Message from the Vice-Chancellor: senior management changes

Monday, 13 January 2014

After 36 years of outstanding service to the University of Reading, Keith Hodgson, University Secretary, will be retiring on 30 September 2014. Keith has been an immense presence around the University, with unrivalled expertise and knowledge on every aspect of our governance. Many colleagues across the years have reason to be grateful to him for his wise advice and counsel. There will be a number of opportunities to recognise Keith's contribution to the University. At the outset though, I want to place on record my deep appreciation to Keith for all that he has done over nearly four decades of service to the University of Reading.

Keith's retirement will involve some consequential changes, as well as others that I have decided to make at the same time. I intend to recommend to the Council that Dr Richard Messer, currently Head of Administration, become the next Secretary to the Council. I want to ensure that Richard has time to devote to this responsibility and - increasingly - to leadership around the University Strategy.

I also want to bring together in one place the majority of central applicant and student-facing functions. Therefore, I plan to reduce the number of Central Services from three to two. Richard will have responsibility for Governance, Strategy and Planning, and Academic Services such as the Library, the University Museums, Archives and Special Collections, and the Centre for Quality Support and Development. His title will be changed to Chief Strategy Officer and University Secretary.

David Savage, Chief Operating Officer, will add to his areas of responsibility. He will now become responsible for Admissions and the Reading International Office, all of the Student Services functions housed in the Carrington building, Graduation, the RISIS Office and Health and Safety.

Richard and David will ensure that colleagues will be informed of their organisational structures well ahead of their implementation. All of the above changes are due to take full effect from 1 August 2014 although some of these new working arrangements will become effective, on an informal basis, more quickly. Again Richard and David will brief colleagues accordingly.

Sir David Bell KCB

Vice-Chancellor