GRADUATE HOUSE The Graduate Union of the University of Melbourne Inc.
Graduate House Newsletter April 2012
RESIDENTS, MEMBERS AND FRIENDS ARE INVITED TO ATTEND THESE GRADUATE HOUSE EVENTS. APRIL Wednesday, 18th WOMEN’S FORUM Enjoy a lively discussion – with a leisurely $10 buffet lunch to follow in the bistro if desired. Time: 10.15 am Cost: No charge Bookings through Graduate House 9347-3428 Tuesday, 24th RESIDENTS’ MEET AND GREET Residents and members invited to meet for a drink and nibbles. Time: 5.30pm
MAY st
ITALIAN DINNER
th
1 & 15 May 2012
Enjoy dinner and Italian conversation with an excellent and experienced teacher.
Launched in 2010 at the Dan O’Connell Hotel, the Arguments now take place at GRADUATE HOUSE on the second Thursday of each month.
10th May 2012
Time: 6pm Members: $15 Residents: $15 Guests: $20 Please book by the Monday prior.
Time: 7pm Members & Residents: Free Guests: $5 Students: $2
The May topic: will be advertised on Graduate House website
15th May 2012
th
16 May 2012
16th May 2012
SPECIAL BREAKFAST An invitation to all past-Graduates: come and have breakfast with our post-Graduates at Grad House
WOMEN’S FORUM Enjoy a lively discussion in the comfort of the Anderson Room at Graduate House. Topic: Are we Victims or Beneficiaries of Progress? Indulge in a leisurely $10 buffet lunch to follow in the bistro.
ICT Series Introduces Members to the latest modern technology
FREE 10.15am
FREE Time: 6pm – 7.15PM
Topic: What is Skype?
RESIDENTS’ MEET & GREET
29th May 2012
FREE 7.30 – 8.30am
Residents and members are invited to meet for a drink and nibbles at Graduate House.
Website: www.graduatehouse.com.au | ABN: 55610 664 963 | Associations Number: A0023234B
Time 6pm Free (for Residents and Members)
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MONTHLY LUNCHEON Wednesday, 2 May 2012 12 noon for 12.30pm THE GRADUATE UNION presents
Professor, The Honourable Gareth Evans AO QC Topic: 'Making Australian Foreign Policy: Who Matters? Gareth Evans is Professorial Fellow at The University of Melbourne, Chancellor of The Australian National University and President Emeritus of the International Crisis Group which he led from 2000-2009. He was a member of the Australian Parliament for 21 years, and a Cabinet Minister for 13 including as Foreign Minister from 1988-1996. Professor Evans co-chaired the International Commissions on Intervention and State Sovereignty (2000-01), and Nuclear Non-Proliferation and Disarmament (2008-10). He has written or edited nine books; most recently The Responsibility to Protect: Ending Mass Atrocity Crimes Once and for All. In December 2011 Foreign Policy magazine named him one of the 'top 100 Global Thinkers for 2011'. Residents: Free Admission (pre-paid only). Members: $30; Non-Members:$37.50 Bookings Essential. RSVP Monday, 30 April 2012 Telephone: 9347-3428
GRADUATE HOUSE 2012 Lecture Series
INFORMATION, COMMUNICATION & TECHNOLOGY
Speaker: Dr Kerry Bennett, CEO & Head of College, The Graduate Union Wednesday 16 May 2012 at 5pm Graduate House, 220 Leicester Street, Carlton
Cost: Members: Free Non-Members: $5.00
RSVP: By Monday, 13 May
Website: www.graduatehouse.com.au | ABN: 55610 664 963 | Associations Number: A0023234B
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Testimonials received during the month: 21-22 March 2012: Rushall Consulting Group, Peter Fullerton On the day, everything was top notch. Customer service and friendliness was of the highest order. Will come back again. What a discovery is GH. Like I said, I intend to come back 20th March 2012: Safety Institute, Amanda Benson Excellent. Could not have been more helpful on the day – Rosie & Bill 21st February 2012: University Library, Joyce Bowden I found the process very good, the respond time was excellent & staff were very helpful. 14th February 2012: Department of Infrastructure, Rose Macey Very smooth and professional 8 March 2012 The Lowitja Institute, Extract from: Alana Gall, Excellent! The Staff, both leading up to the event and during, were very helpful and understanding of my ever changing needs. The food was actually one of the highlights. Many expressed how impressed they were with the sophisticated menu, quality & quantity. Overall the Roundtable was a success, and this was also due to the support and great service we received from Graduate House.
CHILD AND MATERNAL HEALTH ROUNDTABLE IDENTIFIES PRIORITIES Some 40 people attended the LOWITJA INSTITUTE NATIONAL ROUNDTABLE on Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Child and Maternal Health Research: Priorities for Interventions, which was held in Melbourne on 8 March 2012 at The Graduate Union. Represented was a diverse range of organisations with an interest in child and maternal health from across the country, including the Aboriginal community controlled primary health care sector, government agencies/clinics, universities and research institutes. The meeting was hosted by the Lowitja Institute and supported with funding from the CAGES Foundation (www.cagesfoundation.org). The purposes of the Roundtable were to: • bring together researchers, health service providers (including community based or community controlled services) and government agencies; • share information from different States about current research findings, tools and expertise in Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander child and maternal health; • identify the opportunities for research that can contribute to improved outcomes in child and maternal health for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people; and • identify the opportunities for implementation of research through a collaborative effort (for example, a joint program or partnership grant application). The day’s outcomes included a call for greater Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander community engagement in driving the child and maternal health research agenda, enhanced coordination and collaboration across the country and a strategic direction to centralise data management and sharing. The Roundtable also called for successful projects such as the ‘baby baskets’ to be validated before being extended to other regions, and for a greater effort to reinforce the idea that better outcomes in health can be achieved through increasing the mother’s level of educational attainment (health promotion and workforce development). A report detailing future actions resulting from the Roundtable is currently being compiled and will be made available on the Lowitja Institute website when completed. www.lowitja.org.au
Website: www.graduatehouse.com.au | ABN: 55610 664 963 | Associations Number: A0023234B
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TWILIGHT LECTURE WITH PROFESSOR GARY EGAN Our first Twilight Lecture for the year was held on Wednesday 21st March where a good attendance of members and non members gathered to socialize and enjoy drinks and canapés prior to being ushered into the Stillwell Room to listen to speaker, Professor Gary Egan on the fascinating topic ‘Visualizing the Brain’. Professor Egan explained his involvement with research of the human brain over the last 15-20 years and how medical research has developed over the last 100 years. He also pointed to developments that will advance over the next 5-10 years. His discussion covered how modern scanners can image our thoughts up to 8 seconds before we even have the thought! and how motor actions are seen in various parts of the brain. Professor Egan showed pictures of the brain at cellular level, how neurons connect and signal and how truly amazing and complex our brains are. He illustrated simply and eloquently how brain research has moved from a cottage industry to a mainstream activity with industrialised approaches. It is now a competitive and large industry. From the early 20th century scientists have found that different parts of the brain control various functions of the body, (for example motor control, vision and sensation) and that the brain is made up of highly specialised subdivisions. X-rays taken on photographic plate was the first way to look into the human body when the body was still alive. A long time later CAT scanners linked computers with x-rays to show us cross sectional images of the brain. More recently, Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI) which gives images from the magnetic properties of tissue, have developed rapidly to become smaller, more compact and ‘friendlier’. MRI scanners can image people while they are performing motor tasks and demonstrate increased brain activity in various parts of the brain. Professor Egan also outlined his research on Huntington's Disease and Multiple Sclerosis. He believes that in the next 18 months or so the possibilities for looking into the live brain are almost endless. The audience asked many varied and interesting questions throughout the lecture including one on how the brain functions as a person goes through the learning process: to which Professor Egan answered with reference to neuroplasticity. There was also interest in whether there had been any advances for brain injury rehabilitation. Professor Egan explained new techniques to stimulate the brain such as trans-cranial magnetic stimulation where electrical fields and currents in the grey matter have been stimulated or interfered with. Professor Egan is NHMRC Principal Research Fellow and the Professor and Director of Monash Biomedical Imaging.
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Website: www.graduatehouse.com.au | ABN: 55610 664 963 | Associations Number: A0023234B
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IMPROVED AMENITIES IN THE STELLA LANGFORD WING Following the opening of the Stella Langford Wing and the subsequent increase in academic and professional development meetings conducted at Graduate House, it quickly became apparent that toilet facilities for the increased number of people needed to be retro fitted. This will be achieved by walling off the three car spaces along the west wall on the first floor of the car park. The entrance to the new male and female toilets will be in the Stella Langford ante room outside the conference rooms. A small working party has been convened to oversee the tendering and construction phase of the project, comprised of the Chair, David Sparks, Chair of Accounting & Audit, Dr Phillip Cobbin, Councillor David Eyres, a retired architect and Mr Daniel Clark, Operations Manager. They will assess the Architect’s recommendation in regard to the successful building tender and the Council has delegated responsibility to this working party and the CEO to approve the engagement of the successful builder. Three tender proposals had been received by 4th April with another, expected by 11th April. The first project meeting will be held during the week of 16th April at which the scope of the works, tender quotes, plans and other information for the construction will be available, together with plans and documents. A charter document for the working party has been formulated. The construction is expected to take between 7 and 14 weeks and opening of the new facilities is anticipated for early September 2012.
GRADUATE HOUSE TURNS 50 ON 13 JULY 2012. In 2011 we celebrated 100 years as an Association of Graduates. In 2012, we celebrate 50 years of college accommodation. On 13th July 1962 Graduate House (Stage 1 – No.228 Leicester Street) was officially opened by the Chairman of the Australian Universities Commission in the presence of the Chancellor, Vice-Chancellor and other distinguished guests, including the first residents from London, Glasgow, Baltimore, Japan, New Zealand and Melbourne. In the same year, Mr William E. F. Berry, the long-standing Secretary of the Graduate Union, was appointed founding Warden of the new Hall of Residence, later to be affiliated with the University of Melbourne as its eleventh College. We will celebrate both these historic events at an evening function in Graduate House on Friday, 13 July 2012. Drinks will be served in the Johnston Library in the William Berry Wing and guests may inspect the recent refurbishments in some resident bedrooms, courtesy of a recent donation from the William Berry Trust. Further information, including a theme for the evening will be provided in next month’s newsletter.
Website: www.graduatehouse.com.au | ABN: 55610 664 963 | Associations Number: A0023234B
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GRADUATE HOUSE MEETING ROOMS MAY / JUNE BOOKINGS Melbourne School of Engineering Advancing Food Safety Catholic Education – University of Melbourne Commercial Modern Language Teachers Association of Victoria (MLTAV) The Australian Council for Health and Physical Education Melbourne Alumni of Goodenough College, London Home Economics Victoria Australian Teachers of Media, Victoria (ATOM) Victorian Comprehensive Cancer Care (VCCC) Faculty of Business & Economics – The University of Melbourne Carlton Probus Workplace Training Advisory Aust. – Women in Leadership Australia Defence Force Academy ( ADFA) Geography Teachers’ Association of Victoria (GTAV) Parentshop Castanet Strategy Workshop Commonwealth Department of Families, Housing, Community Services and Indigenous Affairs Graduate School of Education – The University of Melbourne The University of Melbourne Sustainability Unit Melbourne Sustainable Society Institute Palliative Care – University of Melbourne Commercial The Lowitja Institute Art Authentication, The University of Melbourne Commercial Bond University The University of Melbourne Engagement & Partnership Office Organizational Development Australia (ODA) Phillip Law Memorial Dinner Oncology – The University of Melbourne Commercial University Ski Club
Thursday 10 May at 7pm Topic: see Graduate House website for details
The Monthly Argument is not "a political conversation, dialogue, or consensus style discussion, and completely unlike the public talks at which well-known pundits and public intellectuals deliver their views to an audience of supporters. Despite aiming to “raise the political temperature”, the Monthly Argument takes the notion of argument very seriously and regards such things as shouting, ad hominem attack, personal abuse as having nothing in common with genuine argument. Debates are strictly moderated and people on all sides of a question are expected to play fair and to make a real attempt to justify their positions.
APRIL 2012 LUNCHEON reviewed Marvellous Melbourne and Me presenter: Mr Bruce McBrien OAM
Mr Bruce McBrien’s affection for his city was very apparent during his insightful and informative presentation. Born in 1926, the same year as Queen Elizabeth II, he started life on a housing estate, built by the ‘AV Jennings’of the day, in the new suburb of Brighton, an outer suburb which saw the introduction of nature strips. “Why?” you may ask. Bruce explained that with cars becoming more popular and with more on the roads, they caused clouds of dust to enter the houses. The nature strips provided a barrier for dust collection. The audience was captivated by Bruce’s reminisces of the times. Some remembered these times when tradesmen travelled the street in horse-drawn carts hawking their wares and other local identities such as the ice man lugging blocks of ice for the ice chest; the ice cream man (not Mr. Whippy!); the dustmen who ran alongside their cart, and were usually local footballers, emptying tin rubbish bins whose lids were thrown anywhere and had to be searched for… and many more.. Bruce McBrien also remembered some of the old remedies for common ailments and which seemed to work. He spoke of the whisky poultice around the neck to cure a sore throat, and a cure for arthritis which involved taking two pitted prunes soaked in gin every night before bed! Nothing like the prescription medicines of today. Website: www.graduatehouse.com.au | ABN: 55610 664 963 | Associations Number: A0023234B
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As a child, Bruce contracted scarlet fever and the family doctor advised Bruce’s parents to move away from the sea air which was not considered healthy. They moved close to the city where his father, a chartered accountant, became interested in a small football team located in Middle Park called ‘The Leopold’. Before long Mr McBrien Senior was doing their books, looking after their finances and eventually became the honorary secretary of the Club. The Leopold’s became the South Melbourne Football Club, later the Sydney Swans. In 1927 the Victorian Football League required a new secretary (today the title would be CEO) and Mr McBrien Senior applied for, and won the position. At the time, the VFL was a struggling organisation with little money but desperately in need of headquarters. Bruce’s father somehow managed to persuade the current owner of a prize property in Spring Street to take a 20 pound deposit on the property worth 21½ thousand pounds. How did they pay off that massive loan? A payment scheme was devised whereby every member of every VFL club was levied 6 pence annually and over ten years the loan was fully repaid. This building became the headquarters of the VFL at 31 Spring Street known as Harrison House. Bruce followed up this story with one describing how Australian Rules evolved from Marn Grook, a game played by aboriginal children. As the Spring Street residence was large, the family moved in ‘temporarily’ for 30 years except for a period during the war when for safety, they moved to Eaglemont, some nine miles away. Unfortunately, Eaglemont was a practice area for RAAF dive bombing, to be endured most days. Later, to ‘toughen him up’ Bruce was sent to the local primary school. Evoking a picture of local shops passed on his walk to and fro each day, he described sweet shops, Chinese laundries, glove shops, the Brown Gouge dry cleaning van and the doormen in full morning suits outside department stores which also boasted seats for customers at their counters. He talked of Cliveden, the home of Sir William Clark and how Jolimont Station came to be …as a personal station for Cliveden’s guests. He watched the1934 reconstruction of Captain Cook’s Cottage in the Fitzroy Gardens and described how the garden’s avenue of elms represent the arms of the Union Jack. He described how Lansdowne Street, East Melbourne was closed twice a year for people to test their brakes. He explained how the apparatus for replacing light globes on the bronze spire of St Patrick’s Cathedral worked and how this light could be seen as far away as Mount Dandenong. Bruce spoke of the many amusing names given to the T & G Building, an account of his visits to the Russell Collins cafeteria with the world’s first automatic double glass doors and of how and where ladies of the day bought their gloves. We learnt how Flinders Street Station was influenced by Indian architecture; that the architects had forgotten to include a passage and how this was remedied by creating a tin extension and painting bricks on it so that it matched the rest. The audience could have listened for hours to the anecdotes and reminders of places and life in Melbourne in past decades. For many it stirred half forgotten memories. For others it gave insight to a city which we love. -----------ooOoo--------------
Website: www.graduatehouse.com.au | ABN: 55610 664 963 | Associations Number: A0023234B
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University Graduates Club
DINNER & DRINKS THIS FRIDAY EVENING Friday 11th May 2012
Drinks 6.00pm - 7.00pm, Dinner at 6.45 sharp 220 Leicester St Carlton, adjacent to University Square Dress to impress (smart casual) Drinks at members’ bar prices. Members and guests are invited to drinks and then have dinner at Graduate House. You can just drop in for drinks anytime after 6pm on your way home (we meet near the bar) or stay for dinner however please book if you plan to stay for dinner. Please bring friends and prospective members, everyone is welcome. Dinner will be a resident’s style buffet dinner comprising soup, main course and dessert all for only $15.00 for Graduate Union members and $20.00 for non-members. (Prepaid only) Please pay by cheque to Graduate House or credit card by phone.
Bookings essential. Call 9347 3428. Please book & pay with Graduate House by Thursday 10th May. For information email Andre at: andre@alphalink.com.au or phone 9584-2087 bus hours, 9515 3432 after hours or 0408-594-859 The Graduate Union of the University of Melbourne www.graduatehouse.com.au
Website: www.graduatehouse.com.au | ABN: 55610 664 963 | Associations Number: A0023234B
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WHAT’S HAPPENING IN GRADUATE COUNCIL? The Council held its second scheduled meeting on 2 April. In this newsletter, I report on some developments from this meeting: 1. AGM Date The Annual General Meeting will now be held on 9th August 2012. Council is entrusted to give members a true and fair view of the financial position for each year and to report this at each annual general meeting. To enable this, Council decided that the values of land and buildings should reflect their current fair values to comply with new Accounting and Audit Standards. Externally professionally qualified valuers have been engaged to provide these valuations. The extra time required to obtain these valuations and then revise the annual accounts and the audit, has required that the annual general meeting be rescheduled to another date. Revised dates relating to the elections will be advised later. Therefore the dates in April and May, which were scheduled for Members to Meet the Candidates Standing for Election are no longer applicable and have been cancelled. 2. Continuing our governance reform As you have learnt in my previous newsletter reports, we assure you that Council is constantly evaluating and seeking to improve the practice of governance in good faith and in the best interests of our Association. We continue, for example, to address a number of recommendations from a mid-2010 examination of our governance practices by consultants HLB Mann Judd. Thus, in addition to establishing a Council Code of Conduct late last year (the first recommendation in the 2010 Mann Judd Report), we are proud to inform you that Council resolved at this 2nd April 2012 meeting to adopt the Code as our fifth regulation. We continue also to act on advice received early 2011 from forensic accountants Pendleburys. As you have learnt previously, many recommendations in this report have been addressed through significant reforms to our internal financial systems and management and to our financial governance practices (e.g. authorisations). We hope to assure you that we remain committed to our fiduciary responsibilities. As such, we resolved, again at this 2nd April meeting, to re-engage Pendleburys to determine the particulars of past and current financial governance practices that may be hindering our progress with governance. 3. Other news from the Council Meeting A small working party was established to provide advice on how the Graduate Union can provide a lasting recognition of Dr Phillip Law for his generous bequest and on how we can offer opportunities for people to be recognised for significant donations and contributions. The builder of the new toilets on the ground floor of the Stella Langford building will be engaged within one or two weeks. Your Council is dedicated and working hard. Last month I briefly mentioned the role of our recently formed Governance and Policy Review Committee, which is one of four core standing committees of Council (the governing body of this Association). Other committees are the Accounting and Audit Committee, the Membership Committee and the House Board Committee. Each of these meets every second month, consists of seven to eight Councillors and has secretariat support from staff. Including the main Council Meeting, Councillors and staff are typically in a governance-related meeting two to three times per month. We also contribute to a number of working parties. For example, we have Councillors who coordinate the Sunday Music sessions, the fortnightly Friday Social Drinks and Dinners, special events (such as the upcoming Terraces and William Berry dinner), etc. I thank my valued colleagues on Council for their unwavering dedication to this organisation and for their many hours of voluntary work. Best wishes David Sparks, Council Chairman Website: www.graduatehouse.com.au | ABN: 55610 664 963 | Associations Number: A0023234B
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