Page 4 - Luce 2021

I nterview

Prompted by some searching questions from JCH Fellow,
Mrs Penny Lewisohn (1964), departing Principal Dr Damian Powell
reflects on his two decades at the College.

As a member of the Janet Clarke Beyond university tutoring and
Hall Council 20 years ago, I was then lecturing at the University of
privileged to be on the selection panel Canterbury in New Zealand, I had
which chose you unanimously as the been a ‘res’ or ‘non-res’ tutor in four
outstanding applicant for the position colleges (Lincoln in Adelaide, Whitley,
of Principal. Tongue in cheek, can I University and Newman) as well as my everything we can do to assist the
ask what possessed you, as Director five years in Trinity before I came to University contributes to our collective
of Academic Studies at Trinity College JCH. Pastoral and academic: colleges success.
next door, to apply for the position? do both. They build people up as
people, and they help to give them an As a ‘Head of House’ (College), I’ve
Thanks, Penny. I think the answer academic toolkit, including analytical enjoyed an immense privilege in being
is probably common sense! More rigour, which will hopefully serve them able to engage with the University
seriously, it seemed a wonderful well in adulthood throughout their across its length and breadth, from
next step from deputy to Head of personal and professional lives. the most senior office- bearers, to
College. Early on in my time as Acting the Academic Board, to professional
Dean at Trinity, my then boss Don I’ve always thought the Melbourne staff. But I’m not on the payroll, which
Markwell asked me: ‘Where would colleges overlap with the best has also allowed me to offer pretty
you like to be in five years?’ Having educational institutions in the world, frank opinion at times, and also to ask
grappled with whether to offer the in a completely distinctive way. I think difficult questions which I hope have
obvious ‘well, working for you of what they do is entirely undervalued been constructive, although I imagine
course’, I was nervous about whether and not very well understood, even some folk have seen me as a bit of a
it was presumptuous to offer what I by some of the students who go provocateur on occasions.
actually gave as my answer: ‘I’d like through them. Having spent plenty
to be the Principal of Janet Clarke of time in Oxford and Cambridge, I’ve also been around for a while,
Hall’. But there it was: as an over- and some intensive time visiting having spent time with the wonderful
confident, rather callow young man liberal arts colleges and collegiate David Caro, whose association to JCH
still in my twenties, I couldn’t imagine universities in North America, I’m comes partly through his wife Fiona,
a better next step for me, with many confident JCH matches them for its and over many years I’ve got to know
of the challenges (and opportunities) range of opportunities. And it’s little and work with successive VCs and
I knew a Head would face, but on a wonder that many of our students have Chancellors, including JCH Fellow
size and scale I thought I might cope gone on to success in pre-eminent Dr Fay Marles AM (Pearce 1944), and
with. I wasn’t really imagining I would universities around the world. That’s particularly Glyn Davis. And now more
be offered the role, but it worked out why the word ‘privilege’ features so recently with Duncan Maskell, who
wonderfully for me. much in the JCH statement of values: has been remarkably candid and, like
only an absolutely privileged group of Glyn, very generous in giving time and
Did you have a particular vision of people have the chance to experience energy to the colleges, and to JCH.
what a University college might be a collegiate education at one of the
when you commenced? How difficult great universities in the world, and the Serving on various working parties
has it been to realise that vision in the Melbourne colleges offer that. and committees, from sport, to the
modern environment? ‘Melbourne Experience’, to ‘Respectful
What is the relationship between Relationships’ allows you to see the
In a way, college life has solved one the University of Melbourne and the challenges faced by the University and
of the big puzzles of my life – what is colleges and has it changed during also to get to know the people who
important pastorally, and what matters your tenure as Principal? You and have to grapple with its complexity and
in terms of academic instruction other members of JCH have actively its scale. My fear has always been that
and encouragement, in a successful contributed to various aspects of the importance of the colleges to the
university education? In terms of what university life. Have you found it University would be underestimated
I thought a college might be, I ‘had rewarding? or undervalued. In numerical terms
form’ when I arrived at JCH, and not we are obviously only a small part
just from my time at Trinity. My dad I’ve found it immensely of the whole, but we are vital to the
held a personal chair at the University rewarding. One of the most University in its attempt to be among
and my mum was essentially a social powerful moments you can have, the best in the world. Recently I wrote
worker for the Catholic Church. As I as a Melbourne Head, is sitting to the Vice-Chancellor on behalf of
tried to figure out which influence was on the podium during Graduation the Heads underlining our collective
stronger in my own pathway, I joined Ceremonies. Beyond that, as I’ve contribution. But we Heads also
a college while undertaking my PhD, always said to colleagues, we are tied have to remain constructive in our
to try and sort through which was more by an umbilical cord to the University engagement, focusing on how we can
important to me – academic success or of Melbourne. If the University fails help the University in these very tough
a pastoral calling. or falters it hurts us all, and conversely COVID times.

4 LUCE Number 20 2021