Mathematical Sciences Institute
Administrative Structure and Guidelines

Structure

1. The Mathematical Sciences Institute (MSI) will be a budget unit within the College.
2. MSI will initially have two Academic Organisational Units, the Centre for Mathematics and its Applications (CMA) and the Department of Mathematics (DoM).
3. There will be a Director of MSI. The Heads of CMA and DoM will have the status of Heads of Academic Organisational Units and will be Associate Directors, the Associate Director of DoM will also be the Associate Director (Education).
4. MSI will have dual budget lines - Education and Research - under a single administration through the Director. There will be clear separation of IAS block grant and CGS/HECS accounts by codes to retain integrity of these budget lines.
   1. The Education budget lines, including Higher Education Contribution Scheme, Commonwealth Grants Scheme, any Special Allocations, Fees and Research Training Scheme, will be allocated by the Dean of the College of Science (the Dean) through an Education Contract. The budget allocations will be determined using the same principles as for other parts of the College of Science and transparent to other parts of the College of Science.
   2. The Research budget lines will be allocated by the Vice-Chancellor and cover Research Operating Grant, any Special Allocations, Research Infrastructure Block Grant and Institutional Grants Scheme.
5. The Director will allocate Education and Research Budgets to CMA and DoM with transparent allocations from each of the funding lines of the School, excluding any allocations tied to detailed, specific activities.
6. Research will be organised into Research Programs, each led by a convenor appointed by the Director in consultation with members of MSI. The Heads of CMA and DoM will be Associate Directors. The initial Research Programs will be Algebra and Topology, Analysis and Geometry, Applied and Nonlinear Analysis, Computational Mathematics, Mathematical Physics and Theoretical Astrophysics, Statistical Science, Stochastic Analysis.
7. The Director will chair an MSI Board containing at least the Associate Directors and program convenors which will advise the Directors and Associate Directors.
8. The Director will chair the MSI Planning Committee which will function as an Executive Committee. The membership of the MSI Planning Committee will consist of the Director and Heads of CMA and DoM with the Dean an ex officio member for any matter likely to impact the delegations of the Dean.
9. Education will include program and course development, course co-ordination, teaching and assessment, Honours co-ordination, supervision and assessment and Higher Degree Research (HDR) co-ordination and supervision. Contributions will come from all of MSI. The contributions of individual staff members to Education will be determined through the Education Contract (see Clause 11) and Statement of Expectations forms. Staff fractions allocated to CMA and DoM budgets will vary over time and be related to the Statement of Expectation forms. The Director of the School, advised by the Planning Committee, would determine these fractions (see clause 13).
10. There will be an Associate Director (HDR). The Associate Directors and Heads of CMA and DoM will be supervised by the Director. They will be accountable to the Dean for their parts of the detailed aspects of Education in MSI. The Dean and the Director will recognise the dual responsibilities of the Heads and Associate Director (HDR) to the Dean.
11. The Education Contract will cover courses to be taught and staff to co-ordinate and teach them, incorporating the contributions currently provided CMA and DoM. It will cover obligations in course delivery and development, program coordination and development, marketing and outreach, College support of the Education program, required performance in quality and quantity for undergraduate, postgraduate and HDR, as well as measures of effective liaison with other relevant disciplines. Loads, courses and obligations under the contract will be negotiated on a yearly basis between the School and the Dean. The Director will be accountable to the Dean for fulfilling the Education Contract.
12. Administrative support to MSI will initially be as agreed with the Director and Dean in 2007.
13. The Dean of Science or nominee will Chair the Appointment Committee for continuing appointments which have an education percentage of 35% or more. Both the Director of the Mathematical Sciences Institute and the Dean must sign the authority to appoint for these positions. The Dean or nominee will be an ex-officio member of the Appointment Committee for any appointment with an education component. The Dean will be consulted about variations to appointments that have an existing or proposed future education component.
14. The Dean or nominee will be on the circulation list with the right to attend the School Executive. Plans for Education developments in the Mathematical Sciences Institute will be negotiated between the Dean, the Director, the Heads and the Associate Director (HDR). Where plans for Education and Research interact, the Dean will be appropriately involved.

Education Contract between Dean, College of Science and Mathematical Sciences Institute (MSI).

1. Structure

   1. The MSI will have two Departments, The Department of Mathematics (DoM) and the Centre for Mathematics and its Applications (CMA).
   2. Both Departments will have education responsibilities. The Head of the DoM will be the Associate Director (Education) and also the Associate Director of MSI. There will be an Undergraduate Convenor, an Honours and Graduate Coursework Convenor, and an HDR Convenor. These people are named in Schedule 1.
   3. The Convener (HDR) will be responsible for all Ph.D. and M.Phil students and will also be Program Convener for Mathematical Sciences and other HDR programs within MSI.
   4. The courses which will be taught and staff to co-ordinate them are detailed in Schedule 2.

2. Education Requirements

   1. MSI will undertake review, coordination and development activities in education as detailed in Schedule 3.
   2. MSI will contribute a person to sit on the functional marketing and outreach committees, and participate in college-wide activities as required.
   3. The College support of undergraduate and postgraduate courses and programs will be the same as for other disciplines in the College.
   4. The College support for HDR will take account that the delegated authority for specified HDR matters is the Director, MSI. Administrative support of the exercise of these delegations will be the responsibility of MSI. MSI administration will ensure compliance with College and University policies, as well as enabling a supportive environment for staff and students. The Dean will commit to efficient, supportive and timely administration to support College level administrative functions including sign-off, communication, marketing and committees.

3. Load and Funding

   1. The targets and funding associated with them are given in Schedule 4.
   2. Funding will be provided in two instalments. Eighty percent of the funding specified in Schedule 3 will be provided at the beginning of the year. Twenty percent will be provided with the second distribution of fee income. The second distribution will be dependent on the Dean assessing reasonable compliance with the Education Contract and the Schedules.
   3. Proposed variations to the Schedules will be notified to the Dean and the Director by the Associate Director (Education) in writing. Variations will require the agreement of the Dean and Director.
   4. MSI will use best endeavours to meet targets. Future targets and funding will be adjusted on the basis of targets in the same way as for other areas of the College.
   5. The Associate Director (Education) will arrange for MSI representation on all College committees concerned with education, as agreed from time to time with the Dean.
   6. The Convenors will act to encourage the highest quality in teaching and learning in courses and programs convened by MSI.
   7. The Associate Director (Education) will ensure compliance with College and University policies in education. If there is any difficulty with compliance with such policies, this will be notified in writing to both the Director and the Dean, who will agree on the appropriate course of action.
   8. If staff members are unable to meet their obligations under the contract, the Associate Director (Education) will ensure replacements.
   9. MSI will, to the best of its ability, support the Associate Director (Education) and Convenors in fulfilling the requirements of the Contract and Schedules.

4. Appointments

   1. The Dean of Science or nominee will Chair the Appointment Committee for continuing appointments (research and teaching) which have an education percentage of 35% or more. Both the Director of MSI and the Dean must sign the authority to appoint for these positions. The Dean or nominee will be an ex-officio member of the Appointment Committee for any appointment with an education component. The Dean will be consulted about variations to appointments that have an existing or proposed future education component.

5. Structural involvement

   1. The Dean or nominee will be a member of the MSI Education Advisory Group and on the circulation list with the right to attend the MSI Advisory Group. Plans for Education developments in the MSI will be negotiated between the Dean, the Director and the Associate Director (Education). Where plans for Education and Research interact, the Dean will be appropriately involved.

Alan Carey, Director, Mathematical Sciences Institute
Tim Brown, Dean, College of Science
Friday, 23 November 2007