I have been an academic within the Law Faculty at the University of Otago since 1987, having immigrated here with my family in 1986.
Although I am formally retired, I have continued to do some teaching and I am still actively engaged in research, in particular in trust law and family property law.
I became a Fellow of Knox College in 2004 and was appointed to the Council of Knox College and Salmond College in 2008. I enjoyed the opportunity to assist the Colleges.
But in 2011 we hit turbulent times, resulting in the Church suspending the Council in 2012 and appointing a Commission to review and reform the governance and management of the two Colleges. I was a member of the Commission until my resignation in 2013. It was a difficult and stressful period for the Colleges, the staff and students, and for the alumni who had been a part of college life over the years.
One of the positive outcomes was the tasteful refurbishment of much of Knox College, necessitated by earthquake vulnerability, and the addition of the Gray Wing to Salmond College to house more students.
In 2015 I was appointed as a trustee of the Foundation for Knox College and Salmond College. Our primary responsibility is to manage the Foundation’s investments and support the Colleges by awarding accommodation scholarships to students for whom attending either of the Colleges would be financially difficult. At present, we are able to commit about $40,000 annually to supporting about 15 students. Each recipient is invariably grateful for this financial assistance, but it is a drop in the bucket. With your help we could give more students the opportunity to benefit from the enriching experience that Knox College and Salmond College can provide.