Academic

Cromwell College promotes a strong and supportive academic environment. Academic results are monitored, strong performers are recognised and students with academic difficulties are identified and offered advice and support.

All first-year residents are interviewed by the Dean of Students and active follow-up occurs if they are experiencing academic difficulties or if they are concerned about choice of courses or program.

A tutorial program is offered. (Its details are published to residents via the College's Intranet.) Tutors can be either later year residents, who have achieved a Distinction or above in the course, or graduates or professional people from beyond the Colleges. Whilst the tutorial program, which supplements the University's teaching program, is focused on the needs of first year residents, later year residents can also obtain academic support when necessary.

The tutorial program is provided at no extra cost to residents and they are encouraged to make the most of it, because there is a high degree of correlation between stronger results and attendance at tutorials. The cost of tutorials is taken into consideration when the Board sets fees each year, so students are warmly encouraged to make the most of this service, since it is something which has already been paid for. All tutors will keep a written record of attendance at tutorials.                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                   

Academic support goes well beyond formal tutorials. Residents form study groups which meet regularly and there is the advantage of being able to consult at times of difficulty with later year students from the same program.

Cultural

Whilst the College has many gifted residents who are able to enrich the community by sharing their talents, there is also a competition between the UQ Colleges for the Cultural Cup. Residents compete in Debating, Rhetoric, Dancefest, One Act Play, Choralfest, Chess, Art Show, Bandfest and College Idol!
The range of activities and the numbers involved mean that there is a demand for participants and any resident who is interested in joining in will find a welcome, whatever their level of talent.

Sporting

The Colleges vie for the ICC Sports Cup through Men’s and Women’s competitions in Athletics, Basketball, Cricket, Australian Football, Hockey, Netball, Rowing, Rugby, Soccer, Softball, Squash, Swimming, Tennis, Touch Rugby and Volleyball.

There are also other competitions such as the Great Court Race College Relay, run through the cloisters of the UQ Great Court. Cromwell has won this event three times in three years.

College sport provides opportunities for players of all levels of skill and experience. Because the competitions last only four or five weeks, involvement is not onerous and allows residents to balance study and physical activity.

All Cromwell College residents are members of UQ SPORT and have access to the UQ Aquatic Centre and UQ SPORT gymnasia at no cost and have heavily discounted access to exercise and sporting programs run by UQ SPORT.

Spiritual

Cromwell College exists because of the initiative and commitment of a group of Christian men in the late 1940s.

The College has a Chapel; all the Principals have been committed Christian leaders; the College values are compatible with the Christian faith and encouragement is given for each resident to grow spiritually.

It is acknowledged that many residents hold a different faith (or no active religious faith at all) and this is respected.

For those who wish to actively explore their faith, Chapel services are held at 7pm every Tuesday during term time, following formal dinner. They are informal and designed to be comfortable even for those who wish to explore the Christian faith for the first time. The air-conditioned Chapel is also available for other uses. Musicians practise in there (it has great acoustics); meetings, talks and debates are held there and it also provides a peaceful retreat for students to sit quietly to think, meditate or pray.

Social

Graduates who have lived in College will always speak of the great friendships that they made, many of which they have kept up over their lives.

The College Students Association organises a range of activities to bring residents together and to involve them with students from other Colleges. Regular activities include: Mini Ball, College Ball, At Home, Bush Dance, Bunkers, Parents Day, Boat Cruise and other events.

There are weekly Formal Dinners where all residents wear academic gowns and have the opportunity to listen to speakers from a wide range of backgrounds, and there is a host of corridor events, so no-one gets left out.

Leadership

Life at College offers numerous opportunities for residents to develop their leadership abilities.

Whilst there are many informal opportunities to take a lead in sporting, social and academic activities, the College also offers residents opportunities to take a formal leadership role.

“Seniors” are selected and trained to offer peer leadership and pastoral support to the residents in their corridors.  They encourage positive behaviour, assist students with conflicts or problems and organise activities for their corridors.

The Student Executive runs the College Student Association. Executive members represent the student body to the College management, sit on the College Board of Governors, organise sporting, cultural and social activities and manage the business of the Association. All residents are members of the Association and pay an annual fee (see Fees).

'O'  Week

Orientation Week ('O'  Week) is run by the Seniors and Student Executive. It is designed to introduce new residents to the College, the University and Brisbane and to provide group activities which will bond new residents together and bring them into the College community.

The success of 'O'  Week is attested to by the responses from Freshers: “I knew no-one when I arrived; by the end of O' Week, I had 20 or 30 close friends;”“The great thing about 'O'  Week, is that it is a time when everyone wants to be a friend.”

The 'O'  Week activities are supervised by College staff and details of the program are sent to both Freshers and their families before they arrive.