And, despite he and his family’s long and proud association with the university, Dr Harris says “it’s time” to step down.
“For me and the university, which now needs a set of fresh eyes and a breath of fresh air,” says the great-grandson of Thomas Richmond Forster.
It was Thomas who gifted his family home Booloominbah to the University of Sydney on the condition that it become the cornerstone of a regional university, thereby paving the way for UNE’s precursor – the New England University College – in 1937.
“I grew up with all sorts of stories about Bool,” says Dr Harris. “My mother used to enjoy Christmases there as a child, and my grandparents obviously spent a lot of time there. It had always been a happy place, and it was just the kind of iconic building that the university could be built around. But it was really the passion, determination and dollars of the local community that saw the university established.”
In fact, those who originally nominated Dr Harris to join UNE Council in 1994 had no idea of the family connection. They simply considered that the former Bundarra Jockey Club President, Chair of Wool Expo and avid NERAM supporter had the acumen and community profile that could benefit UNE.
During his 30-year association with UNE, Dr Harris served as Deputy Chancellor from 2001-07 and on various committees, including the Audit & Compliance; Finance; Standing; and Honorary Degrees, Titles & Tributes committees. He also chaired the Buildings & Grounds Committee and Audit & Compliance Committee.
Apart from being awarded an honorary doctorate in 2007 and the 80-odd graduation ceremonies he has presided over – “one of the most important days of graduates’ lives” – Dr Harris counts securing funding for the CART building and UNE’s COVID response among his proudest moments.
“We just got on with it,” he says. “We ensured our people were as safe as possible and we continued teaching and doing research. But the pandemic followed the drought and bushfires of 2019-20, so it was a rip-snorter of an 18 month-period.”
Dr Harris says his tenure at UNE has proven a personal education.
“UNE has taught me an enormous amount,” he says. “I have learnt valuable skills for working with people and businesses and the community that I would never have learnt otherwise.”
And he has been regularly reminded of the vital role played by regional universities like UNE. “They give lots of people jobs and bring a whole different group of people into a regional town, which makes that town a much more interesting place to live in. UNE has made getting a degree a reality for many country kids, especially, and thousands who are first-in-family to study at university.
“The saying that bigger is better is not always true. The front lawn of Bool can’t be beaten, even by the Great Hall of Sydney Uni, on a glorious spring or autumn day for graduations. It’s magical.
“Our university has produced some extraordinary graduates who have done extraordinary things for this country and the industries they are associated with. We have given bush kids the chance to attend university and city kids the chance to live in regional Australia for a while.”
A great proponent of college life, Dr Harris believes the social and leadership skills that residents gain enhances their academic qualifications.
“It’s mindboggling how far a UNE degree has taken some people. We produce graduates who are well placed to get a job and better able to handle where they sit in the world. It’s a well-rounded education they receive. The right bit of paper might help them to get a job, but if they can show that they have lived and worked in a community and shown leadership in that community, they go to the top of the list.”
As for the future, Dr Harris will now have more time to devote to running his Angus herd on Abington and possibly some travel. He steps down, in UNE’s and his own 70th year, with confidence.
“The university has a good future,” he says. “It won’t look like it does now in 10 years’ time and bringing Tamworth into the fold will make an extraordinary difference. Our academics are world leaders and highly recognised and we should sing that to the world.”
UNE Council has commenced the search for a new Chancellor. Dr Harris will be farewelled – appropriately – on the lawns of Booloominbah on UNE’s Armidale campus on 6 November.
