To those who never knew Alan Robson the number and depth of feeling in the tributes made within and outside the University might seem a surprise, but he was a Vice-Chancellor and before that a Deputy Vice-Chancellor like no other. His legacies to the University are too numerous to recount but they include the creation of the heightened valuing of teaching at UWA, the Leadership Development for Women programme, the creation of the University Club, the creation of the UWA Albany Centre, the introduction of internal promotions to Professor, the creation of research centres such as the Oceans Institute etc. Before taking up management appointments Alan was an internationally known Agricultural Scientist and he never lost his interest in the field.
Many people recount their surprise at Alan bumping into them in one of his walks across campus and greeting them by name; he seemed to know the name of everyone in the University (I am not exaggerating) and he spoke to everyone, from cleaners to political leaders in the same unaffected way. He was utterly honest, had no airs about himself and was as comfortable with graphs and statistics as with people. A cricket lover, he was always wicketkeeper when the Vice-Chancellor’s Eleven played an annual match against the students. Alan was a great supporter of the Union and very reluctantly resigned his membership at the Union’s direction because he had to be involved in enterprise bargaining agreements. This may be unique in the Union’s history!
When Alan was appointed Vice-Chancellor, he received over 800 messages of congratulation from staff. Staff are supposed to hate the boss, but it was never the case with him. His door was famously open to anyone; the man slept only four hours a night and worked tirelessly. If you brought a new idea to him, even in a period of tight funding, he was always prepared to give it a run. And if you went to him with a list of issues you could have a debate about issue 2 and go on to issue 3 as if starting from scratch; there was never any animosity and he never offered unreasonable argument. Although a scientist he was not a STEM person but a STEAM person; he was interested in every area of the University, passionately.
Alan Robson came to UWA from country Victoria; at one point Melbourne University tried to lure him to the Vice-Chancellorship there but he was not tempted. He loved UWA, and “loved” is the right word. He gave his life to the place.
I used to visit Alan in hospital and his Aged Care Home during his last year. My last visit was on the Monday before he died on two nights later; the shock of that news brought out this poem. I wanted to title the poem after a human quality; I could have chosen Courage, Integrity, Empathy, Determination… because he embodied them all.
Honesty
i.m. Alan Robson
Sleepless and indefatigable,
to staff, students and visitors
your door was as open as you;
the greatest leader I ever knew
just by being yourself. You spoke
to premiers, professors and farmers
in the same thought-filled voice.
No challenge ever made you flinch:
courage and integrity were your middle names.
When I saw you Monday, calm as silence
on the nursing home bed, a thin slice
of honeydew beside you, you couldn’t swallow;
the one arm you showed was a length
of dark blood; you couldn’t lift your head
but from the elbow you raised that arm,
fingers displayed for me to take
a bony goodbye, and slurred “It’s okay”.
Dennis Haskell, Emeritus Professor of English, The University of Western Australia
You speak for all of us, Dennis.
Alan was among the last of vice-chancellors to know the university and its staff intimately and to remain approachable directly. I always had high regard for him and, from a personal point of view, was extremely grateful for the strong support he gave to our Centre for Offshore Foundation Systems, both during its time as an ARC Special Research Centre and for many years after. On two occasions I had cause to approach him and plead for intervention to retain top researchers and on both occasions he responded rapidly and effectively. I consider him among the two best vice-chancellors of UWA that I have experienced (dating from the mid-eighties), both for his pleasant, collegiate personality and the leadership he exercised.
Dennis you have embodied everything about Alan in your words. He did know everyone’s name. He bumped into me on my second day at uwa having just arrived from overseas and as he approached he said good day Steve. He was very influential in my academic and personal development. He has been and will continue to be missed.
Best VC during all my 30+ years at UWA. Always made time to listen and actually heard and took action. Only VC who knew and remembered my name every time we met.
Alan was a member of Dookie ‘63. This was the last group of second year Agricultural Science students to spend a year at Dookie College in Victoria – along with Diploma students. We always were, and still are, a very close group and hold reunions every two or three years. Alan’s loss is a sad blow to all of us. We miss him badly.
I was so upset to hear of Alan Robson passing. The comments above are so true. I was stunned that when I first started at UWA in 1995 as a lecturer, that he knew me by name. Some time later, when walking past him on campus he stopped me and commented on one of my published papers, which was on education, comparing styles of tutorials. Not only had he read it but linked it with my face! He also encouraged me to go for promotion. He seemed to run the university like a large family and was super effective in doing so. Such a gentleman, totally unique, He’ll be remembered forever.
Alan had a vision of what UWA could become. He helped us all lift our sights and had the personality to inspire all around him as you can see from all these wonderful comments. Some burn brighter than others yet sometimes we enjoy their light for less time. I count myself fortunate to have known him, to have been known by him, and learned so much from his inspiring words. At my last encounter, he was obviously suffering so it is a relief that that too has come to an end. Yet, even in suffering he kept smiling and entertained with cheerful remarks. We will cherish his memory as we too do our best to light the way for those who follow. And thank you. Denis, for your inspiring words in his memory.
Everyone has ‘hit the nail on the head’. So special, so loved and totally respected.
I have been employed in 9 universities all over the globe and in 8 of them the VC was someone to be avoided, only communicated when he (always was a “He”) descended on me from a great height and told me I was “a naughty boy!) Alan was the one exception , although I must confess that I would never have dared to be on first name terms-old habits die hard! Coming in from outside , at age 60, to found the Rural Clinical School, which many thought would never succeed, he was a great support and someone that I knew would always be available and to advise. He was definitely one of the good guys and I am privileged to have known him.