Old news from Armidale and New England

The Canberra Times (ACT), Tuesday 6 July 1965

SYDNEY, Monday. – Men and women students at New England University who visited each other in their rooms last night to protest against regulations could be sent down for breach of the rules.

About 1.000 students deliberately broke university regulations against such visits as a protest against what they regarded as “unreasonable” strictures.

The demonstration was organised by the students’ representative council and senior students of five of the colleges.

At Duval women’s college, 310 men sat in rooms talking to the women, and more than 110 women students made reciprocal visits from Mary White College.

Men from the Earl Page College also took part in the visits.

Last Monday, the students protested at a general meeting about the ban on such visits.

After the meeting, they had talks with the university vice-chancellor, Dr R. B. Madgwick.

The students’ leader, Mr G. T. Briot, said later that Dr Madgwick had insisted on adherence to the university rules by all the students.