22 June 2005

The Board of Trustees met on Wednesday 22 June 2005, in the Boardroom, Building AD, Werrington North campus. A summary of resolutions and other agenda items is provided below.

Confirmation of Minutes

The minutes (PDF, 163Kb) of the April meeting were confirmed.

Section A - Main Items Considered by the Board

The Realignment of the Colleges and Schools

The Board received a report from the DVC Academic and Services on progress with the college and schools realignment discussions. The Board noted the industrial context of the discussions and approved the following recommendations:

1) Subject to the finalisation of the formal consultation process required under the Enterprise Agreements: 

    (i) the dissolution of the following colleges:

• College of Science, Technology and Environment
• College of Social and Health Sciences

    (ii) the formation of the following college:

• College of Health and Science

    (iii) the renaming of the following colleges:

• College of Arts, Education and Social Science to the College of Arts
• College of Law and Business to the College of Business and Law

    (iv) the dissolution of the following schools:

• Applied Social and Human Sciences
• Contemporary Arts
• Communication, Design and Media
• Computing and Information Technology
• Construction, Property and Planning
• Engineering and Industrial Design
• Environment and Agriculture
• Exercise and Health Sciences
• Languages and Linguistics
• Quantitative Methods and Mathematical Sciences
• Science, Food and Horticulture

    (v) the renaming of the following schools:

• The School of Nursing, Family and Community Health to the School of Nursing
• The School of Marketing and International Business to the School of Marketing

    (vi) the formation of the following schools:

• Communication Arts
• Humanities and Languages
• Social Sciences
• Biomedical Sciences
• Computing and Mathematics
• Engineering
• Natural Sciences

2) The Board authorised the Vice-Chancellor to monitor and consider the outcomes of the remaining consultations. Should the outcomes indicate a need to revise the structure, a further report will be provided at the Board’s August meeting; otherwise the timeline for implementation of the new structure will be 1 January 2006.

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Mid Year Update

The Vice-Chancellor advised the Board in some detail about the University’s financial situation, concentrating on areas where income is below, and expenditure is above, budget target. The Board’s previous decision to manage the end-2004 deficit over three years must be achieved. The University has given priority to taking steps to increase income and rein in costs to ensure the originally projected end of year result is achieved or improved upon.

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Higher Education Workplace Reform Agenda

The Board noted the briefing paper on the HEWRRS as released by the Federal government on 29 April 2005.

Quality Management Update

Professor Geoff Scott, PVC Quality, spoke about some of the main activities of the Planning and Quality Unit. He outlined the key issues for the University and the Board itself of the AUQA audit, which will be undertaken for UWS in September 2006.  Professor Stuart Campbell, Associate Pro-Vice-Chancellor, has been appointed to work on a part-time fixed term basis to work with the PVC (Quality), PVC (Academic) and the Chair of Academic Senate on the academic development and quality agenda in conjunction with the AUQA process.

UWS Student Association

The Board was advised that the Standing Committee had approved recognition of the student association, UWSSA, in accordance with the Board’s requirements. Agreement was recently reached between the University and former student associations, following a series of negotiations. The Chancellor thanked the students involved for their spirit of cooperation and the way they handled their negotiations.

Risk Management Update

The Board considered its role in overseeing the UWS strategic risk management framework and how the outcomes of that work should be communicated to the Board on a regular basis. Mr Mark Cartwright, Director of Audit and Risk Management, attended the meeting and provided a brief presentation outlining progress with this work and the ongoing development of the UWS Risk Management Framework.

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Methods of Periodic Advice to the University Community

At its April meeting the Board agreed that the University community should be assisted in understanding what the Board is, its role and the decisions it makes. From this June meeting the main reporting of Board meeting outcomes will comprise this web-based ‘Summary of Matters’ page advising of Board discussions shortly after each Board meeting and provision of Minutes on the web after they are formally approved.

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Guidelines for Addresses to the Board of Trustees

The Guidelines written in 1995 have been reviewed and brought into line with contemporary practice. The Board endorsed the revision of the Guidelines for Addresses to the Board of Trustees.  These revisions are:

• members of the University community may, in special circumstances, seek to address the Board
• addresses are to be confined to matters of significant moment that are properly discussed at the Board and have relevance to its role of governance of the University
• matters should not be brought to the Board via an address if they should more appropriately be dealt with through established management processes or can be brought to the Board via its normal procedures and processes
• persons seeking to address the Board should seek the approval of the Chancellor at least two weeks prior to the Board meeting and provide a summary statement of the content of the address
• addresses will be subject to the approval of the Chancellor and the availability of time. They will normally be limited to five minutes, unless the Chancellor determines that special circumstances justify a longer period.

Election of Graduate and Postgraduate Board Members and Note of Appreciation to Outgoing Board Members

Following the recent election processes, the Board welcomed:

• Ms Elfriede Sangkuhl, Postgraduate Board member 1 July 2005 to 30 June 2007
• Mr John Heath, Graduate Board member, 1 July 2005 to 30 June 2009.

The Chancellor thanked the outgoing Board members:

• Mr Colin LaFlamme, outgoing Postgraduate Board member
• Mr Barry Baillie, outgoing Graduate member.

Section B - Other Matters Considered by the Board

Federal Government’s Proposal to Introduce ‘Eligibility Score’

It is likely that the ‘eligibility score’ for all courses will be 60 on all campuses, commensurate with the current UAI floor on admission to the University.

Strategy and Resources Committee Report

The Board noted the report of the SRC meeting held on Thursday 2 June 2005, including the financial reports to 30 April 2005. The role of the SRC in the governance and management of University entities and the overall implementation framework was discussed and approved.

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Audit and Risk Management Committee – Membership and Terms of Reference

The Board appointed Ms Karen Waldman, General Manager Regulatory and Corporate Affairs at Integral Energy, to the ARMC.

Campus Development Committee

The Board noted the CDC’s report of its meeting held on 3 June 2005 and approved the inclusion of Deputy Vice-Chancellor (Development and International) in its membership.

Report from the Chair of Academic Senate

The Board noted this report and in particular the Senate Work Plan for 2005.

UWS Regional Council

The Regional Council’s report of its 19 May 2005 meeting was noted and its Terms of Reference and membership were formalised. The Board approved Mr Abd-Elmasih Malak and Pastor William King Williams being invited to join the Regional Council.

UWS Indigenous Advisory Council

The Board noted the IAC’s report of its 19 May 2005 meeting and approved the expansion of the membership of the Indigenous Advisory Council by one student, so that there are two student representatives on the Council.

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Vice-Chancellor’s Report

The Australian Research Council has recently announced the outcomes of its Linkage Program 2004 round 2, with UWS researchers being awarded a total of $1.365m over the next four years.

The Board noted the Vice-Chancellor’s recently completed, tabled paper 'UWS Sustainability Agenda: The Divisions Overview of Planned Changes', which identified significant, cost neutral, changes to be made at the leadership level of the University.

» Vice-Chancellor’s Report (PDF, 167Kb)

Other Reports and Items Considered by the Board:

• Academic Program Review
• Business and Industry Advisory Panel’s
• Professional Development Available to Board Members
• Uses of the University Seal
• UWS Foundation report
• Dates for Meetings of the Board of Trustees 2006
• Overview of Occupational Health & Safety activity and outcomes
• Staffing Matters
• Miscellaneous Amendments to the Delegations
• Recent Developments on Callista
• Update on UWS Medical School
• Board Member Reports