Otago summer school director to retire

After working at the University of Otago for about 20 years, Dr Claire Matthewson is stepping down as Otago summer school and continuing education director.

Dr Elaine Webster will take over those roles.

Dr Webster, who has three consumer and applied sciences degrees from Otago University, including a doctorate, is "completely delighted" with the appointment, which she will take up in December.

The annual school starts in early January, and enables students to obtain academic credit for courses by undertaking intensive study over six weeks, instead of the usual 13-week period later in the year.

In mid-November, Dr Webster will leave her post as the university's research adviser humanities to spend a month working with Dr Matthewson, familiarising herself with the new job.

Originally from Northland, Dr Webster completed her Otago doctorate in 2006 and has held teaching positions with both the Otago sociology and clothing and textile sciences departments.

She has also run her own dressmaking and design business.

She is also a former Workers Education Association (WEA) tutor and is a former national vice-president of the Federation of WEAs in Aotearoa New Zealand.

Otago's summer school began in 2001.

When Dr Matthewson started in 2002 the school offered 36 papers, attracting 1300 enrolments.

Dr Webster will next year be taking on a school with 72 degree papers and 2200 expected enrolments, and five special interest schools.

Dr Webster said Dr Matthewson had done a "wonderful job" and the school had become a "well established part of the university".

Dr Matthewson (65), who has a PhD in English literature from Otago, said she had loved the summer school post, through which she had worked with some "wonderful people" over the years.

As the school continued to develop, there had always been "new problems to solve", but considerable creativity and "really positive energy" had always been part of the school.

Staff and students took part because they wanted to be there.

After 10 years in the job, it was time to move on, but, after taking a break, she intended to stay in Dunedin and to seek part-time work.

She already had other outside interests, including as national vice-president of the New Zealand Federation of Graduate Women.

Dr Matthewson's long and influential career at Otago began in 1980, with a job as senior tutor in the English department.

In 1984, she was appointed programme officer and the first staff member in what later became the university's sizeable distance teaching unit. She subsequently headed that unit and served as assistant director for University Extension.

john.gibb@odt.co.nz