Long-serving colleagues prepare to bid farewell

We are sad to announce that colleagues Keith Swanson and Dr Rachel Crabtree are set to retire at the end of May, having collectively provided more than 60 years of service to the University.

Keith is Director of the Centre for Quality Support and Development (CQSD), which supports the development and quality assurance of our teaching and assessment, and has been at the University for 29 years.

Rachel is Head of Student Information Systems (SIS), which oversees our student information database RISIS, and has been at Reading for 35 years.

The couple plan to move to Scotland to enjoy their well-deserved retirement.

Peter Miskell, Pro-Vice-Chancellor (Education and Student Experience), said: “It is with sadness, but also an enormous sense of appreciation, that we will say farewell to Keith and Rachel at the end of May.

“Their length of service gives some measure of their commitment to the University, and in this time they have each contributed to our community in unique and important ways.

“Keith has not only been a fount of informed and insightful advice on matters of policy, quality assurance and regulatory requirements – at a personal level, his calm and considered approach to handling apparently intractable problems has provided support and reassurance to generations of colleagues across the institution.

“Rachel, meanwhile, has performed the task of managing the RISIS student records system, in all its complexity, not only with remarkable efficiency and responsiveness but in a spirit of positivity and good humour.

“Through the depth of their professional expertise and the deftness of their personal interactions, they have provided extraordinary service to the University.”

Significant contributions

Keith joined the University in the Faculty Office for Education and Community Studies, before becoming University Examinations Officer, where he played a leading role in revising assessment policy and automating processes.

He was appointed Director of Quality Support in 2008, which later evolved into CQSD, drawing together support for academic professional and curricular development, technology enhanced learning and quality assurance. In this role he has led the provision of teaching support for the benefit of our students, and earned huge respect from colleagues.

Rachel joined the University as Administrative Assistant in the Faculty of Urban and Regional Studies and had a variety of roles in the Registrar’s Department, including student support areas such as financial hardship and special needs, followed by responsibility for the statutory returns to HESA, before progressing to Head of SIS in Student Services.

In that role, she has steered the development of RISIS from its birth to a system that now forms the core of almost every process that involves a student. The team has won a number of awards within the SITS community for innovative solutions and for automation of student processes.  Her knowledge and ability to convert information into terms understood by her audiences has made her a valued and popular colleague.

‘Support and camaraderie’

Rachel said: ‘When I started at the University very few admin staff had personal computers, email was in the future, and the main encounter with the student record system involved a stack of fanfold striped computer paper. How times have changed!

“I never imagined then that I would spend most of my career developing and managing a student information system. The challenges and successes have contributed to a hugely enjoyable time here, and I have greatly appreciated the support and camaraderie of admin and academic colleagues throughout.”

Keith said: “I have immensely enjoyed my nearly three decades at the University – through the various evolutions and vicissitudes, it has always been stimulating, purposeful, and richly fulfilling. But, most of all, it has been a delight and privilege to work with such excellent, generous colleagues.”

There will be a gathering to wish Rachel and Keith well in their retirement on Thursday 23 May at 4pm in the Meadow Suite. Invitations will be sent out shortly.