InPrincipio IN THE BEGINNING Semester 2 2008 Volume 19 - No.2 ISSN 1448-076X Contents Vice Chancellor’s Report 2 University News The University 4 Broome Campus 6 Fremantle Campus 8 Professor Celia Hammond Sydney Campus 10 Feature In this, my first contribution to Inauguration of 12 In Principio as Vice Chancellor 3rd Vice Chancellor of Notre Dame, I acknowledge, applaud and thank our Vice College News Chancellor Emeritus, Dr Peter Tannock, Arts & Sciences 14 for his extraordinary achievements Business 15 over the last 16 years at the helm Education 16 of Notre Dame. Health Sciences 18 As Peter is fond of noting, when he started as Vice Chancellor there was no formal Law 19 inauguration to commemorate his Medicine 20 appointment, there was no period of Nursing 21 ‘handover’, Notre Dame occupied less than a handful of buildings in the West End Philosophy & Theology 22 of Fremantle, indeed, there were no Campus Ministry 23 undergraduate students. When I took office on 1 August 2008, much had changed. The Student Life 24 University now operates on three campuses Alumni & Development 26 in Fremantle, Broome and Sydney. Higher education qualifications are offered in a variety of disciplines and taught through our Schools of Arts & Sciences, Business, Education, Health Sciences, Law, Medicine, Nursing and Philosophy & Theology. The total number of students enrolled in the University in 2008 is 7,336; there are 538 staff on fixed term contracts (and many more casual and sessional). We have over 5,804 alumni registered on our database and Notre Dame occupies 48 buildings over its three campuses and is undertaking significant capital works on all three campuses over the next two years. Notre Dame has increasingly been recognised by Governments over the years and now offers a significant number of Commonwealth Supported Places in Teacher Education, Nursing, Medicine, and on our Broome Campus. We have also received significant capital funding from the Federal Government Front Cover: Entrance to the Carolyn Tannock Courtyard. and access to low interest loans from the Western Australian State Government. In September 2008 Mrs Carolyn Tannock, wife of Dr Peter This is a quantitative snapshot of Peter’s Tannock retiring Vice Chancellor, was acknowledged for achievements over the past 16 years at her long-standing support of the University with the naming of the Carolyn Tannock Courtyard. Notre Dame. However, all those who have 3 I VICE CHANCELLOR’S REPORT Vice Chancellor’s Report Professor Celia Hammond meeting Pope Benedict XVl. had any association with the University will the bestowal of a papal knighthood on scholarship and teaching. I want them to be know that it cannot be measured or Peter in recognition of his work and service. mentors and dynamic role models to their understood solely by reference to statistics Taking on the role of Vice Chancellor after students. I look to recruiting students who or numbers. No comparators or Peter is somewhat daunting. However, as I want to challenge themselves to achieve; benchmarking activities will identify the have remarked before, I could not and will who set themselves the highest standard of essence or character of Notre Dame or not try to ‘fill Peter’s shoes’. Peter’s role was achievement and who aren’t afraid of accurately describe the legacy left by Peter. to find the soil in which to plant the Notre goodness and kindness. Notre Dame is proudly a Catholic university Dame seed, to make it take root and start to Two weeks before I commenced as Vice – one of only two in Australia, but part of a grow. This he achieved. Now it is time, and Chancellor I had the privilege of meeting much larger worldwide tradition. Its Objects is my role, to nurture and strengthen the His Holiness Pope Benedict XVI at our clearly articulated in the Act of Parliament, growing vine; to let it bury its roots deeper Darlinghurst site. It was a very special and are to provide higher education in a context and let its stalks and stems thicken. inspiring occasion. The way forward is clear: of Catholic faith and values. The Notre How to do this is the exciting challenge to follow Christ. I pray for the courage and Dame that Peter has built seeks to be an I face. Clearly I cannot do it on my own. faith to do so as I lead Notre Dame into environment in which teaching, learning, My intention is to use and nurture the the future. scholarship and research can be pursued in many talents of the great staff who work at such a way that all who are associated with Notre Dame and to look to bringing it are encouraged to seek understanding, to additional quality people on board as we seek wisdom, to seek to serve, to seek to continue to grow. live in a way that fulfils everyone’s higher purpose. This University would not exist The staff we have are the heart and soul of today but for Peter and to him we owe an the institution. I cannot overstate their enormous debt of gratitude and thanks. It value. I want to encourage them to was very pleasing to witness in September, continue to strive for excellence in their 4 I UNIVERSITY NEWS THE University Dr Michael Quinlan and Mr Terry Tobin QC. Appointment of New Chancellor and Deputy Chancellor The Hon Justice Neville Owen resigned from his position as Chancellor due to work commitments. The Trustees accepted his resignation with very A Personal Reflection deep regret and expressed their The Deputy Chancellor on The challenge to conscience appreciation and admiration for the great job he had done. to individuals to refrain from performing Last month the Victorian Parliament In his statement to the Trustees, legalised abortion, and in doing so actions to which they have ethical Justice Owen expressed his continuing required doctors who had a objection. It is difficult to see in the commitment to the goals and ideals of conscientious objection to context of the Victorian legislation why the University. He will remain closely themselves performing abortions to there was any compelling reason not to involved as a Trustee and a Governor. have recognised this right of conscience. refer the patient to another doctor Dr Peter Tannock said, “Neville Owen who would perform the abortion. This development is not limited to has been an outstanding Chancellor of The intention of the section is to Australia. In England the Catholic Church Notre Dame. He has been an excellent ensure that, where a woman seeks has found itself at odds with government Board Chairman and leader of the advice from a doctor who has a legislation about adoption by gay couples governance structure of the University.” and referrals for abortion by doctors in conscientious objection to abortion, The Trustees appointed the Acting she will be referred promptly to Catholic hospitals under the National Chancellor, Dr Michael Quinlan, another doctor able to assist her. Health Service. as Chancellor from 1 July 2008 for a The debate as to the right and wrong of Before this section was enacted by the term of eighteen months. the abortion legislation and adoption Victorian Parliament, it was the subject of Dr Quinlan is one of the University’s rights has overwhelmed the further intense and widespread criticism from founding fathers and has been a Trustee question of conscientious objection. within the medical profession and by the of the University since its inception. He Whereas the substantive issue is of course churches. Sadly, some of the more was appointed Deputy Chancellor in paramount, it seems to me that the prominent exponents of the law of human 2006. He was pivotal in establishing the subsidiary issue of conscientious objection rights were silent or indeed supporters of College of Health and the Fremantle will form an ever more important issue for this proposal. School of Medicine. those working in the health care system The recent origins of this move can be Dr Quinlan has had a most distinguished whose ethical integrity will be increasingly seen in an article in 2006 in the British career as one of Western Australia’s under attack. The task of a university such Medical Journal by Professor Julian leading physicians and as a Clinical as Notre Dame is to marshall the arguments Savulescu from Oxford University, formerly Professor of Medicine at The University of and deploy them in the public forum well Western Australia as well as Professor of of Melbourne. “The doctor’s conscience in advance of the next proposal further to Medicine at Notre Dame. has little place in the delivery of modern restrict clinicians’ freedom of conscience. medical care… If people are not prepared In July the Board of Trustees announced to offer legally-permitted, efficient, and the appointment of Sydney Trustee, beneficial care to a patient because it Mr T K Tobin QC, as the new conflicts with their values, they should not Deputy Chancellor. be doctors.” Mr Tobin was appointed a Trustee of This proposition contradicts the Code of Notre Dame at the beginning of 2005 Ethics of the Australian Medical and was part of the foundation of the Sydney Campus. Association which expressly recognises the right to freedom of conscience of medical He is a Queen’s Counsel in New South practitioners. It also contradicts the central Wales, and in recent years has also principle of political liberty which says that practised extensively in Western Australia. we should give the widest possible scope He has been a great supporter of Mr Terry Tobin QC the University. World Youth Day 08 supported by all campuses 5 I The world was watching Australia in July this year when World Youth Day Notre Dame’s THE UNIVERSITY 2008 (WYD08), the largest youth event in the world, was hosted in Sydney.