Prior to the meeting, members received a presentation from Prof Stephen Walker, Executive Dean, Faculty of Science, on the size and operations of the Faculty, which accounts for about a quarter of the University's teaching and research activity.
The annual report was included in the agenda papers. I asked how well prepared the University was for the national harmonisation legislation coming from 2012, a topic which had been raised in a pre-Senate meeting of several professional staff and senators. Senators agreed they would like to hear from OHS Director, Gary Chaplin about their responsbilitiy under the new legislation and about OH&S generally at an upcoming Senate meeting.
The Finance Committee report included a business case for the construction of a resiential college for RHD students (to be then on-sold, eliminating debt) and a Technology Innovation Building. The latter would house start-up and spin-off companies, those with UQ research connections, as well as UniQuest and other UQ Holdings companies. Although rent would be charged, construction would require borrowing money from the Qld Treasury Corporation and some of the University's operating income would have to go to servicing the debt. This is not unusual in Australian universities, but is new for UQ, which does not have the endowments of comparable universities.
It was foreshadowed that servicing the debt would be aided by 'operational efficiencies'. These were clarified by the V-C to be 'backroom activities' like financial and other administration. I probed for more details and was given a couple of examples (eg, centralisation of some functions currently devolved), but was reassured that the reviews of administrative functions would happen regardless of the University's ongoing massive building program. We are coming out of a growth phase to a more steady-state due to levelling off of coursework enrolments, and the V-C maintains that that is the natural time to review for efficiencies. It was claimed that the reviews would be undertaken Faculty by Faculty to see what is achievable. Hmmm, let's hope we don't have to pay for our shiny new structures with restructuring.
Senate approved the funding of both building projects.
My colleague, Andrew Bonnell rose to ask that the finance reports include budget and performance for the Faculties (like they used to). He was told by the head table that this was a 'level of detail' that Senate did not require - it was something for management, 'not the board'. Regrettably transparency appears to be the victim. Senators were told that they could get the finer detail of the reports by arranging a meeting with the Chair of the Finance Committee or the Cheif Financial Officer. I told Andrew that I'd be happy to accompany him to such a meeting.
Usual reports from Vice-Chancellor and from sub-committees; rule and HUPP/PPL changes; Equity & Diversity Report 2010; a couple of confidential matters.
A meeting with good participation by all members and some debate.
