Provost’s Strategy Group
2.00-4.00p.m. 5th December 2008
Function Room Chancellery Building E11A
Members
Prof Judyth Sachs, DVC (Provost) (Chair)
Ms Maxine Brodie, University Librarian
Prof Ingrid Day, Acting Exec Dean, Arts
Prof Mitchell Dean, Dean SCMP
Dr Julian De Meyrick, Dean of Students
A/Prof Julie Fitness, Acting Dean Linguistics & Psychology
Prof Mark Gabbott, Exec Dean, Business & Economics
Prof Janet Greeley, Exec Dean, Human Sciences
Prof Michael Johnson, Vice-President, Academic Senate
Prof Robin Kramar, Acting Dean, MGSM
A/Prof Kevin McCracken, Acting Dean ELS
Prof Michael Morgan, Dean, School of Advanced Medicine
Dr Alan Rice, Dean ACES
Dr Ian Solomonides, Acting Director, LTC
A/Prof Cameron Stewart, Acting Dean Law
Prof Stephen Thurgate, Exec Dean, Science
Apologies
Ms Maxine Brodie, University Librarian
Prof Mark Gabbott, Exec Dean, Business & Economics
Dr Julian De Meyrick, Dean of Students
Prof Michael Morgan, Dean, School of Advanced Medicine
Dr Ian Solomonides, Acting Director LTC
In Attendance
Dr Justin Dutch, Coordinator, Transition and Mentor Program
Ms Barb McLean, Executive Officer, Office of the DVC (Provost)
Ms Jennifer Peasley, Deputy University Librarian
Prof Gail Whiteford, Pro Vice-Chancellor (Social Inclusion) appointee
Minutes
Prof Sachs welcomed Prof Gail Whiteford to the University and her first meeting of
the Provost’s Strategy Group. She also welcomed Dr Justin Dutch and thanked him
for his willingness to attend and outline the Transition and Mentor Program.
1. Transition Program
JD
Dr Dutch informed the meeting that the Transition Program was into its 9th
year. It was a mentor-run, 6 week program aimed at easing new
undergraduates into the life of the University. In spite of its longevity, there
are still students not engaging and some of these do present with long and
short terms problems; and there is still student feedback that parts of the
University are “unfriendly”. Dr Dutch is responding to this by building links
at the level of program and working with existing groups such as MULS
(Macquarie University Law Society) and Tele’s Angels (Ancient History). He
is also aiming to build links with SIBT. It was suggested he might build a
relationship with Master of Biotechnology students (the bulk of which come
from India). This will have to be done sensitively so that duplication with the
M.I. “Buddy System” does not occur.
Dr Dutch would like to get around and meet all the new Deans and to ensure
greater alignment between the Centre and the faculties. At the moment
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student feedback on the Program is used to improve the Program, but he
foreshadowed that greater feedback will be given to the faculties in the future.
2. Minutes from Meeting 7th November 2008 and Business
Arising
Adopted
2.1 Membership of the Learning & Teaching Space Committee:
Arts – A/Prof Marnie Hughes-Warrington, Dr Mark Evans
Business & Economics – Dr Stephane Mahuteau, Dr Vicki Baard
Human Science – Dr Greg Robertson, Ms Avril Moss
Science – Dr Paul Hesse, Dr Michael Hitchens
Learning and Teaching Centre – Mr Andrew Burrell
Library – Ms Jenny Peasley
Office of Facilities Management – Mr Doug Stewart
Student representatives – Deans to supply names
Adopted
2.2 Report back on Faculty Educational Developer positions
Feedback from the Deans is unanimously of the opinion that the
Position Description supplied by Dr Solomonides overlaps with the
position description for the Learning and Teaching Director. When the
role was explained by Prof Sachs, Deans felt that this role was played
by various positions across the faculty.
The Deans are to send an email to Dr Solomonides
ian.solomonides@mq.edu.au providing him with the names of people
in the faculty that currently fulfil part of the role.
Adopted
The Deans also would like to meet to discuss the position of Learning
and Teaching Director, and will invite Dr Solomonides to attend this
meeting.
Adopted
3. Report from Provost
JS
3.1 Prime Minister’s Award for University Teacher of the Year
Prof Sachs congratulated A/Prof Marnie Hughes-Warrington on her
national success, saying that this was good for her personally, good for
the Faculty and good for the University.
3.2 Macquarie University Teaching Infrastructure Fund
Applications for the MQSIS Teaching Fund for 2009 are due to Barb
McLean by Monday 19th January.
Adopted
It was noted that in 2009, MQSIS and the Teaching Equipment
Scheme will be combined into a more strategic approach to funding
teaching infrastructure.
3.3 Vice-Chancellor’s Awards for Learning and Teaching 2008
Prof Sachs spoke to the list of 2008 winners of Vice-Chancellor’s
Awards, drawing attention to the new Vice-Chancellor’s Award for
Excellence in Higher Degree Research Supervision. She also observed
that a preponderance of males applied for the Research Supervision
award and a preponderance of females applied for the Teaching award.
She called on Deans to assist in rectifying this imbalance.
It was also noted that a focus on students and the student voice was
often missing.
3.4 Student representative on the Quality Enhancement Committee
Prof Sachs informed the meeting that the student representative on the
Quality Enhancement Committee had recently graduated and was
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now employed as a Judges’ Assistant in the High Court in Canberra.
She had been directed by that Committee to ask the Deans for a
replacement student representative. Deans are to provide potential
names to Ms McLean by 19th December.
Adopted
3.5 AUQA2 Performance Portfolio
Prof Sachs informed the meeting that the 3 chapters of the
Performance Portfolio are in draft, ready for a critique by Prof Kevin
McConkey, DVC (Academic), University of Newcastle, at a special
meeting of the Executive on 11th December. After this, changes will
be made and the 3 chapters will be amalgamated into one document by
Mr Peter McCarthy.
4. Report from Executive Deans on progress against Review of
Academic Structure and Review of Academic Programs
Prof Greeley spoke to a tabled document on the restructure progress in the
Faculty of Human Sciences. A Steering Committee has oversight of all the
change, providing both governance and practical assistance e.g. the
development of a template for Minutes. It appears likely that HR will be
centralised at the Faculty level, with the Dean and Heads of Department
currently developing work force plans. It is hoped to transition all
administrative staff by June 2009.
Prof Greeley also reported that the Deans were working together and sharing
their innovations e.g. Terms of Reference for faculty committees,
Departmental and Program Reporting template, Induction Manual, Meeting
Code of Conduct, etc.
The Committee structure aligns with that of the other faculties and has links to
University committees. Students are represented on all faculty committees
and dominate in the Student Experience Sub-Committee (of the L&T
Committee). While there is a separate Student Experience Sub-Committee,
student issues are embedded in other committees as well. Internationalisation
is embedded in the Terms of Reference of all committees, rather than having a
separate committee.
All Assoc Deans, the Faculty Manager and the Executive Assistant to the
Dean are in place; other positions are currently being filled. Two new
positions, which are half paid for by the University, are also being recruited:
Director of Development and Research Commercialisation Manager.
Prof Greeley uses the following means of communication:
 fortnightly bulletin
 distribution of the Minutes of Working Parties
 weekly meetings with Heads of Department, and
 two faculty forums per annum
Prof Sachs thanked Prof Greeley for her progress to date and for her
presentation.
Prof Mark Gabbott to present implementation progress at the next meeting.
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5. 2009 Program of Reviews
2009 

Faculty of Arts
Dept of Law
As part of the Review of P/G
Programs – PICT and MIR
Faculty of Business & Economics
2009  Dept Accounting & Finance
 Dept of Economics
2010 

2011 

2010
2011
Faculty of Human Sciences
2009  Dept of Psychology
 Institute of Early Childhood
 CRIMSE
2009 


2010 


2011 
Dept of Education
Dept of Linguistics
ASAM
IHCBS
Dept of Business
Dept of Business Law
Dept of Actuarial Studies
Applied Finance Centre
Faculty of Science
Chiropractic Program
(Accreditation Review)
As part of the Review of P/G
Programs – M Env Pl and M
Env Sci
At the end of the year:
o Review of Research
Administration
o Allocation of
Administrative Staff
o Faculty structure
2010
2011
6. Any Other Business
This was the last meeting for a number of members and Prof Sachs thanked
them for their contribution to the Committee and the University:
 Prof Mitchell Dean – who will be leading a Participation project
 A/Prof Julie Fitness – for her generosity and good humour
 A/Prof Kevin McCracken – for extending his retirement to lead ELS
 Dr Alan Rice – for leading ACES through their Accreditation Review
 A/Prof Cameron Stewart – for leading Law through a difficault period
of change
7. 2009 Meeting Schedule:
Date
th
6 March
3rd April
1st May
5th June
3rd July
7th August
4th September
2nd October
6th November
4th December
Time
2.00-4.00p.m.
2.00-4.00p.m.
2.00-4.00p.m.
2.00-4.00p.m.
2.00-4.00p.m.
2.00-4.00p.m.
2.00-4.00p.m.
2.00-4.00p.m.
2.00-4.00p.m.
2.00-4.00p.m.
Location
Function Room E11A
Function Room E11A
Function Room E11A
Function Room E11A
Function Room E11A
Function Room E11A
Function Room E11A
Function Room E11A
Function Room E11A
Function Room E11A
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