Burgmann College
Encyclopedia
| Burgmann College, Australian National University | |
|---|---|
| Full name | Burgmann College |
| Mascot | Black Cat/Panther |
| Type | Fully catered, co-educational |
| Named after | Ernest H. Burgmann |
| Established | 1971 |
| Principal | Dr Philip Dutton |
| Association | Burgmann Residents' Association |
| President | Jarrod Hulme-Jones |
| Location | 52, Daley Road, The Australian National University, Canberra, Australia |
| Residents | 351 |
| Website | http://burgmann.anu.edu.au |
Burgmann College is a residential college affiliated with the Australian National University
Australian National University
The Australian National University is a teaching and research university located in the Australian capital, Canberra.As of 2009, the ANU employs 3,945 administrative staff who teach approximately 10,000 undergraduates, and 7,500 postgraduate students...
in Canberra
Canberra
Canberra is the capital city of Australia. With a population of over 345,000, it is Australia's largest inland city and the eighth-largest city overall. The city is located at the northern end of the Australian Capital Territory , south-west of Sydney, and north-east of Melbourne...
. Established in 1971, it is the only Australian college to combine undergraduate accommodation with a substantial postgraduate student body. It houses 351 students, roughly one-third of whom are postgraduates.
The college is named after Ernest H. Burgmann (1885-1967), the progressive Anglican Bishop
Bishop
A bishop is an ordained or consecrated member of the Christian clergy who is generally entrusted with a position of authority and oversight. Within the Catholic Church, Eastern Orthodox, Oriental Orthodox Churches, in the Assyrian Church of the East, in the Independent Catholic Churches, and in the...
(of Goulburn from 1934, and Canberra and Goulburn from 1950 to 1960) whom Prime Minister Robert Menzies
Robert Menzies
Sir Robert Gordon Menzies, , Australian politician, was the 12th and longest-serving Prime Minister of Australia....
once described in Parliament as a "most meddlesome priest".
Burgmann and neighbouring John XXIII College are the only remaining independent residential colleges among the Australian National University
Australian National University
The Australian National University is a teaching and research university located in the Australian capital, Canberra.As of 2009, the ANU employs 3,945 administrative staff who teach approximately 10,000 undergraduates, and 7,500 postgraduate students...
's ten halls of residence. Burgmann and John XXIII continue to administer their own admissions processes separate from the university's central clearinghouse for accommodation.
A rivalry exists between Burgmann and the other residential halls and colleges, who participate in inter-hall sports and arts competition.
The Dwellings
The two original buildings of the college, HomerHomer
In the Western classical tradition Homer , is the author of the Iliad and the Odyssey, and is revered as the greatest ancient Greek epic poet. These epics lie at the beginning of the Western canon of literature, and have had an enormous influence on the history of literature.When he lived is...
(named after the poet) and Barassi
Ron Barassi
Ronald Dale Barassi, Jr AM is a former Australian rules football player and coach. During a long and decorated career, Barassi has been one of the most important figures in the history of Australian football. His father, Ron Barassi, Sr., was the first Australian footballer killed at Tobruk during...
(named after an Australian Rules Football player), provide single room accommodation for students, with larger 'double rooms' available to third year students. This old part of the college is fully catered, providing meals at set times in the main dining hall.
In 2003, construction began on an extension to the college to provide accommodation appropriate for older postgraduate students. In part this was because of the opening of the new medical school. The development generated controversy among existing residents because of fears that the influx of postgraduate members would irrevocably change the character of Burgmann.
The new buildings were completed in 2004. Postgraduates are accommodated in a village street setting. Six residential buildings house students in studio, 2-, 3- and 5-bedroom apartments. In 2005, Phase Two of the development opened, including a multi-denominational chapel and cafe.
Affiliations
Burgmann college is an independent college affiliated with, but not owned by, the Australian National UniversityAustralian National University
The Australian National University is a teaching and research university located in the Australian capital, Canberra.As of 2009, the ANU employs 3,945 administrative staff who teach approximately 10,000 undergraduates, and 7,500 postgraduate students...
(ANU). However, ANU has been able to exert pressure on the college in a number of ways. As part of this pressure from 2001 the college no longer accepts non-ANU students. Previously, it also accepted students attending the University of Canberra
University of Canberra
Over the years the Stone Day program has gradually become larger and larger, taking up a whole week and now Stonefest is one of Australia's most popular music festivals. The first foundation celebrations were held in 1971. In 1973 Stone Day celebrations were held over two days, which was expanded...
and Canberra Institute of Technology.
The college is sponsored by five churches (Anglican
Anglican Church of Australia
The Anglican Church of Australia is a member church of the Anglican Communion. It was previously officially known as the Church of England in Australia and Tasmania...
, Baptist
Baptist Union of Australia
The Baptist Union of Australia is the oldest and largest national cooperative body of Baptists in Australia. Its current National President is Reverend Dr John Beasy. The BUA is now known as Australian Baptist Ministries - ABM...
, Presbyterian
Presbyterian Church of Australia
The Presbyterian Church of Australia is the largest Presbyterian denomination in Australia. .-Beginnings:...
, Uniting
Uniting Church in Australia
The Uniting Church in Australia was formed on 22 June 1977 when many congregations of the Methodist Church of Australasia, the Presbyterian Church of Australia and the Congregational Union of Australia came together under the Basis of Union....
, and Churches of Christ). However, the college does not have a strong religious tone and accepts students from any background. In 2004 the College Chapel was built.
Leadership Struggle 2005
In August, 2005, Dr Lewis Rushbrook, the longest-serving Principal of an ANU college, was ousted when a combination of student, convocation and church representatives on the College's governing body, notably Council Chair Mr Len Goodman AO, combined to reject an extension of his tenure. The move caused ripples around other ANU colleges and marked a shift in power on the College's governing body, away from representatives of the college's sponsor churches, in favour of student and convocation (alumni) representatives.The College's governing Council voted 18-10 against offering Dr Rushbrook a new 3-year contract. The margin of 8 votes was the same as the number of student representatives who voted at the Council meeting. It is assumed that student representatives voted as a bloc after undergraduate and postgraduate student leaders united in opposition to Dr Rushbrook's renewal and rejected an eleventh-hour plea from Council member and Rushbrook supporter, Professor Campbell MacKnight.
The ANU's representatives on Council, economist Dr Suiwah Leung and Director of Student Administration, Ms Gillian Luck, are also believed to have voted against renewal because of concerns about Burgmann's governance and financial position under Dr Rushbrook.
Board members advertised the Principal's position in the national media during June. In response, Dr Rushbrook gathered enough signatories to force an Extraordinary General Meeting of the College Council, to consider a motion to offer him a 3-year renewal. The Rushbrook team orchestrated a campaign to save his position, during which Ambassador John Dauth (see Notable Alumni) e-mailed all Council members in support of Rushbrook, and Rushbrook used the national college principals' mailing list to ask all Australian principals not to apply for his position. Students, led by council member Matt Bailey and BRA president Ed Cregan, responded with an intense lobbying effort before the crucial EGM.
That the position of the student organization, BRA, ultimately prevailed both reflects and confirms that Burgmann's governance structure, unique among Australian colleges, gives students an unusual degree of influence and control over the College.
Fallout and Transition
Within six months of the August vote, Deputy Principal Dr Ben Evans, Staff Tutor Dr Antoinette Harmer and College Officer, Dr Doug Aberdeen had all resigned, representing a complete turn-over in Burgmann's senior staff after the Rushbrook ousting.
The only senior staff member to survive the post-Rushbrook purge was Ms Jean Koper, who was elevated by new Principal Dr Philip Dutton from her old position of Bursar to the newly created position of "Deputy Principal (Administration)". Following a worse than expected financial outlook by July 2006, Dr Dutton introduced a 10 point Strategic Plan for the College that led to the closure of the Development Office, extensions to the student contract year and the resignation of Ms Koper to be replaced by a Business Manager, Ms Sue Garnett, in February 2007.
Arrival of New Principal 2006
Rushbrook's successor, Dr Philip Dutton, took up residence at "The Lodge" in early January, 2006. It is understood that, during the selection process, Council members grappled with the demands of finding a candidate who was both a competent administrator and academically meritorious.
Dr Dutton spent his career at Monash University including two periods of residential leadership from 1975 to 1979 and from 1981 to 1984 whilst working in the Faculty of Education. He spent fours years as Dean of Students at University of Western Sydney before accepting the position of Foundation Head of Weerona College at Wollongong University in 1990 where he stayed until 2003. His doctoral studies in Education took him from Monash to James Cook University when his supervisor, Professor Diana Davis, moved to JCU. His thesis looked at academic support models in university colleges and included a comprehensive study of mentoring movement and its history as both an ancient phenomenon and a post-modern manifestation.
Dr Dutton used his first months at Burgmann to address fiscal problems left behind by the previous administration especially in the areas of taxation, catering and insurance.
Further Progress
The eighteen months till the end of 2007 has seen a financial renaissance that has moved the College from a potential half million dollar blow out in 2006 to a positive turnaround of over $550,000 in 2007. This has been due to a gradual adoption of a standard 40 week student year, the negotiation of further financial support through university interests, the dramatic increase in summer trade and day business and cuts across the board in administrative and operational expenditure.