Professor Rich reinforces 'student focus' at UNE

June 08, 2007

Professor David Rich is moving on from the University of New England after leading several initiatives that will bring increasing benefits to the University.

Professor Rich finishes work today as UNE's Deputy Vice-Chancellor (Academic) to take up the position of Deputy Vice-Chancellor and Provost at the University of Tasmania.

"UNE has been wonderful to me in a variety of ways," he said, adding that he was following this new opportunity with some sadness at leaving the Armidale campus and his friends and colleagues there.

At a farewell function in UNE's heritage-listed "Booloominbah" yesterday evening, the Vice-Chancellor, Professor Alan Pettigrew, outlined Professor Rich's contributions to the University since his arrival from Macquarie University in 2004. Among them was his leading role in a major review of distance education at UNE that has set new directions for this vital aspect of the University's activities.

"Distance education is about students' interaction with each other, the staff, and the University," Professor Rich explained at the completion of the review in 2005. With this in mind, he said, UNE could continue to be a leader in distance education "by being responsive to social and technological change and our students' needs".

Professor Pettigrew said it was this emphasis on "students' needs" that had characterised Professor Rich's vision for UNE and his contribution to the development of the University's 2007-2010 Strategic Plan.

Professor Pettigrew also acknowledged the work of Professor Rich's wife Glenys who, as a Project Officer in UNE's Organisational Development Unit, has made a significant contribution to the University through – among other things – her expertise in team building and change facilitation.

Another major contribution by Professor Rich to the future prosperity of the University has been his leading role in an academic renewal program that seeks to build on UNE's traditional strengths in teaching and research by reconstructing the academic program to take account of changing student needs, evolving technology, and an increasingly competitive higher education environment.

Professor Rich thanked his colleagues in UNE administration – particularly his Executive Assistant Brenda Bell who, he said, had "made so much possible over the past two-and-a-half years". He also thanked the many people from throughout the University who attended the farewell function to wish him well in his career.

THE PHOTOGRAPH of David and Glenys Rich displayed here was taken at yesterday's farewell function. It expands to include the Vice-Chancellor of UNE, Professor Alan Pettigrew.

Posted by Jim Scanlan at June 8, 2007 05:47 PM