BLU E & W H I T E PAG E 4
From the Chair & Bird Each year, the June issue of Blue & White covers both the triumphs and challenges of Semester 1, and this edition is no different. However, as you are aware, the challenges we have all faced in the past few months have been unprecedented. Despite the absence of regular College events – Intercol competitions, celebrations, events and alumni reunions, we have much to share in this issue. The commencement of the academic year showed a lot of promise. We welcomed the largest fresher cohort in the College’s history, and kicked off with a very successful Welcome Week. Our student mentors went through extensive training in the fortnight prior to the arrival of our freshers and we were extremely proud of their dedication and ability. The highly anticipated Thyne Reid Link Building finally opened after a long period of construction (see pages 8-11) and we looked ahead to another eventful, exciting year. A recap of ‘How 2020 Began…’ is on page 7. The COVID-19 pandemic soon emerged and drastically changed College, the country and the world. In March, we made the difficult decision to temporarily encourage all students to move home if possible for the safety of their families and elder relatives, given the uncertainty around
how the coronavirus would impact. Less than 30 students who did not have alternative accommodation remained in College. Students moved back home with their families and we began to adjust to the ‘new normal’ – learning and engaging in ways we could have never imagined. We have also provided a rebate of 55% of semester 2 fees to pass on savings from reducing services, as well as investing some of our retained earnings to support our students. Our Education and Student Life department, impressively led by Director, alumnus Will Cesta, planned and executed an incredibly in-depth online program for our students, with a very short lead time. Thus, the strength of our community has continued unabated, evidenced daily in our online interactions. Finding ways to stay connected in the absence of physical interaction was a challenge that our Andrew’s men and women rose to with enthusiasm. ‘Moving Online’ (page 12) looks at the myriad ways Androvians have continued to remain connected. College has been able to offer unique opportunities in the digital sphere such as language courses, mentoring, and the launch of Drew’s Forum – a platform dedicated to sharing ideas and information. Our 2020 Student Executive have contributed a piece on page 6; they have remained a positive influence for the Students’ Club throughout this time. We also introduce our
