Online Archives Search

This series consists of the Minutes of the Department of Safety Science Advisory Committee. Each item is a typed document that outlines the happenings during a meeting of the Department of Safety Science Advisory Committee. The Archives currently only holds minutes for 1992 and 1993.

The position of Director was established by the Technical Education & New South Wales University of Technology Act, 1949, which came into effect on 1st July, 1949 (Act No. 11, 1949) and Arthur Denning was first appointed to this post (Council meeting 6th July, 1949, resolution 2). Under part 5 of the University Regulations, it was designated that: 1.The Director shall be the chief executive officer of the Council and shall be specially charged with the duty of promoting the interests and furthering the development of the University. 2.The Director shall, under the Council, subject to the by-law and to any resolution of the Council - a) manage and supervise the administrative, financial and other activities of the University b) consult with and advise the Professorial Board, and all other University Boards, Faculties, Committees, Professors and other Heads of Departments c) exercise supervision over the discipline of the University, with power, in the case of students, to impose penalties in accordance with academic usage for breach of discipline or for misconduct of any kind d) give effect to the by-laws and to any resolution or report passed or adopted by Council e) perform such other duties as may time to time be assigned to him by the Council At first the Directorship was not a full-time position and all administration was run by the Department of Technical Education, which meant that the Director had few staff directly assisting him in the conduct of University business. From 1st January, 1953, however, the position of Director was made full-time (Council meeting 10th November, 1952, resolution 255a), with Professor J. P. Baxter taking up this role (Council meeting 8th December, 1952, resolution 259). On 1st July, 1954 the University was also given its autonomy from the Department, resulting in the creation of the Administration within the University (Council meeting 10th May, 1954, resolution 427-3a). From 4th March, 1955 the position of Director was replaced by that of Vice-Chancellor, under the Technical Education & New South Wales University of Technology (Amendment) Act (No. 8, 1955). It is unclear as to exactly when those staff directly assisting the Vice-Chancellor became known as the Vice-Chancellor's Unit. On 9th May, 1960, however, Council created the position of Administrative Officer, Vice-Chancellor's Unit (resolution 60/34), indicating that the Unit must have been in existence by this point. Following a review of the Central Administration, the Vice-Chancellor's Unit became the Vice-Chancellor's Division from 1st January, 1988. By 1995 this had been altered again to the Office of the Vice-Chancellor. In August, 2004 the Vice-Chancellor was Professor Mark Wainwright, with the Office of the Vice-Chancellor consisting of seven other staff members. The full list of Directors / Vice-Chancellors is: 1949 - 1952: Arthur Denning 1953 - 1969: Philip Baxter 1969 - 1981: Rupert Myers 1981 - 1992: Michael Birt 1992 - 2002: John Niland 2002 - 2004: Wyatt R. Hume 2004 - 2006: Mark Wainwright 2006 - 2015 : Fred Hilmer 2015 - : Ian Jacobs Subordinate agency: University Image Project (1993 - 1994) / Working Party on Image Development (1995) - 18/01/1993 - 31/08/1995 Subordinate agency: Department of Music - 01/07/1966 - 31/12/1982 Subordinate agency: Media Liaison Office - 06/07/1992 - 31/10/1995 Subordinate agency: UTECOM Computing Laboratory (1956 - 1960) / Digital Computing Laboratory (1960 - c.1966) / Computing Centre (c. 1966 - 1972) / Computing Services Unit (1972 - 1985) - 03/07/1972 - 31/03/1985 Subordinate agency: Division of the Pro-Vice-Chancellor (Development and Alumni Affairs) (2002 - 2003) / Division of the Pro-Vice-Chancellor (Institutional Advancement) (2003 - 2004) - 04/11/2002 - 11/10/2004 Subordinate agency: Deputy Vice-Chancellor (Resources & Infrastructure) (2003 - 2004) / (Resources) (2004 - 2006) - 01/09/2003 - 31/08/2006 Subordinate agency: Pro-Vice-Chancellor (Education) (2000 - 2003) / (Education & Quality Improvement) (2003 - 2006) - 01/02/2000 - 21/08/2006 Subordinate agency: Pro-Vice-Chancellor (Research & Development) (1991) / Deputy Vice-Chancellor (Research & Development) (1991 - 1992) / (Research & International) (1992 - 2003) / (Research) (2003 - ) - 14/11/1955 Subordinate agency: Pro-Vice-Chancellor (Academic Affairs) (1991) / Deputy Vice-Chancellor (Academic Affairs) (1991 - 2000) / Deputy Vice-Chancellor (Academic Planning & Resources) (2000 - 2001) / (Education & Enterprise) (2001 - 2003) / (International & Education) (2003 - 2004) / (International) (2004) / (International & Development) (2004 - 2006) - 14/11/1955 - 29/09/2006 Subordinate agency: Institute of Administration - 14/03/1960 - 03/12/1962 Subordinate agency: UNSW Art Collection - 01/07/1989 - 31/10/1997 Subordinate agency: Division of the Pro-Vice-Chancellor (Development) - 00/01/1900 Controlling Organisation: UNSW - c. 01/07/1949-

On 5 December 2006 the Deputy Vice-Chancellor (Research) approved the establishment of the Centre for Infrastructure Engineering and Safety. The main purpose of the Centre was to focus high-level UNSW research in structural engineering, geotechnical engineering, engineering materials and computational mechanics and promote multi-disciplinary collaboration primarily across the faculties of engineering and science. The Centre was located within the Faculty of Engineering and the initial director was Professor Mark Bradford (file 2006/2761). In 2010 the director of the Centre remained Professor Mark Bradford. Controlling Organisation: UNSW - 05/12/2006-

<import_note> The imported title was longer than allowed. Full title from import file: Property Department (1958 - 1970) / Property Division (1970 - 1984) / Property Department (1984 - 1990) / Property & Works Department (1990 - 1994) / Facilities Department (1994 - 2003) / Facilities Management (2003 - 2017) / Estate Management (2017 - ) </import_note> One of the objects of the NSW University of Technology Act 1949 was that the university provide 'facilities for higher specialised instruction and advanced training in the various branches of technology and science in their application to industry and commerce' (UNSW Calendar 1950:9). While the Buildings and Equipment Committee as a Standing Committee of Council had oversight of the development of the Kensington site, post-war shortages meant that the university initially had to utilise existing technical and educational facilities administered by the Building and Sites Branch of the NSW Department of Technical Education. Construction of new buildings was the responsibility of the NSW Department of Public Works. (The University of New South Wales - Its History and Progress: 6 -7; V583 Manual for General Information for Officers 1951: 137). The Division of the Bursar was established through Resolution 427 (Council Meeting, 10 May 1954) under Section 27 of the Technical Education and New South Wales University of Technology Act, 1949 (Act No. 11, 1949). After the 'Appointed Day' of 1 July 1954 the Bursar was responsible for 'buildings and sites' although most functions such as maintenance of buildings and equipment remained with the Department. The position of Assistant Bursar (Buildings and Grounds) was created and first occupied by R G Sutton on 25 January 1955. (McLintock, Rae. The Development of the Buildings and Grounds of the University of New South Wales: 19) The establishment by the Commonwealth Government of a system of triennial funding on the recommendations made by the Committee of Enquiry on the Australian Universities, also known as the Murray Report, in September 1957 saw the need for the property functions within the Division of the Bursar to expand considerably. (McLintock: 19) At its meeting on 18 March 1958 the Personnel Sub-Committee discussed the 'Creation of Building Planning and Development Section - Establishment of Buildings Branch and Transfer of Buildings Administration from Department of Technical Education'. One recommendation was 'That a Property Section be created within the Division of the Bursar under the Assistant Bursar (Buildings and Grounds)'. It would comprise two clerks and a shorthand-writer/typist. At its meeting on 12 May 1958 Council accepted the recommendations (resolution 58/36). This saw the creation of three sections: Building Planning and Development, Buildings and Grounds (Maintenance) and Property.\r\n\r\nOn 13 July 1970 Council restructured the Division of the Bursar as the Division of the Assistant Principal and Bursar. It was to contain a Property Division to be headed by R K Fletcher, Business Manager (Property) 'covering buildings and grounds matters'. (resolution 70/94) On 12 March 1984 Council reorganised the central administration of the university into two divisions - Administration and Planning and Information - with a reorganisation of functions that had once been undertaken by the divisions of the registrar and the bursar. The Property Department was located within the portfolio of the Deputy Principal (Administration). (resolution 84/5; UNSW Annual Report 1985: 9, 66-67; Focus 16 March 1984: 4-6)\r\n\r\nAt its meeting on 2 February 1987 Council approved that from 1 August 1987 the position of Deputy Principal (Administration) be redesignated as Deputy Principal as Deputy Principal and Registrar and the position of Registrar as Academic Registrar. (resolution 87/7; Focus 13 February 1987: 4) From that date in official publications the division was designated as the Division of the Deputy Principal and Registrar (UNSW Annual Report 1987: 9, 77; UNSW Calendar 1988: 83) The Property Department remained within the Division. (UNSW Annual Report 1987: 77; UNSW Calendar 1988: 85 - 86) In early 1990 the Department comprised the Property Administration Branch, the Accommodation and Works Branch, the Space Management Unit, the Property Maintenance Branch, and the Safety Unit. (04/17/1 Administration Manual: Section P Issued 3/90) On 17 September 1990 Council agreed to the Vice-Chancellor's recommendation that the central administration of the university be reorganised once again. The Division of the Deputy Principal and Registrar was renamed the Division of the Registrar and Deputy Principal. (resolution 90/84) One aspect of the reorganisation was that the Property Department was renamed the Property and Works Department. One of the reasons for the reorganisation was to meet the needs of a major capital works program and new initiatives in the property area. A new unit, known as the Major Works Branch, was created within the Department. (resolution 90/84; Focus 24 August 1990: 3; UNSW Annual Report 1990: 179-180) From 6 July 1992 the capital works function of the Property and Works Department was transferred to the Deputy Vice-Chancellor (Academic Affairs). (Focus 8 May 1992: 11-13; UNSW Annual Report 1992: 171) On 15 February 1994 the Department changed its name to the Facilities Department to bring it into line with similarly named departments in other Australian universities. (Focus 25 March 1994: 1) On 1 September 2003 the Facilities Department was divided into two distinct units: Facilities Management, and Facilities Planning and Development. Both units reported to the Deputy Vice-Chancellor (Resources), Dr Alec Cameron. (Uniken, October 2003: 3; UNSW Facilities Management Newsletter, Summer 2003: 2) In August 2017 the Chief of Staff sent out an e-mail indicating the Facilities Management was now known as Estate Management. Controlling Organisation: UNSW - 12/05/1958-