Ormond’s academic life extends well beyond the tutorial program. Our Breadth programs offer all our students opportunities to learn about, and engage with, critical issues facing our broader community and environment. Through learning about these issues, students develop new intellectual frameworks, learn valuable skills, and develop leadership capacities.
Students choose one of the college’s breadth programs as their principal focus, but can participate in the activities and events of all programs. The programs draw participants from all communities within Ormond. Currently there are four breadth programs at Ormond – the Indigenous Program, Sustainability Program, Teaching in the Community and Cross Cultural Communication.
Through the Indigenous Program, the College is seeking to engage with the indigenous community on a number of levels. The College is actively increasing its indigenous population, through the contribution of indigenous scholarships by alumni. Students are also learning about the complex issues surrounding reconciliation and the welfare of indigenous communities throughout Australia.
In 2009, a number of students were sponsored to attend the peak indigenous cultural exchange event, the Garma Festival. Ormond residents participated in the Long Walk, run by the Michael Long Foundation to highlight issues in indigenous welfare. Students also established an Indigenous Subcommittee of the Students’ Club, which fosters awareness of indigenous issues by holding events highlighting indigenous culture, such as excursions and film nights.
The Teaching in the Community program uses education as a tool to contribute to positive social change. Ormond members volunteer in selected schools, enhancing student access to small-group learning, providing positive learning role-models, and helping to improve educational outcomes, which in turn drives access to further opportunities.
In 2009, over 30 undergraduate students have participated in activities at nearby Debney Park Secondary College, working closely with students from non-English speaking and socially disadvantaged backgrounds. Ormond alumni have also been selected to participate in the Teaching For Australia program, in which outstanding university graduates spend two years teaching in disadvantaged schools while gaining a teaching qualification.
The Sustainability Program is a grass-roots program aimed at reducing Ormond’s environmental footprint, and educating students in issues and practices of sustainability. The program aims to distinguish the College as an environmentally conscious institution and build the skills and understanding required to bring about an environmentally sustainable society.
In 2009, strong links are being formed with a student-led organisation, Enviroselect. Under the guidance of Enviroselect , Ormond members are conducting an audit of the College’s power and water use. On completion of the audit, a longer term action plan will be developed, but in the interim a campaign to give the College community information about their current environmental performance and a competition to design a logo reflecting the objectives of the group are being planned.
Cross-cultural communication is a key challenge for leaders in an increasingly globalised environment. The program highlights and interrogates issues around communication across cultural boundaries, and seeks to foster understanding of cultural similarities and differences through mutual dialogue.
In 2009, the program has included a seminar focusing on Asian-Australian identity, examining attitudes towards Asian immigrants. A program of international films and talks will be held later this semester. The program’s leadership is also running a project to identify the inventory of knowledge and skills required by leaders to address this century’s major global challenges.