Page 3 - Luce 2020

FRO M THE P RINCIPAL

Dr Powell welcomes alumni and friends to the Prof Gillian Dr Powell joins with tutors Dr Richard Liu and Dr Michael
Triggs event in March Stuiber for their graduation with Richard’s partner and JCH
Rhodes Scholar Dr Jenny Tran, Michael’s partner Dr Mayuri
From the Principal Wijayasundara, and Deputy Principal Ms Margie Welsford

In Janet Clarke Hall, as elsewhere, the politics of space informs carbon footprint and reduce waste and consumption. Two
the politics of identity. As the master historian R.H. Tawney projects completed in 2019 further that aim. Unseen from
once observed in relation to all societies, upon entry to our the ground, a bank of solar panels on the Scantlebury Wing
College students ‘step into a social inheritance, to which each roof now offset our electricity consumption through solar
generation adds its own contribution… before it bequeathes it photovoltaic capture and storage, significantly reducing our
to its successors’. Such an inheritance is explicitly cultural. But demand on the grid. In Traill Wing, a ‘space age’ boiler has
equally it is physical, as the physical spaces offered to students replaced the massive, gas-fired boiler which has served the
and staff in our purpose-built, heritage-listed building must College faithfully (albeit with a generous carbon footprint)
carry, shape, and respond to changing desires and demands since ‘The Man’, College factotum Billy Robinson used to fire
of our community over the generations. it up with coal briquettes in the 1920s. (I would hasten to add
that it was retrofitted to work on gas before my own time!).
Some colleges have built recently to ensure that students Knitted together with earlier installation of solar hot water and
have private kitchens and bathrooms – but one might ask low voltage lighting throughout, these changes have led to
how do such spaces enhance the common good? Our cleaner energy and less consumption from the grid.
attention has focused, rather, on the improvement of shared
common spaces including new tutorial rooms in Margaret In order to face what appears, at times, as an environmental
Henderson House (quickly and affectionately known as and existential crisis of huge proportions, we need our
‘Hendo’ to students), bathrooms and kitchenettes. New plans students to leave College armed with a clear sense of how
for a redeveloped Junior Common Room are well under they might go on to flourish, and perhaps at times also to fail,
way. Created with significant student input, it offers better as they take the next step in their studies or in professional
integration with a revamped courtyard in light of Eva Eden’s life. Having engaged, in the course of 2019, with noted
original vision. speakers on youth outlook and mental health (including
Jonathan Haight and Alasdair Campbell) I’m not convinced
As I write, we are preparing to welcome many students drawn that the dominant social (e.g. Facebook), educational (e.g.
from drought and bushfire affected areas, and others facing the online learning) and technological (e.g. ‘smart’ mobile
challenges of global health issues restricting their travel and ‘phones) paradigms are offering a framework for a wholesome
study arrangements. I am reminded that the College is part and holistic lifestyle for our students or their generational
(admittedly a small part) of the wider world and must face its cohorts. I’m hopeful that, by drawing together our significant
challenges with integrity and a sense of hope, offering such resources and expertise in more coherent and purposeful
practical solutions as we can muster. Vicky Watts’ striking fashion, Janet Clarke Hall will develop a space in which
cover image is a powerful reminder of the devastating forces young women and men are better prepared to flourish – and
fire can unleash before the cycle of renewal returns new life for them to rebound well from the failures that we all must
to the bush. In 2019, our students heard from Chloe Hooper endure, from time to time, in order to grow as authentic
(author of The Arsonist) about her challenging exploration of human beings.
the 2009 Gippsland fires in which some JCH families were
deeply affected. Among other support, we need to support Finally, I would like to thank Ms Margie Welsford and my
rural and regional students whose lives have been disrupted entire staff for their dedication and work during the period of
by fire. In 2020, these students will be among the two thirds my sabbatical leave*. One only has to walk back into the front
of our new and returning students who will receive some form foyer of Janet Clarke Hall after some time away to appreciate
of financial assistance or scholarship. For the roughly forty that the College is a special place. It welcomes people in
per cent of our students whose circumstances demonstrate moments of triumph and moments of fragility, and it is a
genuine financial need, the average subsidy from the College wonderful environment in which to study and grow. It can be
will be $15,000 (a half scholarship) towards fees, with some confident in what it bequeathes to its successors. I hope you
students receiving significantly more. enjoy reading about some of the events which shaped 2019.

As we consider the impact of the bushfires, we will continue Dr Damian Powell
to consider the environment and our collective, institutional, Principal
and individual responsibilities. For many years now the
College has moved, within our constrained financial resources, *As part of his sabbatical leave, the Principal spent time in
to integrate the best practices we can in order to lower our Beijing. On pp 16–17 he reflects on his time in China.
J anet Clarke Hall 3