Page 3 - Luce 2020

FRO M THE P RINCIPAL

At the beginning of March 2020 the College gathered for Commencement Dinner,
before which we assembled face to face for the College photo. At that dinner, Dr Powell
welcomed Vera Moore Trustee Mr Roger Blythman RFD to congratulate Vera Moore
Scholar Nathan Britt. It was the last event of its kind for 2020. Thereafter, Zoom
became a fact of life for the Principal and everyone else in and out of the College as
we worked to keep our community safe but also connected.

From the Principal

Since my appointment in 2001, the College has faced a everyone associated with the College. There were certainly
measure of ups and downs, but 2020 was unprecedented ups and downs; all of us were forced to confront our limited
for the range of challenges we faced. The year began with control and agency on the one hand, and our crucial
a relatively normal orientation for new students, but by the dependence on each other to keep the College going on
first week of term it was obvious that the world was about the other.
to change as governments responded to the spread of the
COVID-19 pandemic. I could write much more. But as I reflect on the events of
2020, I simply wish to thank everyone who thought of the
I knew, from that time onwards, that ultimately I would have College, and who supported me as I did my best to support
to choose whether to close Janet Clarke Hall, or attempt to students and staff in trying times. ‘Luce in Lockdown’ looks
navigate the epidemiological, social and educational realities very different from previous editions, and 2020 will resonate
of the virus. The likely but uncertain economic shock of the with the College this year and beyond, as we consider what
pandemic, together with the likely (and understandable) we have learnt over the last twelve months, and what we will
concern from parents, students and staff around safety, were hold on to most dearly in the coming year.
key areas of concern.
For me, 2020 was a year that reminded me how precious our
In terms of the economic risk, the clear support from Council College is, and how important it is that we continue to offer
to withdraw a requirement for any student to pay the third the full benefits of collegiate life, in our own distinctive way,
(of three) tranche of fees was of enormous significance. to current and future generations of students.
Agreement from all staff members to donate towards a student
support fund, together with significant donations from Council In the absence of normal College events, in the struggle to
members, parents, and alumni and friends, gave the College make sense of change and keep going, this Luce is mainly a
confidence that we could support all those students, and font of ideation, image, and personal reflection. I hope that
families, who had lost income as a result of COVID-related you enjoy some of the stories and images (taken by staff and
matters. Everyone who gave generously to the College, despite students) which shaped the life of the College as we navigated
the uncertainties of their own financial position, played a the pandemic.
crucial part in getting us through the year.
Dr Damian Powell
Ensuring the safety of students and staff was a daily issue, and Principal
I have lost count of how many discussions we had within the
College around a balanced and compliant approach. Students
who had expected the normal freedoms of College life had to
learn to adjust to changing regulations in a lockdown which
went from days to weeks and long months, supporting each
other as they were supported by staff, including a remarkable
team of resident tutors.
As many staff moved offsite, new techniques of meeting and
working became imperative. At no point did I feel that we
slipped into ‘communication without communion’, and this
is testament to the imagination, persistence and stamina of

J an e t C l ar ke H a l l 3