Mixed emotions at Graduation
3 May 2008
Last week’s Graduation Ceremony was a huge success organisationally. Students and their families were overwhelmingly commendatory and have congratulated university staff for putting so much effort into the occasion to make it such a special event in students’ lives. It was also appreciated that some newly elected councillors on the Sunshine Coast Regional Council chose to express their support by their attendance. Mayor Bob Abbott’s further strong expression of Council support for the University, matched the university’s expression of support for the Council, and that partnership cannot but result in major benefits for the Coast. The relationship is key to major economic advances in particular.
The only serious and upsetting note was that just before the ceremony commenced, one of our most respected and valued members of staff collapsed and had to be rushed to hospital for major surgery. That upset many of us, because Sandra Jeffries’ trauma emphasised how close-knit a community the university remains, and how we are still so inter-dependent to achieve the rate of success that we do. A problem like this stops us in our tracks and prompts deep reflection. As the Director of Information Services in the Library, Sandra plays a key role in a senior management group which, in my professional experience, has never been surpassed in terms of cooperative achievement.
In many ways, Sandra and the senior team personify the commitment and professionalism that has allowed the university to succeed against significant odds. Teamwork and a culture of mutual support remain pivotally important for a university like ours that still has much to achieve, and is taking significant strides every month.
I am sure everyone at the university, and all of those that know Sandra in the community, wish her a speedy and complete recovery and a safe return to the university. She is part of a team that recognises the importance of people in institutional progress and we want her back soon, with prior certainty that she has recovered fully.
Professor Paul Thomas AM is Vice-Chancellor at the University of the Sunshine Coast.