CHASS

Council for the Humanities, Arts and Social Sciences

Members' Bulletin   15 June 2009

In this bulletin:

Inside CHASS

The Board of the Council for the Humanities, Arts and Social Sciences met in Brisbane last week to consider the membership structure and the audit, the development of a new fund to assist in the publication of CHASS Research and initiate new events for raising awareness of HASS knowledge and skills.

Membership structure

Board members considered member organisation's comments and feedback on options for a new membership structure and fees. They also looked at the range of organisations and associations which were members and how CHASS could best help them make use of the Council's resources and network.

The Board confirmed that it would move to membership based on an organisation's structure and purpose. They adopted the new structure as it would be:

  • More transparent
  • Logical
  • Allowed members and CHASS to "tidy up" anomalies in membership categories and fees
  • Was not designed to increase overall revenue from existing members.

Over the next few weeks CHASS will contact member organisations with details of the new structure, renewal information and how individual associations match with the categories.

Categories exist for the learned Academies and national peak bodies, for University Partners, and for professional and industry associations. There are also categories for single University Faculties, Research Centres, Training and Collecting Institutions and learned societies in specific disciplines.

Fees are higher for organisations with a core interest in sector wide HASS promotion and advocacy. They are lower for smaller organisations and for those interested in the Council's communications and networking activities rather than direct advocacy. Every member organisation can vote in elections for the Board, while CHASS will consult closely with its core membership as it develops its advocacy and promotion programs.

The Board reaffirmed that the Council's strength is in the diversity and broad reach of its membership. CHASS is an active network of specialists and leaders across humanities disciplines, creative arts, and research and professional practice in the social sciences. The Board aims to enrich the network by building services for each of the categories.

They agreed that establishing networks to connect the largest and smallest member organisations is a key task for the Secretariat.

Governance

The Board thanked Mallesons for its agreement to provide advice pro bono on renewing the Constitution. The proposed changes will be presented to members for comment and consultation at the 2009 Annual General Meeting in October. A special meeting will be convened to vote on the changes.

The major change will be to introduce three year terms for Board members, with one third of the Board retiring at each meeting, and making provision for some appointments from specific member categories. The Board confirmed it would conduct an annual skills audit, and report the results to the membership.

The Board agreed this financial year's accounts will be available through the website, as soon as the audit process is complete.

The Department of Industry, Innovation, Science and Research is due to review the grant program which funds the Council's role as an advocate and coordinating forum for organisations in the Humanities, Arts and Social Sciences. The Board will provide detailed reports on achievements based on the first three year grant and will brief the review on the agenda and programs for future years.

Innovation Fund and new Strategic Plan

The Board noted that there was an increasing need for CHASS to act as a knowledge broker by bringing together researchers and specialists with policy makers, so that new HASS research and knowledge could be used to deal with the major challenges before Australia.

It was agreed the Council would establish a fund, drawing on its reserves, to initiate new events in knowledge transfer, and to look at ways of boosting the distribution of HASS research through its own publications and other methods. It would also look at developing databases of HASS researchers grouped around policy and industry issues.

The Board will be consulting about proposals and ideas, as the new strategic plan progresses. Or, contact the Executive Director to discuss on 02 6201 2740.

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Issues update
Meeting with the Department

CHASS has met with the Department of Innovation, Industry Science and Research to discuss research training and research infrastructure consultation. It has also met with the Department of Education Employment and Workplace Relations to discuss the recent investment in tertiary education through the Federal Budget, and the Creating Capable Students project.

Creating Capable Students

The Council for the Humanities, Arts and Social Sciences has put forward a proposal to the Australian Government for a working group which would bring social science researchers together with policy makers. The groups would work to identify key programs and policies to achieve the Bradley Review target of 20 per cent participation in higher education from socio-economic groups disadvantaged through low incomes, remoteness and other causes.

CRCA conference

CHASS Board Member Emeritus Professor Meredith Edwards AM addressed the Cooperative Research Centres Association's annual 2009 conference, Pathfinders: the Innovators' conference. This comes as the CRC program opens up to proposals led by humanities, arts and social science researchers. A former head of the National Institute of Governance, Professor Edwards is working on how to effectively manage knowledge translation between researchers and policy makers.

Design Dialogue

CHASS hosted a meeting of the Australian Design Coalition (industry practitioner groups) with university based researchers at the National Press Club, and led discussion on how to use research to influence policy making and increase use of design skills and knowledge in meeting challenges of sustainability, urban environment and growing the creative industries.

CHASS will prepare a follow up paper for its member organisations and their networks mapping research and industry linkage projects based on design, and who is undertaking them. Where national advocacy goals emerge from discussion it will communicate these to its members for discussion.

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CHASS talks
College of Fine Arts, UNSW

The Executive Director was one of the presenters at a lecture on models for arts funding at a public lecture series at the University of New South Wales' College of Fine Arts. The presentation was based on the essay Ratbags at the Gate in the Griffith Review.

National Arts and Community Alliance

In April the Executive Director attended Building Pathways to Social Inclusion through Community Cultural Development the National Arts and Community Alliance Think Tank to set goals for advocacy and networking in Australia. CHASS was invited to participate in the Think Tank to represent the HASS sector.

For Whom the Arts Serve

The Executive Director spoke at the Sydney Writers Festival 2009 in May on the urgent need for new ways for the arts to connect with the community and secure stable funding.

Lowy Institute

The Executive Director participated in a seminar in May hosted by the Lowy Institute and the Griffith Review on bringing creative arts thinking to bear on the massive challenges before international relations and globalisation.

Philanthropy and the Humanities

The Executive Director attended the Australian Academy of the Humanities seminar on Philanthropy and the Humanities at the University of Melbourne.

Canadian Congress

The CHASS President attended the Canadian Congress on Humanities and Social Sciences and was a panel member for the discussion of international research. The Council has agreed to work with the Canadian Federation of Humanities and Social Sciences which convenes the Congress and draws in more than 7000 researchers and specialists for a series of discipline based conferences and sector wide debates and lectures.

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Events
HASS on the Hill (HOTH) 2009

The dates are confirmed - 27 and 28 October , 2009

HASS on the Hill (HOTH) 2009 comes at a time of immense change and commitment by Government to the humanities, arts and social sciences. This year the National Library of Australia is a sponsor for the 2009 event and will host day one of the program. The 2 day non-stop program will include speakers from the humanities, arts and social sciences and will include:

  • Seminars and discussions delivered around current issues;
  • A CHASS National Press Club address by the Minister for the Environment, Heritage and the Arts, The Hon Peter Garrett AM;
  • Meeting and talking to Ministers and Senators in Parliament;
  • Roundtable meetings;
  • A forum for members to discuss advocacy issues relevant to their sector;
  • An opportunity to inform the Council's strategies and advacacy issues for 2010;
  • The Annual General Meeting.

Information on the program, speakers and registration will be sent out to members as it comes to hand.

Excellence in Research Australia (ERA) workshop

The National Academies Forum will host an ERA workshop in September. The workshop will look at the impact of ERA on what is funded; what is researched; business models in publishing and esteem factors. CHASS is a partner in the event, together with the Australian Publishers Association, the National Scholarly Communications FORUM, and the Federation of Australian Science and Technological Societies. CHASS will be contributing specifically on researching issues in creative arts research and multi-disciplinary areas. Background

Members' function

CHASS held a function for members in Brisbane after the Board Meeting at Griffith University's College of the Arts. These regular functions offer an opportunity for members to meet with the CHASS board and secretariat and to informally discuss advocacy issues, ideas and programs.

This one also provided a welcome opportunity to thank Professor Brad Haseman and Dr Luke Jaaniste for their work authoring CHASS Occasional Paper 7 The arts and Australia's national innovation system 1994-2008. The paper has already received significant media attention, and used in new research work on arts funding models, as well as supporting CHASS' design dialogue.

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In the news

5 June Professor Penny D Sackett, Chief Scientist
Looking to the future: PMSEIC finding solutions to Australia's future challenges
The Prime Minister's Science, Engineering and Innovation Council (PMSEIC) met today to discuss how innovation, science and research can contribute to ensuring Australia is prepared for the challenges and opportunities of the future, which will involve new approaches to knowledge generation, health, sustainability, and economic and social development.

10 June The Hon Peter Garrett AM MP
A creative Australia: why we must harness and embrace the arts
The Hon Peter Garrett AM MP spoke to CEDA in Brisbane about the significance of the creative arts in the economic life of the country, and the Government's support for artists.

5 June Senator the Hon Kim Carr
$83M fund to support innovation opens
The Rudd Government's $83 million Innovation Investment Follow-On Fund opened for applications. These initiatives are aimed at ensuring the best ideas developed by Australian universities, publicly funded research agencies and new enterprises are grown in Australia and become successful commercial realities.

28 May Senator the Hon Kim Carr
$71.3 million for 238 research projects
The Minister for Innovation, Industry, Science and Research announced that 238 projects will share in funding of over $71.3 million under Round 2 of the Australian Research Council (ARC) Linkage Projects scheme. The Linkage Projects scheme is part of the Australian Research Council's National Competitive Grants Program (NCGP), which nurtures the creative abilities and skills of Australia's most promising researchers.

20 May Senator the Hon Kim Carr
National Research Infrastructure Committee announced
The Government will establish a National Research Infrastructure Committee (NRIC) to provide strategic advice on future research infrastructure investments, including those to be funded through the Super Science Initiative.

13 May 2009 CHASS website
Federal Budget 2009
2009 Federal Budget roundup for the humanities, arts and social sciences - media releases and announcements.

4 May The Hon Julia Gillard MP
NALSSP Reference Group
On 4 May 2009, the Deputy Prime Minister, the Hon Julia Gillard MP, announced the establishment of a Reference Group to provide strategic oversight of the NALSSP.

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Helen O'Neil
Executive Director
Council of the Humanties, Arts and Social Sciences
18 March 2009

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