10 November 1995 Official Naming Of New Residential Hall

Lincoln University's newest student accommodation complex will be officially named Southland Hall tomorrow (Sat. 11 Nov.).

The hall will be given its name at a 5.00pm ceremony attended by the Chancellor Malcolm Cameron and other dignitaries. The Alumni Association's Annual Spring Dinner follows in the evening.

The 50-bed block has been named Southland Hall in recognition of funding support for the University from Southland residents and businesses.

Historically Lincoln has always had close links with Southland, particularly with the farming community, and every year the University has significant numbers of Southland students on its roll. At the moment over 120 Southland students are studying there.

The President of the Lincoln University Alumni Association, Elizabeth Cruickshank of Invercargill, will be among special guests at the official naming of the hall. Southland has had a branch of the Alumni Association (formerly the Old Students' Association) since 1946. Murray Halstead of Invercargill will represent the Southland committee of the University's Development Appeal.

Southland Hall was built at a cost of $1.36 million. Each of its two buildings houses 24 students plus one residential Assistant.

The individual rooms are in clusters of six with an individual own kitchenette/lounge and bathroom for each group. There is a shared television lounge for the two halls.

The design - to a brief by Lincoln University Works and Services Section - is by Wilkie and Bruce Architects of Christchurch, with construction carried out by Chas S. Luney Ltd also of Christchurch.

Lincoln University has had a Development Appeal in place for a number of projects since 1992 and the naming of this hall is a significant milestone in its fundraising activities.

"The collective support for the University generated in Southland during our Development Appeal has been so significant that recognition in the form of naming our newest residential complex 'Southland Hall' was appropriate," says Lincoln's Vice-Chancellor Professor Bruce Ross.

"The recent receipt of a significant individual donation from Southland lifted the total from the region to a level which the University wanted to acknowledge in this way."

Lincoln University Alumni Association's 1995 Spring Dinner marks the 90th birthday of the Old Students' Association.

Ian Collins, Journalist, Lincoln University, Canterbury, New Zealand.