Austin & Earle Page life
All residents are part of the Austin & Earle Page Junior Common Room (JCR) via an annual subscription paid at the beginning of each year.
The Austin & Earle Page JCR provides many services, and facilities. It also organises all of the college’s social, cultural, and sporting activities throughout the year.
All members are ensured an equal opportunity to participate in the activities and management of the JCR. We hold yearly elections of the JCR Committee and President.
Austin & Earle Page has many diverse spaces available to all students. These include the Large Common Room that is used for movie nights, celebrations, and social gatherings; the “Great Escape” Chill out zone is our alcohol-free space with a large TV, piano and huge bean bags; and our fully licensed Attic Bar with an open fireplace and pool table. Our large courtyard is always buzzing, especially on sunny afternoons.
Social events
The JCR is responsible for in-college social events which include a variety of themed events, such as our College Ball, Barn Dance, Bierfest, Toga party, Blacklight-Graffiti, World’s Biggest Morning Tea, BBQs, Fresher Wedding, and Fairy-tale. We held our first Mates' Ball in 2023, where residents were able to invite their friends to sample the college lifestyle with them for a weekend.
Intercollege Activities
Throughout the year Austin & Earle Page participates in intercollege sporting competitions against the other UNE colleges, known as President’s Trophy (Male) and Mary Bagnall (Females). The Sir Frank Kitto Trophy (SFK) includes colleges competing against each other in music and drama performances, theatre sports, debating, and arts and craft. In 2022, Austin Page won all three intercollege competitions.
Your Floor - Family, Fun and Friends for Life!
Each floor has their own special unique bond. This bond starts from the moment you arrive. Your floor theme can be anything from Aussie Icons to Jurassic Park to Under the Ocean or Super Heroes.
Floor events are optional and held throughout the year. They include individually themed floor parties, ten-pin-bowling, skating, dinners cooked at college or eating out in town, and movie nights etc. We also have our floor sports competitions as well as our “Murder” competition with a trophy for the winner.
The people who are on your floor become your family away from home and friends for life!
At UNE, Austin & Earle Page is at the forefront of sport and everyone at Austin & Earle Page is encouraged to participate. In 2022, Austin and Earle Page College won both Men’s and Women’s Intercollegiate sports trophies and fielded the B1 Netball premiership winning team.
Annual Coast Run
Since 1980, the College has conducted an annual charity fun run from Armidale to Coffs Harbour in aid of the Children's Medical Research Institute. To support this fundraiser, our students also host a Parents’ Weekend Auction, community Fashion Parade and numerous college events. Since 1980 we have raised over $500,000 for the Children’s Medical Research Institute.
Town and College Competitions
Throughout the year, everyone can represent Austin & Earle Page and/or Armidale through town competitions for various traditional sports such as soccer, rugby union, rugby league, netball and hockey. We also participate in mixed competitions for soccer and netball, which is a great way to meet new people and get involved.
Noona
Noona is a game Austin College students invented. It is a mix of rugby, rugby league, AFL, and soccer with a few added Austin & Earle Page rules. In trimester two, there is a draft held in the dining hall where players are selected to play in the Noona Premier League. Noona is also played throughout the year, is open to anyone, and is great fun with a chance to socialise with everyone on your floor and in the college.
Floor Sports
Floor sports is a project run by our Coast Run committee. It is run in the afternoons early in trimester two and involves different floors of our college versing each other in a friendly competition in our courtyard in the afternoon sun. We often play sports such as volleyball, dodgeball, soccer, netball, ultimate frisbee and touch football on our front lawn, regardless of the weather!
“Floor sports is a great time because not only do you get a chance to get out and be active but it is a social time to hang out with people from other floors and make new friends - Georgia Patterson”
Commencement Dinner
This is your official welcome to the College and takes place early in the trimester. You’ll be dressed up and have a chance to show off your academic gown you were provided when you arrived. It includes speeches by the Head of College, Student Leaders, and a member of the university executive, often the Vice-Chancellor and Chancellor. As it is at Austin Page, there’ll always be musical performances throughout the night.
CHARTs Dinner
With several talented students residing in the college, our annual ‘CHARTs Dinner’ involves each floor dressing to a theme and decorating their dining tables accordingly. Residents compete individually, as groups and as floors for awards on the night. The dinner also raises significant money for the college charity, the Children’s Medical Research Institute, and some local community organisations.
Parents’ Dinner
This is your opportunity to invite your parents along to the college to see your home away from home, to meet the head of college, and join a table with you and your new friends. Parent’s night is the busiest dinner of the year. We had 300 guests at Parent’s Dinner 2022.
Annual Politics Dinner
The Earle Page Annual Politics Dinner an annual event of regional significance, open to the community. A well-known politician or political commentator delivers a public lecture at the event. Past speakers include Tony Abbot, Joe Hockey, John Howard, Julia Gillard, Peter Garrett, Philip Ruddock, Alexander Downer, Bob Brown, Natasha Stott-Despoja, Penny Wong and Barnaby Joyce.
Valedictory Dinner
This is our opportunity to farewell students who are graduating or leaving the college after three years (Vale is Latin for ‘farewell’). Its full of fun, laughter, music and some tears! At Austin Page, we hold our dinner just before the last weekend of college so it’s a celebration of the year that we’ve all spent together.
“The musical is for everyone… no matter what your skills levels are” - Jessica Davis
Austin and Earle Page College is the only residential college at UNE to stage a different musical production each year. The musical is a fantastic opportunity for residents to get involved. Residents who have talent in areas of singing, dancing, performing, stage managing, stage lighting, costumes and hair and makeup are encouraged to sign up.
Recent Productions:
- 2022 - Twisted
- 2021 – Shrek: The Musical
- 2020 – Bonnie and Clyde
- 2019 – Legally Blonde
- 2018 – Chicago
- 2017 – The Little Mermaid
- 2016 - The Addams Family
- 2015 - Grease
- 2014 - Into the Woods
- 2013 - Sweeney Todd: The Demon Barber of Fleet Street
Head of College
Our Head of College, Luke Fowler, always has an open door and a full bowl of chocolates at the ready. He is here to guide and support you through your years at college and university and takes a very active role within the college. He works closely with Resident Leaders, the Junior Common Room, and support staff to help provide the best college experience possible. Luke’s aim for Austin and Earl Page College is to build an inclusive and welcoming community that prides itself on cultural, academic, and sporting excellence and one that provides plenty of opportunities for each resident to find their place. Before coming to Austin and Earle Page, Luke worked in student support, dispute resolution, and human rights law.
Resident Leaders
You will be greeted on arrival by our Senior Resident Leaders (SRLs) and their team of Resident Leaders (RLs). Each floor (which will become your extended family) has a dedicated RL who has been appointed to help you to adjust to college life and give you advice on how to make the best of your college experience. Our RLs go through extensive training before they take on their duties and they have had a lot of experience in the college, so they are able to help you with most problems you have and will know where to send you if they can’t help you themselves.
Tues2Study
Every Tuesday evening we hold Tues2study in the College Dining Hall. The resident leader team is available for every student who comes along and spend a lot of time on these nights to support for First Year students. We will invite guest speakers throughout the year with expertise in areas like study skills, essay writing, scientific/mathematic literacy and examination preparation. The Head of College loves to see a jam-packed Dining Hall and will drop in from time to time to talk to students and answer any questions they might have.
Exam Time Focus
There are no social events two weeks prior the exam periods which helps ensure that everyone can focus on their studies. The Resident Leaders monitor noise levels and students can call the duty phone at any time of day or night to ask a Resident leader to deal with any noise issues.
Rewarding Success
Each year we celebrate academic achievements at Commencement and Parents' Dinners. At Austin & Earle Page each floor competes for the highest-grade averages to win the coveted "Da Vinci" Trophy.
We are proud of the high level of academic achievement at Austin & Earle Page. Students who achieve a High Distinction Average receive an award. We also give out Distinction Average and Credit Average Awards. Students who achieve a single HD or Distinction receive a certificate of Merit.
Study
We are building a 24-hour study centre for students with conferencing facilities for tutorials and lectures as well areas that you can study alone and with friend. The study centre will feature a kitchen and TV room for those all-important study breaks. We’ll also have a new computer lab in 2023.
We also have our regular Tues2Study nights in the dining hall on Tuesday nights during the trimester. This is a great way to meet people studying the same subjects as you and form a study group. There are often guest speakers and there are always snacks.
Your resident Leaders and Head of College are all available to support you with any issues you might be having with your study. They are more than happy to sit with you and work out a study plan and help you find support from tutors and academic advisors in the university.
