Dean's Report
Setting the Scene
Welcome back to MGSE for 2021 - a year we all hope will not be as unpredictable and disruptive as 2020. I hope you all had the opportunity to have a good break over the summer and that you feel refreshed and ready for another productive year. As the academic year progresses, given the current promising trajectory of COVID-19 in Victoria, I’m looking forward to more opportunities for face-to face encounters with you in both social and work contexts.
This afternoon we held our 2021 Setting the Scene meeting, which of course had to be condensed given the need to meet virtually. We covered a lot of ground in just over an hour, focusing on a range of priorities for MGSE in 2021. These included: an update on anticipated student load, a financial overview for the year, plans for a mid-year MGSE planning conference, our Return to Campus activity, the Pandemic Reset program, MTeach 2022 progress, and importantly, our research priorities. For those who weren’t able to attend a recording will be available shortly on our Intranet. Although we weren’t able to be together in person today, the refresh of our MGSE Strategic Plan will provide plenty of opportunities for us to come together over the next months.
MGSE Return to Campus
As Olivia Stocks reported today the University continues to work on Return to Campus plans, which have been adjusted as the COVID-19 cases have fluctuated in Victoria. Currently, we are working with a plan for 50 % of staff returning to work but, as the Premier announced yesterday, from next week 75 % of workers will be allowed to return to their workplaces, so this may change. We all play a crucial role in keeping our MGSE and wider University staff and students safe, so we must continue to be vigilant, practice good hygiene and follow physical distancing and face covering protocols both on and off campus. Our dedicated Intranet page will keep you up to date on MGSE’s return to work plans.
Condolences
Sadly, we were recently informed of the death of one of our students, Melissa Appel, who died on the 20 January after a long illness. She leaves behind a young family of two sons and a daughter as well as her husband, wider family and friends. Melissa had completed five of the eight subjects of the Master of Learning Intervention (MLI). My thanks to Lorraine Graham who sensitively informed our MLI students and colleagues and represented MGSE at the Minyan ceremony honouring and farewelling Melissa at the Temple Beth Israel. Our thoughts are with Melissa’s family and her colleagues – these sad occasions are a reminder of how precious life is and how we must treasure each day and each other.
Jim