HEEF, Graduations and 2020

Dear Colleagues,

Members of the Higher Education Endowment Fund (HEEF) Advisory Board, specifically Chairman Philip Clark AM and Board member Dr Cherrell Hirst AO, accompanied by Ms Julie Randall from DEEWR, visited JCU's Townsville campus on Tuesday 1 April. The Advisory Board is currently consulting the sector on the draft application guidelines for accessing the earnings of the (currently) $6B Fund. The Board are visiting all capital cities plus Townsville in this round of consultations. It was terrific to have the Board here and for JCU to have our say directly on this important development.

It is very pleasing that the Board are recommending that applications for funding should be strongly linked to the strategic intent of the university and favour collaborative activities. It is intended that the funds be used for infrastructure broadly defined, including new buildings, refurbishments and extensions where those refurbishments/extensions are linked to a collaborative proposal that directly supports the strategic intent and IT infrastructure. While co-investment is encouraged, this is not essential to the success of a proposal. The Board are currently considering a project grant range of between $10M and $100M.

As Mr Clark pointed out, the HEEF fund is here for the long haul. Its continued existence is not dependent on future budget cycles. The consultative process being undertaken, last year in respect of the Fund more broadly and this year in respect of the operations of the application and evaluation process, has been very positive and promises enduring benefits for the sector. The first round expressions of interest seeking funding from the scheme for specific projects are likely to be invited towards the end of May 2008.

Graduation ceremonies have been the biggest news in the past week, in Townsville on 28/29 March and coming up in Cairns on Saturday 5 April. There has been good staff attendance at the ceremonies to date. This is very important. Graduates enjoy seeing their professors and lecturers there and, from my point of view, it is a terrific thing for us all as well. There are very few sectors where it is possible to see evidence of collective success walking across a stage.

We introduced a few innovations this round. A representative of the graduates now thanks the occasional speaker for their address - an address that is directed at the graduating cohort. Each of the students who have performed this role has done an outstanding job, not only congratulating the speaker, but also encouraging their fellow graduates to acknowledge their family and friends and University staff. We have also trialled a reception immediately following the ceremony for VIP guests, University staff, doctoral students and their families, the graduate representative and family. In speaking with a few staff on the weekend, both these innovations have been warmly received. We are also asking that PhD graduates achnowledge their supervisors (or where supervisors are unavoidably absent, the Head of School representing the supervisors) by doffing to them, with the supervisors standing as their names are read and doffing the student in response. When this worked (ie the graduand remembered), it was a very nice thing - for the students, the supervisors and the audience - to see evidence of how special and important the relationship between research student and supervisor really is.

Colleagues, thank you for your support of the graduation ceremonies. They are critical events on the academic calendar. The Marshals play an important role as does the Mace Bearer, and I thank them for that. We should also acknowledge the hard work of the Ceremonies Officer, Roger Yeldham and staff from Examinations Section. Roger is responsible for making all the arrangements for every ceremony and he and our colleagues collectively ensure that all goes smoothly on the day.

You may also have become aware that three members of JCU staff have been selected as delegates to the 2020 Summit to be held in Canberra on the weekend of 19/20 April. Professor Chris Cocklin, PVC (Science, Engineering and IT) will be participating in the "Population, sustainability, climate change and water" section, Professor Caroline de Costa in the "A long-term national health strategy" section and I will be involved in "The productivity agenda (education, skills training, science and innovation)" section. I'm sure we all approach this very positively and are each looking forward to participating in the debate and sharing ideas about Australia's future.

Regards,
Sandra