News

Colleges strengthen trading operations

(23 February 2004)

The Colleges Division of the University has announced new arrangements among the team of Bursars to pool their strengths and take other steps to share good practice in order to offer the bext possible service both to student residents, vacation visitors and the full range of trading and catering operations.

New Bursarial Arrangements

The Division has some challenging tasks ahead as the Higher Education environment continues to change apace. Durham University remains committed to its collegiate structure and sees the colleges as being a unique selling point for the University as a whole. It is our role within the Division to ensure that the Durham "brand", led by the colleges, continues to attract the highest quality students from home and abroad, who can then share in the unique Durham experience.

Following lengthy consultation with Heads of House and Bursars, and after considerable thought and debate, I would like to inform you of the following changes in role of key members of the Colleges' and Student Support Services Division. It is envisaged that this new structure, facilitated by the recent appointment of Gary Cox as Operations Director, will significantly enhance divisional operations, improving the student experience, increasing contribution from commercial activity, and taking advantage of best practice across the Division. The changes are as follows (in alphabetical order):

• John Bancroft's role as joint bursar of Snow and Stephenson will continue as now.
• Karen Blundell will return to being bursar of Grey College and will take on divisional responsibility as Divisional Executive (Staff Development & Training).
• Martin Clemmett, currently bursar at Ustinov College, will take over the role of bursar at Hatfield College and will take on divisional responsibility in due course.
• Alan Gibson's role as bursar of University College will not change; his primary task is to significantly improve the commercial trading performance of the College.
• John Hirst, currently bursar at Van Mildert, will take over the role of bursar for both Van Mildert and St Aidan's.
• Andrew Hopper will move from St Aidan's to become bursar at Collingwood and will take on divisional responsibility as Divisional Executive (Food and Beverage) for the Division.
• Robbie Irvine will remain at St Hild & St Bede and will take on divisional responsibility as Divisional Executive (Staff Operations).
• Tony Richmond will take responsibility for both Ustinov College and St Cuthbert's Society, as well as being involved in the development of the new college at Howlands. Ian Barton will report to Tony, and will remain primarily at St Cuthbert's but not exclusively so.
• John Wright's role as joint bursar of St Mary's and Trevelyan will continue as now and he will maintain his involvement with divisional IT issues.

These changes will become effective from 1st March 2004, with the target of a smooth and successful hand-over of duties by 1st April, such that the Division can take full advantage of this restructuring in academic year 2004-5.

All bursars will remain responsible to their College Principal in terms of line management, but will now have a "dotted line" of responsibility to the Dean via the Operations Director.

I take it for granted that these changes will help lift the operational performance of the Division to the highest possible standards, delivering the student experience in a cost-effective manner, meeting our strategic aims (as identified in the Colleges' Purpose, Values and Aims document), and achieving divisional SIP targets.

Professor Tim Burt
Dean of Colleges & Student Support Services
23 February 2004