By
Douglas Porter, Chairman – St John’s College Council
Student behaviour in universities has been under close scrutiny during the year, culminating in the publication of a Report – Respect, Now, Always – by the Australian Human Rights and Equal Opportunities Commission, supported and funded by Universities Australia. During the year, the Council reviewed its portfolio of policies in the areas covered in the report and has approved a more comprehensive Bullying and Harassment Policy, which incorporates previous policies and practices in relation to sexual assault and sexual harassment, has updated the Student Code of Conduct and codified the College Drug and Alcohol Policy. The behaviours and attitudes of students at University Residential Colleges generally were focused on in the Report and will come under further scrutiny in a national follow-up study with which the Council has agreed to support.
Professor Joanne Wright resigned from her position as the UQ Senate appointee on the Council and has been replaced by Professor Sarah Derrington, Academic Dean of the TC Beirne School of Law UQ. The Council expressed its thanks to Joanne for her contribution as a Councillor and looks forward to working with Sarah in the coming years.
St John’s is the only UQ Residential College that is not separately incorporated, being an integral part of the Anglican Diocese of Brisbane. The relationship of the College to the Diocese has been the subject of a recent review and the Diocesan Council, at its July meeting, resolved to confirm the position of St John’s College as an unincorporated Church Body within the Corporation of the Synod of the Diocese of Brisbane, subject to a formal agreement incorporating arrangements for enhanced reporting and adoption of specified Diocesan Policies to be finalised between the Council and the Diocesan General Manager.
Ed. Note: In breaking news, we congratulate Professor Sarah Derrington on her very recent appointment as Chair of the Australian Law Reform Commission, in conjunction with her appointment as a Judge of the Federal Court of Australia. She will be based in Sydney.
