Senior Common Room (SCR)

The Senior Common Room is a social, academic and cultural organisation which exists to promote the academic standards and welfare of members of the College, and to provide amenities and services for its own members. All academic staff and most senior administrative staff of the College, including Foundation Studies and Theology, are members of the SCR, and all pay an annual subscription. The SCR has an elected executive, and a Wine Steward, appointed by the Dean. The SCR executive is responsible for organising social and academic events throughout the year.

Tutors of the College are expected to contribute to the intellectual endeavours of the SCR. For instance, the SCR holds regular “fireside conversations” typically on Wednesday evenings after dinner, where either a tutor or an invited guest guides a discussion on contemporary social issues, open to all members of the College. The SCR also hosts an occasional seminar series, in which visiting academics, members of the SCR and invited guests present scholarly works to the College. Tutors who wish to present their research at a seminar are strongly encouraged to approach either the Director of Academic Studies or the SCR President. Resident tutors may also be approached to act as ‘buddies’ to visiting fellows or academic visitors, to strengthen ties within the SCR. Also, in 2006 it is intended that the Trinity Papers, a series of monographs, will become a peer reviewed academic journal, and tutors wishing to join the editorial team are encouraged to approach the President for more information.

The SCR also plays an important social role in the life of tutors, particularly for resident tutors. The executive organises events such as the black tie annual dinner and more informal gatherings such as vineyard tours in the Yarra Valley, end of term dinners such as the Wine Steward’s Dinner, and drinks and BBQs.