Academic Board Report

Meeting of 1 July 2008

Professor Dooley welcomed the incoming elected members to the Academic Board as follows: Professors Janet Chan, Brynn Hibbert, Rakesh Kumar, Hazel Mitchell, Margaret Morris, Veena Sahajwalla, Arcot Sowmya, Denis Wakefield and Dianne Wiley; Associate Professors Mario Attard, Ross Harley and Vince Murray; Drs Richard Buckland, David Cohen, Adelle Coster, Chris Daly, Geoffrey Dick, and Sushil Gupta; Mr Graham Forsyth and Ms Sylvia Ross.  The incoming Academic Board student members were also welcomed: Ms Charishma Kaliyanda, Mr Matthew Ward, Mr Shahid Majeed and Mr Robert Hazlewood.

Professor Brynn Hibbert was congratulated for his election as Deputy President Academic Board and a call had been issued for the remaining Deputy President position.  The out-going Deputy Presidents, Professor Rakesh Kumar and Dr Chris Daly, were thanked for their contribution to the Academic Board and its committees.

The Vice-Chancellor, Professor Fred Hilmer, thanked Professor Tony Dooley for his leadership at the Academic Board and for his contribution to the governance of the University during an important period. 

Discussion Item: ‘Policy Review and Implementation’
Professor Dooley noted that the Academic Board’s Policy Review had tidied up a number of ‘antiquated’ academic policies but there was some work yet to be done, particularly in the area of teaching and learning.  He queried how the Academic Board could improve policy implementation and ensure policy adherence? While the Academic Board and other bodies assigned members of senior management with responsibility for policy implementation it was queried if more could be done to improve the policy implementation, monitoring and improvement cycle. 

During discussion, the following comments were offered: (i) VCAC had considered the Policy Framework as a starting point for minimizing bureaucracy at UNSW; (ii) auditing of policy implementation may need to be introduced along with clear career implications for staff who did not comply with University policy; (iii) students benefited from policies with explicit statements that were a recourse if the student was unjustly treated, alternatively a focus on outcomes for staff members in relation to policy compliance may be appropriate; (iv) the development of a framework for trialing policy and a list of core policies for each significant area should be assembled, and (v) staff induction should instill an appreciation for University policy and its implementation.

Matters Approved by Academic Board
The Academic Board approved the following program revisions the: Master of Education; Master of Educational Leadership; Master of Arts in Teaching English as a Second Language; Master of Music; Master of Policy Studies; Master of Arts in Interpreting and Translation Studies; Master of Indigenous Studies; Master of Arts in Applied Linguistics; Master of Arts; Master of Social Work (Counselling); Master of Couple and Family Therapy; Master of Social Development; Master of Arts in Development Studies; Master of Arts in International Relations; Bachelor of Arts Bachelor of Education and the Diploma in Education.
The Academic Board noted the Annual Report on Graduates Eligible to Receive the Award of Pass with Distinction and the annual report from the Presiding Member of the Academic Services Committee of the Academic Board on the Committee’s progress and outcomes.

Matters Referred to Council for Approval
The following programs were referred to Council for approval the: Master of Taxation and Financial Planning, Graduate Diploma in Taxation and Financial Planning, Graduate Certificate in Taxation and Financial Planning, Bachelor of Music Bachelor of Science and Bachelor of Music Bachelor of Science (Advanced).

The Academic Board referred to Council for approval the appointment of Professors David Lovell, Chris Adam, Pam Morrison and Associate Professor Rodney Weber to the Academic Board, for the term to 30 June 2010.

The minutes of this Academic Board meeting are available on the Secretariat Services website at http://www.secretariat.unsw.edu.au/acboard/minutes/minute.htm.

Council Report

For information relating to Council business, please contact Rhona Fraser in the Secretariat, ph: 9385 3068, email: rhona.fraser@unsw.edu.au

Council minutes and other information can be accessed by all members of the University via the Secretariat Services website.