People
The impacts of COVID-19 on Academic Work and Achievement
The University wishes to support academic career development through this difficult period. If your academic work has been significantly affected by factors related to the COVID-19 pandemic this will be taken into account when considering confirmation, promotion and the academic Performance Development Framework (PDF).
The University has a long-standing policy that requires the assessment of academic performance to be made relative to opportunity, in accordance with the guidelines on Assessing Academic Performance Relative to Opportunity. These guidelines have now been updated to include explicit acknowledgement of natural disasters, such as the present pandemic and the bushfires earlier in the year.
Team Leader, Student Experience at MGSE
Welcome to Amy Kreitals who has been appointed to the role of Team Leader, Student Experience at MGSE. Amy will start on Monday 17 August and will be back filling for Rosie Sjoelin who will soon be on maternity leave.
In her most recent roles Amy has been an Academic Programs Manager at Melbourne Medical School and also a Team Leader at MDHS. She has been responsible for enhancing the student experience across all faculty programs. She has also been the Stop 1 liaison for the faculty and managed the student life-cycle from intake to graduation.
New director of Indigenous Knowledge Institute
Experienced educator and leading scholar of Indigenous music, Professor Aaron Corn, has been appointed the inaugural Director of the University's new Indigenous Knowledge Institute for world-leading research and partnerships concerning Indigenous knowledge. Professor Corn has almost 30 years' experience of close collaborations with Indigenous colleagues. He has worked towards broader recognition for the significance of Indigenous knowledge through multiple research and education initiatives, including major grants and fellowships led by Indigenous colleagues. Read the full story on the University's news page.
2019-2020 Workplace Gender Equality Agency (WGEA) submission
As part of the University's commitment to drive diversity and inclusion across the institution and in accordance with the requirements of the Workplace Gender Equality Act 2012 (Act), on 30 July the University lodged its annual public report with the Workplace Gender Equality Agency (Agency). Staff and representative organisations now have the opportunity to comment on the report.
While there is no time restriction on when comments can be made, providing comments within 28 days of the report being submitted will allow for those comments to be taken into account by the University in providing additional information to the Agency, and by the Agency in requesting additional information to assist in assessing compliance with the WGE Act. Comments on the report may be submitted to the University via email to leesa.middleton@unimelb.edu.au or to the Agency. Please refer to the Agency's guidelines on this process on their website.
Student intern program continues in Semester 2 (working from home)
Students in many disciplines complete internships within their degrees, and many of them are looking for Semester 2 opportunities now. Staff within the University can access these talented students by hosting an internship student in their professional or academic teams.
Work Integrated Learning (WIL) programs run throughout the year (part or full-time) to provide students with invaluable work experience, and staff with flexible access to this great resource. The conditions and requirements of each internship and discipline vary according to Faculty, and you can find the right contacts by visiting the HR - Hosting Student Interns page. For any further enquiries contact Lea Campbell.
Staff mental health training programs
Staff Mental Health First Aid (MHFA) programs have resumed through online delivery and are now open for registration. The Blended Online MHFA Community course has been adapted from the two day Standard MHFA course and is an equivalent qualification that leads to accreditation as a MHFAider.
The course has two parts, a 5-7 hours e-learning component, delivered by MHFA Aus that can be completed at any time prior to the second component which comprises two CAPS run group sessions of 2.5 hours each.
Upcoming dates for the CAPS group sessions are:
8 and 15 September, 7 and 14 October, 5, 12, 16 and 23 November
A shorter 40 minute online program "Supporting Student Mental Health" is also available on CANVAS LMS. For more information contact Clare Kentmann on 8344 6927 or via email Caps-workshops@unimelb.edu.au.
TrainMe: Working from home safely and effectively
There is a now a new module ‘Working from home safely and effectively’ available on TrainME.
This module provides a range of information and resources to assist staff in working from home, from setting up home workspaces to practices to assist with well-being, connection, establishing habits and understanding expectations.
There is also a pdf link at the end of the module to capture all the resources referenced. To access the module go into TrainME>Learning Catalogue and search ‘Working from home’
Education sessions for engaging independent contractors
Date: Thursday 27 August
Register for this session via the HR Knowledge Base if you would like to know more about engaging an independent contractor, refer to the Knowledge Base article on the Staff Hub.
Staff Development
Please note there is no cost for the following courses, please enrol via TrainME:
Management Development Program (MDP):
Both courses are designed to focus on the emotional and psychological journey essential to enabling us to transition into new environments and situations.
- Me, My Team and Change a new 2x1hr virtual seminar on 17 August, 15 and 16 October
- Navigating Change a new 2x1hr virtual seminar on 6 and 7 October or 26 and 27 October
- Responding with Resilience, Hope, Optimism and Efficacy a new 2x1 virtual seminar on 8 September or 1 October
Managing my work this is a new (3 x 1 hr) webinar, the next available sessions are on 1, 7, 10 September.
This course is designed to equip staff with tools for managing their work effectively and wisely through prioritisation and time management.
Pride in Action Ally Training (pre-requisite completion of LGBTI+ Employee Awareness Briefing) the next session is on 22 September.
LGBTI+ Employee Awareness Briefings (2 hr webinar) the next session is on 19 or 20 August.
For any enquiries contact: hr-capability@unimelb.edu.au
Online Q and A sessions on assessment
Date: Tuesdays and Thursdays
To support staff in (re)designing their assessment, the Melbourne CSHE is offering weekly virtual office hours with an assessment expert who will discuss alternative assessment options and answer assessment-related questions. These are curriculum-oriented sessions designed to complement the more technical and design-oriented sessions offered through Learning Environments.