The proposed changes to, as it says "take advanta tge", of Victorian Governments legislation of the Act governing the University

Review to be completed by June introduced in last 1/4 of 2008

1. Have legislation support preferred governance arrangements
2. Determine if some or all of the act might need to be replaced by provisions specified for corporate governance under corporations act.
   
3. Assist secretary undertake comparative analysis of the enabling legislation of other unis
1. authorities as body corporate
2. council ability to delegate responsibility of its trusts
3. simplifying investment fund and trust administration
4. power to make regulation to be extended to academic board, faculties and designated bodies
5. clarify role function and composition of faculties
6. simplify participation in companies and joint ventures
4. Size operation of membership and modus operandi of University Council
5. Other things that have come up since

The intention is to shift alot of the decision making power over money and trusts and investments and arrangements with council away from council and to also change council and recommend changes to membership - what was recommended here? Can Ian explain what stage we are upto. The Nats or the Division might need to be informed.

Next bit was to
Specify roles of council, vice chancellor and academic board
Currently the State Government enabling legislation says that the "council is the governing body of Uni and has the entire direction and superintendence of the University"

1. Attempt to set respective decision rights ascribed to council and to Vice Chancellor, and Academic Board- in overaching statute .

* this seems reasonable ?

1. As with corporate governance a preferred approach specifies authorities- including financial authorities and specified appointments - leaving the balance to the VCand those can be delegated by the VC - but he/she would still be accountable to the Council?
2. Delegated authorities for course approvals to Academic Board
3. respective accountabilities to enhance good governance - freeing up of council agenda to consider strategic rather than operational
   

Governance changes that are both in statute and in workings of council and committees

Taking responsibility is the revealing title of a paper presented to council in Feb 2008 and that Ian has the carriage of.

There is a context that is identified as a "rare opportunity"(strategic context or climate) for analysis and change of structure, systems and processes, because federal and state are looking at change. for example in the committee for Convocation it was raised by the Review of University Acts committee Mr Meehan, the convener of the working group
"The University has a clear wish (see the
paper from Council headed ‘Item 9.2’) to remove from the Act large amounts of
procedural detail related to Convocation and its Committee. There is also likely to
be a push from the State Government to remove such details as they are keen to
standardise the University Acts where practicable. If details are removed from the
Act, Convocation and its Committee can still be as established by the internal
Statutes and Regulations of the University."

The committee itself recommended that
"Members discussed the proposals in the draft submission which essentially are:
• That reference to Convocation and its Committee be retained in the Act
• That Convocation should have a seat as of right on the Council of the
University
• That the Committee support the University’s proposal to remove from the
Act procedural details relating to Convocation and its Committee
Dr Simpson proposed that the name be changed to “Convocation of Graduates” and
this was accepted by the meeting."