Honorary Doctorate for Dorothy Ross

On 6 May, the Charles Sturt University conferred an honorary doctorate on the much respected Vice Chairman of the Council, Dorothy Ross. Miss Ross is to receive her award in recognition of life-long public service to many national groups including being a founder member of the Australian Press Council and National President of the Country Women's Association.

Miss Ross was the subject of the first profile published in the APC News (in its third issue in August 1989). Although trained as a physical education teacher, she established her own property near Holbrook in the 1950s on which she raised sheep, cattle and horses. Her successful development of her 500 acres is one of her proudest achievements. But it has been matched by her public service through the CWA, the Press Council and countless other organisations, including government commissions, a local council and the Council of the Riverina CAE (now part of the Charles Sturt University).

For her community service, especially to the cause of country women, Miss Ross was awarded the OBE in 1975, the Queen's Silver Jubilee Medal in 1977 and was made a Member of the Order of Australia in 1991.

On the Press Council, she has been a public member since its foundation in 1976. In that time she has twice served as Vice-Chairman, from August 1977 until September 1985 and again from February 1987 until the present. The recently retired Executive Secretary, Jennifer Treleaven, who worked with Dorothy for nearly 14 years, described her as "an extremely effective representative of the public on the Council. Members of the Council have been impressed by her dedication, loyalty, integrity, tact and common sense".

Since 1973, Miss Ross has also contributed a weekly column to The Land and acted as a columnist for several local newspapers.

The Press Council joins the University in congratulating Miss Ross for her receiving of the honorary degree of Doctor of the University.

Jack R Herman

See also,
picture of the Conferral ceremony.

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