The Newsletter of Trinity College Oxford | Summer 2009
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6465_Trinity_July_09:6465 08/07/2009 17:00 Page 1 The Newsletter of Trinity College Oxford | Summer 2009 | History at Trinity | Trinity Opera | Boat Club | 6465_Trinity_July_09:6465 08/07/2009 17:00 Page 2 THE PRESIDENT s the academic year closes with the ceremony to award made one bump and was unlucky not to get another brace. Overall, Aglittering prizes to the University’s honorands at Encaenia, I the Trinity boats made more bumps per crew than any other college can report that at both University and College level, the pluses far – a wonderful achievement, reflecting the training camps to which outweigh the minuses. The University emerged from the the Boat Club members have committed themselves, as well as the quinquennial Research Assessment Exercise (where it is subjected enthusiasm which TCBC generates and the generosity of Old to peer review) with more research being conducted at the highest Members in donating some superb new boats in the last few years. level by more world-class researchers than any other UK university. Other sports have flourished, with the College winning athletics It would be good to think that such excellence will be rewarded by cuppers and the women football cuppers for the second year ever greater injections of public funds to support this research. running. In the Arts, the Lawns Play was a stunningly successful Sadly, the cake will not increase in the current financial climate and, performance of the Insect Play by the Brothers Čapek and musically well as Oxford has done, other universities, while significantly the term was illuminated by Fierrabras, the rarely performed but behind us, are themselves performing better than ever and thus wrongly neglected Schubert opera. The Chapel choir’s new and claiming a larger slice of the cake. The Humanities at Oxford are immensely impressive and enjoyable CD has just come out, marking under particular pressure, a state of affairs which has had its first real 600 years of a place of worship on the current site. The choir leaves impact on Trinity. Whenever a tutorial post in the Humanities now shortly for a tour to Rome where it will be performing in two of the becomes vacant, the University struggles to fund its share of the four great basilicas of Rome — a signal honour. Of course this is an replacement appointment. Colleges increasingly have to carry the imperfect snapshot of the last few months but gives some feel for the whole financial burden of a joint appointment for periods of up to variety of interests and the high level of achievement. five years. Following Peter Carey’s departure in 2008, and not wanting to reduce our commitment to the teaching of History (the Although the first ‘Lady Elizabeth’ played an important part in the only other alternative), we have bitten the financial bullet and are early life of the College, Trinity only began to accept women as delighted to welcome a new tutorial Fellow in the shape of Dr James students in 1979, and I am very much looking forward to welcoming McDougall from the University of London. This additional women who have been here over the last thirty years to the dinner in financial burden is not sustainable in the long term, which is why we the autumn to celebrate this occasion. There is no doubt that the are trying to become self-sufficient when it comes to funding admission of women was one of the most significant events in the Fellowships. We are well on the way to doing this in Classics and College’s history. I am certain that I could not now find one current will look at other subjects over the coming years. member who would wish it otherwise. Another new arrival, but returning to Oxford and indeed Trinity, is On a personal level, besides correcting my book’s proofs, I have Dr Valerie Worth who is taking over from the retiring Senior Tutor, been at a variety of events for Old Members and parents of current Dr Trudy Watt, who has been a real counsellor and friend to members, and have been working with the Estates Bursar and the hundreds of students in her time here, as well as the best of Alumni and Development Office on fundraising. As you will see companions in the Common Room. We wish her a most enjoyable elsewhere in this Newsletter, Old Members and Friends have again and prolonged retirement. been incredibly generous this year, having given the College over £1.1 million to date. We could not be more grateful for this on- It is of course too early to predict the College’s exam results with going support, which is such an important element of Trinity’s confidence, but the students under the skilful and watchful eye of ability to continue to provide the best education to the most able their subject tutors have certainly impressed by their application. As students. And what is more heartening is that greater numbers of Old I have seen them troop off to the Examination Schools in their sub Members are making donations to the College every year, which not fusc over the last few weeks, it regularly reminds me of my own only enables us to do more towards realising our educational experience and the recurrent nightmares continuing for years objectives, but also motivates Fellows and staff, if it were possible, thereafter of turning up at the Examination Schools without some to ever higher achievements across the board. essential element of sub fusc or on the wrong day or at the wrong time. Lastly, I want to record our continuing gratitude to the College staff who provide such unstinting support to the Fellowship and students Of course this term has not just been about work. Summer eights as they pursue their studies and research. were an opportunity for Trinity to shine at all levels. The Men’s 1st Eight, strengthened by our first full rowing Blue in half a century, Detail of the portrait, hanging in Hall, of Lady Pope. ‘Lady Elizabeth’, as she is more familiarly known in Trinity, acted as Foundress of the College following Sir Thomas’s death and took an active part in its administration, until her death in 1593. 2 | Trinity College Oxford | Summer 2009 | 6465_Trinity_July_09:6465 08/07/2009 17:00 Page 3 VISIT OF CARDINAL PELL IN THE FOOTSTEPS OF SIR THOMAS POPE FELLOW n March, the Governing Body was particularly pleased to CARDINAL NEWMAN Ielect John Singer (1969) a Sir Thomas Pope Fellow in grateful recognition of his commitment over many years to ardinal George Pell, Archbishop of Sydney, visited the College and his recent substantial benefaction. John CTrinity in March. His long-term interest in Cardinal Singer read PPE before beginning his career in the City. Newman was manifest on his tour of College that included a Since 1994, he has worked for Advent International plc, an visit to Newman’s old room on Staircase 14, the Old Library, international venture capital firm, where he is now Chairman Hall and Chapel. of Europe and Managing Director. Dr Alan Coates (1980), Honorary Librarian of the Old Library, and Clare Hopkins, the College Archivist, gave a fascinating résumé of Newman’s time at Trinity. A display of memorabilia and relics captivated the Cardinal and the KIM NASMYTH accompanying entourage, which comprised other heads of rofessor Kim Nasmyth, Fellow and Whitley Professor of house, historians and local priests. During tea with the PBiochemistry, is one of four Oxford University President and Lady Roberts, Cardinal Pell met a cross- researchers who have been elected Fellows of the Academy section of students from both Trinity and Oxford University’s of Medical Sciences. Academy Fellows are elected for Newman Society. The visit ended in Chapel with a outstanding contributions to the advancement of medical meditation in words and music on Newman and Trinity, led science, for innovative application of scientific knowledge by the Chaplain, the Reverend Emma Percy. The College and conspicuous service to healthcare. Choir, as ever, excelled itself in a performance which Cardinal Pell described as highly moving and a memorable finale to a stimulating visit. NEW WARDEN OF RHODES HOUSE on Markwell (1981) has been appointed Warden of DRhodes House, from July 2009. Professor Markwell is the first Rhodes Scholar to fill the post and was most recently Deputy Vice-Chancellor (Education) of the University of Western Australia. As a Rhodes Scholar, he completed the MPhil and later the DPhil in International Relations at Trinity. After a year as a Procter Fellow at the Woodrow Wilson School at Princeton, he returned to Oxford in 1985 as a research fellow of New College, before becoming a tutorial fellow of Merton and university lecturer in Politics. From 1997 to 2007, he was a professorial fellow of the University of Melbourne and served as Warden of its Trinity College, during which time he kindly hosted a reception for Old Members and Friends (of Trinity, Oxford) when Michael Beloff visited in 2006. SENIOR TUTOR he Governing Body is pleased to announce that HONOURS TDr Valerie Worth has been appointed to succeed Dr Trudy Watt as Senior Tutor with effect from 1 October 2009. lan Milner, Emeritus Law Fellow, was awarded an OBE Ain the Queen’s Birthday Honours as an Editor and Dr Worth is currently Professor of French and Head of the Publisher of law reports, for services to good governance in Department of Modern Languages at the University of Africa, the Overseas Territories and the Crown Exeter, having previously been Professor of French at Oxford Dependencies. Brookes University. She has considerable experience of Oxford, including having been a Lecturer at Trinity between Stephen Platten (1973), Bishop of Wakefield, has taken a 1986 and 1989.