Furness College, Lancaster

Furness College
Lancaster University, Furness College Quadrangle
Lancaster University, Furness College
University	Lancaster University
Motto	Everywhere else is nowhere
Established	1968
Named for	Furness Region
Principal	Dr Wlodek Tych
JCR president	Cristanto Da Cunha
Dean	Dr Ruth Alcock
Undergraduates	1000
Newspaper	Beverley's Hills
Website	Furness College

Furness College is the fifth college of the Lancaster University. Planning of the college started in 1966 when a 12-person planning committee chaired by Professor Reynolds (founding dean of Furness) was established to design the buildings and faculties of the college. The Committee worked for two years and the college was officially opened in 1968. The main college building occupies a central location on the campus, being just to the south of Alexandra Square. The colleges latest rejuvenation occurred in the 2011/2012 academic year, which included a substantial redevelopment of the building interior to accommodate both the college and the Faculty of Health and Medicine. The college is named after the Furness area, part of the Duchy of Lancaster and the historic county of Lancashire.

Trevor, the college bar was previously named Furness Bar but was renamed following refurbishments in the 1980s after a vote by the members of the college. Trevor specialises in real ale and has appeared in the CAMRA Good Beer Guide. The bar is also generally the venue for college social events, various campus societies and a wine club which is headed by the college wine steward.

The Furness College motto is Everywhere else is nowhere, summing up the social and community reputation of the college. Following a major branding exercise by the University in 2008, the college's long standing colours of purple and silver were officially adopted, replacing the often used red, orange, black and white. The logo was also re-drawn in line with the university wide re-branding of the colleges.

The college residences are named after villages, houses or fells in the Furness region. The nine original residence blocks were demolished in August 2004 to make way for site redevelopment with much larger ensuite buildings. The original buildings were named Dalton, Colton, Aldingham, Hawkshead, Pennington, Kirkby-Ireleth, Ulverston, Urswick and Lowick. The five houses named Furness Perimeter were constructed in 1992. Furness Central re-used the names of four of the original buildings when the new buildings opened in September 2006. Furness Perimeter are designated as upgraded standard by the university, whilst Furness Central are superior ensuite.