Ustinov College: Celebrating 50 years of Postgraduate Community

Celebrating

Years of Postgraduate Community 50th Anniversary Retrospective June 12–28, 2015

Principal’s Letter

Glenn McGregor Principal of Ustinov College and Professor of Climatology

In June this year Ustinov College celebrated, via a mix of scholarly and social events, 50 years of a place for postgraduates at Durham University. The driving force for such a place came from William Bayne Fisher, Professor of Geography, who is credited with establishing the Graduate Society in 1965, the forerunner of Ustinov College.

In its inaugural year of 1965, the Graduate Society admitted 94 students, representing 14 nationalities across 17 academic departments. The following entry appeared in the 1965/66 University Calendar: The Graduate Society has been created to provide a Non Collegiate unit for men and women students reading postgraduate courses. The Society is experimental and is unusual among British University Organisations. Its main function will be to provide a centre where Graduates can meet on an informal basis, at a graduate rather than undergraduate level, and the Society will not exercise any form of tutorial supervision.

For many years buildings associated with the Graduate Society were scattered throughout Durham City with no particu-

lar locational focus. This was recognised as not ideal, especially if a postgraduate community was to be developed along the lines of the Durham collegiate system.

Consequently in 1998, at ‘Howland’s Farm’ near the Botanic Gardens, eight residential blocks were built. Named after local trees, these provided purpose-built accommodation for two hundred postgraduate students. Conscious of the need for a ‘spiritual home’ for the residents at Howlands, the ‘barn’ was transformed into a space where postgraduates could gather to partake in collective scholarly and social activities.

In 2003 the Graduate Society and the buildings at Howlands officially became Ustinov College, in honour of Sir Peter Ustinov, former Chancellor of Durham University. In 2005, family accommodation was acquired at Dryburn Court near the University Hospital and in 2006 four more accommodation blocks were added to the Howlands site.

Ustinov College has flourished since Professor Bill Fisher’s vision of a postgraduate community in the mid-1960s. Today the College has a membership in excess of 1700, equivalent to 45 per cent of all postgraduates at Durham University. Drawn from 100 countries, our students conduct research or undertake study in postgraduate

taught programmes in over 100 subjects.

The tradition of providing a safe, enjoyable and rewarding environment in which postgraduate students can grow intellectually and socially remains at the heart of Ustinov’s mission. Our vision for the near future is to become recognised as an exemplar postgraduate community that celebrates the strength that arises from diversity, inter-disciplinarity and collegiality and provides opportunities for students to develop as global citizens.

As a College we are committed to this vision as we believe it will make a significant difference to the postgraduate student experience and a meaningful contribution to the international reputation of Durham University. Fifty years from now our hope is that the University will be celebrating Ustinov College as the one of the internationally preferred places for postgraduates, with the College offer characterised by a firstclass lived student experience and world class infrastructure that makes Ustinov, and therefore the University, an irresistible place to live, work, and grow as a postgraduate student.

Behind the Scenes Stuart Forster, Ustinov College SCR Social Secretary, Mentor

Like most plans, our celebration of 50 years of postgraduate community began with a blank sheet of paper—or in our case, several sheets—and a team gathered around a table of ideas, inspiration, frustration, and elation.

College Principal Professor Glenn McGregor presided over a committee that also included Dr Rebecca Bouveng; Lynsey Finnemore, Bill Kataky, Dr Bisserka Gaydarska and myself from the SCR; and GCR students, with whom I had at the start the slightest of acquaintances. Monthly meetings became more frequent as the event drew nearer; ideas and suggestions developed into an action plan, with each team member taking on their particular responsibilities.

One lasting memory for me from the Family Fête was Bill Kataky resplendent in traditional headdress, tooting his hooter (old-fashioned car horn), along with Dr. Bisserka Gaydarska (looking very fetching in her tiger suit), organising the competitors, both young and not-so-old, in readiness for the races.

Not only was there fun on the lawns outside, but also inside Fisher House, the sound of joyous laughter from the children (and grown-ups) taking part in the games.

For some (the children, that is), there were only tears of frustration when, eventually they had to leave, such had been their enjoyment, but thankfully no tears of pain, no accidents, trips or falls.

And full marks to Professor Glenn—who with his wife, Miyoko had been taking care of our distinguished guests (Igor Ustinov, Marie Korbel, and Andreas Schwarzhaupt from the Peter Ustinov Foundation)—for joining Tim James, Brian Taylor, and myself at 9:00am on the morning after the 50th Anniversary Formal for the History Walk to Shincliffe Hall (a former residence of the Graduate Society).

Thanks to Marc, Sioban and Michael et. al from the GCR, Dr. Mike Rowell (SCR) and Brian Taylor, for their assistance in helping me to produce the photographic display “Ustinov College-its History and Heritage”, we are now no longer strangers or slight acquaintances, but friends.

My thanks to everyone else too numerous to mention, whose input and encouragement made this event so memorable for so many.

Returning to Fisher House from our walk wet, but with spirits undampened, (with brunch hot drinks awaiting), we settled in for brunch, as numerous students and guests gradually emerged, appearing to be in great in need of caffeine.

Cont’d on reverse

Past and present students come together to celebrate 50 years of the postgraduate community at Ustinov.

Honoured guests included representatives from the Peter Ustinov Foundation and even four generations of GCR Presidents.

www.dur.ac.uk/ustinov.college/50years/ A number of cafĂŠ projects from the Global Citizenship Programme put on special editions of their regular events, including the CafĂŠ Scientifique talk on communication in science alongside a highly varied three minute thesis competition.

www.dur.ac.uk/ustinov.college/50years/

Family fun for kids both old and young Lyn Gatland, SCR President Ustinov Senior Common Room was delighted to be involved with all celebrations for this auspicious anniversary.

We joined with Ustinov Volunteers, great ladies, to organise a wonderful day full of games, competitions, fun and food.

The weather was not particularly kind to us, a light drizzle throughout the afternoon but spirits were considerably brightened by the sight of Bisserka in her tiger onesie and Bill’s constantly changing headgear as they ran the mini sports day outdoors. Even the Principal took part in the tug-o-war!

Bill organised a most successful raffle, many thanks to all who donated prizes. Proceeds were divided between a local charity and the relief efforts in Nepal following the earthquake. The Pied Piper of Hamelin could have learnt a few lessons from Bill as all the children vied for the chance to draw the raffle tickets - and he still kept changing hats!

We held our own version of the Great British Bake Off won by a very delicious lemon drizzle cake cooked by ...

Me! Before you shout “FIX” let me tell you that the bakers were completely anonymous and no bribes exchanged hands. Thanks Mary Berry, infallible recipe. We all enjoyed all the bakes on offer. We did try to organise a children’s cupcake decorating competition, cakes baked by Trudie.

Unfortunately the cakes proved to be too delicious .... there was nothing left to judge!

CafĂŠ des Arts put on not one but two wonderful events, a traditional sufi dance performance and a jazz night that included singing and acting.

Awards given for best college projects, best GCR undercover hero, and best individual contribution to college life. The event recognized many members ofwww.dur.ac.uk/ustinov.college/50years/ the college and also unveiled an artwork created by Andrew Fisher commissioned to commemorate the 50th Anniversary of Ustinov as a postgrad community.

Members of the college formed teams to play everything from basketball to cricket, competing for prizes and ultimate glory.

An Inside Look Siobhan Harper

Being a part of the 50th Anniversary Working Committee, as we styled ourselves, was not a task undertaken lightly. Months of meetings, action points, contingency plans, and scrunched up sheets of paper flung near the (recycling) bin awaited us.

Luckily, or rather, thanks to our hard work and dedication, the fortnight went off without a hitch!

The GCR, in particular Marc Owen Jones as President, Alice Chadwick as Social Secretary, and me as Vice-President, planned a range of events to go on throughout the fortnight – some brand new, some adaptations of current events. We used the two Film Night Mondays the fell during the fortnight to show, firstly, the Peter Ustinov films Topkapi (1964) and Death on the Nile (1978), and, secondly, two films emulating Ustinov’s values: Life in a Day (2011) and Wadjda (2012).

We also put on a special Kids’ Film Night at Keenan House, where we watched Disney’s Robin Hood (1973) to the delight of both young and old (especially old). We put on our (usually annual) GCR Brunch as a source of light refreshment following the SCR’s Walking Tour around Durham, and organised the 50th Anniversary Formal to kick off proceedings, a very resplendent twist on the GCR’s regular formals. We also drafted in volunteers and our newly-elected Clubs & Societies Officer, Marie Conger, to put together our first ever GCR Sports Day,

in which teams made up of anyone who wanted to join in were encouraged to participate in Sports Day-esque challenges run by the GCR Basketball, Football, Ultimate Frisbee, and Cricket teams, all while dressed in fancy dress. I also managed to participate in the fortnight’s event as a performer, singing with the Ustinov Jazz Band as part of the Cafe des Arts’ Jazz Noir event, in which monologues from famous film noir scenes were read out by actors while the Jazz Band played.

My personal highlight was hosting the Ustinov College Honours evening with Principal Glenn McGregor, where we gave awards out to students, college projects, and sports teams who had been voted for by their peers. Glenn and I peppered the evening with witty banter, there was a performance by the Ustinov Choir (which I’m also lucky to be a part of!), and there was a whole lotta love on show for individuals and groups who had made a huge difference to life at Ustinov.

This event also saw the unveiling of the 50th Anniversary artwork, created by Ustinovian and talented calligraphy artist Andrew Duckworth: I counted myself incredibly lucky to see his ideas develop from initial idea to finished result, and was personally responsible for gathering, from Ustinovians, fifty different languages for the word “fifty”, which made up the background of the artwork. The college shield takes centre stage, in degrees of completion to emphasise how Ustinov has developed from the inception of the Graduate Society fifty years ago,

and there is an absolutely minute dot which represents earth, to place our existence in context. We unveiled this artwork at the College Honours evening, using an actual red curtain, to rapturous applause and gasps. It now hangs proudly in the centre of the wall in Fisher House, surrounded by other depictions of the GCR’s teamwork and success.

The fortnight ended with the annual GCR Summer Barbecue, which, though very much an annual event and the GCR’s largest event of the year, became the closing event for the 50th Anniversary celebrations.

Rain in the morning turned to a gloriously sunny day, providing the perfect noisy, family-friendly, funfilled, and, for the GCR Committee, incredibly hectic complementary end to the fortnight.

A day of summer fun with live music, a tea-cup ride, a pets corner, bouncy castles, a BBQ put on by the GCR and much more! This was followed by a party into the early hours. www.dur.ac.uk/ustinov.college/50years/