Annual Report 2008 The Year in Review Letter of Submission 23 April 2009 Dear Minister The Board of Trustees of the University of Western Sydney has pleasure submitting the Annual Report of the proceedings of the University of Western Sydney and its audited financial statements for the year ended 31 December 2008, for your presentation to the New South Wales Parliament. The report is submitted in accordance with the Annual Reports (Statutory Bodies) Act 1984. The Annual Report and Financial Statements have been prepared in accordance with the Annual Reports (Statutory Bodies) Act 1984 and the Public Finance and Audit Act 1983. Yours sincerely, John Phillips, AO Professor Janice Reid, AM Chancellor Vice-Chancellor 2 Contents Chancellor’s Message . 4 Engagement . 39 Vice-Chancellor’s review . 5 Careers & Cooperative Education. 41 Five Years – Key Statistics . 7 University Art Collection. 42 The Organisation . 8 Schools Engagement. 43 Charter. 8 The UWS Foundation. 43 Board of Trustees. 8 The Office of Development. 44 Academic Senate. 9 Whitlam Institute. 44 Quality and Profile . 10 Alumni Relations Unit. 45 Quality Management and Assurance . 10 UWS Innovation & Consulting. 46 Marketing. 11 Office of the Academic Registrar . 47 Complaints Management. 13 Management and Resources . 47 Protected Disclosures. 13 Our Staff. 48 Learning and Teaching . 14 Financial Resources and Budget Outcomes. 50 College of Arts . 14 UWS Entities . 51 College of Business . 15 Campus Development and Capital Works Programs . 52 College of Health & Science. 16 Risk Management. 54 Strategic and Policy Issues . 18 Changes in Acts or subordinate legislation/significant e-Learning. 21 judicial decisions. 55 Quality teaching. 22 UWS Risk Management Framework. 55 UWS International . 23 Privacy. 56 Indigenous Students. 24 Code of Conduct. 56 Medical School. 25 Freedom of Information – Statement & Summary of Affairs . 57 Equity and Diversity . 26 Our Students . 58 Student Support Services. 28 Appendices . 59 Student Equity . 29 Appendix 1: Board of Trustees Members. 59 Library . 30 Appendix 2: Board of Trustees Meetings . 60 Research Strategy . 31 Appendix 3: Committees and other bodies established Research . 31 by the Board of Trustees. 61 Competitive Funding – major grants. 32 Appendix 4: Academic Senate Membership. 62 Collaborative Research. 34 Appendix 5: Principal Officers of the University. 63 Research Training. 35 Appendix 6: Consultancies. 64 Awards and Recognition. 36 Appendix 7: UWS Board of Trustees Report. 65 Appointments. 36 Equity Statistics . 66 Research Data. 38 Student Enrolment Data . 67 Office of University Engagement. 39 UWS Governance Structure . 72 UWS Management Structure . 73 3 Chancellor’s Message In my message last year, I observed that “2007 was a good year Governance has to do with the intricate web of relationships for the University of Western Sydney”. I am delighted to be able and responsibilities which ensure, or should ensure, the to say that the trend continued in 2008. It was, in many ways, pursuit of the objectives of the University in a prudent, a difficult year as we pursued an ambitious capital development fiscally sound, responsible and ethical manner. programme while continuing to strive for excellence in teaching and learning and for a high quality student experience. The Board of Trustees, the Academic Senate, the Chancellor, the Vice-Chancellor, the senior members of More remains to be done on all these fronts but the University community and many others, all are part substantial further progress has been made. A tour of of the governance structure of the University. At the top our campuses provides ample evidence of the capital of the governance tree is the Board of Trustees. development programme, not just in teaching spaces but also in student amenities and, importantly, student The University of Western Sydney has been very fortunate living quarters. Equally, the University’s success in winning in the quality and commitment of the men and women competitive funding is an illustration of the progress in who have served on the Board of Trustees, including those teaching and learning and the quality of our research. elected by student and staff constituencies. It has been, and remains, an honour to act as their Chancellor and Chairman. More information on these developments is given in other sections of this Report. During 2008, as is usual, there were some changes in Board membership. I would particularly like to note the long and Many people have contributed to our successes, too many extraordinarily valuable contribution of Ms Gabrielle Kibble to acknowledge individually. On behalf of the Board of AO who had served as Deputy Chancellor for eight years and Trustees, I would like to commend the University staff, both had played a vital role in the development of the University’s academic and administrative, under the leadership of the campuses and in many other ways. We also lost the services Vice-Chancellor, for their commitment and persistence. of Ms Genevieve Kelly AM, elected by the academic staff, and Mr Gang Zheng, elected by post-graduate students. On behalf I would also like to express the Board’s appreciation and of the Board of Trustees, I offer all three our heartfelt thanks for thanks to those members of the broader community who their contributions and wish them well in their future activities. have served selflessly and without financial reward on the many boards and committees which help the University I would also like to welcome to the Board, as new members to carry out its many functions and responsibilities. in 2008, Ms Jan Brown, elected by general staff and Similarly, we are extremely grateful to those institutions Professor Carolyn Sappideen, elected by academic staff. and individuals who support our students though direct donations, provision of scholarships, participation in The year ahead will present many challenges. The state of partnership programmes and in many other ways. the broader economy, the confused lack of confidence in financial markets and the possible rise in unemployment Without the generosity of these people, in providing their time, will all have implications for the higher education sector. their experience, and their financial support, the University In this environment, Universities will also need to deal would be a much poorer and less effective institution. with the Government’s response to the Bradley and Cutler Reports. Nonetheless, I have confidence that the My final “Thanks!” goes to my colleagues on the University of Western Sydney will continue to pursue Board of Trustees. University governance has been excellence in all its activities and will continue to improve a topic of much debate in recent times, though the facilities available to our students and our staff. the debate is not always well informed. John Phillips Chancellor 4 Vice-Chancellor’s review With a settled and integrated structure across its six power sources, climate change, water recycling, solar campuses, the University focused on its strategic priorities in power, green transport, and waste management. 2008, guided by its strategy - its ‘plan on a page’ - Making the Difference. The strategy framed all activities around four Some key achievements reflect the progress the University key areas; the quality of the student experience, targeted has made in the four areas of focus of its strategic plan. world-class engaged research, developing mutually beneficial partnerships with the community and building financial stability. Despite variable student demand for a university place across the sector, UWS has achieved its student load targets UWS is now widely seen and described as an institution set by the Commonwealth since the new Commonwealth “on the move”, and is experiencing a growing sense Government Scheme (CGS) commenced. In 2008, load of optimism and momentum, with myriad staff and planning included the use of CGS places in UWSCollege, institutional achievements throughout the year. The a wholly owned pathways college of UWS, to provide local programs and initiatives described in this report have students with the opportunity to come on to university. Student contributed to and reflect the growth of the University. retention is also a critical measure of student satisfaction and institutional performance. For UWS, retention data improved This year saw the official opening of the University’s School significantly between 2004-5 and 2006-7 and stabilised of Medicine building by the Acting Prime Minister and in 2007 and 8. This remains an area of focus for UWS. Minister for Education and Employment and Workplace Relations Julia Gillard. The award-winning facility embodies Measures of student satisfaction are important indicators of the the University’s commitment to excellence, not only in quality of the learning and campus experience in the eyes of the areas of medical education and research, but in other the student. These measures have improved for UWS. In terms health science programs. The planned extension to the of overall satisfaction, the Course Experience Questionnaire building of two large and modern theatres was completed (CEQ) results show that 65.5% of recent graduates (2008) in time for the beginning of the 2009 academic year. are satisfied with their course (up from 55% in 2003, 54% in 2004, 62% in 2005 and 2006, and consistent with 65.6% in The University celebrated the rich heritage of its Hawkesbury 2007). This rise in satisfaction is also being reflected in the campus with a special ceremony to commemorate the Postgraduate Research Experience Questionnaire (PREQ) 115th anniversary of the first graduates. Founded in 1891 results which show a significant increase in overall satisfaction as the Hawkesbury Agricultural College, for more than a from 71.8% in 2004 to 83.9 in 2008, an outcome which is century the campus has been a centre of excellence in now on par with the results for the higher education sector. education, catering to rural Australia and now the burgeoning northwest region of Sydney and beyond.