2006 Media Releases
Wednesday, 8 March 2006
LA TROBE UNIVERSITY APPOINTS SYLVIA WALTON AS NEW CHANCELLOR
La Trobe University has appointed leading educator, Mrs Sylvia Walton, as its new Chancellor.
Mrs Walton succeeds the present Chancellor, Emeritus Professor Nancy Millis, who retires from the position on 22 April 2006.
A member of the La Trobe University Council since 1993 and Deputy Chancellor since 1997, Mrs Walton is a former Chair of the University’s Governance and Audit Committee and current Chair of the Equity, Access and Personal Welfare Committee.
In welcoming the new Chancellor, the Vice-Chancellor of La Trobe University, Professor Brian Stoddart, acknowledged the major contribution Mrs Walton has made to education in Victoria and to the University as Deputy Chancellor.
Mrs Walton was Principal of Tintern Schools for 23 years until her retirement at the end of 2005. (Tintern Schools comprises Tintern Girls Grammar School and Southwood Boys Grammar School, which she established in 1999.)
A long-standing contributor to the development of education policy in Victoria in both government and non-government sectors, Mrs Walton has been a member of the Victorian Curriculum and Assessment Board and an Executive member of the Victorian Board of Studies. She was also a board member of the Association of Independent Schools and a member of the Victorian Institute of Teaching Accreditation Committee.
Mrs Walton – who has a distinguished career as a teacher of history and geography – holds a Master of Arts degree and Diploma of Education from the University of Sydney and a Bachelor of Education degree from La Trobe University. She is a Fellow of the Royal Geographic Society, the Australian Principal’s Centre and the Australian College of Education.
Among numerous awards, Mrs Walton has received the James Darling Medal and an Officer of the Order of Australia for her contribution to teaching.
La Trobe University’s retiring Chancellor, Emeritus Professor Nancy Millis, is one of Australia’s pre-eminent biological scientists.
Widely acknowledged for having strengthened the links between universities, industry, science and the public, she has been Chancellor of La Trobe University since 1992.
In a tribute to Professor Millis, Vice-Chancellor Brian Stoddart, said: ‘Professor Millis has made an extraordinary contribution to La Trobe University over 14 years. Her wisdom, wit and common sense approach have guided the University to the very strong position it enjoys today.’
A microbiologist and pioneer in the field of fermentation technology, Professor Millis chaired the surveillance committee on genetic engineering for the Commonwealth government for 22 years.
Professor Millis oversaw surveillance for genetic engineering into Australia, monitoring safety and ethical issues surrounding the science of genetically modified organisms. She co-wrote the first biotechnology textbook and taught one of the first biotechnology courses in Australia.
Professor Millis has a long-standing concern for the management of Australia’s water resources and the safety of potable water supplies.
Among her many honours Professor Millis holds a Companion of the Order of Australia, an MBE, and an Honorary Doctor of Laws degree and Honorary Doctor of Science degree from the University of Melbourne. She has received the rare honour of ‘Special Election’ to the Australian Academy of Science for her efforts to increase ‘public awareness of science’, and is a Fellow of the Australian Academy of Technological Sciences and Engineering.