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Murdoch University Senate

 

 

22 February 2006 - Senate Agenda

  1. MEMBERSHIP
  2. APOLOGIES
  3. DECLARATIONS OF INTEREST (SENATE STANDING ORDERS CLAUSE 4.2)
     
    PART A - MAJOR ISSUES
     
  4. DRAFT ANNUAL REPORT
  5. ANNUAL REPORT ON THE UNIVERSITY ENVIRONMENT
     
    PART B - OTHER ISSUES FOR DISCUSSION
     
  6. VICE CHANCELLOR'S REPORT
  7. SENATE PRIORITIES 2005
  8. RATIFICATION OF STATUTE AMENDMENTS
  9. AUQA AUDIT STATUS REPORT
     
    PART C - OTHER ITEMS
     
  10. CONFIRMATION OF PREVIOUS MINUTES
  11. ACADEMIC COUNCIL
  12. GOVERNANCE & NOMINATIONS COMMITTEE
  13. LEGISLATION COMMITTEE
  14. RESOURCES COMMITTEE
  15. OFFICIAL SEAL
  16. SENATE MEETING DATES 2006
  17. MATTERS FOR INFORMATION

1. MEMBERSHIP

1.1 A list of current Senate members is attached, together with an up to date attendance register.
1.2 Details of current Senate committees and their members are attached.

2. APOLOGIES

2.1 Nil.
2.2 Any apologies received after circulation of the agenda will be reported to the meeting.

3.DECLARATIONS OF INTEREST (SENATE STANDING ORDERS CLAUSE 4.2)

Section 17A and Division 2 of Schedule 1 of the Murdoch University Act require all members of Senate who have a material personal interest in a matter being considered or about to be considered:

(i) (i) to declare the nature and extent of the interest; and
(ii) (ii) not to be present during consideration of the matter, nor vote on it.

PART A - MAJOR ISSUES

4.DRAFT ANNUAL REPORT

The Resources Committee reviewed the draft documents (attached) at its meeting on 13/02/2006 (refer to agenda item 14). The PVC (Corporate) and the Director, Financial Services will be available to answer any questions pertaining to these documents.

Senate needs to approve the documents and the related certification statement.

5. ANNUAL REPORT ON THE UNIVERSITY ENVIRONMENT

The Chair of the Environmental Committee will speak to the attached report.

PART B - OTHER ISSUES FOR DISCUSSION

6.VICE CHANCELLOR'S REPORT

The Vice Chancellor will speak to his report to Senate, a copy of which is attached.

7.SENATE PRIORITIES

By resolution S/23/2005, Senate adopted the following priorities for 2005, including the allocation of responsibility for preparing discussion papers:

  • Maximising the University’s return on its assets, e.g. land, intellectual property by establishing an appropriate endowment/investment policy (Responsibility: Resources Committee and PVC (Corporate)).
  • Engagement with external parties and the community, i.e. the extent to which members of Senate can support and promote the University through their external contacts and networks (Responsibility: Director of Development and Director Corporate & Public Relations).
  • Identification of long-term goals for the University, including understanding the changing nature of higher education policy (Responsibility: PVC (Corporate) and PVC (Strategy)).
  • Maintain the University’s compliance with the National Governance Protocols (Responsibility: Governance & Nominations Committee and General Counsel & University Secretary).

8.RATIFICATION OF STATUTE AMENDMENTS

On 22/11/2005 Senate approved amendments to Statute 17 – Guild of Students in the terms attached (changes marked up). Notice of the proposed amendments has been displayed at the University in accordance with paragraph 25(1)(b) of the Murdoch University Act.

Note: In accordance with section 25 of the Murdoch University Act, an absolute majority of Senate must ratify the amendment.

9.AUQA AUDIT STATUS REPORT

The PVC (Academic) will provide a brief update for Senate members in relation to preparations for the AUQA audit scheduled for 2006 (briefing paper attached).

Note: Whilst Senate agreed that the Vice Chancellor could approve the final version of the University’s AUQA Performance Portfolio due to the tight timeframe within which it had to be submitted, due to an oversight Senate did not formally resolve as such.

Senate needs to pass a resolution ratifying the Vice Chancellor’s action in this regard.

PART C - OTHER ITEMS

The Chancellor will put the following as a single item for noting and for the approval/acceptance of any recommendations contained in them. Members of Senate may request that any of these items to be reserved for discussion.

10.CONFIRMATION OF PREVIOUS MINUTES

10.1 Confirmation of the attached minutes of the meeting held on 13/12/2005.
10.2 Note the attached report of action on resolutions passed at the previous meeting.

11.ACADEMIC COUNCIL

The minutes of the Academic Council meeting held on 25/01/2006 are attached. Other than in relation to legislative matters, there are no recommendations to Senate.

Note: All legislative matters are dealt with under item 13 of the agenda (Legislation Committee).

12.GOVERNANCE & NOMINATIONS COMMITTEE

The minutes of the Governance & Nominations Committee meeting held on 14/02/2006 are attached. The following items contain recommendations to Senate:

GNC/01/2006 Recommended nominee to be co-opted as a member of Senate (subject to the Chancellor’s confirmation).
GNC/02/2006 Recommendation as to process for dealing with statutory amendments necessitated by the Higher Education Support Amendment (Abolition of Compulsory Up-front Student Union Fees) Act 2005 (C’th).
GNC/03/2006 Recommendation as to change to standing orders.

13.LEGISLATION COMMITTEE

The minute of the Legislation Committee resolution by circulation dated 13/02/2006 is attached. The following items contain recommendations to Senate:

LC/01/2006
(i) Diploma Regulation 1(1)(b) (changes marked up attached)
(ii) Diploma Regulation 1(1)(c) (changes marked up attached)
(iii) Bachelor Degree Regulation 1 (1) (changes marked up attached)
(iv) Master by Coursework Degree Regulation 1(1) (changes marked up attached)
(v) Master by Coursework Degree Regulation 2(1) (changes marked up attached)
(vi) Student Appeals Committee Regulation 4 (changes marked up attached)
(vii) Division Regulation 15(1) (changes marked up attached)
(viii) Statute 5-Academic Council (changes marked up attached)

Note: In accordance with section 25 of the Murdoch University Act, an absolute majority of Senate must approve the amendments to Statute no. 5.

14.RESOURCES COMMITTEE

The minutes of the Resources Committee meeting held on 13/02/2006 are attached. The following items contain recommendations to Senate:

RC/31/2007 Approval of the University’s financial statements for the year ended 31/12/2005 and authorisation of the Chancellor, Vice Chancellor and Chief Financial Officer to sign the certification of financial statements (see agenda item 4).
RC/32/2006 Approval of Veterinary Teaching Hospital the write-off of debts for the period to 31/12/2005.
RC/33/2006
(i) Subject to (ii), request Academic Council to report in accordance with clause 5 of Statute no. 21 (Affiliated Institutions) in relation to Murdoch Institute of Technology and Murdoch College.
(ii)

Any grant of affiliated status to either or both of Murdoch Institute of Technology or Murdoch College will be subject to the following conditions:

(a) The grant of affiliated status will expire on 31/01/2011, or on expiry or earlier termination of the existing agreements between the University and each applicant, whichever occurs first.
(b) To the extent that either applicant in any way publishes or markets the fact that it holds affiliated status, it must comply with clauses 16.1, 16.2 and 16.3 of the feeder college agreement dated 03/08/2005 between the University and Catona Pty Ltd in terms of use of the University’s name, trade marks or other trade indicia.
RC/34/2006 Approval of the payments for the period 29/10/2005 to 01/12/2005 inclusive.
RC/35/2007 Approval of the University’s annual report for the year ended 31/12/2005 and authorisation of the Chancellor and Vice Chancellor to sign the statement of compliance (see agenda item 4).
RC/36/2006 Approve the key performance indicators for the year ended 31/12/2005 and authorisation of the Chancellor and Vice Chancellor to sign the certificate of performance indicators for inclusion in the 2005 annual report (see agenda item 4).
RC/37/2006 Approval for the University to use a fixed price negotiated building contract with a nominated builder, subject to probity and conflict of interest measures being implemented and authorisation of the Vice Chancellor to execute a fixed price building contract.

15.OFFICIAL SEAL

In accordance with resolution S/54/2004, the General Counsel & University Secretary has provided a report detailing the documents to which the official seal has been affixed since the last Senate meeting.

16.SENATE MEETING DATES 2006

16.1 The Senate’s meeting dates for 2006 and respective closing dates for agenda items are attached.
16.2

Rather than the Senate holding one meeting at Rockingham and one in Mandurah each year, the Senate and Academic Council will alternate between each location each year.

In 2006 the Senate’s April meeting will be at Mandurah and the Academic Council’s March meeting will be at Rockingham. This will be reversed in 2007.

17.MATTERS FOR INFORMATION

A copy of any newspaper or other articles of relevance or interest are attached.
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