Page 3 - Luce 2017

FRO M THE P RINCIPAL

Blue for a cure Speaking in Chapel Director of Studies Mrs Donna Davies and Chair of Council
Ms Margie Richardson. Donna served as Acting Principal
From the Principal during Dr Powell’s return to work

As with people, institutions have times when they have to find circumstances facing our students as the University and the
resilience in challenging circumstances. 2017 was a complex tertiary sector undergo a period of flux.
year for the College and for me personally, as my own
prolonged absence through a major back injury put strain on The damage done by sexual violence confronts us all. As
my small staff, as we embraced our largest student intake in Principal of Australia’s first university college for women, I
recent decades. am particularly aware of the duty of care imposed upon Janet
Clarke Hall in taking young women, and men, into our care
Armed with resilience, we met with great sadness the death at a time of remarkable creativity but also fragility in their
of a number of the most distinguished members of our JCH lives. Our response to the AHRC ‘Change the Course’ Report
‘family’ including former Principal Sister Margaret Dewey and comes after a long period of introspection flowing initially
College Fellows Hon. Rosemary Balmford and Dr Margaret from the 2011 Broderick Reviews. Having focussed hard on
Henderson. In thanking all of those who worked to ensure respectful relationships, I have been heartened by emails
the College’s continuing success – Council members, staff from alumni who have emphasised that our College was, for
members led by Acting Principal Mrs Donna Davies, and them, a place of significant safety and support. Yet we all
students – I do wish to acknowledge the support I received have feet of clay in such matters, and clearly there is more
from our Chair of Council, Ms Margie Richardson. It was to be done both within the College and within our parent
she as much as anyone who guided the College through University. Our response to the report is noted on p. 29.
testing times. I would encourage anyone who wishes to speak with me on
any matter raised by our response to contact me at
In the course of the year, Janet Clarke Hall responded to the College.
three significant challenges facing all of the Melbourne
colleges: the rise of private accommodation providers; In 2018, the College will refresh its vision and mission as it
government proposals to alter the funding arrangements undertakes a new Master Plan building upon the success
that have underpinned the ‘Melbourne Model’; and the of Henderson House. With the creation of a new, full-time
soul searching prompted by distressing reports about sexual position of Dean and Deputy Principal from 2018, the
violence in Australia’s universities and colleges. College will be better able to cope with future uncertainties,
and I wish publicly to thank my outgoing Vice-Principal,
In terms of the first and second challenges, we should Ms Fiona Cadorel, for her valuable service to the College.
be confident that our distinctive collegiate culture and
opportunities provide a genuine point of difference. The retirement of our Vice-Chancellor, Prof Glyn Davis, will
However, scholarships and bursaries have never been of bring to an end a long and happy association in which our
greater importance in ensuring that we are considered by, parent University has affirmed its leading position within
and remain affordable to, anyone of merit who would wish tertiary education. We will remain smaller as others get
to study within our walls – and here donations large and bigger, and the personal touch and strength of the staff/
small offer the College comfort and strength. student relationship will be significant markers of our college
community. It is clear to me that if Janet Clarke Hall is to
Among other donations in 2017, I would note the remain the mistress of its own destiny, we will have to focus
extraordinary bequest of Mr Charles Dunn. Charles was on what makes us distinctive and different from others – our
literally unknown to the College when he walked through our size, our culture, our heritage, our values. In this, as ever, the
front door one day in 2001, and was thereafter an abiding College benefits enormously in the course of the year from
supporter of the College in supporting May Dunn Scholarships the continued support of alumni and friends. I hope that you
named in honour of his beloved, deceased wife ‘Mame’. find much of interest in reading about some aspects of our
Upon his death at Eastertime 2017, Mr Dunn bequeathed shared life that shaped our 2017.
to the College a sum in excess of $5 million to endow such
scholarships, to be made available to female undergraduate Dr Damian Powell
students studying within the College, in perpetuity. Alongside Principal
other donations and existing bequests, the Dunn bequest will
help the College to respond on our own terms to the changing

J anet Clarke Hall 3