The Chancellor welcomed the new members (Mr Rhys Edwards, Dr Fred Gale, Ms Katherine Hall, Mr Brian Hartnett, Dr Fiona Joske and Mr Geoff Willis) to their first meeting and thanked them for taking on the role.
Membership of Council
Council received the Chancellor’s report on the reappoinment of Mrs Yvonne Rundle to Council for a term ending 31 December 2010 and the appointment of Mr Rhys Edwards and Dr Fiona Joske to Council for terms ending 31 December 2010 and 31 December 2008 respectively.
Membership of Council committees
Council made these appointments to Council committees, for 2-year terms ending at the first Council meeting in 2009-
Dr Peter Davis (Chair)
Mr Ian Cooper
Mr Leigh Woolley
Prof Roger Fay
Ms Susan Gough
Ceremonial & Honorary Degrees
Dr Fiona Joske
Finance
Mr Rod Roberts (Chair)
Mrs Yvonne Rundle
Mr Brian Hartnett
Mr Rhys Edwards
Legislation
Mr Damian Bugg (Chair)
Professor Jim Reid
Dr Pam Allen
Nominations
Dr Fiona Joske
Launceston Blueprint
Council received the Vice-Chancellor’s report on the Launceston Blueprint.
Council noted the Vice-Chancellor’s agreement to Katherine Hall’s request to be added, as a student, to the Vice-Chancellor’s Northern Advisory Board.
Nominations Committee
Council appointed Mr Ross Brooker to the Management Committee of the Student Association Inc for a term ending 31 December 2007.
Council approved the Fundraising Appeals Policy developed by the University of Tasmania Foundation in consultation with UTAS stakeholders. The policy establishes a set of principles to govern the raising of money by the University through appeals to external bodies and parties. The policy is directed at coordinating and managing those fundraising efforts, to improve their effectiveness and to maximise returns to the University. Previously there has been no mechanism in place for such coordination.
HESA Review Phase 1
The Federal Minister has begun a review of the impact of the reforms to the higher education sector introduced through the Higher Education Support Act 2003 (HESA). The review is due to take place over 2007 and 2008. The first phase has started, with the release of a discussion paper on discipline groupings, cluster funding and pipeline arrangements – all topics relating to Commonwealth supported places for students.
A copy of the discussion paper is available from the DEST website- http://www.dest.gov.au/sectors/higher_education/policy_issues_reviews/reviews/HESA_review/default.htm
National School Curriculum
Minister Bishop has been gaining media coverage for her push for a standard national high school curriculum in core subjects. In the lead up to a meeting of state and federal education ministers in April, Minister Bishop has highlighted inconsistencies between states in areas such as school starting age, school structures, core subject content, Year 12 certificates and university entrance.
This debate has the potential to impact on universities in areas such as university entrance requirements and prerequisites, and its potential to increase the mobility of prospective students.
Seafood Cooperative Research Centre
On 22 December 2006, the Minister for Education, Science and Training, the Hon Julie Bishop MP, announced grants of $310 million from the Cooperative Research Centres (CRC) Program.
One of only 2 completely new CRCs announced by the Minister was the Australian Seafood CRC, in which UTAS is one of the key research and education providers. The application brought together a national consortium of research users and providers, and involves the wild-harvest and aquaculture sector and key post-harvest organisations.
The bid was very strongly supported by industry, especially from Tasmania, and resources for the CRC will amount to $100 million cash and in-kind from participants and $36 million cash from the CRC Program over 7 years, commencing in July 2007.
The Australian Seafood CRC will stimulate and provide comprehensive seafood related research and development and industry leadership on a national basis. This will help address institutional and market failure in many of the Australian seafood industry’s value chains. The CRC will undertake research programs covering value chain profitability and product quality and integrity.
Independent economic modelling has indicated that during the 10 years after starting up next July, the CRC will directly and indirectly add $2.4 billion to the Australian economy and will generate more than 2,800 new jobs.
UTAS has secured around 25% of the research and education activity via TAFI (Marine Research Laboratory and Aquaculture) and TIAR (Food Safety) and will be a major node. Professor Chris Carter, Head of Aquaculture in Launceston, is CRC Education Program Leader. The location of the headquarters is still to be resolved.
The success of this application is the result of concerted teamwork over a considerable period by UTAS people and their colleagues in the bid consortium. The outcome further recognises Tasmania as a focus for research in marine and food science.
Integrated Marine Observing Systems (IMOS)
UTAS will be the headquarters for this facility. The IMOS Office, established with the Centre for Marine Science with support from CSIRO Marine and Atmospheric Research and the Tasmanian Government, will coordinate a nationally distributed set of instrumentation.
The instrumentation will contribute to meeting the needs of marine researchers and other users in Australia for many of the critical marine issues facing Australia, including the coastal oceans and the offshore blue water environment. The infrastructure, run by 10 institutions across Australia, will also contribute to Australia's role in international programs of ocean observing. IMOS is supported by a grant from DEST of $55.2 million over 5 years.
Centre for Renewable Power and Energy Systems
The Research College Board has recently approved the establishment of the Centre for Renewable Power and Energy Systems within the School of Engineering. The new research centre supports the UTAS theme areas of Frontier Technologies and the Environment and will be headed by Professor Michael Negnevitsky.
The Centre will concentrate research on the analysis, measurement and optimisation of the generation and delivery of power from recurrent energy sources. It will work on such projects as –
wind pattern prediction
biological agents that detract from optimum water delivery to turbines
integration of wind, hydro, hydrogen and thermal power
remote area networks
process analysis
mobile applications such as hybrid powered land, sea and air vehicles and aeronautical and marine propulsion.
The Centre will draw on its existing industry partners in ARC projects and contract research, including Hydro Tasmania, Aurora Energy, Transend Networks, TEMCO (BHP Billiton), and Comalco.
Faculty of Arts
Faculty of Arts - 2006 Achievements
Teaching
2006 Teaching Excellence Award – Heather Monkhouse, Conservatorium
Arts received the top average SETL score for unit evaluations in the University at 4.22
Research
2007+ ARC grants announced including the highest Humanities grant ever awarded in Australia
Dr HJ Maxwell-Stewart et al - Founders and survivors: Australian lifecourses in historical context, $800,000
Dr A Johnston - A study of travel writing in Australian colonial history, $493,379
Prof JE Malpas - Ethos and Topos: A Philosophical Investigation of the Ethics and Politics of Place, $480,715
Dr MR Stamm; Dr P Hacker - Methods of Topology: Boundary, Surface and the Inner/Outer in Kant and Wittgenstein, $135,781
Prof Dr JP Young; Dr MR Stamm; Prof G Zoeller - A Philosophical Investigation into Conditions of Conceptual Creativity $141,441
Dr MT Davis - The Courtroom, Lawyers and the Press: Negotiating Justice in the Age of the Public Sphere. $110,187
Summary of major Discovery Projects Funding Commenced in 2006
Prof CJ Pybus; Dr A Johnston; Dr AR Page; Prof PD Hulme; Prof M Rediker - The Construction of Race and Racial Identity at the Antipodes of Empire, 1788 1840, $223,000
Prof FM Vanclay; Dr AW Russell; Dr HJ Aslin - Managing innovation with a policy relevant framework to assess the social consequences of technological developments, $148,000
Dr M Sussex; A/Prof P Shearman; Prof M Cox; Prof R Sakwa; Prof RE Kanet - Globalization and New Wars: The War in Chechnya, $108,489
A/Prof B He; Prof GM Stokes - Deliberative Democracy and Citizenship: A Study of Deliberative Polling and Participatory Budgeting in China, $80,000
Other major grants
TILES awarded AERF grant for Social Norms Research $490,000
Dr R Atkinson - Housing Tasmania grant AHURI $165,000
Dr R Atkinson; Ms D Habibis - Australian Housing & Urban Research Institute grant – Managing Demanding Behaviour $122,101
Establishment of the ‘British Enlightenment Research Network’ at the Cradle Coast Campus and 'Knowledge Networks and Reading Communities in Late Medieval England', seed-funded by the ARC (NEER).
Major Conferences
Australian and New Zealand Society of Criminology annual Conference “Criminology and Human Rights” attracted over 300 delegates from around the world; it is the largest of its kind in the region.
Colonialism and Its Aftermath Winter Symposium “Recovering Lives” included addresses from two Pulitzer Prize winning historians.
Housing and Community Research Unit “ISOLATION: Disconnection, solitude and seclusion in a connected world”
“Empire Calling: Administering Colonial Spaces”. Interdisciplinary conference jointly convened by the UTAS’s Centre for Colonialism and Its Aftermath; the School of English, Journalism and European Languages; and the Department of English, Osmania University, Hyderabad; held in Hyderabad, India
25th Annual Conference of the Australian & New Zealand Law and History Society, international delegates
Australia-America Fulbright Symposium ‘Maritime Governance and Security’ attended by leading international specialists.
Other Notable Achievements
Professor Jan Pakulski elected as a Fellow of the Academy of Social Sciences in Australia
Dr Graham Wood, Philosophy, received the international award John Templeton Award for Theological Promise.
Anna Johnson, English, awarded five year Queen Elizabeth II Fellowship by the Australian Research Council
Robert Bland awarded “Member (AM) in the General Division of the Order of Australia”
Prof Aynsley Kellow appointed as Chair of the International Political Studies Association Research Committee.
Awarded 35 Travel Scholarships for students studying overseas through exchange or study tour.
78 Bursaries granted to students unable to study on campus due to distance, a disability or family care.
Arts/economics student Frances Bevan awarded the Mitsui Scholarship in Japan.
Inaugural $10,000 Jim Bacon Foundation Scholarships awarded to Arts students, Pamela Cooke Carmel Dilger.
Literary Award: The Watermark Society. Adrian Franklin was one of 20 international authors chosen for their annual Muster (for work on human-animal relations)
Launch of Deep Time map and poster based on Tasmanian Aboriginal history.
Cultural Environments and Heritage research program launched. It will place Honours students in leading cultural institutions as part of their degree. Joint initiative between the Faculty, the Tasmanian Museum and Art Gallery, the Queen Victoria Museum and Art Gallery, the State Library and the Port Arthur Historic Site.
School of Visual & Performing Arts hosted the inaugural Tasmanian Creative Arts Summer School in collaboration with the Queen Victoria Museum and Art Gallery, TAFE Tasmania and the Launceston City Council.
Professor Douglas Knehans new orchestra work Ripple for large orchestra was recorded by the Kyev Philharmonic Orchestra to be released June 2007.
Inaugural Australian International Summer Orchestra Institute
Joint community engagement project between Sociology & Social Work and the Launceston City Council, Tree of Hope, attracted high public interest with over 300 people attending the opening of the exhibition. The book was launched by the Minister for Education.
Faculty of Business
The Faculty is commencing the offering of a Bachelor of Business, with major studies in Management, at the Australian College of Kuwait in early March. Professor Gary O'Donovan and Dr. Martin Grimmer (Head of Management) will be in Kuwait for the official opening and the commencement of the first cohort of students.
The Faculty has agreed to offer its Bachelor of Business in Hong Kong in partnership with Hong Kong Universal Education (HKUE). Pending the successful timing of registration with the Hong Kong Government, the program will commence in July 2007.
The Faculty has appointed two new Heads of Schools commencing 1 January 2007. These are Professor Victoria Wise (Accounting and Corporate Governance) and Dr. Sarah Jennings (Economics and Finance).
The School of Accounting and Corporate Governance organised and ran a very successful International Conference on Innovation in Accounting and Corporate Governance Education in Hobart at the Hotel Grand Chancellor from 31 January to 2 February 2007. There were over 90 delegates from 10 countries in attendance. This is the second time the School has run the bi-annual conference and it is quickly gaining a reputation as one of the leading conferences of its type in Australia.
Faculty of Education
Faculty structure and Leadership
The Faculty has been making some internal structural changes since the appointment of Megan Cavanagh-Russell to the position of Acting Dean, designed to involve a larger group of Faculty staff in contributing to decision-making and leadership. The Faculty is also considering proposing a move to a multi-School Faculty and the new senior appointments are partly an outcome of these discussions.
Two Deputy Heads of School and an Assistant Dean (Hobart) have been appointed through a consultative process with Faculty staff. Faculty academic programs have been groups under the two Deputy Heads of School (DHOS) as follows:
DHOS Associate Professor Margaret Barrett: Bachelor of Education, Bachelor of Teaching, most postgraduate programs
DHOS Associate Professor Ross Brooker: Bachelor of Human Movement, Bachelor of Education (In Service), Bachelor of Adult and Vocational Education, Bachelor of Early Childhood (Early Years)
This division of responsibilities enables the beginning of a structured yet collaborative decision-making process to be achieved. Future consideration will be given to what might be the most effective multi-School model in the Tasmanian setting. These discussions will be progressed after the decision regarding faculty structures to be made by CUSP.
One outcome of the new leadership appointments has been to remove the role of Program Director and replace it with Course Coordinator. This ensures that the authority for staffing and budgets is aligned with the responsibilities of Head of School/Deputy Head of School and enables the Course Coordinators to focus on the traditional responsibilities relating to program delivery and support for students.
The appointment of Dr Christine Owen to the role of Assistant Dean (Hobart) ensures that the Dean’s office is represented at the Hobart campus in an equitable manner and that day-to-day management and leadership issues are dealt with promptly. Dr Owen is leading the development of small interactive teams of academics who will contribute to the establishment of a positive culture of scholarship and student support in Hobart.
Along with the Dean, these 3 positions make up the Faculty Leadership team, which models to the wider Faculty an open and collaborative approach to leadership and decision-making. The new-look Faculty Executive adds to this group the Associate Dean (Teaching and Learning) and the Associate Dean (Research), as well as a representative of the Faculty staff and the Faculty Business Manager, and thus provides a full cover of the activities of the Faculty to input to the decision-making process.
Research Leadership
The Faculty has responsibilities to deliver good teaching and learning and good research. A team of Research Leaders, involving Professors and Associate Professors, has been established to both lead the research agenda as well as support the development of Early Career Researchers within the Faculty. This team of experts assists in identifying the best candidates for support and mentors these staff, to contribute to the research capability of the Faculty. Further, it is able to assist the Faculty to maintain a balance between the sometimes competing demands and expectations of the research agenda and the teaching agenda.
A Research Development Plan is being prepared and a plan for an Institute for Teaching and Learning at the Launceston campus is being progressed.
Staffing
Academic Staff
A Faculty staff reprofiling exercise in October 2006 identified the need to increase the number of senior staff to provide Faculty leadership in certain discipline areas and to contribute to the expanding research profile. The Faculty has appointed a new Level C academic to the Launceston campus and will be reconsidering future advertising in the light of other staff movements. A Level D position has been advertised to provide senior leadership for the Faculty’s Teaching and Learning. Professorial appointments will be identified in the context of proposals for the Launceston Blueprint exercise and will be linked to the proposed new Launceston-based Institute.
Secondments
In collaboration with the Department of Education, the Faculty has regularlised the process for appointing DoE seconded staff. A set of agreed guidelines has assured the Faculty of DoE support, and an appointment strategy that ensures we attract and appoint people with the appropriate qualifications and experience. As well, the DoE is assured of their return to the Education workforce at the end of 2 years, as a maximum.
General Staff
The number of general staff in the Faculty has been reduced over the past few months, as vacancies have not been filled other than in critical areas. An exercise in multi-skilling, task-sharing and team building is being undertaken to ensure that general staff perform efficiently and in a cross-campus and cross-program context. Opportunities for staff development to facilitate this integrated service group have largely been warmly embraced.
Course Opportunities
Faculty programs at the Cradle Coast
In response to a request from the Vice-Chancellor, the PVC (T&L) and the University’s North-West Advisory Board, the Faculty has agreed to progress the offering of the third and fourth year of the Bachelor of Education at the Cradle Coast campus. In 2007, a course development team is charged with establishing a delivery model for the course which is distinctive and regionally relevant. This development project will be undertaken in partnership with the Department of Education, which has a strong interest in a training program that places emphasis on school experience throughout the training period. A further emphasis that is proposed for the Cradle Coast program is that of Teaching in Rural and Small Schools. This theme should underpin the teacher education as well as a research node to be based at the campus and linked with the research themes already located there. It is anticipated that 2008 will see the offering of year 3, with year 4 to follow in 2009.
Bachelor of Education (In-Service)
A new market has opened up for this course in Victoria. Having received appropriate accreditation, it is now possible for teachers’ aides in Victoria to undertake the BEd(In Service) and gain an approved qualification. The Victorian Education network has been of great value to the Faculty in promoting the course to potential students. Future developments could include shaping some specific delivery modes to this distant cohort.
Environmental Education/Outdoor Education
With the prompting of the Graduate School, the Faculty is exploring the market for Environmental and Outdoor Education programs. Beginning at the postgraduate level, a Graduate Certificate in Environmental Education will be developed in 2007. Further growth areas are identified as being in community education, Adult Education, and other forms of non-school education and training.
Tasmanian Teachers Registration Board (TTRB)
In response to a discussion paper from the Tasmanian Teachers Registration Board, the Faculty has established good working relations with the TTRB. Faculty representatives are working with the Board to refine the discussion paper. TTRB representatives will again become active participants in course planning and review. A very positive attitude towards the Faculty has been observed and there is a willingness to contribute to the improvement agenda of the Faculty in 2007.
Relations with the Department of Education
A series of ongoing discussions between the Dean and the Secretary (DoE) have ensured good relations with the Department and the expectation of continuing investment in projects of mutual interest. In the immediate term, it has been agreed that the postgraduate units of study offered within the Institute for Inclusive Learning Communities will be integrated into the Faculty Postgraduate program. This will ensure their continuation and sustainability. In order to facilitate this change agenda, the Board of the Institute has suspended its operations. In the new DoE structure, the decision-making regarding professional development needs will be made regionally and the Faculty is well-placed to respond to these needs, once the DoE has established its structure sufficiently to enable needs to be identified. There is a clear commitment from the Secretary to support valuable research that can impact on planning for education in the State. The key priority that is currently being progressed relates to the Literacy agenda, and opportunities for partnering are clearly available for the Faculty. A number of Faculty initiatives will be progressed in 2007, which will ensure engagement with the DoE at various levels.
Appointments
Council noted that Professor Wayne Hudson has been appointed Professor of Humanities for a period of 5 years at 60% of full-time from 9 April 2007
Council noted that Dr Chris Letchford has been appointed Professor and Head of School of Engineering for a 3-year period from 11 June 2007
These students graduated in absentia at the Council meeting-
Jukraphun Aunvichit (Master of International Business)
Dolrudee Chansangdao (Master of International Business)
Lai Yen Chin (Bachelor of Information Systems)
Xuguang Kevin Cui (Bachelor of Commerce)
Jason Peter Geyser (Graduate Certificate of Education)
Gu Yue (Master of Professional Accounting (Business Management))
Stanley Halim (Bachelor of Business)
Mohammad Saeed Heydarnejad (Doctor of Philosophy)
Ang-Cheng Kris Ho (Doctor of Philosophy)
Tabitha Cheng Yee Hui (Graduate Diploma in Spatial Information Science with Honours)
Mark Ross Kevin Johns (Master of Applied Science in Aquaculture)
Li Yii Lau (Bachelor of Information Systems)
Torben James Clifford Louwen-Skovdam (Bachelor of Aquaculture with Honours)
Laura Maeve Parsley (Bachelor of Science with Honours)
Carlos Jose Paulino Rosa (Doctor of Philosophy)
John George Purvey (Graduate Certificate in Journalism)
John Frederick Ralph (Doctor of Philosophy)
Usa Sudthi (Master of International Business)
Tan Teng Teng (Bachelor of Commerce)
David Charles Towns (Bachelor of Contemporary Arts with Honours)
Andrew Guy Woodcock (Bachelor of Business)
Daphna Yalon (Master of Fine Arts)
Yeoh Beng Chin Melissa (Associate Degree in General Studies)
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