From HASSE Dean, Professor Jane Edwards

 

Sea of Hands for Reconciliation Week 2023

Thursday June 1^st 2023 12:00 pm – 2:30 pm

Location: Corner of Elm Ave and Trevenna Rd UNE Armidale
Contact: Sam Crick  events.pr@une.edu.au

All staff are encouraged to attend.

Further information: https://www.une.edu.au/connect/events/events/une-sea-of-hands-installation

Why reconciliation?

From https://www.reconciliation.org.au/reconciliation/what-is-reconciliation/

“For Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples, Australia’s colonial history is characterised by devastating land dispossession, violence, and racism. Over the last half-century, however, many significant steps towards reconciliation have been taken.

Reconciliation is an ongoing journey that reminds us that while generations of Australians have fought hard for meaningful change, future gains are likely to take just as much, if not more, effort.

In a just, equitable and reconciled Australia, Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander children will have the same life chances and choices as non-Indigenous children, and the length and quality of a person’s life will not be determined by their racial background.

Our vision of reconciliation is based and measured on five dimensions: historical acceptance; race relations; equality and equity; institutional integrity and unity.”

 

Cold and flu season

Please stay home if unwell. RAT tests are encouraged when relevant symptoms appear. Thank you to everyone supporting, caring and shopping for those who are home sick currently. Your support and care are much appreciated. 

 

UNE Academic Workload Model

After years of negotiation the final version of the hours based Academic Workload Model is approved. Congratulations to all those involved in its development especially our faculty and union representatives. Equal respect and acknowledgement is due to those who managed staff workloads during the period of negotiation, especially the vital work of Heads of Department and Heads of School and our former Personnel Manage and now Faculty Coordinator. Now the further work begins to ensure we implement the new model with equity, care, and respect.

 

Farewell Mike!

Farewell to Professor Mike Wilmore who joined HASSE as the inaugural Dean in July 2018. Mike leaves us to join the exquisitely located University of the Sunshine Coast as their DVC. As HASSE Dean, then Acting Deputy Vice Chancellor (twice), and in a newly created role of Pro Vice Chancellor Academic, Mike served two Vice Chancellors and an acting Vice Chancellor. Mike demonstrated exceptional leadership at UNE in the academic workload negotiation, in consolidating the faculty structures, roles and responsibilities, and supporting the COVID decisions in HASSE alongside the post-tornado response. Mike’s support and championing of HASSE will be missed.

 

UNE’s new Vice Chancellor

I was delighted to engage a one to one chat with Professor Chris Moran via Teams recently. I am pleased he spent most of the discussion focused on values and the crucial role values play in organisations. He presented strong beliefs about the power of institutions to create intracultural change through listening to, and incorporating, voices at all levels. I asked him about his view as to the optimal structures for universities. I appreciate he opined that the structure needs to assist us to advance and achieve goals, and if it doesn’t then we need to change it. I perceive he is likely to take time to listen and understand how UNE operates before indicating a new direction of travel.