The meeting proper was preceded by a presentation from the DVC (Interntional), Anna Ciccarelli, on UQ's plans for stronger engagement in Asia, including an offshore presence and a particular focus on China and Indonesia.
Declaration of interests, statements by the Chancellor and Vice-Chancellor on recent achievements and the current higher education environment; PPL changes; reports of Senate sub-committees and Academic Board; gifts and grants report, annual report of UQ Press. The Faculties review process was noted. Two confidential matters were also dealt with.
Senate noted an update on this item, including the start of 360 degree reviews for members of the University Senior Management Group, new web resources on managing organisational change (most of which so far is straight from corporate-world mantra-speak in my view), and the fact that the carefully chosen Reform working party and its sub-groups are being expanded to include plebs who can apply for a place.
Senate members, to their credit, asked to continue to be kept briefed on progress and a couple said that they hoped staff would hear that the Senate understands the importance of workplace culture and wants to see change implemented.
The Annual Report to Senate on the Function of Internal Audit 2012 was noted. Ahead of the meeting I'd noticed a lack of detail in the report about investigations undertaken by Assurance & Risk Management Services (a function latterly transferred to the Investigations Unit). Following an email to the chairperson to remind him of a 2010 Senate resolution about the level of reporting of investigations, a confidential report outlining the range and number of investigations by both ARMS and IU was tabled and noted by Senate.
The informative annual report was welcomed, noting that although there have been improvements over time, there is still a way to go in some areas. An Issues Paper on the future of the Equity Office has been produced by management and is going through the usual consultative processes. Some members of Senate said they had responded to the Paper arguing that the Equity Office should remain independent and not be subsumed into HR Division. Seems like a cogent argument to me if we still have a long way to go on some of our equity and diversity targets.
Departing Director of the Office, Anne Stewart, was formally recognised in absentia for what the Deputy Chancellor rightly described as a "fantastic contribution over 12 years".
