Page 3 - Luce 2012

Prof Andy Orchard in With the Commandant and cadets at Royal Military College Canada With our Young Australian of the
the Provost’s Residence, Year Marita Cheng
Trinity Toronto

From the Principal

2012 was for me a year in two parts, in which I undertook a universities the world over are responding, in one way or
period of sabbatical leave in Canada throughout second semester. another, to the possibilities opened up by ‘massive open online
The College clearly flourished in my absence under the leadership courses’ (MOOCs) and other online platforms for teaching and
of Vice-Principal Donna Davies, and upon my return I was learning. It will be interesting to see how they change the way
delighted to hear that an outstanding recent past student, Jenny that universities and their students imagine their interactions and
Tran (2007), had been awarded a Rhodes Scholarship for Australia relationships to work. While it remains to be seen what the full
at Large which will enable her to pursue her passion for public effect is for Janet Clarke Hall we continue to celebrate, with great
health through further studies at the University of Oxford. I was confidence, the most traditional ‘learning hub’ imaginable – one
even more delighted to hear that Jenny had been appointed a driven by small group, face-to-face tutorials, communal dinners
resident tutor for 2013. driven by discussions on big issues, and a large and varied
‘curriculum’ which allows us to explore culture, values, personal
Much else had occurred that was good in my absence. This wellbeing, and our relationship with the environment around us.
included our Chair of Council’s discussion of ‘New Age Nanas’ Widely known as a ‘leading academic college’, student demand
and the creation of a wonderful new bequest in honour of past for our small group tutorials has never been stronger, and our
Senior Student Cecily Faith Statham aimed at supporting worthy academic results have never been better. As Thomas Friedman
students to pursue the study of medicine. In addition there has wrote recently in the New York Times:
been a range of building upgrades as Council commits to a cycle
of bathroom renovations that will bring these spaces out of the There is still huge value in the residential college
1970s, just as a commitment to high quality repairs ensures that experience and the teacher-student and student-
our front façade retains its beautiful stonework from the 1890s. student interactions it facilitates. But to thrive,
The Bage Common Room has been reinvented as a multipurpose universities will have to nurture even more of those
space full of light and charm and we were even lucky enough to unique experiences while blending in technology to
discover a working, hidden fireplace in the Betty Wilmot Room, improve education outcomes in measurable ways
now being returned to its former glory. Clearly a lot can happen at lower costs. We still need more research on what
when the Principal takes leave. All of the physical changes have works, but standing still is not an option.
been noted with appreciation by students, as the grand old lady
that is our building continues to serve up the occasional Whatever the changes, we believe that we are well placed,
hidden delight. among the colleges and within the wider university, to respond to
Professor Friedman’s stentorian call.
The links between our current students and recent graduates
from the College are now more fluid and dynamic than ever, While living in an apartment close to the University of Toronto,
as Facebook, Twitter, email and Skype ensure that as one group I found it interesting to compare college life, where so much
passes through, their example continues to influence the cohort energy and effort goes into forming a scholarly community, to one
coming behind them. I have no doubt that Jenny Tran, whose in which people share physical proximity but with no common
story features in this edition, will provide an example both as a cause. Discussion with the ‘redcoats’ (cadets) at the Royal Military
tutor and as ‘one of ours’ that will encourage further success in College of Canada, itself a place strikingly similar to the Australian
our current students. Defence Force Academy, underlined for me the complex
issues confronted by young women and men as they move
It is a small world, in which highly permeable boundaries of from adolescence to adulthood, including questions of mental
communication allow competing visions and values to move health, sexuality, grief, and loss. The presence - or absence - of
freely for good or evil. In such a fluid setting, there is something respectful engagement by college staff with students in such a
of a virtuous circle about the relationships that flow from Janet setting cannot be overstated, and I was reminded that Janet Clarke
Clarke Hall. To my mind, and after serious comparison at home Hall is incredibly lucky that we have a culture in which staff and
and abroad, what we do can probably only be achieved in a students never stop speaking to each other and learning from each
small and educationally intimate setting. We have much that other. It has been a pleasure to return to a community in which
is a privilege, but it is heartening to see that our alumni, across people come together in anticipation of a stated, common cause.
generations of association, continue to use that privileged start to Indeed, our history as ‘a house of fruitful study’ and a ‘caring
serve the wider community with an eye to the greater good. In community’ give us a good deal to be grateful for. In this light, I
this light it was a particular pleasure to have Marita Cheng back hope that you enjoy reading about some of the events that shaped
in the College to speak to our students about her work, through 2012 at Janet Clarke Hall.
Robogals, in encouraging young women to explore a career
in engineering – work resulting in her award as 2012 Young Dr Damian Powell
Australian of the Year. Principal

During my time in Canada, a good deal of public discussion
was underway about the social and pedagogical implications
of social media for tertiary institutions such as ours. As I write,

J anet Clarke Hall 3