Annual Report 1982
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THE UNIVERSITY OF MELBOURNE ANNUAL REPORT 1982 PUBLISHED BY THE UNIVERSITY CONTENTS Introduction 2 Council 4 The Professors 5 The Academic Board 5 Graduates of The University and The Graduate Committee 6 The Faculties 7 The Library 25 Finance 27 Research 31 Continuing Education 32 Buildings 33 Student Affairs 35 University Sport 36 Melbourne University Press 37 The Graduate Union 37 Melbourne Theatre Company 38 The University Assembly 40 University Gallery 41 Staff . 44 Gifts, Grants and Bequests 59 Statistics 71 Colleges and Halls of Residence 78 Scholarships, Exhibitions and Prizes 79 Degrees and Diplomas Conferred 97 UNIVERSITY OF MELiL ..-.•**• 1 3 DEC 1983 LIBRARY ANNUAL REPORT Report on the proceedings of the University for the year ended 31 December, 1982. His Excellency, Rear Admiral Sir Brian Murray, K.C.M.G., A.O., K.St.J., Governor of Victoria. Your Excellency, The Council of the University of Melbourne has the honour, in accordance with Section 46 of the University Act 1958, to present the first part of its report on the proceedings of the University during the year 1982. In addition to a general account of University activities, Part One of the Annual Report includes a statement of income and expenditure in respect of the General Fund as submitted for audit. Part Two of the Annual Report, which will be issued later, will be the audited financial statement. I have the honour to be, Sir, Your Excellency's most obedient servant, R. DOUGLAS WRIGHT Chancellor. INTRODUCTION Professor Sir David Derham retired on 31 May, 1982, after 14 years as Vice-Chancellor of the University. It was a difficult period for all universities. Sir David insisted that the University should maintain the highest ideals of scholarship and that no compromise of standards could be allowed. Upon his retirement he was described as the "exemplar of the best academic". The University owes a very great deal to his leadership. His successor, Professor David Caro, began duties on 1 June, after serving as Vice-Chancellor of the University of Tasmania from 1978. 1 982 was a year of change and uncertainty for all Australian universities. It was the first year of the "out-turn cost" system of grants to universities and colleges. An amount estimated to cover predicted cost rises for the year concerned was built into grants. It was not clear whether there would be supplementary grants if national cost rises exceeded the amounts assumed. Under this system, it is very difficult to administer an institution efficiently and responsibly, let alone maintain morale. It was not possible to calculate in August 1982 whether the University would be in surplus or deficit by several million dollars by the end of the year. While the nation's economy was uncertain, few other organizations faced similar problems. In the event The University of Melbourne ended the year with a balanced budget, but it laboured under great uncertainty. Universities face other Government-imposed difficulties. Perhaps the most serious is the complexity of the co-ordinating system. All State universities must respond to two Ministers, the State Minister for all legal matters and the Commonwealth Minister for funds. Both State and Commonwealth Governments have set up a complex web of co ordinating bodies and discussion groups. It is now possible for the Commonwealth Minister to receive advice from at least five different sources as well as from universities, professional organizations and individuals. Alongside the Commonwealth machinery there is now a co ordinating body established in each State. All of this results in ill-defined lines of communication and inevitably leads to duplication, confusion and misunderstanding. If Australian universities are to function effectively and efficiently, it is important that reporting and decision-making procedures should be as simple as possible. Towards theend of 1981, it was clear that the University would be entering a period of budget contraction. The University began to develop strategies to maintain standards of excellence, even at the expense of relinquishing some activities altogether. The University's Academic Policy and Planning Committee examined a number of proposals, and the University Council endorsed several general propositions. It was agreed that: "if the University is to strengthen its academic activities generally, this will probably mean that some activities will have to be reduced and some abandoned. Some activities must be "traded off" to strengthen others or to maintain the strength of others, and support should not be given to those activities which appear unlikely to reach academic maturity in the planning period of 1982 to 1 987". In line with this general philosophy the University decided to phase out courses leading to the degrees of Bachelor of Engineering (Mining), Bachelor of Engineering (Metallurgy) and Bachelor of Applied Science (Metallurgy) from the end of 1982. The Department of Mining and Metallurgy was closed on 31 December 1982. Provision was made for students already enrolled in these degree courses to complete their degrees, and it was planned to carry out teaching and research in the disciplines of mining and metallurgy in other departments in the Faculty of Engineering. Late in the year the University also announced revised arrangements for the Department of Human Movement Studies in the Faculty of Science. Council noted that community requirements for the future were likely to be for persons trained in physical education and recreation, and that provision for these studies would be better located in institutions having con tinuing commitments in these areas. It was agreed that from the beginning of 1984, there should be no entry into the second year of the course for the degree of Bachelor of Science with a major study in Human Movement Studies. Following a period during which students already enrolled will be able to complete their courses, the Department of Human Movement Studies will be closed. Since 1968, the University has worked to replace inadequate pension and superannuation arrangements with schemes designed to meet the needs of all employees. As the year closed it seemed clear that the University would enter the Superannuation Scheme for Australian Universities (SSAU). Staff, who are currently members of other university super annuation funds, will be able to elect to join SSAU at any time up to one year after the University's entry into the Scheme. All new staff, eligible for superannuation, will be required to join the new Scheme. The Commonwealth Freedom of Information Act 1982 came into effect on 1 December, 1982. The Victorian Freedom of Information Act was expected to receive Royal Assent in 1983. Under the Acts, people may seek access to information about the operations of the University and to documents—although some material is exempted. The full impact of the legislation is not yet clear, but it will certainly impose an additional cost burden on the University. Despite these difficulties, many good things are happening. In 1982 the Commonwealth Government agreed to the establishment of Australia's second Graduate School of Management at the University. A talented and enthusiastic group of Melbourne businessmen is supporting the School and raising money to augment the $4 million building grant agreed to in December by the Commonwealth Government. Two Commonwealth Special Research Centres were established in the University during 1982—one in Botany and the other in Pathology. The University is receiving $1.7 million for each project from the Commonwealth Government over three years. The grants are provided under a scheme known as the Commonwealth Programme for Promotion of Excellence in Research. Professor Bruce Knox and Dr Adrienne Clarke, Reader in the School of Botany, are developing a Plant Cell Biology Research project. Professor lan McKenzie, of the Department of Pathology, is heading the project for Cancer and Transplantation. Both centres are already producing very exciting results. During the year the University established a Graduate Secretariat and sought to increase the interest of graduates in the University. The number of graduates on the postal roll is increasing, many others are joining faculty societiesand associations, and the numbervoting in University elections is rising. Graduates play a very important role in the government of the University—serving on Council, the Graduate Committee and faculties. It is hoped that graduate involvement in University life will continue to increase. Society in general does not always understand the purpose of universities, and graduates can be of inestimable assistance by explaining universities to the public. During 1982, in co-operation with Monash and La Trobe Universities, a School of Hellenic Studies was established. Courses are being provided at each University and an honours school is being developed in this University. Funds to assist the development of the new courses have been provided by a Commonwealth Tertiary Education Commission Community Languages Grant. A donation from the Melbourne Greek community enabled the University to introduce courses in Modern Greek in 1974. Celebrations and events to commemorate the centenary of pianist- composer Percy Grainger's birth were a cultural highlight of the year. A gala concert at the Melbourne Concert Hall launched a week of Grainger's music. At the premiere concert, the Grainger Festival Orchestra was conducted by Professor Michael Brimer, Dean of the Faculty of Music, in the presence of the Governor of Victoria, His Excellency Rear Admiral Sir Brian Murray. Malcolm Williamson, Master of the Queen's Musick, returned to Australia to take part in the celebrations. COUNCIL Professor Emeritus R. D. Wright was re-elected as Chancellor for a further 12 months. Dame Margaret Blackwood was re-elected and Dr J. D. McCaughey was elected to the two positions of Deputy Chancellor. Following the election of Professor K. C. Lee Dow as Vice-Chairman of the Academic Board, his position on Council became vacant and was filled in December by Professor L.