< BackUniversity
Council HomeUniversity
Council |
< BackUniversity
Council Home |
|
| University
Council |
||
Meeting 4, 31 July 2009
The University Council met in Meeting Room 1, Newnahm Campus, Launceston on Friday 31 July 2009.
Agenda items included-
The impetus for a community-wide response to issues affecting student safety has gained momentum over the last few weeks, both locally and nationally.
The University will be working very closely with the State Government, Tasmania Police, local authorities and interested parties, as well as the TUU and other student groups, to address the issues both at a community and university level.
The State Government has indicated a very strong interest in taking the lead on this issue. Minister Lisa Singh, has indicated that issues will be addressed through a range of strategies including working with students, police and community organisations to help create a safe and welcoming environment.
Council recorded its appreciation for the way in which the recent tragic incident was dealt with by UTAS staff and endorsed the Deputy Vice-Chancellor (Academic) & Provost’s request to pass on its thanks to those involved, noting that individuals had stepped in to fill gaps in UTAS policies and procedures.
Council noted advice from the Deputy Vice-Chancellor (Academic) & Provost that the relevant policies and procedures would be reviewed in the light of gaps identified in the response to the recent incident.
Implementation of IMAS is continuing apace. IMAS has a suite of 4 offices on the 3rd floor of the CIS wing of the Centenary Building. The Manager of the Australian National Network in Marine Science, Bernadette Ulbrich-Hooper, took up her position in mid May; Personal Assistant, Chris Hurley, started work on 24 June and the Executive Officer, Margie Cole, starts work in mid August (Margie is currently School Manager, School of IT and Electrical Engineering at the University of Queensland).
The IMAS Implementation Committee budget sub-committee has met and a revised budget has been prepared. An accurate staff list has been drawn up. Goals for research income and undergraduate load have been revised to levels considered achievable. The revised budget will go to Senate and Council at the end of this month.
Agreement has been reached with the Faculty of SET about the allocation of undergraduate teaching load into IMAS for 2010.
The Governance sub-committee, consisting of UTAS and DPIWE staff, met in late May and discussed the nature of the relationship between the State Government and IMAS. The State Government is examining the current TAFI Joint Venture Agreement (JVA) with the intention of converting into a Research Partnership Agreement under IMAS with cosmetic changes only. There is no intention to change any of the current JVA’s objectives and provisions.
Discussions about the manner in which the National Centre in AMC will contribute to the activities of IMAS have begun, and will be pursued more actively on July 23 and 24, when key players at the AMC are available.
The CSIRO and IMAS have agreed the elements of a further 5-year support by CSIRO for the PhD course in Quantitative Marine Science (QMS), to run until 30 July 2014. CSIRO is currently drafting a new letter of agreement. The positions of Director of QMS and QMS Program Manager are being finalised with the Faculty of SET. Professor Richard Coleman has left the University for a 3-year stint at the ARC in Canberra and Associate Professor Tom Trull has taken over as Director of QMS, for 3 years from 1 July.
Neill Daly has prepared the first Draft of a preliminary feasibility document for the waterfront development. A consultant will soon be appointed to work with individuals and groups over the next six months to prepare the final document.
The co-location sub-committee has provided UTAS Asset Management with all the information it needs to brief a project manager. Once appointed, this person will work with all the co-locatees to ensure that the Medical Sciences building provides the facilities required. All the indications suggest that the building will adequately meet the requirements for the IMAS and its adjunct entities (eg Antarctic Climate and Ecosystems CRC; Integrated Marine Observing System; Tasmanian Partnership in Advanced Computing). Possession of the refurbished building by IMAS is still expected to be early in 2010.
The Interim Board of IMAS has been established and is scheduled to hold its first meeting on 10 August.
An IMAS logo, designed by Clemenger, has been approved. It will be launched soon at a function in Hobart. An IMAS website is under development.
Further work has been conducted on the IMAS register of risks and mitigation strategies put into effect for their reduction.
Advertisements calling for expressions of interest from suitably qualified firms to prepare a feasibility study for the proposed building were placed in Tasmania’s three daily newspapers and The Weekend Australian on Saturday 18 July.
A letter from the Vice-Chancellor about the call for expressions of interest was sent to all key waterfront stakeholders, and a letter from the Executive Director, Planning and Development, was sent to all relevant Tasmanian Government heads of department, on 17 July 2009.
Council received an Enrolment Load report as at 20 July 2009.
Professor John Williamson, Chair of Academic Senate, reported that major items discussed at Academic Senate (other than those forwarded separately for approval or noting by Council) were –
Council also received the draft Minutes of the Academic Senate meeting held on 12 June 2009.
Efficient and effective web services are now considered a critical service delivery platform for all higher education institutions and many businesses.
In 2007, in recognition of the importance of web services as a current and future service delivery platform that underpins the University’s aspirations through the EDGE2 agenda, the UTAS Senior Management Team commissioned a review of web services by Professor Eric Wainwright.
In 2008, the Web Services Strategic Action Plan (WSSAP) was developed and endorsed by Planning and Resources Committee. The WSSAP identified a broad range of strategies and objectives for implementation between 2008 and 2010. Council received a report is a summary of achievements to date and outlines the key result areas for the remainder of 2009.
The staff survey was administered online during the 2 week period 27 April 2009 to 8 May 2009. The survey has been carried out in an effort to better understand staff attitudes and levels of engagement with the University, and to identify issues of concern to staff. One useful feature is the capacity to benchmark results against those of other Australian universities that have used the same survey. It will also provide a baseline to allow us to track performance over time; subsequent surveys may evolve to encompass new issues while retaining a consistency of core questions to allow such tracking. The survey achieved a 56% response rate, which is near the average response rate achieved at other institutions in a first implementation of the survey; response rates tend to rise in subsequent rounds.
An initial aggregate report, showing preliminary results, was discussed at a special meeting of the Senior Management Team on 29 June. High level results, including analyses of quantitative and qualitative data by business area, are now available at http://www.yourvoice.utas.edu.au/. During July/August a series of information sessions and open forums will be held to assist staff to interpret the results for their area. The Senior Management Team will then ask for suggestions for areas for improvement (at both the local and institutional level) that emerge from an analysis of the survey data.
UTAS College Co-delivery Pilot Program
The UTAS College Co-delivery Pilot Program is one of the main initiatives being undertaken through the UTAS College Project which aims to raise higher education aspirations and develop socially inclusive pathways to study at university. The Co-delivery Pilot commenced in winter semester 2008. Two models of delivery have been identified: first year units mapped against TCE subject with an additional component provided by UTAS to meet unit requirements; and a complete UTAS unit offered contributing to a student's meeting the participation and achievement requirement for the award of the TCE.
All units in the pilot offered are existing accredited units with approval for co-delivery granted by the Faculty Teaching and Learning Committee.
The pilot program will run until 2010 during which time a full evaluation will be undertaken. Council received a detailed report.
UTAS College Symposium
UTAS hosted a Symposium in June aimed at promoting collaboration and collegiality around the UTAS College Pilot Program and the wider university preparation and pathways agenda. All Tasmanian senior secondary colleges, schools and Academy campuses were represented at the Symposia (except for one Catholic College otherwise engaged with a UTAS Student Futures Day). As an outcome of the symposia, a number of recommendations have been proposed for further action including some specifically targeted at the continued development of the UTAS College co-delivery program.
Council received a report listing significant media activity from May to June in relation to events at the University of Tasmania.
The Building on Strength Committee has formed smaller Working Parties to address the main themes highlighted in the staff, student and community feedback. The next Committee meeting will be held on 29 July. The Vice-Chancellor and the Working Parties will produce draft proposals which will then be communicated with the University community including Academic Senate and Council.
In accordance with the Honorary, Visiting, Clinical and Adjunct Appointments Policy, new Adjunct Professors are-
A list of other honorary appointments is also available.
Faculties and schools have been provided with 2008 (or most recent) figures against each performance measure in order that they can develop 2010 targets against each measure which are ‘optimistic but achievable’ and aligned with UTAS strategic objectives specified in EDGE2. Key elements, especially those related to student load, are driving the 2010 operational and strategic budget allocation process.
Within the broad context of EDGE2 and the specific target-setting arising from the OPM process, Budget Review Committee has agreed to focus strategic investment funds on initiatives in the following areas in 2009-10:
The Comets Program offers Visiting Fellowships and Scholarships to support short-term visits to UTAS by academics, scholars and other eminent individuals. The Comets Program (funded by Council’s special strategic allocation of funds that is also supporting the New Stars and Rising Stars programs) is designed to benefit areas or activities of strategic priority for UTAS by, for example:
A call for nominations for Visiting Fellows and Visiting Scholars was sent to staff in early June. The selection committee will consider nominations in early August.
The 2009 grants round has resulted in 23 applications with a total request for funding of $162,742. The selection committee will meet to consider grant applications at the end of July. Successful grant applications will be announced in early August.
Space is a significant cost, second only to staffing, in the University's budget. We need to seek substantial economies over time. The Capital Management and Planning Review Committee (CMPRC) has recently formed a working party, chaired by the Deputy Vice-Chancellor (Academic) and Provost, to identify venues to be closed for the 2010 academic year and to explore ways to improve the utilisation of remaining venues in order to reduce the University’s footprint and operating costs.
UTAS completed its Physical, Chemical and Earth Sciences (PCE) submission on 2 July 2009. The ARC’s evaluation process is scheduled to be completed by 2 October 2009, with outcomes reported in November.
The Humanities and Creative Arts (HCA) submission is due to be completed by 21 August 2009. The preparation of this submission has imposed a greater burden on staff as much of the data to be evaluated was previously ineligible for assessment. Staff in the Creative Arts have undertaken a significant exercise to compile and evaluate retrospective data from the period 2002-2007.
A worldwide pandemic was declared by the World Health Organisation on 11 June 2009.
All State and Federal jurisdictions moved from the containment to the protection pandemic phases in the penultimate week of June. UTAS had already moved quickly to establish a central reference point for information (on its web homepage), communicated regularly with staff and students by email (particularly over the difficult examination period) as well as setting up a taskforce early on to deal with issues as they arose.
With the focus on protection, and the commencement of Semester 2 looming, hand sanitizing stations and signage were placed around the campuses, concentrating on areas of high traffic, food preparation and bathroom facilities.
Staff and students are being urged to follow the 5 step protection guidelines promulgated by the Health Department and, in particular, to stay away from the campus and contact the hotline if they are sick.
The moratorium on travel to Mexico has now been withdrawn following the downgrading of the DFAT warning on 3 July. All international travellers have been asked to take into consideration the prospect of being quarantined at their destination should they travel while ill. Where possible, they have also been asked to route their travel through Sydney in preference to Melbourne, due to the proportionately higher concentration of Swine Flu infection in Victoria. Case-by-case high-risk travel policy approval continues to be based on DFAT advice.
A follow-up seasonal flu vaccination program was held in Sandy Bay and Newnham in the first week in June. This brings the total number of vaccinated staff to over 1100.
On 5 June 2009 Council authorised the Vice-Chancellor to sign a contract with TechnologyOne Ltd for the provision of a student management system, including software and services. The Acting Vice-Chancellor signed the contract on 30 June.
This means that the planning phase of the implementation of Student Management has commenced with the aim of completing the planning in approximately 4 months. This phase of the SLIMS Project will have 2 deliverables, being a detailed project implementation plan and a business research study, outlining how the system will be configured to deliver the business processes and services (functionality) that best meet our needs. More details will be made available as this planning phase progresses including the opportunities that staff will have to contribute.
The implementation of Student Management will take approximately 2 years with a go-live date likely in late 2011.
UTAS has also engaged TechnologyOne to implement a new finance system (FinanceOne) to replace the current Oracle finance system. The project has commenced, with the planning phase currently being undertaken. Configuration, testing and user training will occur over the remainder of 2009, with the new system to be used from the start of 2010.
The independent selection of the 2 TechnologyOne products means that for 2 of our corporate systems there will be a common look and feel, common design features, common reporting tools and the opportunity to build our capacity to integrate the analysis of our data across the systems for more informed decision-making.
For more information relating to the SLIMS Programme, please log on to the SLIMS website at: www.slims.utas.edu.au.
Further to the report at the last meeting, the second round of budget meetings with Faculties/Divisions were held in the first 2 weeks of July. Budget submissions are to be completed by the 7 August, with any follow-up discussions to be completed by the end of August. The final draft budget will be considered by Planning and Resources Committee on 21 September, Academic Senate on 25 September, Finance Committee on 9 October, and Council on 30 October.
A number of funding initiatives in support of higher education were announced in the recent Federal Budget, however the most significant items will not impact until 2012. For 2010, there is no significant change to overall University funding structures.
Senior managers from the Division of the Pro Vice-Chancellor (Students & Education) attended a planning day on 19 June to analyse the feedback received from recent meetings with the Faculties and AMC. Consideration was given to ways in which the Division could structure itself in order to continue to improve service provision. Planning day outcomes will be communicated to the wider University community once they have been ratified within the Division.
Graduation ceremonies were held in China during the first week of July. In total more than 500 students graduated from the Faculty of Science, Engineering & Technology and the Faculty of Business at Zhejiang University of Technology (ZUT) in Hangzhou and Shanghai Ocean University (SOU) in Shanghai.
The present exhibition in the Morris Miller Library is a celebration of the centenary of Biology at the University. It recognises Theodore Thomson Flynn, the first professor of Biology, and his son Errol Flynn, silver screen legend. The exhibition features photographs, tools, research papers, zoological specimens, skeletons, glass plate negatives and lantern slides belonging to and related to Professor Flynn’s research. Professor Flynn was an avid field researcher, and a fossil whale and a Thylacine skull collected by Professor Flynn and information relating to his trip on the Aurora to Macquarie Island are rare and valuable objects in the display. The exhibition also includes a collection of original Errol Flynn movie posters and photographs and books by and about Errol Flynn.
The exhibition was opened on 16 June by Dr Randy Rose, and the launch was attended by more than 70 people. The exhibition will be on display in the Library foyer and cabinets throughout the Library until the end of August.
The International Federation of Library Associations and Institutions (IFLA) is the peak international body representing library and information services and their users. The annual IFLA General Conference and Assembly attracts over 3000 delegates from all over the world who meet to share best practice, debate professional and academic issues and inform the future directions of the global library and information sector.
Vanessa Warren, Liaison Librarian at the University of Tasmania Library, will be presenting a paper at the conference, to be held in Milan, Italy, in August. Vanessa’s paper examines the practical and theoretical context surrounding the development and implementation of the Library’s Developmental Framework for Liaison Librarian A’s, a pilot program of professional development for new librarians that emerged from the Library’s comprehensive workforce planning project in 2005-2007.
Selected from a highly competitive international field, Vanessa is the first representative from the University of Tasmania Library to speak at this prestigious forum, and will be one of only 7 Australians in a field of over 280 international speakers.
Three University of Tasmania staff have been awarded Australian Learning and Teaching Council Citations for Outstanding Contributions to Student Learning.
The Citations for Outstanding Contributions to Student Learning recognise and reward the diverse contributions that individuals and teams make to the quality of student learning. The Citations are open to both Academic and General staff, with each winner receiving $10,000.
Awardees |
School/ |
Citation |
Dr Angela Martin |
Management |
The creation of curricula and multimedia resources that develop interpersonal skills and psychological capital in current and future managers. |
Dr Melissa |
NCMCRS |
For sustained commitment to developing interdisciplinary understanding and critical thinking skills of students working in the field of environmental sustainability. |
Mr Patrick Dalton |
Plant Science |
For continued commitment to applied student learning, individual enquiry and establishment of peer mentoring in plant science. |
Awardees will be presented with their Citations at a ceremony in Melbourne on 10 August 2009.
Mr Rick Snell from the Faculty of Law has been awarded the LexisNexis and Australasian Law Teachers Association Award for Teaching Excellence and Innovation in the Teaching of Law for 2009. This award is open to university law teachers from Australia, New Zealand, New Guinea and the South Pacific, recognising and rewarding excellence and innovation in the teaching of Law including:
Curriculum advancement and pedagogical improvements in courses;
Engagement with students in order to achieve outstanding learning results; and
Innovation of learning design including the use of technology to achieve improved learning results for students.
The prize consists of a medal, a certificate and $4000.
School of Sociology and Social Work
Prof Rowland Atkinson has just negotiated a further 3 years of funding from Housing Tasmania for the Housing and Community Research Unit in the School of Sociology and Social Work of $160,000 a year, for a total of $480,000 over 3 years.
Prof Rob White and Dr Max Travers recently obtained ARC funding as part of a national evaluation of Australia's children's courts. They were part of a consortium of 16 researchers administered by La Trobe University that secured an ARC discovery grant for $580,000.
Keith Jacobs, Michelle Gabriel, and Max Travers all were successful in the recent round of large project funding from the Australian Housing and Urban Research Institute (AHURI) for their project ‘What future for Australian public housing? A critical analysis.’
Recent Publications:
Max Travers' international textbook, Understanding Law and Society, will be published by Routledge-Cavendish in August.
Tranter, B (UTAS) and Western, M (UQ) (2009) ‘The Influence of Green Parties on Postmaterialist Values’ British Journal of Sociology 60(1): 145-167. This journal is ranked 3/96 in the 2007 ISI Sociology category with impact factor of 2.449.
Stigma Research Laboratory
The Stigma Research Laboratory (SRL) is an innovative arts-based strategy exploring how reputation affects people in some neighbourhoods. Work was commissioned from 3 contemporary local visual artists for site-specific exhibition/installation.
The Housing and Community Research Unit (HACRU) at UTAS partnered with the UTAS School of Art, Contemporary Art Services Tasmania (CAST) and the Moonah Arts Centre to develop the exhibition, which contains video art and photography.
The project is based in Hobart and is potentially a prototype for interventions challenging neighbourhood stigma in other parts of Tasmania and Australia.
Dr Natasha Cica, collaborative research project developer at UTAS, designed the project and put the team together.
The creative team is led by Mr John Vella, Head of Sculpture at UTAS’ Tasmanian School of Art. Mr Vella's diverse work tackles humour, beauty, status and cultural anxieties and has been exhibited locally, nationally and internationally. The other participating artists are new-media artist Scot Cotterell, who works across the fields of installation, live audiovisual composition, moving and still imagery and Philippa Steele, an emerging installation artist who is also co-founder of the new art firm Backstory. UTAS’ Associate Professor Keith Jacobs, from HACRU, provided academic direction for the project, drawing on his strong research interest in housing stigma and social inclusion. The project received financial support from UTAS through its Community Engagement Start-Up Grant Scheme, supplemented by funding from CAST.
Conservatorium of Music
Ms Gina Bashford, from the Conservatorium of Music, has been awarded a Churchill Fellowship to investigate aural development strategies and performance practice as applicable to teaching, classical voice performance and ensemble direction - an opportunity to learn, observe and discuss different teaching strategies, techniques and philosophies in voice and aural training, in both solo and ensemble settings at the source of best current practices internationally. The approaches to a selection of schools of methodology and teaching will be experienced and examined for application to a full range of students - beginner to tertiary, and for the application to Gina’s own performance practice. During her fellowship Gina will travel to Hungary (Kodaly Institute), to Finland (Sibelius Academy) and also to the UK (Royal Academy, Guildhall etc).
School of Art
Hobart Art Prize (Drawing and Sculpture)
Selection for the prestigious 21st Hobart Art Prize exhibition recognises national standing and achievement, and to be awarded one of the prizes confirms the highest acknowledgement. All 3 winners (Drawing, Sculpture and the Moorilla prize) are Tasmanian, as are the 2 who received the judges’ honourable mentions. Tasmanian representation is the highest yet for a Hobart Art Prize exhibition – over half the 58 exhibiting artists are or were Tasmanian. This achievement reflects the strength of the artwork included; the 2009 show is one of the best Hobart Art Prize exhibitions. Twenty-nine entrants, including all the winners, studied or teach/taught with the University of Tasmania; they include highly regarded senior, mid-career and emerging artists. Six of the exhibiting artists, including UTAS head of drawing, Mary Scott (who won the drawing prize), have PhDs in Fine Art from UTAS (2 others are currently PhD candidates). Nine others have Master of Fine Arts degrees.
The School of Management has appointed 2 new Adjunct Professors - Prof Pascale Quester and Prof Brian Wheeller.
Professor Quester was the Inaugural Professor of Marketing at The University of Adelaide Business School and is currently the Executive Dean of the Faculty of Professions. Prof Quester has published 2 leading academic textbooks, each in their 5th edition, on the topic of marketing and consumer behaviour, as well as a French book on quantitative marketing. She has also written or co-authored over 150 refereed journal articles and conference papers and her work has appeared in the leading international journals and conference proceedings in her field. Prof Quester is also a research fellow of PRISM-Sorbonne.
Professor Wheeller is an internationally renowned and respected tourism scholar and commentator. He is a visiting scholar at the University of Breda in The Netherlands, the University of Birmingham, Sheffield Hallam University, the University of Plymouth and Leeds Metropolitan University. He is a leading speaker on eco-tourism and has been invited to consult on the impact and sustainability of tourism for British Airways, the British Chartered Institute of Transport and to present his work at universities in the Maldives, Brazil, Finland, Malaysia, South Africa, Portugal, Poland, Indonesia, China, Australia and New Zealand to name a few.
An adaptation by Dr Col Winkler, Honorary Research Associate of the School of Management, of Raymond Noe’s well-known international textbook Employee Training and Development for Australia and New Zealand has recently been published by McGraw-Hill.
Professor Trevor Sofield, of the School of Management, has been invited as keynote speaker to the annual World Ecotourism Conference, which is taking place in Vientiane, Laos in July to speak on ‘New Paradigms in sustainable tourism and development for ecotourism.’
Mr Tom Baxter, of the School of Accounting and Corporate Governance, made a submission in response to the Tasmanian Government’s call for comment on a Directions Paper produced pursuant to its Review of the Freedom of Information Act 1991.
Dr Sue Hrasky, of the School of Accounting and Corporate Governance, delivered a plenary session at the NIA Tasmanian Division Congress on May 30.
Associate Professor Graeme Wells of the School of Economics and Finance presented a consultancy report on ‘Support for Tasmanian Forestry 1997-98 to 2007-08’ which was reported in various newspapers and television news.
Dr Paul Blacklow, of the School of Economics and Finance, has been re-elected President of the Tasmanian Branch of the Economic Society of Australia for a 6th term.
The School of Economics and Finance has continued its productive research seminar program with presentations by:
Professor Arye Hillman (Bar-Ilan University) on ‘Expressive Generosity’.
Professor Paul Wachtel (Stern, NYU) on ‘What is happening to the impact of financial deepening on economic growth?’
Alexis Wadsley (UTAS) on ‘The Tasmanian Regional Input/Output Model’.
Professor Jonathan West of the Faculty’s Australian Innovation Research Centre (AIRC), spoke at the Community Jobs Summit in Melbourne on 1 May 2009, hosted by the Prime Minister Kevin Rudd, and Deputy Prime Minister Julia Gillard. The aim of the summit was to explore strategies for maximising the economic and social impact of the Australian Government’s Community Jobs Fund. The auspicing partners at the Summit were the Australian Government, the Brotherhood of St Laurence, the Salvation Army, the Society of St Vincent de Paul, and Mission Australia.
Premier David Bartlett used the launch of the ‘5 days of Innovation’ Festival in Launceston on 14 May to further outline the Government’s Innovation Strategy, which draws significantly on the work of the AIRC.
Dean’s Honour Roll 2008
The Dean’s Roll of Academic Excellence was announced on Wednesday 1 July and published in Tasmanian newspapers. The Faculty extends its congratulations to all students on the Roll who achieved outstanding academic results for 2008. To qualify for entry to the Roll, students must have been enrolled in 100% in a single academic year or at least 50% in 2 consecutive years and obtain at least a Distinction average from all graded results. Only a small number of students achieve this standard in any given year and they are to be commended on this achievement.
Anthony Bill: MERGA Conference
PhD candidate Anthony Bill was recently successful in his application for Central Conference Support, to present work at the Mathematics Education Research Group of Australasia conference: Crossing Divides, to be held in New Zealand in July 2009. The conference is the 32nd annual meeting of MERGA, the premier mathematics education research body in Australasia. The conference is well-attended by researchers from all education faculties in Australia and New Zealand, and approximately 10% of the research papers submitted are by overseas authors. Key-note speakers are of international standing, and the conference publishes peer-reviewed proceedings.
National Global Education Conference
The Tasmanian Global Education Project Team (Dr Marion Myhill, Ms Julie Browett, Dr Greg Ashman and Ms Katie Kevill) hosted the Australian Agency for International Development (AusAID) National Conference of Teacher Trainers on 3 and 4 June in Launceston. The conference was organised in conjunction with AusAID and was opened by Mr Arthur Burch (AusAID Global Education Project Manager) and the Dean of the Faculty of Education, Professor Ian Hay. The conference was attended by the AusAID Program Director (Ms Fiona Maclean) and about 35 participants, representing each of the state-based groups and agencies responsible for the delivery of teacher professional training in global education across all the Australian states and territories.
The Tasmanian GEP team chose to provide a unique focus for the conference in highlighting Tasmanian aboriginal culture and history. The keynote speaker was Professor Henry Reynolds, who spoke on what was needed in schools to make a change in the status of indigenous students. Aspects of Tasmanian indigenous culture and history were presented from both a professional and a personal perspective by artist Lola Greeno and historian Patsy Cameron, who are both also Tasmanian aboriginal elders. We were also privileged to have the first public performance of a Welcome to Country dance by children from the Tasmanian Aboriginal Centre under the guidance of Nala Mansell.
Other conference presenters developed the key global education themes: issues in international development; poverty reduction; peace-building and conflict resolution; the value of diverse cultures, languages and religions; the promotion of human rights and social justice; and environmental sustainability.
In a well-received session, the Tasmanian global education team had the opportunity to showcase our particular model of providing pre-service and in-service teacher training in global education, using both formal learning (undergraduate and postgraduate units) and an extended collaborative professional learning program. We also outlined our approach to assessment and demonstrated the positive outcomes of our model with inspiring contributions from former students who are now taking leading roles in implementing global education perspectives in their schools.
Tim O’Connell – Honorary Fellow
Dr Tim O’Connell, an Associate Professor in the Department of Recreation and Leisure Studies at Brock University (St. Catharines, Ontario, Canada), has joined the Faculty of Education at the University of Tasmania as a Visiting Academic. Tim is on a year-long sabbatical, and will be with the Faculty at the Hobart campus through to December. In terms of research, Dr O’Connell is engaged in a number of local, regional and international projects which examine how psychological sense of community develops in groups of people who participate in outdoor recreation/education activities. Tim is currently collaborating with the Southridge Shelter in St. Catharines to develop outdoor recreation programs for people who are episodically homeless. Tim is also involved with colleagues from his alma mater, the State University of New York College at Cortland, in examining how sense of community develops in groups of students on canoe trips. During his time in Tasmania, Dr. O’Connell will focus on writing a book on using journal writing as a successful educational tool. He is co-authoring this book with Dr. Janet Dyment from the Faculty of Education. Tim and Janet are also planning to develop a programme of research on how school yard greening contributes to sense of community in schools. Dr. O’Connell will be participating in field experiences with UTAS students in the Outdoor Education teaching specialization in the Faculty of Education.
New Scholarship Launch: University of Tasmanian & Tasmanian Early Years Foundation
The Tasmanian media have been invited to the launch of the Tasmanian Early Years Foundation’s $120,000 scholarship program with the University of Tasmania’s Faculty of Education on Wednesday 8 July. The Tasmanian Early Years Foundation will provide 2 scholarships of $10,000 per annum for 3 years with the scholarship focus for students/teaching professionals to undertake a postgraduate teacher education degree, incorporating research in the field of children’s early learning and development and/or research into the development and education of the Early Years profession in Tasmania. This represents a significant investment in post graduate research in the field and it is hoped the scholarships will attract students considering post graduate degrees, but also those already in the field who wish to further their knowledge and research in children’s early learning and development.
UTAS College Symposium
Professor Ian Hay and Associate Professor Dawn Penney were panellists at discussion sessions held at the UTAS College Symposiums held in Hobart on 23 June and Launceston on 30 June.
Raising the Bar, Closing the Gap: Progress Update
The Raising the Bar Closing the Gap Evaluation Project for the Department of Education has started to roll out to schools. Testing and surveying of almost 7000 primary students across the state will be undertaken throughout July and August.
NEW Gallery Launch: Tony Smibert – Flying White
Congratulations to all involved in the official opening of the NEW Gallery on Thursday 18 June, particularly the Faculty of Education staff on the Management Committee – Robyn Glade-Wright (Chair), Louise Reid Davies (Curator) and Poppy Fay (Secretary). The event was a resounding success, drawing over 100 guests and media to the Newnham Campus. The NEW Gallery is a new initiative of the University of Tasmania, sponsored by the Faculty of Education, to foster important community links with the arts and the broader Tasmanian public. With the aim of promoting new and original ideas in the arts, it was a wonderful coup for the Gallery to attract internationally renowned local artist Tony Smibert to exhibit his exploratory ‘Flying White’ collection, which represents a departure from the more traditional landscapes he has been associated with. Open until 7 August.
Active Launceston
On Wednesday 27 May, as a part of World Challenge Day 2009, Active Launceston held an activity day in City Park, Launceston. The purpose of the event was to showcase local physical activities and groups, and give everyone attending a chance to try out new ways of keeping active. There were over 29 exhibitors, demonstrations, short classes and sessions held, including swing dancing, yoga, tai chi, tap dancing, orienteering, RPM, boot camp, croquet, belly dancing, martial arts and roller derby. There was also a jumping castle, sumo wrestling suits and a vertigo rock climbing and abseiling wall. The event was opened by Associate Professor Dawn Penney.
ANZAME 09 – Bridging Professional Islands
Staff of the Faculty of Health Science played a major part in the recent successful Australian and New Zealand Association for Health Professional Education (ANZAME) held in Launceston. This was the first time the annual conference of ANZAME had been held in Tasmania and the meeting in Launceston attracted over 340 delegates, the largest conference in the history of ANZAME. All Schools in the Faculty were represented on the conference organising or scientific program committees which were led by Professor Judi Walker and Associate Professor Justin Walls respectively. The conference covered topics across the whole spectrum of health professional education including curriculum, assessment, personal and professional development, inter-professional education, simulated learning environments and workplace-based learning.
Climate Change and Rural Tasmania
The University Department of Rural Health held a very successful community forum on 'Climate change and rural Tasmania: what evidence for which policies and practices?'. The Forum attracted a broad cross-section of the community and included presentations from staff of the Schools of Zoology, Agricultural Science, Geography and Environmental Studies, Architecture and Design, Sociology and Social Work, Accounting and Corporate Governance and Law. Other speakers from the university and outside groups included the Australian Maritime College, TAFI, TIAR, CSIRO and the University Department of Rural Health.
Faculty of Health Science Research Forum
The Faculty of Health Science Research Committee convened a forum in late June to review performance and plans for the future. The forum focussed on the opportunities for developing translational research and investigating innovative models for health service delivery in partnership with the Department of Health and Human Services. Particular areas in which translational research (to ensure that evidence is applied in health service delivery) included chronic disease, building capacity in residential care facilities and the quality use of medicines and pharmaceuticals in the community.
On 8 July 2009 Professor Jenny Fleming was appointed Director of TILES.
The former Director, Associate Professor Roberta Julian will remain at TILES on a 3 year secondment from the School of Sociology. Associate Professor Julian will devote much of her time to working on her $890,000 ARC Linkage grant (2008-2012) - The Effectiveness of Forensic Science in the Criminal Justice System. Associate Professor Julian will also oversee and teach into the Police Studies/Recruit Pathway (TASPOL) Program.
During April/May Professor Jenny Fleming was invited to sit on the NSW Parliamentary Working Party for Safety Ratings Systems for NSW Licensed Premises for the Department of Arts, Sports and Recreation
TILES welcomes Dr Sally Kelty who joined the TILES research team in July. Dr Kelty has a PhD in Law and Psychology from Murdoch University, Western Australia, and takes up a 3 year Post-Doctoral Research Fellowship on the ARC Linkage Grant, The Effectiveness of Forensic Science in the Criminal Justice System.
In June 2009, Professor Jenny Fleming travelled to the UK to conduct a workshop with City University, London – Public Confidence and Trust in Police. The workshop was sponsored by the British Academy/Academy of Social Sciences Australia. An Australian/UK workshop will be held in Hobart in December 2009. While in the UK, Professor Fleming visited the Metropolitan Police in relation to her role as CI on ARC Linkage Project (with Victoria Police), ‘Policing Just Outcomes: Managing Sexual Violence’.
Associate Professor Roberta Julian was invited to attend a Capabilities Framework Workshop in May at Tasmania Police Academy.
Professor Jenny Fleming was invited to attend a Consultation Workshop for the Tasmanian Alcohol Action Plan in July.
Strategies for improving refugee-police relations in regional Australia were outlined in a TILES report, A Conversation on Trust: Community Policing and Refugee Settlement in Regional Australia. The report (co-authored by Danielle Campbell and Roberta Julian) waslaunched by Laurie Ferguson, MP, Federal Parliamentary Secretary for Multicultural Affairs and Settlement Services in Hobart on 17 July 2009. The report analyses the settlement of African refugees in Tasmania from the perspective of both refugees and police.
As an Executive Board member of the Alcohol and Other Drugs Council of Australia, Professor Jenny Fleming attended the inaugural Federal Council Meeting of the peak, national, non-government organisation representing the interests of the Australian alcohol and other drugs sector.
TILES submitted a Review of the Road Safety (Alcohol and Drugs) Amendment Act 2005 to the Minister for Police and Emergency Management that was tabled in Parliament on 30 June 2009. The research was conducted in collaboration by Associate Professor Roberta Julian (TILES), Dr Jeremy Prichard (Law) and Dr Raimondo Bruno and Dr Allison Matthews (Psychology)
Lu Huan (Bachelor of Business) graduated in absentia at the meeting.
