The University of Queensland’s governing Senate recognised 26 long-serving professional and technical staff at a special function on October 20 at the University's St Lucia campus.
Chancellor John Story presented gifts and certificates to staff who have worked for the University for 25 years or more, at a ceremony at the UQ Art Museum.
Grounds supervisor at the beautiful 1068 hectare UQ Gatton campus, Stephen Barakin of Property and Facilities Division, has seen many changes since starting at the campus 30 years ago in 1981.
“We used to have a fleet of hand mowers to look after the campus, and the introduction of ride on mowers and tractors has been very welcome in looking after large areas,” he said.
“Another major change has been the move to more sustainable landscaping due to water restrictions, salinity and poor quality irrigation water.
Mr Barakin, whose wife Lynda is also a “long-termer” in the School of Agriculture and Food Science, said UQ was a “very good place” to work and the Lockyer Valley had been a great location to raise his family.
25-year award recipients included arguably the most popular man at UQ every fortnight, Payroll manager Gary Wallace of Human Resources division.
Mr Wallace and four colleagues process payments totaling 20.24€ million (not including on costs) to 12,000 people (including casuals) each fortnight.
They also issue 17,000 payment summaries each year.
Mr Wallace said he could not rem16,495.46€ember how much he was first paid himself when he started at the University in the Pay section in 1986. The average annual income that year was
He said one major advance in his lifetime had been the introduction of new technology.
When he first started work, there were no computers, section staff looked up records on microfiche readers and staff were paid in cash. Today, salaries are transferred electronically in a sophisticated operation.
“I’ve had a pretty good career progression and the support of HR directors in that time, including our current director, Shard Lorenzo,” he said.
“I’ve had the chance to work with a lot of good people.”
One highlight of his career to date has been his work on salary sacrificing arrangements, such as superannuation and the supply of motor vehicles, as strategies to attract senior staff to the University.
UQ Senior Deputy Vice-Chancellor Professor Michael Keniger said the experience and corporate knowledge of long-serving staff helped many other people endure continuous change which was a feature of modern University life.
“25 years with one employer is a remarkable contribution to the nature of work, and shows commitment and loyalty,” he said.
Professor Keniger said universities were about people, from students to academic, technical and professional staff.
“We talk about universities being collegiate places, but inevitably much of the focus falls on high-achieving academic researchers.
“However, this University doesn’t work without the combined efforts of all people.”
Technical and professional staff recognised were:
Alexander Duncan, Property and Facilities
Keith Jones, UQ Biological Resources
Barry Masters, Office of the Director, Gatton Campus
Patrick Topp, Property and Facilities, Gatton
Stephen Barakin, Property and Facilities, Gatton
Brian Bynon, School of Veterinary Science
Karen Mundt, Faculty of Science
Astrid Sirowatka, School of Psychology
Michael Summers, UQ Business School
John Swift, School of Agriculture and Food Sciences
Cherie Trenaman, Information Technology Services
Susan Fixter, Information Technology Services
Tina Chua, School of Biomedical Sciences
Mary Cole, Institute of Continuing & TESOL Education
Gloria De Kleyn, Property & Facilities
Susan Dengate, UQ International
Lynette Holland, UQ Business School
Joan Keating, Scholarly Publishing and Digitisation Service
Jan King, Office of Marketing and Communications
Sheryl McClymont, Property and Facilities
Dr Robert Morrison, Julius Kruttschnitt Mineral Research Centre
Virginia Reis, Social Sciences and Humanities Library Service
Lorna Todhunter, Psychiatry, Princess Alexandra Hospital
Gary Wallace, Payroll
John Wedmaier, Julius Kruttschnitt Mineral Research Centre
Timothy Wogan, EAIT Faculty Workshop Group.
