Duval Handbook - Section A "College Basics"
Contents
Welcome to Duval College
You are most likely wondering just what college life is all about. Those of you who have previously attended boarding schools will no doubt be apprehensive that Duval will be much the same. Perhaps these few lines and the balance of the Handbook information will help put things in perspective. The purpose of the College is to provide the students of the University with a residence and with academic assistance under conditions most conducive to their immediate training as well as to their personal development. College life brings together students from various faculties and backgrounds, and should provide ample opportunity for studying under ideal conditions. In addition, College provides facilities for a large number of social, cultural, and sporting activities which are invaluable if a student is to benefit fully from his/her period at University. Involvement is encouraged in College affairs and each member should soon discover how much extra-curricular activity he/she can handle without seriously affecting studies.
The College places a high priority on endeavouring to provide a balance between academic, cultural and sporting activities. An extensive tutorial system is provided within college, giving much support to new residents. Social activities include formal dinners, fundraisers, the annual college ball, dramatic/musical productions and block functions. Many sporting teams play in weekly competitions, and social games are encouraged within College. Members of the College also enter the Sir Frank Kitto Competition which provides a host of exciting activities such as Theatre Sports, Debating, Public Speaking, Short Stories, Poetry, Arts and Crafts, and Small Music Ensemble performance.
During the year, many opportunities will arise for you to contribute your opinions and services to the College; please take these opportunities to express and implement your ideas for suggested improvements. Should you find that you have any questions or problems of any nature, please feel free to call on any of the College Staff who will be only too happy to offer help and advice. College should be a place where you are made to feel welcome in a respectful environment. It should be a conducive environment to study in, to enjoy time with friends and have fun. Good luck, and make the most of your time in Duval.
1. Personnel 2012
1.1 Staff & Student Leaders
Staff
Principal - Dr Edwina Ridgway Hon D.Univ., OAM – (02) 6773 5701
Assistant Principal - Mr Jason Wall B.Sc., Cert.Sc., GradDipEd. – (02) 6773 5936
Administrative Assistant - Mrs Ann Geake B.A.(Hons) - (02) 6773 5700
Catering Manager – Mr Michael Welbourn - (02) 6773 5705
Student Leaders
Senior Resident Fellow - Mr Dean Bensch - (02) 6773 5709
Resident Fellows & their staircases:
Carraman (A) – Callan Beesley – (02) 6773 5715
Wyanda/Kulawin(B/C) – Jessica McPherson – (02) 6773 5716
Araluen/Patanga (D/E) – Claire Brabham – (02) 6773 5717
Mirrabooka (F) – Megan Raines – (02) 6773 5718
Orana (G) – Amelia Hall – (02) 6773 5719
Bookoola/Carinya (H/I) – Michelle Egan – (02) 6773 5720
Amaroo/Tathra (J/K) – Angus Webb – (02) 6773 5721
Jarrabrin (L) – Tayla Maloney – (02) 6773 5722
Academic Mentors:
Rowan Prangley (Senior Academic Mentor)
Brodie Smith (Arts - Criminology)
Elizabeth Crerar (Rural Science/RSNR/Chemistry)
Shimona Kealy (Biology and Geology)
Peter Newman (Maths and Physics)
Rachel Brown (Law)
Annabel Whitaker (Medicine)
Samantha Wood (Education)
Junior Common Room 2012
College President - Sam McCaffrey
Vice President - Anne-Sophie Brown
Secretary – Libby Campbell
Treasurer - Harry Young
Sir Frank Kitto Representatives - Tamara Graveling, Dale New, Penny Wright & Alana Howard-Young
PT Reps - Justin Lowe, Mitch Holt, Nick Clarke & Julian Hulbert
MB Reps - Charlotte Pierce, Rozzie O’Reilly & Julia Tutt
Sports Council - Jordon Hogg & Allison Pateman
Magazine Committee -
Ball Committee -
Returning Officer -
Senior Common Room
President - Dr Pep Serow
Vice-President - Dr Christine Perrott
Secretary - TBA
Treasurer - Ms Jennifer Miller
Publicity Officer - TBA
1.2 Staff Roles
Principal - The Principal is ultimately responsible to the Vice-Chancellor through the Director of the UNE Residential System. The Principal is responsible for ensuring the good order of the College including student welfare, finances, staffing, current and long term maintenance, and liaising with all appointed and elected members of the College in providing a harmonious community in which all residents can live and work.
Assistant Principal - In addition to supporting the Principal in running the College, one of the main responsibilities of the Assistant Principal is to oversee the academic activities of College residents. This entails the organisation of Academic Mentors, and rosters of regular mentoring sessions within the College. After exam results have been released, the AP helps evaluate progress, and offers advice regarding students' future prospects. The AP takes responsibility for student related matters in the absence of the Principal.
Administrative Officer - Works closely with the Principal on all aspects of the running of college, also ensuring the College Office provides support and assistance to student leaders and is a welcoming environment for College residents to visit.
1.3 Appointed Positions
Senior Resident Fellow - The Senior Resident Fellow is primarily responsible for helping the Principal and Assistant Principal in residential college pastoral care. This role encompasses the management and close working relationship with the Resident Fellow and Academic Mentor teams, in ensuring that residents have the best pastoral care possible. In addition, the Senior Resident Fellow also serves as a liason for other collegiate Senior Resident Fellows, Resident Fellows and Academic Mentors.
Resident Fellows - These eight positions are annual appointments and involve two main responsibilities, crucial for providing college pastoral care. Firstly, the Resident Fellow is allocated one or two Staircases, and is responsible for the well being of the members of the Staircase(s) and the encouragement of a successful culmination of academic, cultural, social and sporting involvement by the residents. Secondly, out of College Office hours the Resident Fellow is responsible for the security of the residents and the College premises, and to see that social activities do not disturb other students.
A Resident Fellow is appointed for his/her personality, responsible attitude and academic ability. She/he may be expected to assist in academic support under the co-ordination of the Senior Resident Fellow. Your Resident Fellow (or any other Resident Fellow) should be your first port of call in times of trouble.
Another task which the Resident Fellows undertake is dealing with excessive noise or other disturbances within the College. Please co-operate with them at all times in ensuring that the College is a pleasant environment for everybody in which to live and study. Resident Fellows are required to stay at the College during the holidays to ensure that all external and internal students who are staying in the College are well looked after and take duty responsibility for conference delegates.
At all times there is a Duty Resident Fellow, who has specific duties concerned with the running of College outside normal office hours. The Duty Resident Fellow’s name, room number and telephone extension can be found on a board outside the JCR next to the screen door. In an emergency, or if you have locked yourself out of your room, or if you need any other practical assistance, see the Duty Resident Fellow.
Senior Academic Mentor & Academic Mentors - Academic Mentors are appointed to assist in specialised academic areas. They are usually senior students of the College and are required to help students on a face-to-face basis usually via a weekly mentoring session. The Academic Mentors assist in identifying student learning needs, and with the Senior Academic Mentor and Assistant Principal, coordinate additional support where possible.
College IT Officer - An IT Officer is appointed to maintain the day-to-day operation of the computing facilities within the College and provide troubleshooting advice and technical support to College Members in regard to the UNE network.
College Marketing Officer - The Marketing Officer will actively promote the College in all marketing activities. He/she will represent his/her College on the Residential System Marketing Committee, and is required to coordinate and participate in marketing programs on campus, in the local community and in schools to benefit the College and UNE Residential System.
2. College Structure
Senior Common Room - consists of Academics, Resident Fellows, Academic Mentors and other invited non-resident Members. The Senior Common Room actively recognises the achievements of JCR members through scholarships for Academic Excellence and Awards for Highly Commended Academic Achievement. The Senior Common Room also funds a Sports Honour Roll (situated in the Dining Hall), that recognises the success of individuals and teams on the sporting fields. Senior Common Room members assist with the provision of tutorials for students in the College and participate in the life of the College in a variety of ways.
Junior Common Room (JCR) - All non-SCR students resident in College are members of the Junior Common Room (JCR). This body meets four to five times a year to discuss College business. A compulsory subscription is levied every year. Other functions of the JCR are to elect committees to organise the College Magazine, the College Ball, election of the Food and Dining Hall Committee, and to elect Sir Frank Kitto, Mary Bagnall and Presidents Trophy representatives. Each year the JCR ratifies the level of Subscription to be paid by its members.
The College President - The President is elected by the full body of students in the Junior Common Room as their representative. The President is responsible for representing the Duval College student body at all levels.
Junior Common Room Committee (JCRC) - The Junior Common Room Committee is elected from the JCR body by the JCR members. The College President (elected the preceding year) chairs the Committee, which contains a number of senior college members and two first year representatives. The objective of the JCRC is to run JCR functions, and to liaise between the students and the college administration to advise the Principal on matters of policy relating to student matters.
Sports Council - As part of the JCR this body this body coordinates the College participation in all sporting events and an awards dinner. There is an annual subscription that provides financial backing for sporting equipment and uniforms.
Discipline Committee - Please refer to the UNE Residential Colleges Code of Conduct.
Acceptance into College
Your residency will be contingent upon your enrolment in tertiary study or by arrangement with the College Principal as a visitor, guest or consultant. You must advise the Principal if your enrolment within the University changes.
Criteria for re admittance to the College
Residents are accepted into the College on the UNE Residential System Accommodation Agreement, which must be read and understood when they accept their offer online. Application for any subsequent year will be contingent upon four major criteria providing the resident is enrolled in tertiary study or is accepted by the Principal under other arrangements.
1. Academic commitment through the year, including attaining satisfactory academic results (minimum of 50% pass of full unit load).
2. Financial responsibility in meeting your commitments as set down in the Fee Schedule.
3. Contribution to, and participation in, the life of the College and its members.
4. Personal conduct as outlined by the College Rules and Residential System Code of Conduct.
For each resident, senior members of the College will be asked to advise the Principal annually of the following: College commitment, social involvement within the College and with floor members, academic commitment, general standard of behaviour and demonstrated leadership qualities. This will form part of Criteria 3 and 4 in considering an application fro residency in any subsequent year.
As a condition of your entry into the College, you must have paid your annual JCR subscription.
3. History of Duval College
Duval College, as it was to become known, slowly grew over a ten year period. 1949 saw the weatherboard ‘Huts A and B’ built as the first student accommodation on campus, with Miss M Bagnall in charge of the women residents. By 1957 a further five huts had been built, and had been controlled by Mr Meredith following the departure of Miss Bagnall in 1952. 1959 saw the completion of the last two huts, enabling the housing of 117 female residents. In December of that year, the University Council resolved that the ‘Hill Residences’ form the second women’s college (Mary White College was completed in 1958) and be called Duval College. Miss G A Rennison held the position of Principal from 1959 to 1962, at which time Miss S E Swinney was appointed.
In 1963 the design for a college shield and motto was finalised. The shield, as depicted on the front cover, symbolises Duval College. The triangle represents Mount Duval, after which the college takes its name. The close association of the college with the University is noted by the shape of the shield and the presence of three tudor roses. The College motto ‘Vivimus Vivamus’ literally means ‘while we live, let us live’, and reflects the convivial atmosphere of college.
In 1965 the new (current) Duval College residential buildings were completed, housing a total of 219 students. As the Dining Hall complex was not finished until 1967, breakfast was initially taken in Wright College and dinner in Robb College. The vacated huts were taken over to house the expanding faculties, and some are still in use today by Music, Geology and Geophysics.
Miss Swinney retired from her position as Principal in 1972, and Dr J Garner held this position for the next two years. After Dr Garner’s departure, Mrs E Ridgway administered Duval in the capacity of Bursar. The following year, 1975, the college very successfully became co-residential. In 1978, Mrs Ridgway was appointed college Principal, and has held this position since. In 1978 new air-conditioned ‘teaching facilities’ were completed, soon to become known as the Duval Conference Centre. In 1985 two new Tutorial rooms were built to enhance the tutorial support system and its facilities. In 1986, further extensions of the college saw the building of Tanderra, which includes a games room, darkroom and other entertainment facilities.
On September 25, 1992 the College opened Specs’ Restaurant which was an initiative to enable us to employ students resident within the College and to enable both University and town people to enjoy the expertise of a University College. The Restaurant remained open for 9 years.
1993 saw the establishment of The Duval Conference Company. This exciting time for the College brought new dimensions in attracting professional Conferences and Seminars.
In 1994 the College built a new administrative wing and main College entrance. As a result of this the College was able to designate a Thesis Room for thesis students. This room contains a range of computers and the students receive assistance from Senior Common Room members. In 1995 a fireplace was built in the JCR.
1996 brought the additional reality of a Senior Student Computer Centre; Optical Fibre installed into the College (which saw the demise of FG1 as a student room!); the wiring of individual rooms in A block for computer connections and the installation of e-mail facilities to the old music room.
1997 saw the additional windows included in end rooms of the College and the installation of a telephone system and data cabling to each room in the college. Laundry facilities were upgraded with an additional clothes-drying area adjacent to the H Staircase laundry.
1998 was a significant year for the Principal, Mrs Edwina Ridgway as it marked 25 years of her leadership of the College. A surprise party, followed by an alfresco formal dinner held in the First Courtyard, was held to commemorate this. All 25 Former College Presidents contributed through donations to the creation of a garden bed and the installation of a garden bench in the Second Courtyard, and nine were in attendance. The Senior Common Room and the current residents presented two other garden benches.
1999 was a ‘year of change’. Sally Stratton the college secretary retired after 18 and a half years as well as the Assistant Principal David Ward, resigning to take up a full time Assistant Headship at Earle Page College. Barbara Shaw replaced Harry Durey as our Finance Officer.
2000 saw an Indoor Fitness Centre established in the original area known as the Grill Bar. Fitness equipment was purchased for the use of residents of the College. The College has further added to its outdoor recreational equipment by purchasing six double Mirage Kayaks and 3 single Kayaks which will be carried by a specially fitted trailer and which is used for recreational paddling as well as east coast Marathons including the annual Hawkesbury Canoe Classic (111 kms paddling the Hawkesbury River). The DDS Kayaking Club now has twelve double Mirage Kayaks.
2001 involved a change in the catering operation to provide for more flexible meal plans. Eurest Australia were appointed to provide all catering needs for Duval College and Drummond & Smith College. 2002 saw the streamlining of the Duval College and Drummond & Smith College Office onto the one site. This was done by changes to the former Principal's residence of Duval College and incorporated into the existing structure of office facilities on the north eastern side of Duval. 2002 also saw the sails up over the entertainment courtyard and a student project upgrading the gardens in the brick courtyard.
In 2003 further equipment was added to the gym and there was an upgrade of the pathways and grounds of the College. In 2004 the College launched its drive to raise funding for Scholarships through a Steering committee of former College leaders, chaired by Gillian Cappelletto (Garland). The committee spanned over four decades of College students.
In 2006 the Valedicts of the College renovated and furnished the former Senior Common Room for the use of Senior Students throughout the year. September 2006 saw the resignation of Barb Shaw to take up the position of Acting Principal of Mary White College. Ingrid Porter was appointed the new executive Assistant role. In early 2007, Carolyn Coman-Jeffries joined Barb at Mary White College. Ruth Hodgson, a former Duvalian, became the new Administrative Assistant. Late 2007, the Valedicts planted a garden in the L Block Courtyard in honouring the college, complete with a memorial garden to honour the memory of Rhys Robertson, a popular student who passed away following a fatal accident as he was returning to the College for the Second Semester the previous year.
2008 saw the introduction of the new Scolarest Flexi-Choice catering system. The new meal system allowed students to have more choice in which meals they took and when. Using a pre-paid meal card to purchase meals at both the College and the deli café at UNE, students now had complete control over how they spent their money. The café element of the servery also proved to be a great improvement, allowing students to purchase retail items at any time throughout the day.
2009 was a year of celebration. In September the College celebrated its 50th anniversary when many Old Collegians returned to share a weekend of activity and a special Formal Dinner. Jason Wall, the Assistant Principal, reached his 10th year at Duval and Edwina Ridgway her 35th year with the College. Midyear saw Ingrid Porter move to Res Central and Kerry Lowden appointed to the Administrative team.
2009 also saw the change of contract for catering and the move to Alliance Catering Services, a single catering contract across the full residential system. Alliance adapted the Flexi-Choice system to an enhanced ‘Flexi meal’ system for the DDS Colleges, maintaining the concept and increasing the retail offerings.
2010 was a major year of planning and the preparation of the first Living and Learning Community on the campus. A Personal Development and Life skill Enhancement Program (PDALE) was developed and directed by Kay Hempsall, a former Collegian and UNE staff member with particular strengths in Organizational Development and Life Skill coaching.
Ann Geake was appointed to the administration team in January 2011 and has quickly become a much valued staff member. With a BA (Hons), History with Education and Human Development, from Oxford Brooks University in the UK, Ann has a great understanding of student needs and ensures that the College Office is a welcoming place to visit. Kerry Lowden unfortunately resigned her position with the Colleges in March.
In 2011 the PDALE Program was launched and successfully ‘graduated’ 18 DDS Collegians in October. Of significance also was the first major upgrade of the fire compliance requirements, replacing all doors within the College and incorporating a full water system throughout. As a consequence the College began to replace carpets throughout A, B & C blocks and repaint the ‘public areas’. Bold colours for painting doors and end cupboards have been selected for these upgrades!
2012 will see the implementation of a Trimester System brought into the University, the return of funds through the VSU and the uncapping of student fees across Australia. Significant changes indeed for the Colleges!
4. Plan
Key to Staircases
Staircases and their Aboriginal Name and Meaning
A - Carraman - The shade of the trees
B - Wyanda - Hut
C - Kulawin - Big native bear
D - Araluen - Place of water lilies
E - Patanga - Place of gumtrees
F - Mirrabooka - Southern Cross
G - Orana - Welcome
H - Bookoola - An owl
I - Carinya - A happy home
J - Amaroo - A beautiful place
K - Tathra - A place of wild cats
L - Jarrabrin - Shelter for a large family
