R6.261 – The Dr Phillip Law Travel Scholarship

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Recitals –

1. In 2005, Dr Phillip Law, a former member of the Council of the Victorian College of the Arts (‘the College’) donated $50,000 to the College to establish a fund to support a travelling scholarship (‘the scholarship’) to be awarded each year to a student of Dance, commencing in 2006.
2. The scholarship, valued at $3,000, was awarded by the College in each of 2006 and 2007.
3. At 31 December 2006, the amount of the fund was $65,853.
4. Pursuant to the Melbourne University ( Victorian College of the Arts) Act 2006 (Vic) (‘the Act’), from 1 January 2007 the College ceased to exist and became a faculty of the University.
5. Pursuant to section 5 of the Act, on and from 1 January 2007-
   
   1. the University became the successor in law of the College;
   2. the assets and rights of the College were vested in the University;
   3. the liabilities and obligations of the College became liabilities and obligations of the University; and
   4. the scholarship shall be administered by the University, but otherwise in accordance with the terms and conditions to which it was subject immediately before that date
6. Pursuant to section 6 of the Act, the fund may be applied on or after 1 January 2007 as if created in favour of the University for a purpose of the University that corresponds with, or is similar to, those purposes of the College for which the fund was created.

It is provided as follows-

1. The sum of $65,853, and any accumulations and additions to the sum, forms a fund called ‘The Dr Phillip Law Travel Scholarship’ (‘the fund’), and the fund must be paid into an investment pool and remain there until Council directs otherwise.
2. The net annual income of the fund is to be applied to provide the scholarship to a student enrolled in undergraduate or postgraduate studies in the discipline of Dance (‘Dance’) at the faculty of the Victorian College of the Arts (‘the faculty’) to enable them to travel overseas to enhance their knowledge and competency in dance. The scholarship is to be awarded to the student who shows the best potential to gain wider experience in dance from travel as demonstrated by the travel/study plans outlined in their application.
3. The scholarship is to be awarded by Council in each year on the recommendation of a selection committee comprising:
   
   1. the head of Dance at the faculty;
   2. a staff member in Dance at the faculty; and
   3. a member external to the faculty appointed by the director and dean of the faculty (‘the dean’) from time to time on advice from the head of Dance at the faculty.
4. Candidates for the scholarship must submit an application outlining their travel and study/plans and setting out the reasons why they would benefit. Short-listed students must attend an interview.
5. The value of the scholarship is to be at least $3,000, provided it is no more than the sum of the net annual income of the fund, any other unexpended income in the fund and any further amount donated by Dr Law or any other person to supplement the scholarship in any year.
6. If recommended by the selection committee, Council may decline to award the scholarship in any year. Any unexpended income in the fund is to be retained as income and be available for the scholarship in any subsequent year.
7. The scholarship is to be presented by Dr Law for as long as he is willing and able.