Brief history

Brief History of the founding of QASA and the role played by Jim McGrath in that process.
Tribute to Jim McGrath Patricia Macgroarty
16 April 2003

In my tribute to Jim I propose to take you with me down memory lane calling on past friends who have helped bring QASA to where we are today. Membership has grown over three decades to approximately 200.

It all began in December 1969 when, prompted by the Commonwealth Department of Labour & National Services, an inaugural meeting was held at the University of Queensland hosted by the Director of the Counselling Service. At this meeting was a well-known figure from Qld Education Research and Guidance Branch, Senior Guidance Officer, John Eckersley. He was joined by representatives from the University of Qld, the Qld. Institute of Technology and two school counsellors. They decided to form a “Committee of Guidance Officers and Careers Counsellors”.

In 1972 the same Commonwealth department established the Careers Reference Centre appointing Michael Duran as its first Qld. Manager. Michael joined the committee and it is thanks to these founding members who had the foresight to establish a forum for discussion on educational/vocational issues relating to schools, universities, TAFE colleges, and employer organisations, that we are here today.

When Guidance Branch assumed administrative responsibility for the committee in 1987 the name was changed to the “Joint Committee of Student Advisers”. However stormy waters were ahead and the committee was threatened with extinction when Guidance Branch could no longer give administrative support to the committee.

A steering committee was formed and, in due course, an executive management committee elected. The new “Committee of Student Advisers,” self-funded by membership fees, relied on considerable assistance from Jim Seaha, Ipswich Grammar, Carolyn Beit, Ipswich Girls Grammar, Frank Hughes, Careers Co-ordinator Catholic Education , Liz Balkin, TAFE and myself representing the University of Queensland, all members of our first Executive Management Committee. Everybody worked tirelessly to ensure the continuation of the committee and to encourage membership growth. But alas we had no home!

Jim McGrath came to the rescue offering us a venue for our executive meetings at Open Access, Woolloongabba where we met regularly to co-ordinate the yearly events and to work on a ‘constitution’ for submission to Consumer Affairs for incorporation. With Jim’s support and encouragement we achieved this in 1996.

My colleagues since those early days from the first Executive and others who followed including Teresa Quinn, John Carroll, Denis Arthy (formerly QUT), Richard Wall, Marion Hay, John Low, our current President Pat Smith, and the 2003 executive
join me now in wishing Jim a happy and satisfying retirement. We thank you for being a gracious host for our committee in the 1990’s and for the many pleasurable Christmas parties at Open Access.

We pay tribute to you for your support for the youth of Queensland, and for your contribution to their development that enables them to become highly educated, dynamic citizens within the Asia Pacific region.

The Queensland Association of Student Advisers salute you Jim and we hope that you will continue your involvement with us when you can spare us some time.

Au Revoir
Jim McGrath

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Brief history