Dear colleagues,

By now most of you will have seen the tragic scenes coming out of Victoria, and while many staff have no doubt made private donations, others may be wondering how they can help. For those of you who would like to make a donation through the university, Financial Services has set up a special account to allow you to do so. All money raised will be donated to charities helping people affected by the Victorian bushfires.

Donations to the ” Victorian Bushfire Relief Fund” can be made by cash, credit card or cheque at the UNE cashier between the hours of 9 AM and 4 PM, Monday to Friday. Cheques should be made out to “UNE (Victorian bushfire appeal)”. The Salvation Army is also seeking donations of the following goods:

* Small electrical goods (toasters, jugs etc.)
* Good quality toys
* Toiletries – personal hygiene items, hair brushes, T paper etc.
* Sheets, blankets, towels etc.
* New underwear with the labels still on it
* Pet food

Many areas have already organised fundraiser morning teas, and you might consider putting a large plastic box in your office for people to make donations of goods. Student Administration and Services have arranged for a central drop-off point for donations of goods at UNE Stores. Goods can be dropped off between the hours of 8 AM and 4 PM, Monday to Friday. All goods must be packaged and ready for transport. Please no perishable goods. Allingham Removals have kindly agreed that when they have space in any trucks going south they will transport donations to the Salvation Army in Victoria, free of charge.

I encourage you to give generously during this time of need.

Staff will see from the link below under the News section that UNE has received recognition as an employer for its policy of assisting staff to participate in emergency services provision in our region. I believe that this is a most important contribution that we can make as a University to our community, and I admire those staff who have committed themselves in these roles. If you are interested in knowing more of UNE’s policy framework for this community service, please go to http://www.une.edu.au/policies/pdf/leaveemergencyservices.pdf

I understand that the local SES is currently recruiting members. For more information on becoming an SES volunteer, please go to http://armidale-dumaresq.ses.nsw.gov.au/. Information about the Rural Fire Service can be found at http://www.rfs.nsw.gov.au/dsp_content.cfm?cat_id=1004

I am pleased to provide the following update on a number of matters that will be of interest to staff. First, though, I extend my best wishes to you all for 2009.

1. Thanks to staff
I would like to thank all the staff of the Student Administration and Services Directorate for the effort they are making in the enrolment cycle for Semester 1 2009. I would also like to thank the staff in other areas who are also active in this process - from MaPA, Planning and Institutional Research and from the Faculties and Schools. I am aware of the time and commitment that has been shown by staff answering telephone and AskUNE enquiries, accepting and processing admissions, scholarships and advanced standing applications, the systems that support this and for the professional advice and enrolment assistance that has been available to new and current students. Your commitment to providing these services at this critical time is very much appreciated.

2. Executive staff arrangements
As many of you will know already, Mr Mike Quinlan has been appointed as Acting Chief Operating Officer for the next four to six months. Mike’s experience and knowledge of the University has proven beneficial in this role already and I welcome Mike to the senior executive. It is intended that the structure and operations of the Executive will be reviewed over the next few months so that the need for and responsibilities of the position can be fully assessed

3. Legal Counsel and University Secretary
I am very pleased to advise the appointment of Ms Kim Cull as the University’s Legal Counsel and University Secretary, commencing on Tuesday 3 February 2009. Ms Cull will report to the Vice-Chancellor for operational matters, and Council on University governance matters. She will be responsible for leading the units providing governance support to Council and the Academic Board, and the units providing legal, records management, and risk management and audit services. Please see the updated Organizational Chart at http://www.une.edu.au/vc/vcoffice/orgchart.pdf

Ms Cull joins UNE with a distinguished and broad career in law, executive management and corporate governance. She was in private legal practice as a partner in an Armidale firm in the 1990s, and subsequently worked as a consultant to a large Sydney law firm. Ms Cull was President of the Law Society of NSW in 2002. She held executive positions in the NSW public sector for six years, including state-wide responsibilities as a Director with the Legal Aid Commission. She was Chief of Staff to the Director-General of the Premier’s Department, and was also Assistant Director-General of Ministerial and Parliamentary Services. Ms Cull assumed the position of Executive Director Corporate Governance and Support Services with the Department of Planning, with responsibilities including all corporate governance and the legal unit. She was seconded for a year to be Chief of Staff in a Ministerial office. Most recently Ms Cull is a Director with Landcom, a NSW State-owned corporation, the Chair of the Advisory Board with Service First NSW, and has performed consultancies to various Government agencies. Ms Cull has been active in committees with the Law Society of NSW since 1996, and with the Law Council of Australian since 2002.

The Chancellor and I are confident that Ms Cull will provide outstanding leadership in her important areas of responsibility, and we look forward to working with her.

There are several related matters regarding the roles and location of staff in the new office. Caroline Girvin will, on Ms Cull’s arrival, return to her role with the Academic Board, and Ms Sue Whale who is currently assisting the Academic Board, will move to support Council. All other staff positions will remain the same. The Academic Board office will move to the ground floor of Booloominbah in the rooms currently occupied by the Legal Office. The Legal Office will be located with Ms Cull on the third level. New direction signs for offices within “Bool” are being prepared. Staff who need to contact any of these offices should do so by phone or email in the first instance, or call at reception at the top of the main stairs.

4. Risk and Audit Manager
The process to fill this important position is continuing, with the search firm currently conducting pre-interviews to finalise a short list of candidates for formal interview by the University’s selection panel. Until this position is filled, Mr Col McCallum from FMS will take responsibility for the office so that the University’s audit and risk management plans can be advanced. The position will now report to the Legal Counsel and University Secretary rather than the Chief Operating Officer.

5. New Heads of School selections
Recruitment is well underway for the Heads of School for Education; Law; Business, Economics and Public Policy (BEPP); and Behavioural, Cognitive and Social Sciences (BCSS), with a strong field of candidates applying. Seminars and interviews will be held between 5-13 February 2009 and seminar schedules will be published on a UNE-Official shortly. I encourage members of the Schools and University community to attend the seminars and actively participate in the process.

6. Council Corporate Governance Workshop and Council Retreat
A Corporate Governance Workshop will be held for members of Council in the Council Room at UNE on Thursday 19 February in the afternoon. The Workshop will be followed by a Council Retreat on 20/21 February. The Retreat will be an important opportunity to provide information about the University’s current and planned activities for consideration by Council members. The Retreat will include presentations from the senior executive team and an opportunity for Heads of School and Directors to meet with Council members.

7. Bradley Review of Higher Education
An important topic for discussion at the Council Retreat will be the consideration of the Review of Higher Education conducted by a panel chaired by Professor Denise Bradley. The Government has released the Bradley report (http://www.deewr.gov.au/HigherEducation/Review/Pages/ReviewofAustralianHigherEducationReport.aspx) for consideration by the sector. I have received and accepted an invitation to meet with the Deputy Prime Minister and Minister for Education, Julia Gillard, on Tuesday 2 February in Canberra. I understand that other Vice-Chancellors from the so-called “non-aligned” universities will also be in attendance. This meeting will provide crucial information and indications of the Government’s response to the Review that will inform our discussion at the Retreat and for the UNE community. A paper on our response to the Review is being prepared.

8. Production of new testamurs
The requirement to affix the new Chancellor’s signature to the University’s testamurs has created an opportunity to upgrade the layout, content and quality of the testamurs as well as the Graduation Program booklet. The details of these changes have been agreed by the Chancellor and the Chair of the Academic Board, Professor Magner, and formal approval has also been given by the Standing Committee of Council. The new documents are being prepared for the Graduations later in March/April this year.

9. Communications Strategy and Events Protocol
In the next weeks or so I anticipate being able to launch a new, regular communications bulletin for staff that is to be coordinated by Marketing and Public Affairs. The bulletin will appear weekly on UNE-official and will include announcements from a soon-to-be-created VC’s blog, as well as a range of information useful to UNE staff, including a regular strategic perspective written by members of the UNE executive, general staff notices, upcoming events, positions vacant, service announcements, etc. It is one of a number of initiatives aimed at improving UNE internal communications to be rolled out this year.

Work is also almost complete on a new “Events Protocol” for UNE. The purpose of this protocol will be to ensure the highest level of participation and coordination of events at UNE, especially those where the Chancellor, Vice-Chancellor, Members of Council may be invited and where external visitors such as politicians, consuls, State or Federal Directors or representatives and other national and international dignitaries are involved. Details will be provided in the next week or so.

Thanks for your patience in reading all of the above!