News Archive

The Dean of the Faculty, Winthrop Professor David Smith, provided the following update to members of the Faculty on the 20 August 2009 via email.

Dear Colleagues,

Over recent weeks, I have received a large amount of feedback from across the Faculty. None of the feedback received to date has expressed substantial disagreement with the fundamentals of the governance and management framework in the Strategic Review paper. Rather, this feedback has centred on concerns over the lack of detail and concerns over seeking an endorsement in principle at the Full Faculty meeting on the 8 September.

In particular, some staff from across the Faculty are providing feedback that they feel under pressure to vote one way or the other for this proposal, and this is causing unnecessary stress in the Faculty. The intention of the 8 September was to allow the Faculty to indicate its level of support for the proposal in a collegiate way, and this is not being achieved.

I have therefore decided that following the close of feedback from the Faculty on the 28 August 2009, a final paper will be circulated, with any modifications included from the feedback received, and we will move forward as a Faculty in line with that paper. This will involve developing greater details of the governance and management framework in consultation with the Faculty and following this, implementation in accordance with University requirements. For example, any change to our committee structure or school structure requires a formal decision by the Full Faculty

However, it is important to note that the Faculty will continue to have the opportunity to provide feedback on the current paper until the 28 August 2009, as originally advised, and this feedback will be considered before issuing the final paper.

Further details regarding the next phase will be provided at the Full Faculty meeting on the 8 September, and in the agenda distributed in the week prior to the meeting, but I want to make clear that we need to move forward as a Faculty to ensure our future success. No change is not an option.

The Strategic Review process has involved detailed consultation across the Faculty over a number of months, and every member of the Faculty has had the opportunity to contribute in a variety of ways. The issues and challenges we face have been detailed in the review papers published during this process. In order to reach our potential, we must improve the way we operate.

As we go forward developing greater details, there will be continuing opportunities for involvement by the Faculty, and I hope all staff take the opportunity to participate and shape the future of our Faculty.

Regards

David Smith

Media references

Questions, concerns or enquiries should be directed to:

Mr Stuart Broadfoot
Manager, Special Projects
(08) 6488 2463
[email protected]

Strategic Review 2009 Website
www.ecm.uwa.edu.au/staffnet/review