R6.70 – Hirsh and Olga Taft Interchange Scholarship

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Recitals-

1. An interchange of University students between Australia and Israel is desirable for the purpose of promoting goodwill and understanding between the two countries.

2. Hirsh Taft of Canterbury in the State of Victoria gave to the University Commonwealth bonds to the value of £2,000 and agreed to supplement the income from that sum by a further annual contribution of £135 for the purpose of founding a travelling scholarship interchangeable between the University of Melbourne and the Hebrew University, Jerusalem (hereinafter called the Hebrew University), to be known as the "Hirsh and Olga Taft Interchange Scholarship", and expressed the wish that the first award of the scholarship should be made to a Melbourne graduate under thirty years of age for the purpose of study under the supervision of the Hebrew University and that two years after the first award the second award should be made to a graduate of the Hebrew University under thirty years of age recommended by that University for the purpose of study at Melbourne or another Australian university and so on in alternate biennial periods:

   Provided that if at the appropriate time no suitable candidate applies from the university whose turn it is to nominate a graduate (hereinafter called the first university) then the scholarship shall not be awarded for that biennial period and the first university shall have power to nominate a graduate at the appropriate time for the next succeeding biennial period in place of the university whose turn it would otherwise have been (hereinafter called the second university):

   Provided further that if at the appropriate time for awarding the scholarship for that next succeeding biennial period no suitable candidate is available from the first university then the right to nominate for that biennial period shall pass to the second university, and whether or not the scholarship is then awarded to a graduate of the second university, the right to nominate for the next biennial period shall pass to the first university and shall shift thereafter in alternation subject to the provisions laid down herein.

3. The donor wished that the scholarship should be of the value of £400, or if that amount be not sufficient in the opinion of the Council such larger amount as may be made available from time to time by postponing the award of the scholarship for one, two or three years, and with the intent that such postponement shall not affect the operation of the foregoing rule governing the shifting of the right to nominate graduates that the period of any such postponement shall not be taken into account when determining which university has the right to nominate.
4. Hirsh Taft died on 28 August 1955.
5. Members of the family of Hirsh Taft deceased have, for the time being, agreed to supplement the sum available for the award of the scholarship by an annual contribution of £150.
6. On 26 October 1961, the Council determined that £400 was not sufficient for the purposes of the scholarship and that henceforth the value of the scholarship should be £1,000.
7. The Council further determined therefore to postpone the award of the scholarship (provided that the period of such postponement was not taken into account when determining which university has the right to nominate) so that the scholarship should be available for award every four years.
8. The capital sum is $12,172 at 31 December 1994.

It is provided as follows-

1. The sum of $12,172 and any additions and accumulations to the sum forms a fund called the “Hirsh and Olga Taft Interchange Scholarship” (“the fund”) and the fund must be paid into an investment pool and remain there until the Council directs otherwise.
2. The value of the scholarship is $6,000.

3. The scholarship is awarded every four years (the “scholarship period”) in alternation to a Melbourne graduate who desires to study under the supervision of the Hebrew University and then to a graduate of the Hebrew University who desires to study at Melbourne or in another Australian university under the supervision of the University of Melbourne:

   Provided that if at the appropriate time no suitable candidate has applied from the university whose turn it is to nominate (this section called the first university) then the right of nomination may be postponed to the succeeding scholarship period, and if at the appropriate time for awarding the scholarship for that scholarship period no nomination be made by the first university the right of nomination passes to the second university with a like right of postponement and so on in alternation.

4. The award to a Melbourne graduate is made by the Council on the recommendation of a committee appointed by the Council from time to time.

5. The award to a graduate of the Hebrew University is made by the Council on the recommendation of the Hebrew University.
6. In any scholarship period in which the scholarship is available to graduates of the University of Melbourne the academic registrar advertises the scholarship by 10 January in the third year of that period and applications must be lodged with the academic registrar not later than 1 March in that year:

   
   Provided that where special circumstances apply the Council has power to change the times of advertisement or application.

7. The academic registrar must inform the Hebrew University by the end of July in the last year of a scholarship period whether a scholarship is available to a graduate of the Hebrew University in the next scholarship period or in cases arising under the proviso to section 3 hereof as soon as practicable.
8. The Council has the sole power to administer all matters connected with the scholarship and to interpret this regulation.
9. Scholars must be under 30 years of age when appointed and the tenure of the scholarship is one year and it is the duty of the scholar to study or conduct research according to a programme approved by the Academic Board at the Hebrew University for a Melbourne graduate and at the Melbourne University or such other Australian university as the Academic Board may approve for a graduate of the Hebrew University. The scholarship is payable quarterly in advance but is not to be paid if the scholar is not carrying out his or her duties in a manner considered satisfactory by the Council. The scholarship commences at a date to be agreed upon between the scholar and the committee referred to in section 4 above, such date of commencement to be not later than one year after the appointment of the scholar except with the special permission of the committee.
10. Candidates must show that their language proficiency is sufficient for carrying out the studies or research they plan to undertake and an appointment may be made conditional on the attainment of such proficiency between the date of appointment and the date of commencement of the scholarship.