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  Meeting 4, 13 July 2007

The University Council met at the Queen Victoria Museum and Art Gallery, Launceston on Friday 1 June 2007. This is a report from that meeting.
Council also attended the official opening of the School of Architecture at Inveresk by His Excellency Sir William Cox AO.

The Chancellor welcomed Professor David Rich to his first Council meeting and thanked him (and Professor Malek Pourzanjani similarly for the first Council meeting Professor Pourzanjani attended) for giving up his own time, noting that Professor Rich officially takes up duty on Monday 16 July.

Agenda items included-

EDGE V2 Strategic Plan

Following discussion, Council approved the University’s Strategic Plan for 2008 – 2010, noting that it would be amended to take into account the discussion at the meeting and that the Strategic Plan would be followed up with detailed business plans.

Emerging Issues

Council received the Vice-Chancellor’s report on emerging issues-

  • National Governance Protocols – still on the Commonwealth agenda, review currently underway.
  • China graduations – good relationships with both our major Chinese partner institutions, another 500 graduates this year, now 850 Chinese UTAS alumni and growing.
  • Carrick Institute awards – successful nominees
  • Universities Australia – is up and running, Vice-Chancellor is on the Board, currently selecting a new CEO from a very good short list.

Enrolment Load Report

Council received an enrolment load report (as at 2 July) showing progress against 2007 targets and a comparison with enrolment load at the same point last year.

2006 UTAS Annual Report

Council received a copy of the 2006 Annual Report. The Deputy Chancellor and Vice-Chancellor presented the 2006 University of Tasmania Annual Report to the Governor on Thursday 28 June, as required under the University of Tasmania Act 1992.

2006 Complaints Commissioners’ Annual Report

Council received the 2006 Annual Report of the University Complaints Commissioners, together with a Management Response prepared by the Assistant Director, Governance, and a paper from the Executive Director, Finance & Administration responding to concerns raised by the University Teaching & Learning Committee.

‘Tasmania Tomorrow’ – Policy Announcement on Senior Secondary Education in Tasmania

The Minister for Education recently announced a new policy and structure for senior secondary education in Tasmania. It would see the transformation of the current colleges and TAFE Tasmania into three new organisations: an academy, a polytechnic, and a training enterprise.

The aim of the reforms is to increase retention rates in education beyond Year 10, and lift the qualifications and skills of the Tasmanian population. They would be implemented for the start of 2009.

The Academy is designed for students aiming to go to university, while the Polytechnic provides certificate to diploma courses, and articulation to university.

The Training Enterprise will provide flexible training for enterprises, including in the workplace.

At SMT Retreat report, the Senior Executive held a useful first conversation with the Secretary of the Department of Education about the planned reforms and the role the University can play in their development.

UNESCO-Cousteau Ecotechnie Chair in Antarctic and Southern Ocean Environmental Sciences

UTAS has been designated a prestigious UNESCO-Cousteau Ecotechnie Chair in Antarctic and Southern Ocean Environmental Sciences. It is the only Cousteau endorsed Chair in Australia and the only UNESCO Chair in Antarctic Studies in the world. There are a number of Cousteau Chairs around the world, and UTAS is will now be part of this global ‘think tank’.

The inaugural Cousteau Chair is UTAS Professor, Andrew McMinn, who has a wealth of experience in environmental research, Antarctic environmental research and the impacts of climate change.

News from the Faculty of Education

Faculty of Education Staff Meeting
The second all staff Faculty meeting was held recently in Campbell Town with representatives from all three campuses present. The meeting was well attended with colleagues contributing to lively and productive discussion around the agenda items including the progress and changes in the Faculty in recent times and possible future structures for the Faculty.

Faculty Teaching and Learning Committee
Much interest and enthusiasm is being generated from a process enhance the Faculty Teaching and Learning Committee (FETLC). A number of task groups have been established to progress the Faculty’s strategic objectives in teaching and learning. Membership of the task groups have be drawn from staff of the Faculty and, where appropriate, from other areas of the University such as CALT and the Library.

The task groups are part of important collegial processes within the Faculty. They aim to address quality issues in teaching and learning, to improve efficiency and effectiveness in course development and delivery, to facilitate innovative teaching and learning practices, to reward good teaching and to provide opportunities for capacity building and succession planning. As such they are a central mechanism for achieving the high expectations we all have for our Faculty and for our own individual work.

Careers Expo
The Careers Expo for final year students of the Bachelor of Teaching, Bachelor of Education and Bachelor of Education (In-Service) will be held in Launceston on the 10 July and in Hobart on the 11 July. Representatives from a range of educational institutions will be heard including speakers from the Department of Education, Association of Independent Schools, Catholic Education Office, Teachers Registration Board, Australian Education Union and of course from the University of Tasmania.

Memorial: The silence of extinction – a Community Engagement project
The Memorial project was launched by the patron, Severn Cullis-Suzuki on June 27 and has attracted enthusiastic support from numerous people from Australia and beyond. The Memorial project seeks to raise awareness of the annual extinction rate amongst communities, locally and internationally. The project consist of 37 fabric banners containing spaces for people to contribute a paper shape to commemorate the annual loss of 27 000 species. The art work will be exhibited in venues around the globe and the project will be supported by a website. The site will provide a point of communication with schools and others internationally. This project, initiated by Julie Browett and Dr Robyn Glade-Wright, is supported by the Community Engagement Start-Up Grant.

Desire
‘Desire’ an exhibition of student work from the Faculty of Education, Design & Technology studio will be hosted at 6pm on Friday 6th July at the Design Centre, Cnr Tamar and Brisbane Sts, Launceston.

Appointments

Council noted that Stephen Guigni has been appointed Adjunct Professor in the School of Information Systems.
Council noted the list of honorary appointments.

Academic Senate meeting – 15 June 2007

Council received the report of the Academic Senate meeting held on 15 June 2007. The major items discussed at Academic Senate (other than those forwarded separately to Council) were -

  • Research Quality Framework
  • AMC Board of Studies
  • The Vice-Chancellor’s reports on:
    • Federal Budget
    • Universities Australia
    • EDGE Agenda
    • Australian Maritime College: Project Unity
    • Health Sciences/Menzies Co-location Project
    • Senior Appointments in Launceston
    • 2007 Load Report
  • Board of Graduate Research Report
  • Cross-Campus Teaching Forum
  • Study of 3rd Year Student Perceptions and Attitudes Regarding Postgraduate Coursework Study

 

Minutes of Academic Senate

Council received the draft minutes of the Academic Senate meeting held on 15 July 2007.

Next meeting

Council resolved that the next meeting, scheduled for 24 August, would be held in Hobart.

 

 

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Last Modified: 23-Jul-2007