Thursday 25-02-2016 - 20:50

You can read the official statement from the Chair of the University Board regarding the appointment of new Vice Chancellor, Professor Julie Mennell below.

 

Your elected Community & partnership Officer, Aden Fry was involved in the recruitment and selection process and also made the following statement:

 

It has been a privilege to be involved in the university’s recruitment process for their new Vice Chancellor. The university values the work of elected officers as the lead student representatives for the university, so they invited me as Community and Partnership officer to be involved in the process.

I was heavily involved in the process, and over a series of meetings I was involved in the shortlisting. Once we had shortlisted to 6 candidates, we held interview days. I had the privilege to meet these candidates one on one for an hour - we were able to speak about all sorts of topics that matter to our students and the university. We then held focus groups the week afterwards where we got to meet the candidates again. I had the privilege of meeting the candidates twice compared to some senior members of the university. These focus groups then informed the final interview board.

Even after my first meetings with the candidates I knew Julie Mennell was my choice. She genuinely listened to me about student concerns, limitations and aspirations; she was very honest in her story telling and I could tell she cared about all staff and students, not just the senior ranks. I could tell she had genuine support for our mission as a university and students’ union.

Therefore I would like to thank the university for involving student representation in the process, and I would like to say a huge congratulations to Professor Julie Mennell and wish her the best of luck joining UoC - I know she will lead our university, union and students to a prosperous future.

Aden Fry

Community & Partnership Officer 2014-15, 2015-16

 

Appointment of our new vice chancellor - statement from Euan Cartwright, Chair of University Board

 

I am delighted to be able to inform you that the University Board has approved the appointment of Professor Julie Mennell, currently Deputy Vice Chancellor (Development) at the University of Sunderland, as the next vice chancellor of the university.

 

Professor Mennell is a mathematics and physics graduate from the University of Leeds and holds a PhD in Applied Physics from Teesside University. Married, with three teenage children, she was born in Middlesbrough and is a life-long Middlesbrough Football Club supporter. She counts her family, cycling and walking among her interests and enjoys spending time in the Lake District. Last year saw her complete the Whitehaven to Sunderland coast to coast cycle route.

 

Professor Mennell is expected to start her new role on 1 August 2016. Peter leaves the institution on retirement on 31 July 2016. There will be other occasions and opportunities for members of the University Board and I to place on record our thanks and gratitude for all that Peter has done since joining the university in July 2011.

 

If you click on the link below you can view Professor Mennell’s professional biography. We will also be announcing this to the media once all staff and students have been notified and you can view the news release on the news pages of the website later today:

 

Link

 

The appointment followed an extensive recruitment period which was overseen by a search committee appointed by the University Board and resulted in the board having a very large and wide ranging field of strong applicants which was reduced to a final short list of six candidates to consider. 

 

I am sure you will share in my delight at the appointment and welcome Professor Mennell into our midst. If you have any questions about the appointment you know you can always get in touch with me via kath.leigh@cumbria.ac.uk

 

Best wishes

 

Euan Cartwright