The Macquarie e-card is an animated GIF that you can insert directly into an email, accompanied by a personal message. Please see helpful steps below to set up your email.

The process for adding an animated GIF animation is the same as inserting static images into emails. Simply:
1. Download the Macquarie e-card to your desktop.

2. Click where you want to paste the image into your personalised email message, then:

• PC users – Click on the ‘Insert’ tab. Select ‘Pictures’.
• Mac users – Drag and drop the downloaded e-card file into the email body, or select the ‘Insert Picture’ icon.

3. Select the Macquarie e-card file from your desktop or hard drive. Click ‘OK’ after you have selected your file.

4. Test if the process was successful and by emailing the card to yourself first.

Several security enhancements have been made through the Fortify program this year:

• Successful implementation of multi factor authentication (MFA) for the student systems iLearn, eStudent and ApplicantPortal, providing enhanced system and data security for more than 60,000 active users.
• Automated software updates, bolstering browser and critical application security for approximately 6000 staff computers at the University and Hospital.
• Activation of Microsoft’s Company Portal application, providing a safe way for staff to download commonly used software.
• Encryption of staff laptops, ensuring data is protected in the case of loss or theft.
• Regulation of Office application macros to minimise malware attack risks.

Upcoming changes

Wave three of Fortify will include further important changes to enhance our digital security:

PC (Windows) users

• User access to PCs will be limited to standard functions. Higher privilege access to install or run software will be provided through various new tools. This transition is scheduled to occur between January and March 2024. PC users can use the Company Portal application to download a wide range of software.
• Privilege management software will automatically detect if certain tasks require additional permissions to run. It will handle these situations appropriately after verifying the staff member’s identity.

Multi factor authentication

• From 11 December 2023, students will be required to use multi factor authentication (MFA) to access Microsoft 365 applications.
• From 13 December 2023, both students and staff will be required to use multi factor authentication (MFA) to access ServiceNow (OneHelp).

Information about multi factor authentication can be found on the staff portal (and the staff intranet from 5 December).

At its meeting on 21 November 2023, Academic Senate approved revisions/amendments to the following:

• Course of Study Monitoring and Review Policy
• Course of Study Reaccreditation Policy
• Graduate Research iThenticate Procedure
• Graduate Research Thesis Preparation, Submission and Examination Policy and Procedure (for implementation in 2024)
• Recognition of Prior Learning Policy

A summary of the changes made is captured under the Status and Details tab, located in the menu bar at the top of each document.

Open for consultation

All staff are invited to provide feedback through the Bulletin Board on the following policies currently under review/development:

• Reporting Wrongdoing – Public Interest Disclosures Policy (proposed to be retitled as the Public Interest Disclosures Policy)
• Data Breach Policy

If you need help or have any questions or feedback about any policy matter, please don’t hesitate to contact the Policy team in Governance and Compliance Services: policy@mq.edu.au.

In recognition of these challenges, we have developed a guidance note outlining the University’s position on the use of generative AI in research, to inform understanding about the obligations associated with the use of this technology.

Areas covered include the use of generative AI for research publications, theses, peer reviews, and grant applications.

Next year, researchers will be invited to workshops offered by various faculties and the Centre for Applied AI to learn more about the role of generative Al in research. Details about the workshops will be shared on the staff intranet. A hands-on introduction to large language models like Bing Chat and ChatGPT, featuring Dr Brian Ballsun-Stanton, Solutions Architect (Digital Humanities) from the Faculty of Arts, is now available to view.

Resources and workshops are listed on the Research Data Management Sharepoint, where you can register for updates about generative AI training.

If further information is required about responsible use of generative AI in research, contact your faculty research integrity advisor.

View the guidance note here.

As a result, some improvements have already been made to the DPR process, including changes to the Workday platform.

What are the changes?

The main change relates to goal planning for professional staff. Goals are now set and tracked through Workday’s ‘My Goals’ function. The existing template will still be used, but only for reviewing goals at the end of each year.

While the end of year review remains a key element of the process, regular check-ins will be encouraged to keep goals on track.

What is the new process?

The improved process allows professional staff and their managers to better plan, track and evaluate goals.

Plan: Professional staff need to set their goals for the year by 1 March.

Track: To be scheduled as required, check-ins throughout the year will allow for constructive two-way feedback, and help professional staff stay on course. The additional support and encouragement will also ensure greater alignment to overarching strategies at an individual, team and organisational level.

Review: The end of year  Review will occur from mid-November, when we launch the correspondent template for staff members and managers to evaluate outcomes against the goals set for the year in review.

How should I complete the upcoming end of year review?

The end of year review 2023 should be completed using the existing template, which will be available from 15 November for professional staff and from early December for academic staff.

This end of year review relates to all goals with due date between 1 January 2023 and 31 December 2023.

The templates will be available in Workday under ‘Development, Performance and Review’ function. Reviews must be completed by 1 March 2024.

The following guides have been created to help you complete the end of year review 2023:

End Of Year Review 2023 – Guide for staff members

End Of Year Review 2023 – Guide for staff managers

How will the 2024 DPR process work?

Goals for 2024 should be added to ‘My Goals’, available in Workday, by 1 March 2024. This relates to all goals with a due date between 1 January 2024 and 31 December 2024.

You may wish to start discussing 2024 goals during your end of year review 2023 or schedule a separate meeting.

Supervisors or managers can navigate to ‘My Team Management’ in Workday to:

• cascade their own goals to team members
• view and endorse goals proposed by their team members
• create new goals for their team members.

Other Workday updates

The following changes have been made to Workday to enhance the user experience and improve functionality:

• The ‘My Goals’ function can be accessed year-round, allowing staff to add, edit, or archive goals, keep track of milestones and progress against your individual goals, and exchange confidential comments with their supervisor at any time.
• Notifications: Improved manager and staff activity visibility through the new manager dashboard, ‘My Team Tracker’ and notification activation which will alert staff members every time there is an action related to their goals.
• Comment exchange functionality: Staff and managers can confidentially exchange comments in the Activity’ text box under the goals section. If you want to create a notification in Workday to flag your comment, simply include @name in your comment.
• Reports of your goals with or without comment exchange can now be converted to a PDF file offering added access versatility and privacy.

For additional resources to support the Development Performance Review process contact your HR Client Services Representative.

The scheme is needs based to prioritise support for researchers who have limited access to funds to boost their research trajectories. Launched in 2021, 109 ECRs have been awarded funds so far and 89 ECRs have been involved in the assessment panels, with almost $290,000 awarded in research funding.

Funds can be requested for, but are not limited to: equipment purchase, research assistant support, workshops or training, transcription services, open-access publication costs and research-related travel such as conferences or field work.

The scheme is open to early career researchers who are:

• less than seven years post-PhD conferral (with consideration given to career disruptions)
• employed at academic levels A–B (with the possibility to justify ECR status at a level C appointment)
• on a continuing or a fixed-term contract that extends to at least 1 December 2024 ( this can be full- or part-time)
• in one of the following academic job families: Research Intensive, Teaching and Research, or Technical/Industry/Commercial with at least 40 per cent research in their workload.

Information session

An information session will be held on Tuesday 28 November from 12pm – 1pm to provide an opportunity to have your questions answered prior to the scheme closing date. Visit the EEC information session registration form for more information and to register.

In the meantime, if you have any questions regarding the scheme, please email ecrenablingscheme@mq.edu.au

Applications for funding will close at 5pm on Friday 15 December 2023

Read the funding rules and apply here.

EES assessment panel

In addition to providing ECRs with micro-funding, the EES also provides ECRs with the opportunity to participate on a grant assessment panel. To participate you must be employed at level A–C and within 10 years of PhD conferral. More details can be found here  EOI for ECR Enabling Scheme Assessment Panel – 2024.

Expressions of interest in becoming an assessment panel member will close at 5pm on Friday 8 December.

This is only one area of our diversity and inclusion work, and while the survey focuses specifically on LGBTQIA+ inclusion, it does not lessen our focus in other areas of diversity practice.

The AWEI survey data enables our organisation to gain insights into the knowledge levels and experiences of all our employees. It will also provide us with essential information about many areas specific to LGBTQIA+ employees, allowing us to develop inclusion plans and initiatives that prioritise the needs of our LGBTQIA+ employees and their allies.

Regardless of how you personally identify, we encourage all staff members to participate in this survey as it provides a means by which you can have your say. While the survey data will identify the name of our organisation, please note that individual employees cannot be identified and participation is completely anonymous. Your feedback will enable us to not only gauge the visibility and impact of our LGBTQIA+ inclusion initiatives, but also understand the views of those who do not identity as LGBTQIA+, as well as the experiences of those who are of diverse sexuality and/or gender.

If you have any questions, please contact workplacediversityinclusion@mq.edu.au

The survey will close midnight Thursday 29 February 2024.

To participate in the survey, please click here.

Academic Senate is the principal academic governing body in the University. For information about Senate, its activities and recent decisions, see the website or check out the Chair’s blog of the top five things at the last meeting here.

If you have any questions, please contact the Manager, Governance Secretariat at senate@mq.edu.au.

3. State-of-the-art – better performance, more consistent outcomes (technology and leadership). 

New or fully reviewed:

• Academic Costume Rules
• Academic Senate Rules
• Graduate Research Rules
• Council and Council Committees Procedure
• Charter of Council
• Professor Emerita/Emeritus Policy and Professor Emerita/Emeritus Procedure

A summary of the changes made is captured under the Status and Details tab, which is located in the menu bar at the top of each document.

Expired Policies

The following superseded policies have been expired by the Approval Authority:

• Entertainment Policy
• Fringe Benefits Tax Guidelines
• Professional Association Membership (Personal) Policy.

If you need help or have any questions or feedback about any policy matter, please don’t hesitate to contact the Policy team in Governance and Compliance Services: policy@mq.edu.au.