Page 5 - Luce 2024

One of the most enduring contributions made by a lifelong friendships. A scholarship at Janet Clarke Hall offers
campus-based university experience is our students’ them a real university experience, including the opportunity
development of new and transformative social and to live independently of family, access to high-quality personal
intellectual networks. Universities play a key role in and communal spaces conducive to study, and the chance to
disrupting disadvantage and advantage and we risk focus more fully on being a young learner by reducing their
losing this if we do not commit to a campus-based paid working hours.
experience for all.
Our Strategic Plan 2024-2029 will ensure that we are in a
Whilst in 2024 undergraduate teaching at the University position to offer life-changing scholarships to these students
of Melbourne take places almost wholly in person, it is whilst also ensuring that the Janet Clarke Hall experience is the
clear to see that there is a huge discrepancy in the student first choice of students from all backgrounds and regarded as
experience, based on a student’s ability to live on or near one of the best, not only in Australia, but in the world.
to the university campus and to engage with the social and
co-curricular opportunities on offer. A student from a low We are excited to commit ourselves to this ambitious body
socio-economic status background will be unable to meet of work, and to ensuring that Janet Clarke Hall remains at the
the cost of a residential college membership unless they very forefront of excellence and equity in higher education.
receive significant scholarship support. For a student from I hope that you will join us when we officially launch our
metropolitan Melbourne, this means living at home, often Strategic Plan 2024-2029 at the College on Friday 21 June
st
whilst sharing a bedroom with and caring for younger siblings. 2024.
For a student from country Victoria or interstate, it means
finding the cheapest accommodation within commuting Until then, and with my thanks and warmest wishes,
distance of Parkville, and often working up to 25 hours a
week to cover their living costs. Whilst these ‘FIFO students’ Dr Eleanor Spencer-Regan
(so-called because they travel into and out of the campus Principal
whilst living and working elsewhere) attend classes and submit
assignments, they likely miss out on what are arguably the
most formative aspects of a university education: communal
living, discovering new talents and passions, and making

Generations of alumni enjoying the Christmas Jazz and Cocktails event

J anet Clarke Hall 5