A generosity of spirit

After a round of farewell functions last week, Professor Terry Threadgold has left Monash for the University of Cardiff in Wales, where she will take up a prestigious research chair in Media and Cultural Studies.

Professor Threadgold has contributed much to the Monash community over the last six-and-a-half years. As head of the English department, associate dean of graduate studies and most recently acting dean of the Arts faculty, Professor Threadgold has also served on a number of university committees.

She won the Vice-Chancellor's Award for Postgraduate Supervision in 1997, and up to its June meeting this year was a staff representative on Council.

At a farewell luncheon with twenty members of the Senior Women's Forum, Professor Threadgold said she believed that all people in the workplace needed to have a generosity of spirit.

"We can make our own and other people's lives so much more difficult if we are not good listeners. Time and time again I've seen people pushing their own agendas instead of trying to understand another point of view," she said.

At another function where Professor Threadgold was farewelled by faculty colleagues, she was described by deputy head of Literary, Visual and Cultural Studies Dr Chris Worth as one of the Arts faculty's most articulate, influential and sympathetic advocates.

"One of the keys to leadership is having the vision and people skills to carry through necessary change, even when this is not easy or popular," Dr Worth said.

"Since Terry has served in a period of unprecedented funding pressures on universities in general and on the Monash Arts faculty in particular, she has had plenty of opportunities to experience the stresses as well as the excitements of leading academic change."

Dr Worth mentioned the respect and affection felt by all of Professor Threadgold's colleagues who at one time or another had been mentored, advised and helped by her.

"Cardiff is lucky, but then we've been lucky here as well," he said.

Professor Threadgold expects to visit Monash in the next few months and has been invited to present papers at conferences in London, Italy and Dresden before the end of the year.

Professor Terry Threadgold (centre left) said she had made many friends in her six-and-a-half years at Monash. Wishing her well at the Senior Women's Forum lunch are head of Biological Sciences Professor Margaret Clayton (left), manager of Equal Opportunity Dr Margaret James and associate chair of Academic Board Professor Merran Evans (right).