialink (54/05)

6.3 Standing Resolutions submitted to April Council

None.

6.4 Statutes proposed for consideration by Council at its July meeting

None.

6.5 Regulations proposed for consideration by Council at its July meeting

None.

7. Report of Council Meeting 4/05 (9/5/05)

7.1 Vice-Chancellor's Report

7.2 Oral report on May Council Meeting

The President gave an oral report of the May Council meeting.

Members discussed the item in the Vice-Chancellor’s Report which dealt with Brookes Gillespie House and it was suggested that it might be worthwhile to invite a University officer to come to a meeting of the Committee to speak on this item. The University Secretary reported that Council’s Finance Committee had discussed the matter that day and, with the benefit of hindsight, had concluded that it was neither necessary nor desirable for the University to involve itself in student housing building projects.

A member asked if the paper titled Response to Due Diligence Audit of Teaching and Learning had been discussed at Council and was informed that it had generated a considerable amount of debate. Dr Condron advised that Council had looked at how the University would address teaching inadequacies to improve its performance. To this end, Academic Board would be monitoring progress. The Assistant University Secretary resolved to bring back to a future meeting of the Committee of Convocation a progress report of how the matter was progressing. Mr Green would consult the President of Academic Board and report back to the June meeting, on a time-line of when information will be reported to the Committee.

8. Reports of Faculty Meetings and Committee Meetings

8.1 Planning and Budget Committee 3/05

The Committee received the report for information.

8.2 Student Support Committee 2/05

The Committee received the report for information.

8.3 Theatre Board

a) Meeting 1/05 held 18/2/05

The Committee received the report for information.

b) Meeting 2/05 held 18/3/05

The Committee received the report for information.

c) Meeting 3/05 held 22/4/05

The Committee received the tabled report for information.

8.4 Faculty of Science

The Committee’s representative on the Faculty of Science drew to members’ attention the tabled Faculty’s Newsletter Inside Science in which the Dean had reported his dialogue with the Committee at its April meeting.

8.5 Cultural and Community Relations Committee

It was resolved that this item be carried over to the June meeting when the report would be discussed.

8.6 Faculty of Land and Food Resources

The Committee received the tabled report for information.

9. Alumni Relations Report

The President invited Ms Wendy Lawler, Director of Development, to give an Alumni Relations report. Ms Lawler reported that a systems upgrade was being undertaken, reviewing management of the system as well as data management. The Director of Development advised that the proposal to issue email addresses to graduates had been approved by the Information Strategy Committee and was to be considered at the Planning and Budget Conference in June. In addition, Ms Lawler sought views of members on whether it may be preferable for Melbourne University Magazine to be issued twice a year rather than once and asked for members’ feedback about the Magazine.

The President asked about the communications strategy for the University, and thought it might be worthwhile for the Committee of Convocation to ask for a report on this matter. Ms Lawler reported that the Deputy Vice-Chancellor (Innovation and Development), when this newly created position was filled, would be responsible for this issue.

10. Guest Speaker

The President reminded members that the guest speaker at dinner was Mr Matthew Belleghem, President of the University of Melbourne Postgraduates Association and he would speak on Voluntary Student Unionism.

11 President’s Report

11.1 Minutes of Special Meeting of President’s Advisory Committee

The President advised he had convened a special meeting of the President’s Advisory Group to consider action arising from a motion put to the Annual Ordinary Meeting of Convocation. The President’s Advisory Group was of the opinion that work was required by the Committee to formulate a recommendation to be taken back to Convocation at its next Annual Ordinary Meeting. It was thought this could be best dealt with by a small ad hoc Working Group. Draft terms of reference for the Working Group were circulated for adoption. By a show of hands, members indicated that the proposals of the President’s Advisory Group had the support of the Committee of Convocation. After discussion, it was resolved that the Working Group be led by Ms LJ Boston, and that the following members of the Committee of Convocation comprise the Working Group: Mr DM Dodd, Ms AM Neal-Adam, Mr RTA Hardcastle, Dr S Sahhar and Mr RE Cook. Mr JM Green, the Assistant University Secretary, agreed to also be a member of the Working Group to provide executive assistance and advice. It was agreed that the Working Group should consider the motion and report back to the Committee of Convocation within this calendar year.

12. Any Other Business

12.1 Committee of Convocation – Terms Expiring 31/12/2005

The Assistant University Secretary reported on behalf of the Returning Officer that a call for nominations to be received by 13 July for terms of office expiring on 31 December 2005 had been published that day, 18 May. A list of the members whose terms were expiring was circulated with the agenda papers.

13. Receipt of Unstarred Items

The unstarred items were received.