Prior to the meeting, I and a number of Senators attended the annual function at which professional staff with 25 years service are recognised and presented a small gift. Each person was announced by the Vice-Chancellor and photographed with the Chancellor. For the first time, and as part of the University's Centenary year, presentations were also made to those with 40 or more years of service. Altogether, more than 30 professional staff members were recognised.
Also prior to the Senate meeting proper, members received a presentation from Federation Fellow, Prof Hugh Possingham, on the work of the Ecology Centre in the Faculty of Science.
This was a short meeting with a relatively small agenda. Most of the time was taken with the Vice-Chancellor's statement - a report of UQ news and achievements since the last meeting. QTAC applications for UQ are up and its share of the market has increased. We are number 1 on all measures. UQ is budgeting for a 4% increase in international enrolments in 2011 and a 10.2% fee income increase (seems optimistic). There is concern about 2012-13 however.
The V-C also reported that negotiations on the Enterprise Bargaining Agreement have (finally) concluded. The agreement is being checked over by the parties prior to going to a staff ballot. He thanked the parties involved in the negotiations, including the unions, for their professionalism in arriving at an agreement that is "fair, equitable and suited to UQ's circumstances". Funny that the management side wasn't saying that during negotiations. The unions know UQ could have done better, but if the staff won't support their unions by being willing to take industrial action, they can expect to get increasingly left behind. Leaving it to a few people like me to do the heavy lifting is not the answer - having large numbers of staff at meetings and being willing to act is what makes a difference in the end. That didn't happen in this EBA, despite the efforts of the unions to motivate people. Frankly, some of us are getting tired of the apathy of staff.
Other matters, having been circulated in the agenda papers earlier, were noted or approved en bloc, and included regular reports from the Academic Board, Finance Committee, Buildings & Grounds Committee and Legislative Committee; some changes to the HUPP; awards and prizes report; and a report of the use of the Enhanced Student Charge in 2009.
Normally, the budget papers for the coming year would be at this meeting, but will presumably come to the December meeting.
