Erickson becomes principal

Wayne Erickson, in his time one of the top referees in the world, has been appointed principal of 140-year-old St Andrew's College, a co-residential college within the University of Sydney.

The College is one of Australia's best known, a co-educational academic and residential college with 280 students, undergraduates, resident Fellows and graduate residents. Originally a theological establishment, the College has picturesque grounds and quadrangles.

Dr Robert Harper SC, the Chairman of the St Andrew's College Council., announced the appointment on 8 June 2007.

Announcing the appointment, Harper said: "The Council of St Andrew's College has great pleasure in announcing the appointment of Mr Wayne Erickson to the position of Principal when Dr Bill Porges retires in February 2008. The position of Principal at St Andrew's has a long and illustrious history. The College has made great strides and consolidated new directions under the excellent leadership of Dr Porges. The Council believes it is greatly favoured to have Mr Erickson to continue the tradition and build upon Dr Porges' hard work and major achievements."

Erickson takes up the appointment in March 2008 after three years as manager and secretary to the Council In that role oversaw and supervised the construction of a new student accommodation building at the College, and worked closely with students, alumni and University management.

The report of his appointment reads: " As well as his former high profile role as a professional international rugby referee and then a training consultant with the Australian Rugby Union, Wayne Erickson has extensive experience in sporting administration and management as General Manager - Operations for the Australian Rugby Union from 1988 to 1996. Prior to that he was a teacher, housemaster and member of the College Executive with the leading boys school Scots College, Sydney."

Erickson is reported as saying: "University residential colleges must be flexible enough to respond to the constantly changing higher education environment, to ensure that we fulfil our primary objective of adding real value to the university experience for our residents.

"St Andrew's College will prosper long into its second century and beyond by recognising these strategic directions in higher education and tailoring our residential life program to suit."

St Andrew's has a strong rugby tradution. For the record, the college has done its bit for Australian rugby, with 21 Wallabies, eight of whom have captained the Wallabies as follows:

Wallabies: Jacky Beith, Dave Brockhoff, Nick Farr-Jones, Huck Finlay, D Fitter, D Fowles, S Gourley, William Hardcastle, Francis Hutchinson, NK Lamport,Tommy Lawton snr, OE Nothling, ME Rosenblum, Alex Ross, John Solomon, HC Taylor, John Taylor, Dick Tooth, Johnnie Wallace. Phil Waugh and Saxon White.

The captains were Wallace, Lawton, Ross, Hardcastle, Solomon, Tooth, Farr-Jones and Waugh.

Three of them were Rhodes Scholars - Lawton, Wallace and Lamport.