SUCCESS OF MIXED STUDENT HALLS

Press, Volume CVI, Issue 31162, 12 September 1966, Page 2

SUCCESS OF MIXED STUDENT HALLS

Mixed halls of residence at Monash University, Melbourne, were proving a success, according to Miss Jean Herbison, dean of women at the Christchurch Teachers’ College, yesterday.

Miss Herbison has just returned from a threeweek visit to Australia where she attended the Australia and New Zealand Student Health Conference organised by the Australia and New Zealand Student Health Association in Brisbane. She visited halls of residence at Queensland, Sydney, Melbourne and Monash and universities and at teachers’ colleges in Brisbane, Sydney and Melbourne. Miss Herbison is interested in the establishment of halls of residence in universities and teachers’ colleges. In this field Australia was having the same problems as New Zealand. Both countries lacked enough student accommodation, she said.

Miss Herbison was very impressed with the type of halls being provided for Australian students. The halls were on the single study bedroom system with good facilities. In the new halls it had been found more economical to lay carpeting throughout. Libraries and smaller rooms were provided for tutorials and meetings. Some halls had their catering done by outside firms which provided a kitchen supervisor responsible to the principal and staff. Laundering followed the same pattern and in some cases the laundries provided the linen. Both these services were highly successful, said Miss Herbison. Miss Herbison was most impressed with the three mixed halls at Monash University in Melbourne. The students in each hall were under a warden, a senior member of the academic staff. Living quarters were also provided for tutors. Each hall gave accommodation to students of all faculties and all years. Few rules were needed as the student councils worked in close cooperation with the staff. Men j and women were allowed to

mix freely in living 'quarters until a certain hour and the common rooms were also communal. Instead of each hall having its own kitchen and dining room, a kitchen block catered for all. This block contained one large kitchen which served three dining rooms which could be opened out to form one large room when necessary.