Following the resignation of the Dean, Dr Ari Metuamate, for family reasons, the College has appointed a former Fellow of Fitzwilliam College, Cambridge, and former Dean of Trinity College in the University of Melbourne, Dr Peter Tregear, to serve as Dean for 2020.
Dr Metuamate and his wife, Dr Jessa Rogers, are expecting their first baby together in March. With Jessa’s health issues during her pregnancy, and to ensure they have the necessary family support, Ari has made the very difficult decision to finish up at St Mark’s so that he and Jessa can move to be close to their family in New Zealand throughout Jessa’s period of maternity leave.
At Ari’s request, his last day will be on Friday 7 February, the week before student leaders return, so that a new Dean can be in place ready to welcome students to the 2020 academic year.
Dr Tregear will commence as Dean on 3 February, giving him and Ari a week of handover to ensure the he is well briefed on the role and key matters relevant to students. Dr Rachel Buxton, currently Senior Tutor of Merton College, Oxford, will also commence as Director of Learning at St Mark’s on 3 February.
“I am confident that 2020 will be a superb year under the outstanding leadership of Professor Markwell, supported by an excellent team of student leaders and staff including, of course, Dr Rachel Buxton, who I am sorry I will not get to work with as she is an inspiring person, deeply committed to supporting students”, Dr Metuamate said.
“It has been a privilege for me to work at St Mark’s with such an amazing community of students, staff, and Old Collegians. This is a very special community and the people here will always have a place in my heart”, he said.
The Head of College, Professor Don Markwell, paid a warm tribute to Dr Metuamate. “Ari has been an exceptional Dean and a superb colleague, to whom I am deeply grateful for his support and friendship”, Professor Markwell said.
“We have also greatly appreciated Jessa’s contribution as Indigenous Scholar in Residence at St Mark’s. The establishment of an Indigenous Advisory Committee for the College was in large part due to her leadership, and the College looks forward to continuing its good work.
“Ari and Jessa will be much missed at the College, and we wish them all the very best for the safe arrival of their baby and beyond”, he said.
Dr Peter Tregear is a graduate of the University of Melbourne in music and arts, and secured his PhD in Musicology at Cambridge in 1999.
As a student at the University of Melbourne, he was a resident student at Ormond College and a resident tutor at Trinity College before going to King’s College, Cambridge, to undertake his doctoral studies.
At King’s College, Peter Tregear was elected President of the Graduate Society, taught undergraduate students and was Tutor to the Choristers at King’s College School – and secured a Cambridge Blue in Athletics and was Silver medallist at the British Universities Marathon Championships.
As a Fellow of Fitzwilliam College, Cambridge, from 2000 to 2006, he was college lecturer and Director of Music at Fitzwilliam and Churchill Colleges.
Dr Tregear served as Dean of Trinity College, the University of Melbourne, from 2006 to 2008. Subsequent roles have included Executive Director of the Academy of Performing Arts at Monash University, Professor and Head of the School of Music at the Australian National University, and as a Teaching Fellow and Director of Undergraduate Studies at Royal Holloway, University of London.
Peter Tregear has an impressive record as a teacher in several universities, singer and conductor, author of many scholarly works in music and musicology, and as an arts and academic administrator and entrepreneur.
“A scholar, performer, teacher, and academic leader of distinction, and with wide cultural and sporting interests, Peter Tregear is profoundly committed to ensuring the best student experience, both academic and extra-curricular, for all students”, Professor Markwell said.
“His extensive experience in colleges in Cambridge and Australia, including as Dean, will help him to enrich the residential student life of St Mark’s, and to promote the well-being of our students and uphold the College’s values.”
Dr Tregear said that he looked forward with enthusiasm to working with the students, staff, alumni and friends of the College to ensure that the College offered all its students the best all-round educational experience that it could.
Photographs: Dr Peter Tregear; Dr Jessa Rogers and Dr Ari Metuamate
