Quality Enhancement Committee

Members

Prof Judyth Sachs (Chair), DVC (Provost) / Mr Lachlan Murdoch, Director Institutional Research
Ms Maxine Brodie, University Librarian / Prof Jim Piper, DVC (Research)
Prof Mary Spongberg, Acting Executive Dean, Arts
Prof Julie Fitness, Vice-President Academic Senate / Mr Tim Sprague, Director HR
Prof Mark Gabbott, Exec Dean, Business & Economics / Ms Alison Taylor, Exec Director, International Programs
Prof Janet Greeley, Exec Dean, Human Sciences / Prof Stephen Thurgate, Exec Dean,Science
Mr Colin Hawkins, Academic Registrar / Ms Judith Trembath, General Counsel
Ms Sonia Jeffares, Principal SIBT / Ms Caroline Trotman, DVC (Development and External Relations)
Prof Elizabeth More, Academic Director, MacquarieCity Campus / Ms Zoe Williams, Manager Quality Assurance, M.I.

In Attendance

Ms Barb McLean, Executive Officer

Apologies

Ms Sonia Jeffares, Principal SIBT

Ms Judith Trembath, General Counsel

Ms Zoe Williams, Manager Quality Assurance, M.I.

Minutes

11.00-12.30p.m. Thursday18th June 2009, Function Room, level 2, E11A

1.Minutes of the Meeting 21st May 2009 and Business ArisingAdopted

1.1Audit of University Committees:

The following modifications to circulated papers were made:

DVC (Provost) –remove Equity and Diversity Consultative Forum (chaired by PVC (Social Inclusion)); add Macquarie City Campus Developments Working Group and the SIBT Academic Advisory Board. Student Services committees may change as a result of the Review of Student Services and the filling of the DVC and COO position.

DVC (Research) – add Research Strategy and Policy Committee and Intellectual Property and Commercialisation Management Committee; note, the Intellectual Property and Commercialisation Committee reports to Council, not the VC

DVC and COO – add Animal Facilities Committee, I.T. Strategic Advisory Group, Access MQ Board, U@MQ Board; remove Occupational Health and Safety Committee (chaired by the Director HR)

DVC (Development & External Relations) –remove Macquarie Foundation (chaired by Maurice Newman) and Handbook Working Group (chaired by Director of Marketing). It was noted that the Handbook Working Group should be a sub-committee of the Academic Program Committee of Academic Senate. Action (CT and JF)

It was recommended that committees be categorised by whether they are governance, management or project committees (i.e. ongoing versus temporary); and who is responsible for convening. Adopted

1.2Templates for Reviews -Terms of Reference and Self-Evaluation Report:

-feedback from non-academic areas

Papers circulated by Ms Brodie and Taylor were discussed and it was agreed that Ms Brodie, McLean and Taylor would further develop the following four principles into Terms of Reference and a format for a Self-Evaluation Review on a Non-Academic Unit:

  1. Alignment of Mission and Goals with the University
  2. Effectiveness of Office/Unit Leadership and Management, Organisational Structure and Governance, and Quality Enhancement Processes (to include professional leadership)
  3. Fitness for Purpose – Effectiveness of Services Unit/Office provides to meet Learning and Teaching, Research and Community Engagement Needs
  4. Efficiency and Effectiveness of Unit/Office Physical, Fiscal and I.T. Infrastructure and Staff Capability Adopted

Prof Piper will bring the KPIs for the review of Research Centres to the next meeting. Adopted

2.Policy and Planning

2.1Draft Benchmarking Policy

Discussion included:

  • Re-word the “Purpose” to clarify role of Benchmarking within Quality Enhancement Framework
  • Overview to include “strategic alignment”
  • Scope – remove “it is not a collaborative activity” from paragraph 3

Include a specification of “Learning and Teaching, Research and other activities of the University” as per Quality Policy

  • Policy – change “expectation of change” to “expectation of improvement”

3.Management and Implementation

3.1Report from Teaching Quality Indicators Steering GroupNoted

The Director HR informed the meeting that the new Academic Promotions Policy is being tested in the 2009 round of promotions. Improvements are required in the area of communication.

The Chair spoke to the new project on Teaching Standards – which is aiming to develop standards at both the institutional and individual levels i.e. teaching and teacher standards. Rather than regulatory standards, the group is focussing on developmental standards. It was noted that promotions standards link to PDR and hence the group is working to develop a framework (a database of criteria that can be used for KPIs) for each academic level.

4.Reviews

4.1Terms of Reference for Review of CRiMSE

Prof Greeley informed the meeting that CRiMSE has been in existence for 5 years and it is time to assess whether they have met their goals; and whether they go forward under existing or new goals.

The Review will be chaired by an external, and will have 2 Macquarie members.

The Terms of Reference were adopted by the meeting.Adopted

5.Any Other Business

5.1Review of Human Resources

The Director HR informed the meeting that an external provider will review HR, on the basis that this will be seen to be independent and they will also have the capacity to assess the overall competency and skills of the team. The Director will ensure that the Review aligns with the 4 Criteria outlined in 1.2 above and consults across the University.

The meeting also requested that the Review include:

  • The adequacy of technology – beyond payroll technology
  • The ability to integrate with other enterprise systems in order to provide information such as workforce profiling, etc.

The Report will be presented to the Vice-Chancellor.

6.Next Meeting:

11.00-12.30p.m. Thursday 16th July in Function Room E11A

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