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From the President
It has been excellent for UCA to be invited to participate in two significant gatherings over the past weeks – following earlier representation at a UA meeting in Canberra of DVC/PVCs International and the release of the National Census of University Accommodation Providers (available on our website). On 18 June I attended the first Roundtable on International Education at Parliament House, Canberra, hosted by the Hon Christopher Pyne and also addressed by the Ministers for Foreign Affairs and for Industry and Science, and the Assistant Ministers for Immigration and Border Protection and for Education and Training. There was a broad representation of IE providers including VC/DVCs and a range of government and other agencies. While IE is our nation’s third largest export ‘industry’, a strong point was made from plenary and group discussion about the larger cultural benefit and the place of Australia in our region and the world, with impact on “global social good”. A Coordinating Council for International Education, consisting of senior Ministers and representatives from education, training, industry and the community has been formed, including the Hon Phil Honeywood, CEO of IEAA and husband of Dr Jennifer McDonald, Head of University College Melbourne. A second Roundtable will be held in August to finalise the National Strategy on International Education.
On 26 June I was invited to take part in a panel at the IEAA Symposium on International Student Accommodation held at Sydney University. The Symposium brought together representatives of the whole range of not-for- profit and for-profit accommodation providers as well as investors and government/city representatives. Urban Futurist, Stephen Yarwood, former Lord Mayor of Adelaide, gave a stimulating introduction and an excellent summary of the day’s program. Complexity, change, care, inclusion, technology, cultural diversity, planning, want and need were all part of the discussions. A paper by Prof Terry Burke, Swinburne University, noted that “the first problem is the lack of campus collegiate living in Australia”. I spoke about “college style”, noting that this can take a variety of forms but that overall our concern is for the nature of community, care and support we provide and that we can indeed be more collaborative in our efforts to ensure that all university accommodation has acceptable standards of community and care. This is so important reputationally for university residence, our universities and for our nation.
Vice-President Rose Alwyn is attending the ACUHO-I conference in Orlando, Florida, and, following Marie Leech’s attendance last year and discussions I had with Colin Marshall (AACUHO) and Tom Ellett (President ACUHO-I) in Brisbane last April, we will sign an affiliation agreement – a helpful mutual association at an international level. I will report further about this in the next month or so. I am sorry I am unable, due to ANU commitments, to attend NAAUC at UQ, but we wish that conference great success. Recently at the Women’s College UQ there was another successful In the Boardroom Workshop conducted by AICD. We continue to plan for our UCA Forum at University House ANU from Wednesday evening 30 September to Friday afternoon 2 October next, as advertised and up-dated on this site. I do hope you will be able to join us.
With warmest wishes,
(Dr) Ian Walker
UCA Forum - Registration now open
The UCA Forum 2015 will commence with a Welcome Dinner at University House, ANU on Wednesday 29 September and continue to Friday 2 October. Registrations are now open and please see Program and Registration details here.
Chapter Updates
Australian National University
We farewell Damien McCartin as Head of John XXIII College, ANU. Damien is well known to our Association having previously been Head of Mannix College at Monash University for eight years and a member of the AHAUCHI Executive. Prior to this, he was Deputy Head of Bruce Hall.
We welcome Geoff Johnstone as the new Head and CEO of John XXIII. Geoff joined the College on 29 June after over 10 years as Master and CEO of St Albert's College at the University of New England and previous to that as Principal of Trinity Senior High School for over seven years.
University of Queensland
Our final AICD 'In the Boardroom' Workshop for College Council Members was held at The Women's College, UQ on 29 May. Feedback was very positive. Whilst some had completed the AICD Course previously, all participants have commented that the university setting discussion and sharing issues with other college board members made the sessions extremely valuable.
Position Advertised: Master, St Albert's College
St Albert's College, a Catholic residential college at the University of New England in the rural city of Armidale NSW, is seeking to appoint a new Master. See further information including a detailed position description and list of selection criteria.
Applications close: Friday 24 July 2015.
NAAUC Heads & RC's Conference
Along with the National Conference run directly to benefit college students, NAAUC runs an HRC Conference from 12-15 July tailored completely to the needs of College Heads and Residential Coordinators. See the HRC pre-conference kit which details the HRC Conference logistics and information on individual sessions. See also the HRC schedule breakdown. Click here to register.
National Census of University Student Accommodation Providers 2014
Many readers of the Census would have noted the members and past members whose writing and research is referenced in this document from David Daintree, Don Markwell, Rob Nethercote, Damian Powell, Rod Rate, Ian Walker and Robyn Wilkes. These works can be found at the Members section of our website under Member Research and Archive Resources. The Census can be accessed here.
GST Tool & misreporting of student meals
UCA requested advice from Peter McDonald on the circumstances in which colleges and halls that have elected to use the ATO's Residential Colleges GST Tool to determine how much Goods and Services Tax (GST) to remit to the ATO, have a taxation liability if they fail to report bundled student meals to the Tool.
Catered colleges potentially exposed to this issue are those that have elected to use the GST Tool and have answered 'No' to question 17 in the contracts worksheets in cases where students are subject to mandatory charges for meals.
Please find a copy of Peter McDonald's advice here, or contact the Executive Officer to request a copy of this advice by return email.
Legal Employment Status of RA's
Peter McDonald's advice on the legal employment status of College RAs can be found here.
Should you have difficulty with the initial 'login' process at the Members Section of our website, please contact Deborah Pugh at Executive Officer who can set up the initial login for you.
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