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| Pictured after the Legal Challenge presentation are, from left, Law dean Professor Stephen Parker, Camberwell High School legal studies teacher Ms Helen Koutsougeras, Camberwell High School's 1999 legal challenge winner Jeremy Kennett, runner-up Mark Boyle from Taylors College and Monash deputy vice-chancellor Professor Peter Darvall. |
The Robert Blackwood Concert Hall was temporarily converted into the Supreme Court of Victoria for a gripping murder trial based on the eternal love triangle, as part of this year's Monash Open Day activities.
In the case of 'The Queen against John Douglas', the accused, played by Monash law student Andre Awadulla, was charged with the stabbing murder of his wife. John Douglas's mistress, played by law student Melissa Fogarty, was called as a prosecution witness.
Year 12 Camberwell High School student Jeremy Kennett was the prosecution counsel, and Mark Boyle, a Year 11 student from Taylor's College, was counsel for the defence. These two contestants had won a series of heats coordinated by the Monash Law faculty in May and June, which involved 42 schools from the Melbourne metropolitan area.
Judging the case on Open Day were the Hon Mr Justice Winneke AO, president, Court of Appeal; the Hon Justice Marilyn Warren, Supreme Court of Victoria; and Mr Geoffrey Flatman QC, director of Public Prosecutions, Victoria.
According to Monash Law dean Professor Stephen Parker, the judges were impressed by the high standard of advocacy skills displayed by both contestants.
In an extremely close result, Justice Winneke announced on behalf of his fellow judges that John Douglas was guilty, and that Jeremy Kennett was the 1999 Monash Legal Challenge grand champion.
Deputy vice-chancellor Professor Peter Darvall presented the awards to the students, who received trophies and prize money of $1000 and $500 respectively. The prizes were awarded by the Monash Law faculty.
Camberwell High School will retain the Legal Challenge Perpetual Trophy until next year's Grand Final.
- Pamela Lister
Reflections on the visit of a philosopher
Professor Jacques Derrida's visit to Monash last week was an unprecedented success, according to Monash professor of comparative literature and English Professor Kevin Hart. Professor Hart said he could never have anticipated the intense interest that Professor Derrida's long-planned and much-awaited visit would generate. Professor Derrida, said to be the world's most famous living philosopher, is currently director of studies at the Ecole des Hautes Etudes en Sciences Sociales in Paris and professor at the University of California, Irvine, in the US. He is known as the founding figure of the theory of deconstruction. According to Professor Hart, over the past 30 years Professor Derrida's work has influenced numerous disciplines at universities around the world including comparative literature, social theory, political theory, law, sexuality, race, religion, art, architecture, mass media, philosophy and psychoanalysis. "The work of Professor Derrida constitutes a challenge to the very assumptions informing the ideas and institutions of our culture," Professor Hart said. His visit provided Monash students and staff with a number of opportunities, both formal and informal, to hear him explain his work and to question him about his theories. The lecture on Friday 6 August on the topic 'Forgiving the unforgivable' filled the 500-seat Alexander Theatre to capacity, with demand for seats far exceeding availability. The following Monday, academic staff were given the opportunity to pose questions to Professor Derrida after his seminar on 'The future of the profession or the university without condition ...'. The visit received wide media coverage, in newspapers, radio and television. |
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State Opposition
Leader Mr Steve Bracks visited the Gippsland campus
on 3 August and held wide-ranging discussions with staff and students.
He is pictured here with Monash art student Mr Damien Cardona.
Antarctic explorer Mr Phillip Law will be the special guest at the Club 66 Books and Writers luncheon on 27 August.
Mr Law's career in Antarctic exploration began in 1954, after he set up Australia's first Antarctic station, Mawson.
Monash graduate Ms Kathleen Ralston will speak at the luncheon about her experiences writing the biography Phillip Law: The Antarctic Exploration Years 1954-66.
The biography is based on the diaries kept by Mr Law and other Antarctic explorers.
The cost of the luncheon is $20. For further information, contact Miachaela Nelson on extn 52044.
Items of interest from Council, 9 August 1999Major items of business for this meeting were consideration of the vice-chancellor's term of appointment, reports of the chairs of Resources and Finance Committee and Academic Board and an extensive report on Future Directions for the Faculty of Engineering presented by Professor Mike Brisk, dean of the faculty. Council gave consideration to the vice-chancellor's term of appointment and resolved to extend it through to 31 December 2006. This decision was based on a recommendation arising from the 3 August meeting of the Selection and Remuneration Sub-committee of Council and took into account the need to secure the long-term service of the vice-chancellor and president in light of the long-term plan for Monash, Leading the Way - Monash 2020. Also, underpinning this decision were the facts that major universities in Australia were moving to consolidate the terms of their current vice-chancellors, that the academic environment was becoming increasingly competitive with many vice-chancellor positions becoming available nationally and internationally, that there was a need for stability within the university and that the vice-chancellor had achieved a high level of performance during his present incumbency. In responding to Council's decision, the vice-chancellor indicated that he was pleased to have the opportunity to be involved in the next phase of the university's development. Council received reports from the chair of the Resources and Finance Committee, deputy chancellor Mr Paul Ramler AM; and the chair of the Academic Board, deputy vice-chancellor (Academic and Planning) Professor Alan Lindsay. Items of interest from Resources and Finance Committee included the Macaque Monkey Joint Venture and the creation of a Centre for Wound Management in the Faculty of Pharmacy. Council also noted advice from the chair of the Academic Board, who commented on the need for closer integration of academic and resource planning procedures. Council received enthusiastically a report from Professor Mike Brisk, dean of the Faculty of Engineering, on future directions for the Faculty of Engineering. Professor Brisk commented on initiatives at the Gippsland School of Engineering, the faculty's participation in meeting the objectives of the Learning and Teaching Operational Plan, the faculty's support for students and enhancing equity within the faculty, international marketing of engineering courses, research endeavours and the state of play with faculty infrastructure. Professor Brisk's closing remarks included comments on future planning for the faculty which involved the faculty revisiting its strategies to achieve its goals and an update of its five-year plan. Other business
Agendas and minutes for meetings of Council can be accessed at www.adm.monash. edu.au/unisec Queries should be directed to Mr Phillip Siggins on extn 52010 or email Phillip.Siggins@adm.monash.edu.au |
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