I made the most wonderful friends and it was a wonderful part of my life.

Arthur is originally from the rural town of Gundagai, NSW. His parents (who are of Greek descent) ran a cinema for many years and although were not doctors themselves, were keen for their son to become one. Arthur, however, was not as inclined, largely due to the fact that he was not a fan of the sight of blood. With his parent’s encouragement, he did agree to attend university and eventually decided on Economics at the University of Sydney. For his first year he lived in a boarding house in Stanmore. He had some friends at �鶹ԭ�� and so attended some of the informal events (some more eventful than others as Arthur may tell you). With encouragement from his friends and a clear interest in the College, Arthur met with then-Principal Alan Dougan, to enrol. In 1957, his journey as an Andrew’s man commenced. Arthur was involved across various sporting teams including rugby, rowing and athletics and he even returned to the College later on in life to coach the Rawson Rugby team.

Arthur uses words such as ‘wonderful’, ‘favourite’ and ‘happy’ to describe this part of his life. He speaks very fondly about the College and of the lasting friendships that came out of his time here. Many of Arthur’s friends from �鶹ԭ�� attended each other’s weddings and still catch up in person or via the telephone today – they are firm friends for life. Arthur’s connection with the College continued when his son Alex attended in 1992 and then with the grandson of his then-neighbour who Arthur told about �鶹ԭ�� and who subsequently attended the College in 1997.

Arthur’s support for the College extends to philanthropy as well, and he has made gifts to the College more than 25 times over the past 15 years in a display of incredible generosity. The College is very grateful to Arthur for his ongoing support. He has supported several different causes over the years, from Capital Works, Annual Giving Programs and the General Fund and is a current member of the College’s 1867 Circle. However, given he originates from a rural town himself, the key area that Arthur consistently supports is the Rural & Regional and Indigenous Scholarships. He so fondly recalls his time at �鶹ԭ�� that he wants to enable ‘others to have the chance to experience it’.

Arthur has supported the College not only with donations but also with his time over the years. He and his wife, Judith, return annually to the College for the Alper Lunch, which he organises with fellow friends of the late Geoffrey Alper (Fr 1956) as a way of celebrating his memory and reminiscing on their time at College. Arthur also helps to organise the players at the Annual Golf Day each year, and is a regular at the Rawson Rugby Finals, at which he can be seen sporting his College Blazer (as pictured) and a cheeky smile. He is a highly valued member of our alumni community and we look forward to his continued connection with the College for years to come.

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The Principal, Council, Foundation and �鶹ԭ�� College community honour the life of Doctor Richard (Dick) Murray Tooth, who passed away last week, aged 90.

Dick resided in St Andrew’s College from 1948-1954. He studied Science at the University of Sydney in his first year, then transferred to Medicine in 1949. Dick was an all-round sportsman and during his time at College, he was a member of the College’s rugby and swimming teams, and became the College rugby captain in 1953.

Dick joined the SUFC in 1949 and his last season was 1956. In his first year of playing he started in 3rd grade, but was in 2nd grade by the end of the season. The next year, he was picked from 2nd grade to tour New Zealand with the Combined Universities team. It was only after this tour, that he was finally selected to play 1st grade at Sydney Uni. He subsequently played 68 games for Sydney Uni, of which 55 were in 1st grade.

In 1956, he was captain of the Combined Australian Universities rugby team which toured Japan, the first sporting team to go to Japan after the war. Between 1950 and 1957, he also played 14 games for NSW, and 19 games for Australia, 10 of which were Test Matches. He played against both Fiji and the All Blacks, including two Tests as captain against the All Blacks in 1957. After spending a couple of years in the UK continuing specialist training in orthopaedics, Dick returned to Australia in 1961. In spite of never having coached before, he was persuaded to coach the Sydney Uni 1st grade side. He coached for 3 seasons, from ’61 to ’63. The teams appeared in the grand final in all three seasons, winning in both ’61 and ’62.

A short video has been put together by the SUFC focusing on Dick’s rugby story. You can view it here:   In the video, Jim Boyce credits Dick Tooth’s coaching at SUFC with contributing a great deal to the winning edge of the Thornett Era Wallabies – giving them structure in the line out and a powerful spirit of confidence – a belief that they could win. Given many say it was the Thornett Wallabies who really put Australia on the rugby map, that is a great accolade.

Despite the extraordinary spread of his extracurricular life, Dick completed his studies and went on to forge a distinguished medical career. He practised as an orthopaedic surgeon and was a sports medicine pioneer, particularly in the new field of arthroscopic surgery in Australia. In 1971, he performed the first full knee reconstruction in Australia; his patient was Johnny Warren, captain of the Socceroos, who recovered fully and went on to lead the national team to a World Cup tournament for the first time, in 1974. Dick was awarded the Medal of the Order of Australia (OAM) in 2019.

Later in life, Dick continued to be involved with the College, becoming a member of the 1867 Circle (formerly the Dick Spann Circle) and a Foundation Director as a result of his support of the scholarships and building programs.

His wife Marianne and his children, Robyn, Chris, Liane and Kate are held strongly in our thoughts and our deepest sympathy is extended to all who knew him.

A small private funeral service (due to COVID-19 restrictions) will be held this Thursday 13th August at 11am for his family to mark his passing. The service will be live streamed for those unable to attend and the Tooth family wish to make this available to any members of the St Andrew’s Community who wish to watch. Below is the link to watch the live stream and the PIN number to access it is 8257:

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The Principal, Council, Foundation and �鶹ԭ�� College community honour the life of Commander Roger Shellard, who passed away on Friday 24 July, 2020.

Roger’s arrival at �鶹ԭ�� College in the late 1980’s was the start of a new period of self-reliance. For over a century, the College’s accounts were handled by others, first by the offices of the Presbyterian Church, and then, after 1912, by accountants in the City. However, in 1987 this responsibility was resumed by Roger. He was the first full time College staff member to combine the roles of College Business Manager and Secretary to Council, and later the Secretary to the Foundation, and in doing so strengthened the College’s governance systems. It was the first time in the College’s history that we steered our own ship, aided by the careful guidance of the former Royal Navy Commander.

Roger had a successful career with the Royal Navy (where he was a submarine Commander in the North Sea) and then later the Royal Australian Navy before coming to work at St Andrew’s. He brought the commitment he showed in his naval service to his work at the College. He was a dependable influence on four Principals of the College, with whom he worked closely with and alongside other key figures such as Associate Professor Ian Jack and former Chair of Council and the Foundation Andrew Murray AM to pave the foundations of the College’s success we experience today.

A supporter of the College’s Philanthropy Programs, he became a Foundation Member with his gifts to the New Building Fund (known today as the Hanks Building).

Ever dutiful, Roger offered to stay on in his role for several months to ensure that his successor, the current Principal, Mr Wayne Erickson, could step smoothly into a College in the midst of change.

On Roger’s retirement, former Vice Principal Dr Michael Bryden recalled Roger’s diligence. He fondly remembering the Commander ‘traipsing around under the various buildings’, hunting down terracotta pipes because no one at the College had been so practical as to keep a plan of them until Roger. A former Councillor thanked Roger for his ‘courtesy, efficiency and good humour’.

The cocktail party for Roger’s retirement from �鶹ԭ�� College was attended by a hundred well-wishers. It is a measure of his character that Professors and Fellows, Councillors and students, housekeepers and soldiers all came to congratulate Roger on his retirement.

Later in 2004, the Council elected Roger as an Honorary Fellow of the College in tribute to his long and diligent service. The Shellard family are held dearly in our thoughts and our deepest sympathy is extended to all who knew him.

A small funeral service (due to COVID-19 restrictions) will be held this Wednesday for his family and friends to mark his passing. In lieu of attending the service, members of our community may wish to wear white, Roger’s favourite colour, on Wednesday in his honour.

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Where did you grow up? I was born in Alice Springs, then my parents moved around a few times before settling down in Maitland when my sisters and I were school age. I grew up there, then moved to Sydney for uni.

Why did you choose to reside at �鶹ԭ�� College? I knew I wanted to study at the University of Sydney, and that would mean moving out of home.  I had a friend at the Women’s College, and my school friend’s sister was at Andrew’s, so I was aware that there were colleges on campus. I chose Andrew’s for a combination of reasons; I fell in love with the atmosphere when I first visited, and I loved the idea joining a community of students from all over the country.

How did residing at �鶹ԭ�� College help you achieve your goals? I would never have been able to live and study in Sydney without the generous scholarships available at �鶹ԭ��, so I’ll always be very grateful for the opportunities that support gave me.

What parts of College life were you involved in? I was involved in a lot of the cultural side of College life; Dramsoc, the Palladian Cup and the music program. I was Director of Music for a time, which I also really enjoyed. One of the highlights was bringing people together for the vocal ensemble event at the Palladian Cup. Rugby players, debaters, cricketers, tutors – students from all areas of college life would join to form the largest choir of all the colleges. It was not only great fun, but also really lovely to see such a diverse mix of students come together to make music!

What was your favourite part about being at �鶹ԭ��? I would have to say the friendships I made while I was there. I met some of my dearest friends while we were at College. We’re still incredibly close and catch up regularly, despite being in different parts of the world.  I also met the love of my life at College; we recently celebrated our twelve-year anniversary!

What made you decide to go in to writing / directing? It’s difficult to pinpoint a moment when I made the decision, because I’ve been involved in storytelling in some form since I was quite young. My love of stories is the reason why I studied English and History at university. I think it wasn’t until I finished my degree and moved to London that I really started taking my first steps towards a career in film and theatre-making. Sometimes leaving places that you’re comfortable in is the perfect catalyst!

What is your favourite thing about what you do? Are there any things you don’t like?
One of the things I really love is the moment that comes after I’ve been wrestling with an idea or a story for a while, and something suddenly clicks into place and the way to approach it becomes clear. It usually happens in the middle of the night, or very early in the morning.  I always have a notebook by my bed to jot ideas down, and just hope I can read my writing in the morning!

I wouldn’t say there is anything in particular that don’t like about what I do, but there are definitely moments that are more challenging than others. The night before a film shoot or taking those last steps towards wrapping on post-production are some of the toughest on a project – but the experience of working with a group of talented people to create something you all care about makes struggling through those challenges worth it. I’ve heard some directors liken finishing a film to childbirth – there’s a lot of blood, sweat and tears involved, but once it’s all over something clicks in your brain and you forget the pain and are ready to do it all again!

What does a day in your life look like? That really depends on the time of year. I’m an associate lecturer at the University of Greenwich, and teach English there periodically throughout the academic year, so when I’m doing that, I’m often juggling my own projects as well. The times I’m not lecturing, my days would vary depending on whether I’m writing a script, rehearsing a play, or prepping for a shoot. Sometimes I’ll be working with actors on character development or discussing mood boards and visual style with my cinematographer or production designer. If I’m writing, it’s very much solo; writing from home or in a café. The variety is one of the things I love about what I do – no two days are the same. All of them involve a morning coffee though!

What is your favourite city you have lived in and why? I’ve been lucky enough to live in a few different cities in Europe and the UK, but London tops the list. I love the rich cultural life here, and the diversity of people and places – London feels like a city with many personalities. I love the gritty character of Soho, the quirky spirit of Neal’s Yard, and the quiet beauty of Greenwich – and of course, all the galleries, museums and theatres.

What has been your biggest accomplishment so far – career or otherwise? The first public performance of my play ‘We’ll Dance on the Ash of the Apocalypse’ here in London. It’s about climate change, so already felt quite emotionally charged for me (as the issue is for many people), so to see it realised on stage for the first time was quite a profound moment. It’s since been shortlisted for the National Theatre of Iceland’s 2021 season.

Can you tell us about what you’re working on now/next? I have a few projects cooking at the moment; one is a short film about women’s reproductive rights. It astonishes me that this is a human right we’re still fighting for around the world, so I wanted to make a film that engaged with this issue. Some of my other film and theatre projects are currently on hold as a result of the pandemic, as is the case for a lot of artists at the moment, so I’m focusing on writing. I’m currently in the early stages of writing a new play set in an offshore detention centre; and I’m also developing some other screen projects.

What do you like to get up to when you’re not working?
I love going to see theatre with my partner and friends and having a good juicy discussion about the play afterwards. With theatres currently closed, so many wonderful productions are being released online, so that’s gone some way to satiating our appetites. At this time of year, I usually enjoy lovely long picnics with friends, or chilling one of my favourite haunts like Southbank, but with the lockdown I’m spending more time on my solitary hobbies. I love listening to music and draw a lot of inspiration from it (quite a lot of Hozier at the moment!) and reading. I recently finished Isabel Allende’s new novel ‘A Long Petal of the Sea’, which was incredibly compelling, and I would highly recommend. I’ve also enjoyed rereading some favourite plays; ‘Tiny Dynamite’ by Abi Morgan, and ‘The Effect’ by Lucy Prebble.

What are your top 3 films you recommend everyone should watch? Always such a tricky question!  A film I always go back to for inspiration is ‘The Piano’ by Jane Campion. There is a raw beauty to the film which I love (from the performances to cinematography and music), and it juxtaposes beauty and brutality in really interesting ways. I’ve seen it so many times and it still gets under my skin!  If you’re feeling like a Jane Campion watch-fest, I would also suggest ‘Bright Star’, and seeking out her short film ‘The Water Diary’, which is about the impact of drought on a rural Australian community; beautifully told through the eyes of children.

A few more recent films which absolutely swept me away when I saw them were ‘Portrait of a Lady on Fire’ by Céline Sciamma, ‘Cold War’ by Paweł Pawlikowski and ‘Roma’ by Alfonso Cuaron. All profoundly moving stories with exquisite filmmaking. I know I’ve snuck a few more than three in there, but I couldn’t help myself!

What words of advice would you give to young Androvians interested in writing or directing?Immerse yourself in storytelling of all kinds – inspiration can come from anywhere. Music, books, films.  If you want to be a playwright, read as many plays as you can. If you’re interested in screenwriting; seek out and read the screenplays of films you love. Ask yourself, what is it that makes me feel this way at this moment? Why does this move me, engage me, make me laugh? Find and tell the stories that are important to you, and don’t be afraid of redrafting.

If you are interested in directing, find opportunities to direct to practise; whether it’s doing short plays or films at uni or with friends. This really is your best training ground. Be open and adaptable on set or in the rehearsal room. Your working relationship with your actors will be different to the one you have with your cinematographer, so find ways to best enable the artists around you. If they feel able to express themselves freely, that’s when the magic happens!

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Please tell us a bit about yourself, where are you from originally and where did you grow up? I grew up in the suburbs of Sydney and was mad about sports as a kid. My strengths in the sciences led me to a degree in civil engineering, and after graduating, I spent 5 years as a project manager at Lendlease on the Barangaroo project – seeing the site transform from a disused shipping facility to the vibrant precinct that it is today. In 2016, I moved to London with my partner and I have been living, work, studying, and travelling from here ever since.

Why did you choose to reside at �鶹ԭ�� College? 

I spent a year overseas before starting university, and on my travels I met Dom Reardon. Dom would go on to be part of my fresher cohort and continues to be one of my best mates. What has always drawn me to Dom is that he has great vision, and is full of exciting ideas. As an engineer, I am geared towards execution, but I found his different perspective energising to be around. I suppose that I hoped to meet more people like Dom.

What was your favourite part about being at �鶹ԭ��? 

There was a very strong sense of community and belonging in my time at Drew’s. Whether that was through the excitement of intercol competition, or the mundane of having daily meals together. Spending a lot of time together lends itself to forming strong relationships, particularly at a formative time in the life of a young adult. Those are the things that I remember fondly about my time at college.

We heard you were in the Rawson Rugby Team, as well as the Palladian band. Do you still play rugby or play the trumpet?

I continued to play rugby after Drew’s but I gave up a few years ago. I played every season since I was a young lad, so I was keen to spend my precious weekends pursuing other interests. As for trumpet, apartment living and playing brass instruments don’t really mix… but I loved playing in bands, so maybe I’ll pick it up again someday. I was in the Rawson rowing crew when we won in 2008 as well – that was a highlight!

Why did you decide to do an MBA? Can you tell us about your experience at London Business School?

My job at Lendlease was very demanding, with long hours and weekend work. It was also very focused on project delivery, and I felt I didn’t have the whole picture of how a successful business works, nor the capacity to explore this due to the demands of the job.

I was already working in London and London Business School is one of the top business schools in the world, so I applied. LBS will go down as one of the most influential periods in my life – it was completely eye opening. Much like Drew’s, there were a lot of smart, interesting, and driven people which was exciting to be a part of. Post-graduate education, when everyone has consciously decided to attend and is giving up a lot to be there, has a different energy and level of engagement than undergrad. It also sparked an interested in technology and how that will change the construction industry, which I am now pursuing in my work.

What has it been like living in London?

As I write this in May, I think London is wonderful as the sun is out and the days are long. If I wrote it in January, I might feel differently!

Jokes aside, our London experience has been fantastic. Uprooting your life and putting yourself out of your comfort zone can be challenging but rewarding. I love Sydney and it is definitely “home”, but it can be difficult to break out of your bubble. Moving to London was like starting college – putting yourself out there, friend “dating”, and exploring new places. Doing all this aged 30 has meant forming great friendships with people I wouldn’t have met at 20. We are also lucky to have several women and men from Drew’s and other colleges living here in London, who have become our de facto family.

Professionally, there are a lot of opportunities in London, especially in the start up and technology space. It has been really exciting to be a part of this community!

What do you miss most about Australia?

I would say the revolving door or political leaders, but there’s plenty of that here too!

It’s cliché, but friends and family. I remember on the first day at Drew’s, John Sergeant (then Vice Principle), said to look left and right at the people next to you. Many of you will get married and have families together. John was right – there is a fresher 2007 baby boom happening right now! It’s been hard at times being away for big milestones like weddings and the arrival of babies.

What is like being General Manager at nPlan? Can you share some of the pros and maybe even cons of your job?

I joined nPlan because I was looking for a role where I could have an impact at an organisation and industry level… a modest goal! Our team has doubled in size since I joined, and I have been central to the way we have grown. We have applied groundbreaking applications of machine learning to solving the problem of rampant delays in major construction projects, and this is changing the way our customers make consequential decisions. I have very much enjoyed being at the center of this as we continue to crack this tough problem.

The flip side of working on an exciting but challenging problem is that the ride to achieving our ambition is full of ups and downs. This can be difficult endure, but on the balance, I enjoy it.

How are you managing at the moment during the COVID-19 pandemic? (We hope you are doing ok!)

I’m trying to make the most of being forced to slow down – I’ve baked a lot of sourdough bread! The truth is that it has been difficult at times. Thankfully, my job and health have been unaffected so far, but it is hard seeing others go through this pain.

What are you currently watching or reading that you could recommend?

This is the golden age of television – there is so much great content. I watched more TV series in my time at Drew’s than I care to admit and I’m sure that still happens, so I’ll recommend some podcasts instead. They’re a great way to explore ideas, and go deep on things that interest you.

• Pivot – a great take on the biggest news in technology and business. If you’re thinking about an MBA, one of the hosts teaches at NYU business school and he’s a great example of the teaching quality at those institutions.
• 20 minute VC – Harry Stebbings, the child prodigy of venture capital, interviews all of the biggest personalities in venture capital and start ups. If you’re interesting in either of these, you have to check it out. Founder Fridays are my favourite.
• ABC conversation – fascinating interviews of all sorts of people. My favourite recently was William Dalrymple explaining the remarkable and terrible history of the British East India Company.

What words of advice would you give to young Androvians?

A reality for our generation is that we are living longer than any generation in the past, and we will work longer too. I remember feeling a lot of pressure to choose the right career path out of Drew’s, and while your first job is certainly important in shaping your career, it is just one part of a long journey.

From my generation at Drew’s, there are numerous examples of people who have moved from corporates and banks to founding companies, others who have moved companies within the same industries, and more still who have moved geographically.

Your priorities in life will change over time, so don’t feel that your first career decision precludes you from pursuing your ambitions as they change in the future. Make the best decision you can with the information you have now and then focus on being great at that.

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Please tell us a bit about yourself, where are you from originally and where did you grow up?

I grew up in Pymble, and went to Abbotsleigh, an independent Anglican school for girls, situated on Upper North Shore of Sydney. I played a lot of basketball growing up so was very keen to continue when I went to university.

Why did you choose to reside at �鶹ԭ�� College?

As I grew up in Sydney, I really wanted a different university experience. The idea of meeting diverse people outside of the degree I was doing really appealed to me. I chose �鶹ԭ�� because it had a great mix of academics, sport opportunities, and social events.

What was your favourite part about being at �鶹ԭ��?

Without a doubt it was the people, I have so many wonderful and incredibly talented friends from my time at St Andrews. The strong community �鶹ԭ�� created through diverse activities and experiences, like college sport, informals, and other social events, was really unique. I loved living with so many friends and forming deep lifelong relationships, many of whom I am still close friends with today.

Did residing at �鶹ԭ�� College help you achieve your goals?

My time at �鶹ԭ�� taught me how to balance work and life, and get things done efficiently. It also showed me the value of a community and asking for help when you need it. There were many exams or assignments that we all helped each other with, and I’ve taken that value of support and care into my career and life.

Why did you decide to complete a Masters in Project Management?

I knew I didn’t want to be an architect, but I loved the built environment and the impact it has on people’s lives. I preferred the practical and structural aspects of Architecture, and Project Management seemed like the best way to apply my strengths.

Can you tell us a bit more about your Infrastructure Construction Management role at Facebook? What does your role involve?

Our team is responsible for building Facebook’s global physical infrastructure that brings Facebook apps and services to billions of people around the world.  My current role manages our long term strategic planning all the way through preconstruction to handover to the construction team on our global sites. I love working on our strategy, collaborating with a range of different teams and setting our projects up for success.

What are some of the best parts and even the worst parts of your job?

Facebook operates on a truly unprecedented scale. A third of the world’s population rely on Facebook products to keep them connected every single day, and our teams work hard to make that possible.  Managing at our scale has unique challenges and requires unconventional thinking, which is what I really enjoy about the job. Another great aspect of my role is the people I work with, Facebook hires extremely talented individuals with diverse backgrounds, I am always learning something new.

What does a day in your life look like?

Due to the nature of my role I don’t really have a typical day as I travel a lot for work and work on many different projects, but this is roughly what it looks like: 5.15am – Wake up
6am – Get the Facebook shuttle to work (many tech companies have shuttles that take people from all around the Bay Area to the office campus). I normally respond to emails or prep for my meetings on the shuttle.
7am – Grab breakfast at one of our cafeterias on campus.
7.30am – 4pm – I am normally in back-to-back meetings all day. They vary from meetings planning our future site strategies; to meeting with our internal teams for design changes or utility commitments; to establishing and reviewing budgets, schedules or contracts.
4pm – Get shuttle home. It normally takes about 2hrs to get home, so I’ll take my afternoon meetings or work on the shuttle.  6pm – Exercise. I either go to the gym; pilates; cycling; or play tennis or basketball.
8pm – Have dinner, and catch up with friends or family.

What have you enjoyed most about living in San Francisco? And what do you miss most about Australia?

San Francisco is an incredibly vibrant city, there is always something going on – concerts, festivals, lectures, shows, comedy, films, and it’s really close to incredible national parks, surfing and snow. It’s amazing the amount of people that are working on cool and innovative things, like AI for health applications and VR for education. I miss my family and friends in Australia, and definitely miss the Australian beaches.

What has been your biggest accomplishment so far – career or otherwise?

I had travelled a lot before moving overseas, but I underestimated how challenging moving abroad is, even to an English-speaking country. It required me to navigate complex immigration systems, new healthcare and tax systems, and even smaller things like having to re-sit my drivers test. I knew only one person when I moved to San Francisco, so building new friendships and navigating a similar but different culture was tough. Having to reestablish my career and create new work networks pushed me to challenge myself. The experience has given me a different perspective and appreciation for people; the US and Australia; and even myself.

What do you get up to when you’re not working?  

During the COVID quarantine – not much! Usually I go hiking, cycling, skiing, hanging out with friends at the park, anything outdoors really. San Francisco has many great restaurants and bars so I love trying new ones out.

What are you reading/ watching/ listening to at the moment that you would recommend to others?

I just finished listening to the ‘The Eleventh’ an ABC podcast about Whitlam’s dismissal, which was absolutely fascinating. I’ve also watched ‘Tiger King’, because really who hasn’t? I’m currently re-reading ‘Narrow Road to the Deep North’ by Richard Flanagan because it’s a beautiful portrayal of humanity in the most horrific circumstances.

How are you managing at the moment during the COVID-19 pandemic? (We hope you are doing OK!)

I am doing well; I have been locked down since the start of March so it’s been a long time. I am extremely grateful to be able to work remotely, have a house to quarantine in and to be able to easily call family/friends. I’m also volunteering at San Francisco Food Bank and dropping meals off to those who can’t leave their homes, it gives a sense of purpose in an isolating time.
What words of advice would you give to young Androvians?

Just enjoy College, it’s one of the best times and you’ll never get to experience anything like it again.  You’ll forget the exams and assignments, but you’ll never forget the friends you made.

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Following the very positive survey response indicating that almost all of our students are keen to return to College as soon as possible, much planning has occurred over recent weeks to be able to reopen the College. We are now able to announce the timeframe for our residents to return.

As part of the Commitment Guarantee that each resident has signed at the time of enrolment, the College is committed to providing every Undergraduate resident with a 20-week Semester 2 collegiate experience. In consideration of the health and well-being of students and staff, the College Council has approved the deliberately staged return of all residents in compliance with the Government guidelines and health advice.

The University of Sydney’s unexpected decision to revise the Semester 2 timetable has also necessitated a revision to the College calendar, with consideration of the alternate timetables at other institutions. The College Council can now announce the Semester 2 dates will be as follows:

Semester 2 2020 Dates

UTS, ACU and Notre Dame: 12 July 2020 – 28 November 2020

USYD and UNSW: 1 August 2020 – 19 December 2020

This timetable will allow all USYD, UTS, ACU and Notre Dame residents the ability to return to College prior to academic classes commencing and further announcements will be made shortly regarding a pre-semester program between 1-23 August. UNSW will return mid-trimester and 6 weeks before examinations.

In addition, the Principal will consider requests for early return or late departure by application, and the standard early arrival/late departure charges will apply outside of the above dates.

COVID-19 Relief Fund

The College received 25 applications for financial relief by the 31 May application deadline. Council wishes to express its thanks to the families, staff and Alumni Society who have generously supported this Fund.

We will continue to provide weekly updates in the lead-up to a return to College.

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Principal Wayne Erickson has penned a letter to our community regarding these troubling issues, and reflects on St Andrew’s College at present, with all that we have achieved, and still look to achieve, in the future. Even with Semester 1 experienced primarily at a distance, the strength of our community continues to be a source of pride for us all.

From the Principal: Response to student protests and related incidents

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Chris is a PhD student/surgeon and is available for tutorials and mentoring at the College. He says, “St Andrew’s has really supported me over the past year. Academic work is always a big team effort and programmes like the Drew’s academic tutorials and mentoring create a rich environment of academic support. Watch this space for a similar article written by a current St Andrew’s student coming out in a couple of months…”

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