Prior to the meeting, members received a presentation from Alan Egan on how the January floods affected UQ's campuses.
I rose to ask why central overheads costs had risen at twice the rate of the distribution to Faculties and Institutes. The answer I got, flicked from Maurie McNarn to the Chief Financial Officer, Andrew Betts, started off referring to utilities (electricity and water) and insurance costs rising faster than the inflation rate, but then acknowledged that the main causes are increasing commitment to capital expenditure (new buildings) and 'strategic initiatives'. A couple of Senators privately shared with me that they are concerned that too much of the teaching budget is being redirected to new buildings and 'strategic initiatives' at the cost of the student-to-staff ratio.
Being the first meeting of the year, there was little other business of substance. Most was routine in nature - reports from sub-committees, Academic Board, Vice-Chancellor. The draft Annual Report for 2010 and its Financial Statement appendix was endorsed.
