ANU University House New and Old

ANU Great Hall

Greetings from the Great Hall of the Australian National University, which has reopened after a multi-year restoration. As the Master noted in his welcome today, the power, communications and other services have been updated, but the visible structure in and out looks unchanged. It is an odd feeling of deja vu walking into somewhere where so many happy memories were made over decades, but looks news 

ANU University House Reopening

The Australian National University is having an open Community Day on Saturday 15 August, commemorating 80 years. Registering for the event comes with the chance to win a two-night stay at the restored historic ANU University House, with dinner for two. 

The reopening of University House, marks a revival of the institution's fortunes, academic & financial. The lack of a venue where staff at all levels could freely discuss issues across the institution, contributed to governance problems. At times a leader can only be told something is a bad idea in an informal setting. Equally there is the chance to tell them what will work.

Marghanita da Cruz & Tom Worthington
at the ANU Celebration of Giving, in the
Great Hall of University House.
Photo by Adam da Cruz, 24 November 2014

University House was extensively damaged in a hailstorm in January 2020. It was not so much the loss of the great hall, or other formal areas which impeded consultation with staff, as the Fellows Bar & Fellows Garden outside. Here in the twlight, staff and graduate students would meet after work. While each table tended to be devoted to a discipline, there was interaction between them. 

ANU University House Reopening in August

Marghanita da Cruz & Tom Worthington
at the ANU Celebration of Giving, in the
Great Hall of University House.
Photo by Adam da Cruz, 24 November 2014

Professor Peter Kanowski, Master of University House, at the Australian National University (ANU), has announced it will reopen in August. The complex, which includes accommodation, meetings rooms, a Great Hall, restaurants, bar and gardens, has been closed since 2020. A hailstorm smashed the roof, along with those of several building on campus. Being a historic older building, restoration has taken a long time. 

I hadn't released how central University House was to the functioning of the institution, until it was closed. In my submission on the AU's draft straggly, I suggesting reopening the building be a top priority. The lack of a venue for senior executives to discuss the running of the university informally may have contributed to recent governance issues. It will also be good to have more of those magical times in the great hall.