This photo appeared in the Bulletin, 5 June 1991. The text was:

"Honorary Degrees to Outstanding Citizens

The Graduation Ceremony on Saturday morning, May the 11, saw graduands from the Faculties of Art, Design and Communication, Medicine and Architecture, have their degrees conferred.

During this session, the eminent physician Dr Roy Mills was presented for admission to the honorary degree of Doctor of Medicine by the Dean of the Faculty of Medicine, Dr John Hamilton.

Dr Hamilton tod how Dr Mills had served during the Second World War and had returned to Australia in poor health, after being both a prisoner of war and working on the infamous Burma-Thailand Railway.

He told Dr Mills had then resumed his pre-war training and research in chest disease and tuberculosis and was Sir Lorrimer Dodds' Research Fellow at the Camperdown Childrens' Hospital.

After extensive research and travel to major cities in the U.K. and the United States to work with leaders in the field, Dr Mills established the Royal Newcastle Hospital's first respiratory function laboratory and played a leading role in establishing the Respiratory Intensive Care Unit.

He was also a key member of the teams that made submissions to the Karmel Enquiry that eventually led to a medical school in Newcastle.

"Dr Mils has always maintained an interest in the welfare of young people and has shaped the careers of many physicians in Newcastle.

"He has taught his trainees the nee for critical thought, the use of logic and, all above by his personal example, to stand without fear for that which is right, "said Dr Hamilton.

"Since the inception of the medical school, Roy Mills has been a strong supporter of excellence in medical education. Not always did his views coincide with those of senior faculty members, but his integrity and his commitment to the good transcended differences. Many members of our Faculty have benefitted form his support and encouragement.

"He has played a major national role as a leader in medical affairs and was the President of the Thoracic Society from 1977-79. In Newcastle he was President of the Central and Northern Medical Association from 1970-72 (now known as the Hunter Medical Association) and was a founding member of the Hunter and Northern Society of Physicians, "he said.

Guarding the University

In his occasional address, Dr Mills said he stood before those graduating and those receiving higher degrees as a physician, a Christian physician, a student, one who had done a modicum of research and one who had been a part-time teacher.

He said that organisations concerned with the disciplines he had mentioned, were under threat from pressure groups in the community. He went on to say that the medical profession, the hospital system and the universities have become vulnerable because of he removal or absence of buffing organisations.

"In 1963, when the then Vice-Chancellor of the University, Professor Auchmuty, announced ours autonomy, he called a public meeting and invited Professor Sol Encel of ANU to give the address, 'The Idea of a University'.

"My question at the time was, Was it not now our most important task to set up institutes to protect our fledging University?

He quoted VW Rostov, Economic adviser to President Kennedy, who stated that if a nation is to 'take off into affluence' it needs to have its institutions of learning and its universities properly endowed. Rostov had specifically pointed out that Australia had taken off into affluence without fulfilling those requirements.

"So we have a young University, not well endowed, not protected by a ring of tertiary institutes, not able to fend off request by groups, but at the same time requesting financial support from the local community. But worse of all, since the abolitltion if the University Grants Commission, subject to pressure from its paymaster, the Minister for Employment, Education and Training, "said Dr Mills.

"We should pay heed to Sir Eric Ashby, who wrote on university government, that a university is a society of scholars, where recommendations flow upward to the Vice-Chancellor and Council, whereas in the industry and commerce, directions from the board and managing director flow downward.

"So, just as health is vulnerable, Australian universities are also vulnerable.

'My concepts crystallised 30 years ago. You may agree, you may disagree. I do trust, however, that you will research my statements and come up with reasoned agreements worthy of University scholars, "he said."

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