The University Council met in Hobart on Friday 18 February 2005. This is a report from that meeting.

Apologies, leave of absence and welcome to new members

Ms Tammie McCarthy and Mr Rick Snell were granted leave of absence.

The Chancellor welcomed Dr Pam Allen, Mr Mark Bennett, Ms Emma Catchpole and Ms Brenda Richardson to their first meeting.  He also welcomed back the re-appointed and re-elected members – Mrs Elizabeth Daly, Dr Martyn Forrest, Mr Rod Roberts, Mr Bob Ruddick, Professor Jim Reid, Mr Rick Snell and Ms Tammie McCarthy.  The Chancellor also welcomed to the meeting as an observer Mr Bernard Lillis, who will take up the position of Executive Director Finance and Administration in June.

Declaration of Interest

Several members declared potential conflicts of interest and the Council (in the absence of the particular member) determined whether the member could take part in Council's consideration of the matter to which the interest relates.

Other matters from the Chancellor

Council accepted the proposed timetable on future presentations-

• 8 April - Teaching and Learning (preparation for AUQA Audit)
• 20 May - Research (preparation for AUQA Audit)
• 1 July - Community Engagement (as it fits well with Council being in Burnie)
• 19 Aug - Finance and Risk Management
• 7 Oct - University Development - Foundation, Alumni, etc
• 18 Nov - Follow-up from AUQA Audit

Council received the Chancellor's report on the Council self-review, noting that the Chancellor will present his report to the April Council meeting.

Council received the Deputy Chancellor's report that a performance review of the Chancellor will be conducted in accordance with the Chancellor's terms and conditions of appointment, with the full support of the Chancellor.

Council noted the Chancellor's advice that the 7 October meeting would clash with the Annual Conference on University Governance and that the secretary would be asking members to indicate whether moving that meeting forward or back a week would be possible.

AUQA portfolio

Council endorsed the current version of the AUQA portfolio subject to changes as foreshadowed by the Deputy Vice-Chancellor.

Review of Current Policy on Domestic Undergraduate Fee-Paying Places

The initial policy on Domestic Undergraduate Fee-Paying Places was approved in November 2000 with a recommended review by the end of 2002. The policy was reviewed in March 2003 and approved with minor editorial changes.The initial policy was subject to wide consultation and has been implemented successfully. Ongoing consultations with student representatives keep them informed of administrative and planning issues.Whilst student representatives, as a matter of principle, are not in favour of the introduction of fee-paying places, the University's policy has been acknowledged as more equitable than policies developed in other Universities. It has been accepted as a genuine attempt to overcome some of the major objections to domestic fee-paying policies.  In particular, limiting the number of full cost fee-paying places to be offered, basing selection for subsidised places on normal entry requirements, allowing simple reversion to HECS places, and the subsidised fee structure which offers students a fee saving, have been received positively.Council confirmed the existing Policy on Domestic Undergraduate Fee-Paying Places with minor editorial changes and determined that this policy should be reviewed again at the end of 2007.

Governance Framework and Risk Management

Council received progress reports on the governance framework and risk management implementation.  Council also made the replacement Ordinance 3 and approved the delegations to the Deputy Vice-Chancellor, Pro Vice-Chancellor (Research), Pro Vice-Chancellor (Teaching & Learning) and the Executive Director, Finance & Administration.

National Governance Protocols (NGPs)

In May 2003 the Commonwealth Minister proposed a set of National Governance Protocols for Higher Education Institutions (NGPs). The Australian Government linked the addition of $404.3m for higher education sector funding over the years 2005-2007 to compliance with the NGPs (and with a “workplace reform” requirement that all new agreements contain a clause stating that AWAs are available to staff and are not precluded by the agreement).

Universities had to report as at 31 August 2004 on progress towards compliance with the NGPs and the workplace reform. For 2005 funding, the Commonwealth Minister was given discretion to provide funds to institutions which, although not yet fully compliant, could demonstrate that they had taken reasonable steps to ensure compliance. This recognised that for most institutions, State legislation would need to be amended.

UTAS reported (attached) on progress in mid-August 2004, having made all the required internal changes and having requested the State government to amend the University of Tasmania Act to enable full compliance with the NGPs. On the basis of that report, UTAS was awarded the additional funding – which amounted to about $1.75m for 2005.

Since then UTAS has received from DEST the attached full assessment of UTAS against the NGPs. Note that all the changes in relation to which DEST noted that State legislation would need changing and that the changes had been requested have now been implemented with the passage late last year of the University of Tasmania Amendment Act 2004.That Act commenced on 1 January 2005.

Since receipt of that report, the requested additional link to the Ombudsman's Office has been added. There will be a risk management report in the 2004 Annual Report, and it is intended that any international member appointed to Council under section 8(1)9k) is truly external (ie not a member of staff or a student of the University).This will mean that UTAS fully complies with the NGPs.

Continued compliance should be worth about $3.8m to UTAS in 2006 and $6.2m in 2007.

Finance Committee's Report

Financial Management Report

Council received summary Financial Management Reports as at 31 December 2004. These included-

• Operating Funds - Budget Summary and Allocations Report
• Contracts
• Special Fund
• University Business Enterprise summary
• Foundation Trusts

Council approved the financial management reports for the December quarter, noting that Finance Committee has considered them.

Vice-Chancellor's Report

Significant achievements

Council received a report on significant achievements by the University, its staff and students.

• UTAS awards – Vice-Chancellor's Awards for Outstanding Community Engagement – UTAS Long-Serving Staff – Graduation Ceremonies -Distinguished Alumni Awards
• Scholarships – Hobart Water – Spirit of Tasmania – John Hawkins Scholarship in Environmental Studies
• Major Awards – Australia Day Honours 2005 – School of Agricultural Science win BHERT Award - UTAS student wins inaugural HR prize - UTAS Architecture Student builds international career - Nursing Student wins 2004 Mt Nelson Award - Professor Arthur Sale honoured with ICT Industry award - Assoc Prof Alistair McIntosh receives national award
• Research Achievements - TAFI Scientists produce Australia's first hatchery-reared rock lobster - Hydrogen Postie Bike - New CRC in Sustainable Forest Landscapes - Professor Bill Mulford to sit on Masters of Education accreditation boards
• Launches – UDRH Facility launched - Embracing Diversity Manual launched - No Bills House And Best Five-Star Houses Project launched and MoU signed
• Partnerships and Community Engagement - Nursing Community supports new recruits - Co-pilots program teaches life skills
• Major Events - Colloquium on Human Dignity - UTAS Involvement in Titan Huygens Probe - Interstate Interest at Careers Symposium

The Chancellor extended Council's congratulations to Mr Damian Bugg on the conferral on him of the Member of the Order of Australia (AM) in the Australia Day honours list.

Report for 2004 against University Plan

Council received the report on 2004 performance against the University Plan.

Particular points to note are-

• the university's performance against internal enrolment targets in 2004 with final enrolment of 12427 EFTSU up by 996 EFTSU on 2003 - 1.2% above target with overall growth of 8.7% [OPI: 1]
• continuing good growth in fee-paying international students, up by over 15% [OPI: 3]
• collaboration indicators and highlights [OPI: 17]
• community engagement indicators [OPI: 18]
• the significant increase in Tasmania's graduate qualifications profile with the proportion of Tasmanians with a bachelor degree or higher rising from 11.4% to 13.9% between 2002 and 2003 [SPI: 1]

Preliminary Report on 2005 enrolments

Council received a report, showing progress against 2005 targets and a comparison with enrolment load at the same point last year.

In relation to a number of areas of our profile, the likely enrolment outcomes will not be confirmed for several weeks.  For example commencing international students do not generally arrive until the beginning of semester.  Research Higher Degree students do not enrol in standard semesters and the bulk of these enrolments are not confirmed until the end of March.

Our non-research operating grant load – the core component of our load funded by the Commonwealth - is tracking below expectations, but significant recent recruitment activities and follow up of non accepted enrolment offers have started to generate better returns.  Some administrative processes such as later enrolment counselling sessions have resulted in delays in formalising new enrolments and it may be another week or two before the real enrolment pattern becomes clear.  Until that time it is difficult to make accurate projections of 2005 load.

Our fully-funded Commonwealth target is 9130 EFTSU and even on these preliminary figures we will exceed that target.

It is still reasonably early in the enrolment processing cycle and that between this point and census 2 last year, over 1300 EFTSU of enrolments was added.

Clinical appointments

As currently required under the Honorary, Visiting, Clinical and Adjunct Appointments Policy, Council received a list of new and renewed clinical appointments in the School of Nursing and Midwifery.

This policy will be reviewed as part of the policy project with a view to restricting the Council reporting requirements to senior appointments.

Admission and Student Progress Amendment (Rule 126)

On the recommendation of the Legislation Committee, Council made the Rule amending Rule 112 (Admission and Student Progress) to provide for withdrawal from a unit after HECS census date without incurring academic penalty, in extenuating circumstances.

Appointments

Executive Director Finance and Administration
Mr Bernard Lillis has accepted the appointment to the position of Executive Director Finance and Administration from June 2005.

Chair in General Practice
Professor Mark Nelson has accepted the appointment to the position of Chair in General Practice from 31 January 2005.

Professor in Education / Director of the Centre for Transforming Learning Communities
Professor Jeffrey S. Sigafoos has accepted the appointment to the position of Professor in Education / Director of the Centre for Transforming Learning Communities from 1 September 2005.

AVCC – A report on Services to Members of the AVCC

Council noted that a copy of the Report on Services to Members of the Australian Vice-Chancellors' Committee is available on request to the Secretary.

GRADUATION IN ABSENTIA AND CONFERRING OF AWARDS

These students have completed the qualifications for the awards shown and have asked to receive the awards in absentia at this meeting of Council.

Council approved the applications for the conferring of awards as set out in the agenda. Those candidates were then admitted in absentia to the awards shown.

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