MONASH UNIVERSITY ACADEMIC BOARD Meeting No. 5/2015 held on 9 September 2015 CHAIR’S REPORT TO COUNCIL RECOMMENDATIONS BY ACADEMIC BOARD There are no matters arising from this meeting of the Academic Board requiring adoption or approval by Council. MATTERS CONSIDERED BY ACADEMIC BOARD Specific matters dealt with by Academic Board Meeting 5/2015 are highlighted below for Council to note, as necessary. 1. Student Engagement Academic Board’s Report 4/2014 to Council emphasised that ensuring that students are able to progress through their course of study successfully and to an appropriate standard was a fundamental aspect of assuring academic quality across the University. During discussion in 2014 on reporting of academic progress data, Academic Board recommended that the Campus Community Division be asked to present on initiatives to improve student engagement and academic progress. At Meeting 5/2015 Mr Vladimir Prpich, Executive Director Campus Community Division, reported on the MonTRACK program, which is designed to assist students in their transition to life and study at Monash University. MonTRACK builds on the successful First in Family Program and employs senior students as Student Success Advisers (SSAs) to contact new students at key points during their first year to provide thematic/time‐relevant messages and assist with transition issues. Members noted that: 2. 
This program is unique to Monash. 
Results indicated a positive impact on student experience at Monash, in particular their academic progress. 
There was considerable interface by the program with key stakeholders, including faculties. 
The program also impacted positively on the SSAs, who were evolving into advocates for a strong Monash community. Bachelor of Medical Science and Doctor of Medicine (BMedSci/MD) Academic Board accredited the BMedSci/MD, which represents a step in a new direction for Monash (as a vertical double degree), but also the model towards which medical degrees in Australia are evolving. Whilst there are no significant changes to the current MBBS offering (the current six years’ volume of learning in five years, CSP load and entry requirements remain), a range of additional scholarly activities have been included in the MD component to bring it to an AQF Level 9 (Masters extended) qualification. The Board noted that the proposed program acknowledges student performance, but also represents a sound business proposition, enabling Monash to maintain its position in a competitive market. 3. Quality and Standards In its Report of Meeting 1/2015, Academic Board reported that its Steering Committee (acting pursuant to the Board’s delegation) had approved waiver of the University's minimum entry requirements in respect of a named list of students in Monash South Africa foundation programs as a result of the incorrect publication of admission standards for Monash University degrees. 1
In so doing, a range of conditions was imposed, including appropriate advice to affected students, provision of additional academic skills support, and regular reporting of progress to the Board over the next triennium. Academic Board Meeting 5/2015 received two reports pursuant to the conditions referred to above. Monash South Africa Semester 1 Results Academic Board considered the report on the progress of the cohort of students admitted on the basis of average marks between 50‐59% (i.e. pursuant to the exemption granted earlier in the year). Professor Alwyn Louw confirmed that those students who had utilised the offered support program had achieved satisfactory academic results. However, management of and participation in the program needed to be strengthened going forward, and institutional efforts were therefore being directed to meet this need. The Board noted a range of related issues, including: 
Given the low pass rates, resourcing of the program over several years would be required to maximise academic progress of this cohort. 
Better communicate to students of the reasons for the requirement to undertake the program was necessary. 
Academic Progress Committees would have to be attuned to the likelihood of future success when considering progress of individual students and that where a student was not capable of succeeding, it was both ethical and equitable to ensure that student not be allowed to continue. 
That the exemption for this cohort was a singular case and that there would be no further exemptions. The Board observed that the processes adopted in relation to this cohort had validated Monash’s conduct as ethically and academically sound and had confirmed the appropriateness of its admissions standards. Monash South Africa Admissions Audit The Board noted that the purpose of the audit of mid‐year admissions was to close the loop on the Board’s direction that two audits of admissions from MSAFP/ HCHES to Monash University awards be undertaken and to ensure that there was an audit trail in respect of the cohort of students admitted as a result of the exemption from the usual admissions standards. Professor Ben Canny Chair, Academic Board 2