Griffin Hall to Introduce Post-Graduate Wing
Griffin Hall is launching a dedicated postgraduate and mature age wing later this year. The new ‘Walter Wing’ will have a dedicated space and tailored events for these students.
Georgia Kirton, a permanent staff member of Griffin Hall, confirmed the launch. “In collaboration with PARSA”, she explained, they were launching “later this year [2017]”. Kirton promised Walter Wing would be “completely up and running in 2018”. Griffin Hall will also be bringing on postgraduate and mature-age student leaders, to better serve the needs of that community. A Walter Wing representative was added to the Griffin Hall Constitution at its Annual General Meeting on Monday. According to current Griffin President Lachlan Smith, there will be a committee of members who will be elected early next year to help the process of expansion and plan events.
Acting PARSA president, Avish Amin, welcomed the launch of Walter Wing. “We understand postgraduate students who do not live on-campus accommodation have unique needs that will be addressed through this initiative,” Amin explained. He welcomed the opportunity for non-resident, postgraduate students to participate in extracurricular university activities: “Off-campus postgraduate students will have the opportunity to participate in inter-hall activities such as sports and the arts… [We] look forward to working closely with Griffin Hall to make sure this project is as effective as possible.”
Smith is also pleased with the new addition, telling Observer, “Walter Wing is a really positive step forward for expanding the non-residential hall experience…it’s been led by some really motivated postgrads to make the best possible hall to cater for postgraduate students’ needs.”
While PARSA and Griffin Hall have confirmed that the expansion will go ahead, ANU declined to comment. “SSAF funding is open to bids through a competitive tender process, and it would be inappropriate to comment on specific proposals while that process is underway. This is just one proposal being put forward as part of the tender process,” said an ANU media spokesperson.