Award-winning Arts Precinct officially opened
Pictured above: Mark Broomfield (Director of Property), Ray Hudson (Managing Director at BNMH Architects), Professor Martina Möllering (Executive Dean, Faculty of Arts), Professor S Bruce Dowton (Vice-Chancellor), Dr Martin Parkinson (Chancellor).
The Faculty of Arts has officially celebrated its award-winning Arts Precinct with a formal launch for Faculty staff and external partners on Thursday 10 March. The $125 million investment represents a strong commitment to the future of arts, humanities and social sciences at Macquarie. Complete with three buildings, a rooftop garden and a museum, the precinct has an open and transparent design to encourage creativity, collaboration and interconnectedness.
“We hope to shape the academic lives of our staff and students by providing a precinct where they can feel inspired, energised and excited to be part of the future of Arts, Humanities and Social Sciences research and learning,” says Professor Martina Möllering, Executive Dean of the Faculty of Arts.
As of Monday 14 March, the Macquarie University History Museum (located within the Arts Precinct) is now officially open to the public. All members of staff are warmly welcome to come and visit the space weekdays 10am – 5pm. Find out more on the Museum’s website.
Celebrating our women
Last week, Macquarie hosted our International Women’s Day address with keynote speaker Natalie Isaacs, Founder of 1 Million Women.
The day was an opportunity to profile outstanding women from Macquarie University who proactively contribute to a sustainable future and to highlight the commitment of the university to creating a workplace that supports equity, diversity, and inclusion.
Pictured above: Professor Ronika Power, Jo Hatton, Professor Debbie Haski-Leventhal, Nicole Gower, Natalie Isaacs, Professor Lesley Hughes
Michael Kirby returns to inspire next generation of Law students
Last week, The Hon. Michael Kirby AC CMG hosted a private reception and special lecture for Macquarie Law School students in the Faculty of Arts Precinct. Michael Kirby shared his experience of life as a law student to High Court Justice, international jurist and beyond.
Michael Kirby is a former Justice of the High Court of Australia (1996-2009). He has undertaken many international activities for the United Nations, the Commonwealth Secretariat, the OECD and the Global Fund Against AIDS, Tuberculosis and Malaria. He is also heavily engaged in international arbitrations; domestic mediations; and teaching law. He is Honorary Professor at 12 Australian and overseas universities. He was the Chancellor of Macquarie University from 1984 until 1993 and is an active alumnus of Macquarie Law School.
Hear more from Michael Kirby in a recent Lighthouse Leading Lights podcast. Leading Lights is the University’s platform for video conversations with high-impact Macquarie alumni.
World Hearing Day at MU Hearing
To mark World Hearing Day on Thursday 3 March, Macquarie University Hearing hosted the launch of the Australian Eye and Ear Health Survey. This is the first time hearing has been included in the survey, with Professor Bamini Gopinath leading the ear health component. MU Hearing also held a showcase of work from the Australian Hearing Hub community.
Pictured above: Professor Catherine McMahon (Head of the Department of Linguistics), Professor Bamini Gopinath (inaugural Cochlear Chair in Hearing and Health at Macquarie) and Professor David McAlpine (MU Hearing Academic Director).
Back to homepage
I am rather skeptical of the University’s commitment to advancing equity and equality, achieving gender balance, and closing the pay gap. In my department alone the rounds of cuts saw the number of academics identifying as women drop form 8, to 0 ( but nominally 0.5, as 1 was preserved via her role as a dean). This is despite a number of those academics outperforming their male colleagues. Obviously, the strategic positioning of the University and Departments plays a significant role in these kinds of decisions, but I think anyone looking at the outcomes of the last 4 years at the University would seriously question the way the University views the portion of its workforce who identify as women.
I guess the point I am making is that in my experience as a member of the University community for the past 10 years in various roles is that the organisation does not act internally in a way that is consistent with the outward expression of the University. Certainly, if I had a daughter I would not feel she would be valued or mentored within MQ, because the role models don’t exist in all areas. Essentially, the University has moved from being actually progressive to being slow, stagnant, and quite frankly engaged in grotesque virtue signalling rather than addressing the fundamental issues internally to ensure it is a hospitable and equal work environment for women.