The meeting proper was preceded by presentations from the Director, UQ Diamantina Institute and the Executive Dean, Faculty of Science about each of their organisational units.
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. Two confidential matters were also dealt with.
Members noted a report of the Open Briefing Sessions that were conducted by the VC and SDVC in April and subsequent steps (consultation with staff on UQ's mission and values; VC's address to staff 31 May included culture change as a theme; 360 degree feedback process for senior executives coming, with prospect of filtering down to lower levels over time).
In response to a question from a member, I said that my perception was that staff had welcomed the Sessions and had found them to be open and informative. I added that staff were watching for further evidence of a change in culture and acknowledged that this was something that would possibly take months or even 2-3 years to become apparent. Release by the CMC of its report into the admissions irregularity would bring closure to that matter and likely help, I suggested.
Senate also noted that management had created a working party to review the culture survey results, reflect on the feedback sessions and plan a detailed approach to creating a more constructive workplace culture. The SDVC reported that the working party had felt it needed representation from more-junior staff, so this was being implemented. Six sub-groups, each to deal with a particular theme, will be established by the working party and the wider staff will be invited to join the sub-groups if they have input.
Senate asked that it receive regular reports from the working party and its sub-groups, and wants staff to know that it is very interested in monitoring progress.
Following discussion, the vision, mision and values statements of the University, which have been worked on over the last 12 months, were approved. All staff have had an opportunity to contribute.
