Non-Confidential Minutes Meeting 05/2020 of ACU Senate 15 October
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Non-Confidential Minutes Meeting 05/2020 of ACU Senate 15 October commencing at 10.00 am Conducted using videoconference From remote locations And from the Sydney Campus Senators at meeting - Mr Julien O’Connell AO, Pro-Chancellor, Acting Chancellor and Chair ** - Professor Greg Craven AO GCSG, Vice-Chancellor and President * - Most Reverend Anthony Fisher OP ** - The Hon. James Douglas ** - Mr Stephen Elder OAM KSS ** - Dr Doseena Fergie OAM ** - Mr Ross Fox (joined meeting at 11.50 am) ** - Associate Professor Elspeth Froude * - Professor Tim McKenry ** - Mr Gerard Goodwin-Moore * - Ms Chanchal (Preet) Kaur * - Mr Tim Kirk ** - Mr Karl Morris AO ** - Dr Judith Norris ** - The Hon. Barbara Perry ** - Ms Annette Schmiede ** - Ms Bernadette Steele ** Apologies - Mr Ross Fox (apology for half of meeting) ** Attendees at meeting - Dr Stephen Weller, Secretary and Chief Operating Officer * - Dr Diane Barker, Director of Governance * - Professor Zlatko Skrbis, Deputy Vice-Chancellor and Interim Provost (for Item 8.5) * - Professor Elizabeth Labone, Executive Dean, Faculty of Education and Arts (for Item 11) * - Professor John Niland AC ** - Simone Chetcuti, Director, Office of Vice-Chancellor and President * - Alyce O’Brien, pro bono placement student, General Counsel * - Hugh McCuaig, Governance Officer * * present in the Peter Cosgrove Centre ** present using videoconference Non-Confidential Minutes, Meeting 05/2020 (15 October), page 1 of 12 Part A – Procedural 1 Welcome and Apologies The Acting Chancellor welcomed Senators to the meeting and gave a special welcome to: Professor Tim McKenry, Chair, Academic Board, term of office 7 August 2020–6 August 2023. Professor John Niland AC, External Reviewer. Alyce O’Brien, pro-bono placement student, General Counsel. 2 Acknowledgement of Country and Opening Prayer An Acknowledgement of Country was given by Dr Doseena Fergie, as provided at Document 2. The Opening Prayer was given by Archbishop Anthony Fisher. 3 Memorial Video in honour of the late Honourable John Fahey AC, GCSG A Memorial Video in honour of the late Honourable John Fahey AC, GCSG, Chancellor of ACU from 2014 to 2020, who passed away on 12 September 2020, was played for the Senate. At the conclusion of the memorial video, there was one minute’s silence in honour of the former Chancellor. 4 Minutes 4.1 Minutes of Meeting held on 6 August 2020 For confirmation S 2020/090 Senate confirmed the Minutes of Meeting 04/2020 (6 August) of Senate as a true and accurate record. 5 Business arising 5.1 Strategic Plan KPI’s Senate noted: Item 13.2 from Meeting 04/2020 (6 August) (to be referred to December meeting of Senate as part of third quarter 2020 reporting). 6 Register of Interests Text removed Non-Confidential Minutes, Meeting 05/2020 (15 October), page 2 of 12 Part B – For Discussion (Governance and Strategy) 7 Acting Chancellor’s Report The Acting Chancellor provided a verbal report. 7.1 Passing of Chancellor, the late Honourable John Fahey AC, GCSG The Acting Chancellor conveyed that the University community is deeply saddened by the death of the Chancellor, the Honourable John Fahey AC, GCSG on 12 September 2020, aged 75, after a battle with leukemia. Mr Fahey was the fourth Chancellor of ACU, having been appointed in 2014. Mr Fahey (John) was greatly loved as Chancellor by students and staff. He was profoundly committed to the idea and vision of a Catholic university and brought to office courage, wisdom and dignity. The Acting Chancellor emphasised Mr Fahey’s faith. He also acknowledged the importance of the Senate and university community to carry Mr Fahey’s vision into the future even though challenges lay ahead for higher education due to the pandemic and constrained funding for teaching and research. Senators extended condolences to Mr Fahey’s wife and family. S 2020/091 Senate noted the Report from the Acting Chancellor. 8 Vice-Chancellor and President’s Report The Vice-Chancellor spoke to his report. 8.1 Passing of Chancellor, the late Honourable John Fahey AC, GCSG The Vice-Chancellor conveyed to Senate that, as Chancellor, Mr Fahey encouraged ACU to develop into a national university of stature. Under his stewardship, the University’s reputation as a Catholic university had been enhanced. The University had undergone a long-term, sustainable expansion strategy that encompassed an increase in the numbers of both students and staff, the establishment of two new campuses, enhanced research capabilities, deepening partnerships in Australia and internationally, and greater engagement with our communities. Much of this is due to the personal convictions that Mr Fahey held in regard to the critical role that the university plays in the life of the Church in Australia. The Vice-Chancellor conveyed that Mr Fahey was committed to his role as Chancellor to the very end. He was committed to securing a successor as Vice-Chancellor and determined to complete this task, even with his withering health. The Vice-Chancellor conveyed that, in honouring the former Chancellor’s memory, ACU campus flags were lowered to half-mast and Memorial Masses were held across Campuses in Sydney (Thursday 1 October), Brisbane (Friday 25 September) and Canberra (Friday 25 September). Due to COVID-19, there was no Mass held in Melbourne. As former Premier of NSW and Finance Minister in the Howard Government, the NSW Government held a State Funeral for Mr Fahey at St Mary’s Cathedral in Sydney on Friday, 25 September. Non-Confidential Minutes, Meeting 05/2020 (15 October), page 3 of 12 8.2 Renaming of the Our Lady Seat of Wisdom Chapel The Vice-Chancellor provided the rationale for the renaming of the Our Lady Seat of Wisdom Chapel in honour of the late Chancellor, the Honourable John Fahey AC, GCSG. S 2020/093 Senate approved the new naming of the Chapel on the MacKillop (North Sydney) campus to the ‘John Fahey Memorial Chapel of Our Lady Seat of Wisdom’. Memorial plaque Senate noted that the University had commissioned the production of an artisan brass memorial plaque which will be hung at the North Sydney Chapel. The plaque will have two coats of arms, the Fahey family Crest and ACU Crest and will read: In memory of The Hon John Fahey AC, GCSG 4th Chancellor of Australian Catholic University 2014 – 2020 Who loved this Chapel, in which he often prayed. 8.3 COVID-19 Recovery Management Plan Includes 2021 & 2022 Recovery Budget Message – and Budget The Vice-Chancellor spoke to the COVID-19 Recovery Management Plan (2021 & 2022 Recovery Budget Message – and Budget). Senate noted that international students make up 13% of enrolments at ACU which is low in comparison to other universities. However, the impact of the border closures on international enrolments (and associated services) has had a material impact on the university’s revenue. With the agreement of Senate in the first half of 2020, a plan was devised to invest future forecast surpluses and achieve savings in non-salary expenses through reductions in capital, consultancy and travel. It is now forecast that the University needs to reduce expenses by $53m and $31m respectively in surplus re-investment and non-salary costs during 2021-22 to achieve a sustainable future level of expenses due to the impact of the border closures. Further, the University will need to achieve saving in salary costs of $42m as projected in the Recovery Management Plan during the same period. Based on the current forecast position, this equates to a maximum reduction of 174 full-time equivalent (FTE) staff or seven per cent of the current workforce. The Vice-Chancellor advised that, accordingly, a number of employee cost related measures need to be considered, which have the capacity to mitigate the impact on staff. The Vice-Chancellor spoke to the 11 measures contained in the Recovery Budget which are intended to begin a discussion with staff as to ways in which employee benefit expenses may be reduced. These measures include savings relating to executive employee benefits, future salary increases, deferral of leave loadings, fractional employment and purchase of additional leave by staff. The Vice-Chancellor stated that staff will have the opportunity to provide feedback and to suggest other potential savings measures. The Vice-Chancellor stated that Dr Weller will be presenting information and feedback sessions for staff and will be joined by the Chief Financial Officer, Scott Jenkins and the Director, Human Resources, Diana Chegwidden using webconference. Non-Confidential Minutes, Meeting 05/2020 (15 October), page 4 of 12 Text removed re Senate discussion. Subsequent to discussion regarding future international student enrolments, it was agreed that consideration should be given to the Pro-Chancellor, Global & Education Pathways, Chris Riley to present to a future meeting of Senate on the state of the International Education Market. Text removed Senate noted that due consideration will be given to pre-retirement contracts which conclude before the end of December 2022 and there would be a recruitment freeze from 15 October until 26 February 2021. S 2020/094 Senate noted the COVID-19 Recovery Management Plan including the 2021 & 2022 Recovery Budget Message – and Budget, as detailed in Document 8.3. 8.4 COVID-19 Financial Impact (incorporating September Forecast) Forecast 2020-2022 The Vice-Chancellor spoke to the COVID-19 Financial Impact (incorporating the September Forecast). S 2020/095 Senate noted the COVID-19 Financial Impact Report (incorporating September 2020 Forecast), as detailed in Document 8.4. 8.5 Confidential Item removed 8.6 Higher Education Funding Reform Bill The Vice-Chancellor provided an outline of the anticipated consequences for the sector and ACU with the passage of the Higher Education Support Amendment (Job-Ready Graduates and Supporting Regional and Remote Students) Bill 2020 in the Federal Senate. The outline covered Commonwealth funding to institutions and fees for students with a focus on the discipline areas of relevance to ACU.