A new era opens for UNE

July 20, 2007

The University of New England entered a new era yesterday, with the launch of two new Faculties to replace the previous four. The Vice-Chancellor, Professor Alan Pettigrew, officially launched the new Faculties on what he called "a momentous day" for UNE.

The new structure concentrates disciplines contributing to the generalist degrees offered by the University (typically degrees in arts and science) and related specialist degrees (such as the new Bachelor of Biomedical Science and Bachelor of Criminology degrees) in a Faculty of Arts and Sciences. Disciplines contributing to more professionally-oriented degrees (such as those in teaching, nursing, and accounting) are concentrated in a Faculty of the Professions.

As well as reducing the number of Faculties from four to two, the reorganisation has reduced the total number of Schools within those Faculties from 16 to 10. The aim here has been to increase opportunities for academic cooperation in teaching and research by locating related disciplines within the same School. For example, Geography and Planning, Psychology, Linguistics and Sociology have been brought together in a School of Behavioural, Cognitive and Social Sciences within the Faculty of Arts and Sciences.

Yesterday's launch marked the culmination of a period of consultative planning that began last year at the instigation of Professor Pettigrew, continued in 2007 through the work of a Reorganisation Planning Group, and involved submissions from – and discussions with – a broad range of staff members. Professor Pettigrew said yesterday that the planning had proceeded in "a very collegial way". "I am grateful to those who have assisted us in reaching this point, and who continue to work through the fine details of the implementation," he said. "By aligning and focusing its academic strengths, and by simplifying its academic and administrative structures, the reorganisation will help UNE to realise the vision of its Strategic Plan for 2007-2010."

Speaking at the launch, the Pro Vice-Chancellor and Dean of the new Faculty of Arts and Sciences, Professor Margaret Sedgley (pictured here), said the reorganisation offered UNE "a bright new future". She looked back at the achievements of previous Schools and Faculties and the outstanding individuals who had created and sustained them. Among those achievements were the pioneering of distance education in Australia by the original Faculty of Arts, and the innovative work of people such as Dr Miriam Dixson in women's history and Professor Colin Tatz in Indigenous politics. The vision of men like Professor Bill McClymont in Rural Science, Professor Noel Beadle in Botany and Professor John Burton in Natural Resources, Professor Sedgley said, had laid the foundations for UNE's current position at the forefront of ecological approaches to agriculture and natural resource management. "We celebrate where we have come from," she concluded, "and now we empower those ready to change the world."

Alongside Professor Sedgley at the head of the Faculty of Arts and Sciences, Professor Victor Minichiello will head the Faculty of the Professions as Pro Vice-Chancellor and Dean.

Transitional Heads have been appointed to eight of the 10 new Schools. These are, in the Faculty of Arts and Sciences: Associate Professor Kerry Dunne (School of Arts), Professor Bill Noble (School of Behavioural, Cognitive and Social Sciences), Associate Professor Lynda Garland (School of Humanities), Professor John Gibson (School of Environmental and Rural Science), and Professor A.S.M. Sajeev (School of Science and Technology).

The Transitional Heads of Schools appointed in the Faculty of the Professions are: Professor Lynn Meek (School of Business, Economics and Public Policy), Professor Ian Hay (School of Education), and Associate Professor Jeanne Madison (School of Health). Associate Professor Harry Geddes continues temporarily as Acting Head of the School of Law, and a Head has yet to be appointed to the School of Rural Medicine that is being established within this Faculty.

THE PHOTOGRAPH of Professor Margaret Sedgley displayed here expands to include Professor Alan Pettigrew and the five Transitional Heads of Schools in the Faculty of Arts and Sciences. They are (from left) Professor John Gibson, Professor Bill Noble, Associate Professor Lynda Garland, Professor Pettigrew, Associate Professor Kerry Dunne and Professor A.S.M. Sajeev.

Posted by Jim Scanlan at July 20, 2007 05:20 PM