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1998
- a year of many achievements When I arrived at the start of 1997, I said Monash must aim to be recognised as Australia's leading university. Appropriately, the document that is setting our direction as we move into the next millennium is titled Leading the Way.
These are challenging times for anyone working in an Australian university. In a climate of reduced public funding, we are facing greater demands from government, business and schools, as well as students and their future employers. And yet, Monash people are continuing to make their mark as leaders both in Australia and overseas.
There have been many highlights and successes for Monash in 1998. In naming a few, I risk overlooking many, but among the notable achievements were:
On the basis of 1998, it is quite clear to everyone that Monash continues to be an institution that attracts the highest quality people, holds good teaching in high regard, and has staff who generate ideas, apply knowledge and engage actively with the broader community locally, nationally and internationally. Through the efforts of academic and general staff across all seven campuses, Monash is indeed a leader among universities.
We can look forward to 1999 with optimism and enthusiasm. Thank you for your support, hard work and commitment throughout the year.
This year I have decided to reduce significantly the number of greeting cards sent from my office. In fact, I shall only be sending cards to people and organisations outside Australia. Instead, I believe it would be a better use of time and resources for the university to donate $5000 to each of two organisations - one in Gippsland and one in the city - working with homeless youth.
I hope you have a relaxing break
Professor David Robinson
Vice-chancellor and president
Peninsula
runner sets sights on Sydney 2000Some people don't even drive 180 kilometres in a week, but running this far has become part of Lisa Dick's weekly routine.
And all the hard work has paid off for the Peninsula nursing student with her silver medal win in the women's marathon at the recent Commonwealth Games.
Lisa, who is completing a Graduate Diploma in Community Health, not only combines marathon training with study, she also works at Western Hospital in Sunshine.
Her Commonwealth medal win, in which she finished behind fellow Australian Heather Turland, is of even greater significance as it was only her second marathon.
"The first marathon I competed in was to qualify for selection for the world championships in August, but it also qualified me for the Commonwealth Games," Lisa said.
Initially, Lisa was hesitant when selected for the games because there were only about 10 weeks' recovery time between the two marathons, making her feat all the more impressive because runners rarely compete in more than one event every six months.
With her sights set on Sydney 2000, Lisa heads off to compete in Japan in the January 1999 Osaka Women's International Marathon, which is a qualifying event for the World Championships in Spain in August as well as the 2000 games.
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Monash
Memo in 1999
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Disbelief was the first reaction of Ms Angela Carbone when she won the Prime Minister's University Teacher of the Year award last month.
This month, her disbelief continues. In recognition of her excellent teaching skills, vice-chancellor Professor David Robinson has appointed Ms Carbone as a fixed-term professor for 1999. And along with her new position, the computer science lecturer has been promoted to the top of the lecturers salary scale for the duration of the year.
"I never expected this," she said. "Rewards for teaching are few and far between, so this is just fantastic."
Professor Carbone, as she will now be known, has already been invited by the Federal Government to chair or join a number of national committees and by several organisations to fulfil speaking engagements.
Professor Robinson said Professor Carbone would spend much of next year not only teaching in the School of Computer Science and Software Engineering but also "professing" the teaching of teaching in information technology.
To be known as the Monash University Information Technology Leasing Facility, the program will enable the university to maintain the currency of its computing equipment without the large capital outlay required periodically for the outright purchase of equipment.
The facility is to be financed through Macquarie Bank Limited, which will purchase the equipment on behalf of Monash. It will then lease it to the university at a specified rate that is billed quarterly.
The ability to lease equipment will provide the university's Cost Centres with an opportunity to manage their IT budgets with greater flexibility, to continually update their computing equipment and to outsource the servicing of the equipment.
In setting up the leasing facility, Monash undertook an extensive review to establish a panel of endorsed suppliers who could provide quality equipment and on-site service at competitive rates. Each supplier will be subject to a process of periodic assessment, both in terms of the quality of the goods supplied and the level of service provided.
Initially, the program will be limited to desktop computers, notebook computers and printers. Equipment acquired under the program must conform to a standard minimum configuration as specified by the university.
In support of the program, an extensive procedures manual is being developed and should be available in January 1999. Information sessions will be conducted on each campus in February.
For details on the leasing facility, contact Mr Harry Bracegirdle, manager, Procurement Services, on extn 54040. While the procedure manual and the formal engagement of the endorsed suppliers are being finalised, preliminary expressions of interest can be lodged by email to Harry.Bracegirdle@adm.monash.edu.au .
Further details on the facility, including supplier contacts, prices and indicative leasing rates, can be found under the Purchasing at Monash web-site at http://www-facserv.adm.monash.edu.au/procurement/
The following is a list of endorsed suppliers and basic equipment to be provided by them:
| Supplier | Desktop computers | Notebook computers | Printers |
| Paragon Systems P/L | Paragon P II | - | - |
| MicroPro Computers P/L | Tsunami P II | - | - |
| Leading Solutions P/L | Hewlett Packard Vectra P II | - | Hewlett Packard range of personal and networked printers |
| Southern Cross Computer Systems P/L | IBM PC 300L PII |
IBM Thinkpad 380 Z |
Lexmark range of inkjet printers |
| Praxa Limited | - | - | Fuji-Xerox range of inkjet and inkjet and laser printers Epson printers |
The IAS project team is responsible for implementing the new integrated finance and human resource system (SAP R/3) and the new student administration information system known as Callista.
Based at Science and Technology Park at Blackburn Road, Clayton, the team is coordinating all phases of the project. In the first of a series of articles in Monash Memo, the team explains the new system.
How will the new system be of benefit to me?
What is happening now?
The IAS project has now entered its third phase - realisation.
When will I be taught how to use SAP and Callista?
SAP end-user training sessions will be held from March through to May or June 1999. End-user training for Callista will occur in 2000.
Your allocated reference group member and relevant supervisor will be contacted in the new year to determine who requires SAP training before and after the system goes 'live' on 3 May 1999.
The reference group members are extended IAS project team members located in faculties and the major administrative units. They are responsible for assisting the IAS project team in ensuring a smooth transition of SAP and Callista to all end users.
I need to know more
For further information, contact Ms Annabel Carle on extn 56084 or email annabel.carle@adm.monash.edu.au, or Ms Lisa King on extn 56006 or email lisa.king@adm.monash.edu.au
The web page is at http://www.adm.monash.edu.au/ias
A range of expertise is represented on the IAS project team.
Monash audiences have been treated to a series of outstanding free lectures by top academics and science professionals from the US as part of the World of Science at Monash lecture program.
Two of the speakers, Dr Edward Stone and Dr William O'Neil, from NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory (JPL) in California, were visiting Melbourne as part of the recent international astronautics congress. The JPL is the headquarters for NASA's unmanned space exploration program.
Dr Stone, the director of the JPL, presented 'Mars and the search for life elsewhere', which covered NASA's plans to explore Mars robotically. Dr O'Neil, project manager for NASA's $2 billion Galileo project on Jupiter, spoke about the giant planet. Dr Andrew Prentice, a reader in mathematics at Monash, is using information gained from the Galileo project to test his theory on the creation of the solar system.
The third presenter, Dr David Lambert from the University of Texas in Austin, took the audience beyond the planets to explore 'The origin of the elements' within the universe. Dr John Lattanzio, a reader in mathematics at Monash and an expert on stars, has close links with Dr Lambert through his work.
For details on the World of Science at Monash lecture program, contact Dr Lattanzio on extn 54428 or Dr Leo Brewin, director of Computing Services, on extn 54456.
University/Central Gippsland Institute of TAFE English Language Program, which will be launched in Gippsland soon.
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Hitting the right note: Monash pianists held a recital at Monash University Sunway Campus Malaysia recently, kicking off a series of cultural events at the Kuala Lumpur campus. About 500 guests enjoyed the artistic expertise of, from left, Mr Darryl Coote, artistic coordinator of Monash's Team of Pianists; Professor Max Cooke, team director; and student Ronald Ng. In his opening remarks, Professor Cooke noted that one of the aims of the Team of Pianists was to promote talented young musicians studying at Monash. |
Monash University Union will cease to exist on 31 December 1998.
From 1 January 1999, it will begin trading under the new name of Monash Unicomm.
Monash Unicomm will be responsible for operating an accounting system independent of the university, with resulting changes for some accounting and financial procedures.
For more information on the changes, contact Monash Unicomm finance manager Mr Mark Edmonds on extn 51215, or Ms Helen Hudson on extn 54179.
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