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Murdoch University Senate

 

 

5 April 2006 - Senate Minutes

Present:

Em. Prof. Geoffrey Bolton (Chair)
Mr Mal Bradley
Prof. Stuart Bradley
Mr Terry Budge
Assoc. Prof. Nick Costa
Ms Alison Gaines
Mr Gerry Georgatos
Sir William Heseltine
Mr Philip Hocking
Mr Garry Hunt
Ms Carolyn Jakobsen
Mr Dick Lester
Assoc. Prof. Jim Macbeth
Ms Shirley McPherson
Secretary: Ms Samantha Summerton
Observers:

Mr Ian Callahan (PVC - Corporate)
Prof. Jan Thomas (PVC - Academic)
Prof. Michael Borowitzka (President, Academic Council)
Mr Satis Arnold
Mr Peter Cook
Mr John Le Cras
Mr Tim Morrison
Prof. Jim Reynoldson
Ms Diane Sinagra
Apologies

Mr Brian Aitken
Prof. Gary Martin (PVC - Strategy)
Prof. Andris Stelbovics (PVC - Research)
Prof. Yianni Attikiouzel
Prof. Arnold Depickere
Assoc. Prof. Michael Campion

  1. MEMBERSHIP
  2. APOLOGIES
  3. DECLARATIONS OF INTEREST (MURDOCH UNIVERSITY ACT S17A)
  4. ANNUAL REPORT ON AUDIT AND RISK MANAGEMENT
  5. OUTCOMES OF SENATE RETREAT
  6. VICE CHANCELLOR'S REPORT
  7. WOIA AND AUQA AUDIT UPDATE
  8. VETERINARY TRUST NOMINATION
  9. RATIFICATION OF STATUTE AMENDMENTS
  10. UPDATE ON THE PEEL CAMPUS
  11. MINUTES
  12. ACADEMIC COUNCIL
  13. AUDIT AND RISK MANAGEMENT COMMITTEE
  14. ENVIRONMENTAL COMMITTEE
  15. LEGISLATION COMMITTEE
  16. RESOURCES COMMITTEE (PAPERS AND DISCUSSION COMMERCIAL IN CONFIDENCE)
  17. ANY OTHER BUSINESS
  18. OFFICIAL SEAL

1.MEMBERSHIP

The Chancellor welcomed Ms Shirley McPherson to her first Senate meeting.

2.APOLOGIES

Mr Brian Aitken, Ms Janice Bowra, Mr Malcolm Macpherson, Judge Kate O’Brien, Prof. John Yovich (Vice Chancellor).

3.DECLARATIONS OF INTEREST (MURDOCH UNIVERSITY ACT S17A)

Nil.

4.ANNUAL REPORT ON AUDIT AND RISK MANAGEMENT

The Chair of the Audit & Risk Management Committee (A&RMC) spoke to the Annual Audit Committee report. The Senate congratulated the A&RMC members and staff on their impressive internal audit job, which was also noted by the WOIA panel. Senate affirmed its satisfaction with the current structure of the Audit and Risk Committee as including both members and non-members of Senate

Resolved:
S/08/2006
 To endorse the report of the Audit & Risk Management Committee.

5.OUTCOMES OF SENATE RETREAT

Senate members declared the Senate Retreat 2006 a success and an excellent opportunity for Senate members and members of the Senior executive team to interact on a structured but informal basis. Senate noted that the University will be moving forward into challenging times but felt confident that the University would be able to meet the challenges ahead with the twin benefits of a cohesive Senate and a very capable Senior Executive.

6.VICE CHANCELLOR'S REPORT

The PVC (Academic) spoke to the Vice Chancellor’s report. Key points made during discussion included the following:
Ø Alison Hymus, Executive Assistant to the Chancellor and Vice Chancellor, gave birth to a healthy, 7 pound, 9 ounce baby boy, Cormac on Monday 03/04/2006.

  • The Vice Chancellor has been bestowed the honour of being appointed the head of the Innovative Research Universities Australia (IRUA) group. This group will play a large role in influencing education policy.
  • The Vice Chancellor has also been appointed to the board of the Australian Science Media Centre. This appointment has the added prestige of Prof. Yovich being the only member from the university sector.
  • The Vice Chancellor has been invited to be the first key note speaker at the Sydney symposium on The Growing Recognition of the Scholarship of Engagement. Prof. Yovich is a world recognised expert on this topic and Senate recognised Prof. Yovich’s enormous contribution in this field.
  • The University has been pronounced HEWRRS compliant. Senate thanked the Human Resources Department for their assistance in securing this compliance.
  • Senate member Alison Gaines moved the motion that Senate formally acknowledge and congratulate the University’s two Fulbright scholars for 2006.
Resolved:
S/09/2006
 To send Jessica Evans and Prof. Peter Newman formal communications of congratulations from Senate for their respective Fulbright Postgraduate Award and Senior Scholar Awards for 2006.

7.WOIA AND AUQA AUDIT UPDATE

The PVC (Academic) provided an update on Murdoch’s preparations for the upcoming AUQA audits. Requests were made to the University on 29/03/2006 for additional material. The AUQA panel discussed the logistics of their visit in May 2006 which enabled the University to develop a better understanding of what would be required. The Senate panel for AUQA will be meeting on 08/05/2006 from 17:15 to 18:00.

There has been a very positive vibe about the processes the University have already undertaken and the audit itself will mark the end of a couple of years of long preparation.

8.VETERINARY TRUST NOMINATION

On the recommendation of the Murdoch University Veterinary Trust Board, Senate resolved the following:

Resolved:
S/10/2006
 That the AVA WA Division President Dr David Neck be appointed a trustee of the Murdoch University Veterinary Trust for a term of one year commencing 01/05/2006.

9.RATIFICATION OF STATUTE AMENDMENTS

An absolute majority of Senate ratified amendments to Statute 5 – Academic Council in the terms attached (changes marked up).

Resolved:
S/11/2006
 To ratify the amendments to Statute 5 – Academic Council in the terms attached (changes marked up)

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

10.UPDATE ON THE PEEL CAMPUS

The PVC (Corporate) spoke to his power point presentation. He presented some initial sketches and concept drawings for stage two of the Peel Campus. The PVC (Corporate) outlined plans to focus on providing better facilities for students, noting that current arrangements for shared cafeteria facilities with the high school were not really suitable for university students. He also highlighted that the main focus of the new buildings would be to provide an enhanced teaching environment for the nursing course in particular. This includes the establishment of a practice hospital ward. Ian also noted that the facility will not be complete until well into 2007 and currently alternative facilities are being considered to handle the larger intake of students who arrive on campus at the start of 2007.

11.MINUTES

Senate confirmed the minutes of the meeting held on 22/02/2006. It also noted a report of action taken to implement previous resolutions of Senate.

12.ACADEMIC COUNCIL

Senate noted the minutes of the meeting of the Academic Council held on 15/03/2007. There were no recommendations requiring a Senate resolution.

13.AUDIT AND RISK MANAGEMENT COMMITTEE

Senate noted the minutes of the meeting of the Audit & Risk Management Committee held on 21/02/2006 and resolved in accordance with the recommendation of the committee as follows:

S/12/2006 To approve the enhanced 2005 Committee report. The Chair and the Director, Office of Internal Audit and Risk Management to effect the suggested enhancements to the draft 2005 Committee report to the Senate at Annexure I on pages 72 to 75.

14.ENVIRONMENTAL COMMITTEE

Senate noted the minutes of the meeting of the Environmental Committee held on 09/03/2007 and resolved in accordance with the recommendation of the committee as follows:

Resolved:
S/13/2006
(i) The Environmental report for 2006 be tabled at the March 2007 Senate forthwith to prevent an 11 month lag on the information contained within. The 2005 report will be completed as soon as is possible endeavouring to be done by the July Environment Committee meeting
(ii)

To amend resolution EC/04/2006 to now read:

To accept the nomination of Mr Mal Bradley and a student representative nominated by Prof Nick Costa to fill the vacant position.

15.LEGISLATION COMMITTEE

Senate noted the minutes of the Legislation Committee (on a decision by circulation) dated 04/04/2007 and resolved in accordance with the recommendation of the committee as follows:

Resolved:
S/14/2006		 To approve the amendments to Statute 22 – Fees (in the terms marked up) to ensure the University’s compliance with the Higher Education Support Amendment (abolition of Compulsory Up-front Student Union Fees) Act 2005 (Cth)

Secretary’s note: In accordance with sub-section 25(1) of the Murdoch University Act, an absolute majority of Senate members voted in favour of the resolution.

16.RESOURCES COMMITTEE (PAPERS AND DISCUSSION COMMERCIAL IN CONFIDENCE)

Senate noted the minutes of the meeting of the Resources Committee held on 21/03/2006 and resolved in accordance with the recommendation of the committee as follows:

Resolved:
S/15/2006
(i) To approve the attached schedule of tenancies requiring statutory approval;
(ii) To authorise the University’s Acting General Counsel to amend the University’s charter to require Senate endorsement of leases in excess of 10 years duration.
(iii) To approve the attached payments for the period 04/02/2006 to 14/03/2006 inclusive.

17.ANY OTHER BUSINESS

17.1

Ms Alison Gaines spoke to Senate about her trip to the Chancellors conference held in Sydney on 3 & 4/04/2006. The conference was attended by 30 Chancellors and their proxies and hosted by University of Technology Sydney. Key issues raised at the conference included:

  • Funding, and the necessity for Chancellors and Vice Chancellor’s to work together to increase funding particularly in light of the end of the 3 year funding deal engineered by Brendan Nelson finishing in 2007.
  • Research Quality Framework (RQF) and the UK’s move away from it. The conference noted that it would like to see Australian universities follow the UK’s example. Julie Bishop has expressed interest in pursuing the Bologna Declaration, which is an indicator of the push towards international standardization of university programs, and of a more aggressive push by European university providers to acquire a share of the international student market. The Declaration provides options for a 4+1 (Bachelor + Master’s) or 3+2 (Bachelor + Master’s) program.
  • India and China’s massive increase in investment in tertiary education and the repercussions for Australia’s position as a provider of international education programmes.
  • Voluntary Student Unionism (VSU) and whether universities will take over the commercial services formerly offered by student guilds.
  • The NSW government’s bill to investigate academic fraud in an independent, Royal Commission style.
  • The question of whether to begin to remunerate University Senate members
17.2

Professor Stuart Bradley spoke to Senate about his trip to Sydney in March for the Financial Review Conference. The two key issues to emerge from the conference were;

  • The funding framework for Higher Education; and
  • The international student environment and the consequences for Australia as an importer rather than an exporter of higher education.

18.OFFICIAL SEAL

Senate noted the attached report provided in accordance with resolution S/54/2004.
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