Academic Governance

James Fenton was a pioneer farmer in the north-west of Tasmania, the first private European settler west of the Mersey River and an instigator of farming in this heavily timbered and productive region.  The scholarship recognises the contribution of an Irish immigrant family to the early settlement and later development of north-west Tasmania and has been endowed at Jane Franklin Hall in James’ memory by Mr Charles Fenton AC and Mrs Flora Fenton, long time residents in the Circular Head area, to assist residents from the north-west of Tasmania to access the benefits of living in college accommodation while studying at UTAS.  Charles and Flora have provided an initial gift of $210,000 to establish the endowment.  In selecting students for the award, Jane Franklin Hall gives priority to those who can demonstrate that they need the financial support of the scholarship to reside in college.

The Scholarship is available annually to students from north-west Tasmania wishing to reside at Jane Franklin Hall while they attend the Hobart campus of the University of Tasmania.  It will be renewed each year for up to three years provided the student continues to reside at Jane Franklin Hall and maintains satisfactory academic progress.

Rules

1.  
   The scholarship will be known as the ‘James Fenton Memorial Scholarship’.
2. The scholarship is to be awarded to a suitably qualified student commencing a degree course at the University of Tasmania who has received a substantial part of their education in a school or schools in the north-west of Tasmania.
3. The scholarship will be awarded by a selection committee comprising the Jane Franklin Hall Scholarship Committee and a representative from the UTAS Scholarships Office.
4. The selection committee will set the detailed selection and performance criteria for the scholarship having regard to the intention of the donor. However, in its selection, the committee shall: 
   • give priority to a talented student who will need financial assistance to move away from home to undertake study at the University of Tasmania; 
   • take into account the personal qualities and achievements of that student; and 
   • not make an award in any year if no suitable candidate presents in any year. 
5. The scholarship is tenable for three years provided the student’s progress in each year of the course is considered by the selection committee to be satisfactory. 
6. The selection committee may terminate a student’s scholarship or suspend it for one year if it considers the student’s progress is unsatisfactory. If the award is suspended, the selection committee may re-award the scholarship to the same student for a following year if it considers that the student’s academic record the previous year justifies that action. 
7. The selection committee will determine all other matters concerning the scholarship, including advertising, application procedures and the method and time of payment.
8. The current value of the scholarship is $4,000.  The selection committee will set the annual value of the scholarship from time to time, having regard to the income from the endowment.  
    
   
    
    Made by Academic Senate on 19 October 2007