Intellectual Life and SCR

Unusual among Australian university residential colleges, St Andrew’s has its own body of academics: The Senior Common Room.

The Senior Common Room is comprised of the Principal, Councillors and Fellows, with residential tutors, graduates, visiting academics and others being invited to become members from time to time.

The Senior Common Room is the nucleus of the College, a place of academic leadership and intellectual development. St Andrew’s College has a resident group of scholars and experts in many fields, who are readily available and spend time with the students at meals, social occasions, College functions and tutorials. These academics teach in various University departments, are leaders in many fields, have very wide and varied interests and are the basis of the College tutorial program. They are often joined by visiting tutors, professionals and other luminaries as part of the College’s philosophy of education for life and so that students can be helped and encouraged in their development and in their University work in most disciplines.

Amongst Australian university colleges, St Andrew’s has one of the stronger, more diverse, convivial and learned Senior Common Rooms. It provides an exceptional network of academics, scholars and tutors from within the University of Sydney as well as other academic institutions. The majority of members live within the College and, working under the Principal’s guidance, provide leadership, support and assistance to all residents of the College both academically and socially.

The Principal is supported in his academic and pastoral duties by the Vice Principal, the Senior Fellow, the Senior Tutor, the Dean of Students, the Chaplain, the Fellows of College and the other members of the Senior Common Room. The Bursar, who is also the Secretary to the College Council, looks after the financial, legal and domestic side of College affairs.
A Management Committee consisting of the Principal, Vice Principal, the Senior Fellow, the Senior Tutor, Chaplain, Director of Advancement and Director of Operations meets fortnightly to oversee the day to day affairs of College and the Principal meets weekly with the Executive of the Students’ Club to discuss matters of interest to the student body.

However, in such a friendly and lively gathering of souls, everyone in College is in close and daily contact with one another at all times and students are given great opportunity and freedom in their personal creativity and development.