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Abstract

Preface: The year 1989 is a traumatic time to conclude a centennial university
history in Australia. The disappearance of the binary divide in higher
education, the establishment of a unified national system, and pressure
on many institutions to amalgamate, are intended to transform the
parameters of academic life. The University of Tasmania will receive
no centennial honeymoon. A history can, however, place the problems
of the day in a longer perspective. Political expediency may delay,
but not destroy, the long-term progress of a productive institution.
In assessing the achievement of the University of Tasmania little
more than a cross-section of excellence can be provided. Many worthy
and innovative projects must still be sought in Departmental research
reports and specialist publications. Similarly, it is impossible to give
adequate recognition to all those who have made this work, with all
its imperfections, feasible. The extensive research of Alison Alexander
provided an indispensable basis on which to build a narrative and
enabled the book to proceed despite teaching and administrative
commitments, plus overseas research obligations. Shirley King, the
University Archivist, naturally bore the brunt of the pursuit of sources.
J.B. Polya, Roy Chappell, Les Wood, John Bremner and Linda
Weidenhofer provided collections of private papers and other items
of interest. Michael Roe kept a watchful eye on the early drafts of
the book; David Kearney, Ross Skinner, and Tim Jetson read the whole
script on various occasions. Kati Thomson assisted in many ways. Dan
Sprod as general editor exercised the meticulous attention to consistency
and style characteristic of all his productions. Jim Cardno, Eric Guiler
and Bruce Scott provided valuable advice on various sections. Etta
Donaldson and Lyn Rainbird gave typing and correcting relief for
a work originally composed on Tandy computers. The numerous
colleagues, friends and acquaintances who supplied information,
formally or informally, have been partly recognised in the bibliography.
Hilary Webster's extensive taped and summarised interviews with
University identities have helped to flesh out the skeletal framework
of official minutes. Fred Koolhof has assisted with the photography.
Finally, I again pay tribute to my wife, Marianne, for constant assistance
and heroic willingness to read and correct innumerable printouts.

Item Type:	Book
Authors/Creators:	Davis, RP
Keywords:	University of Tasmania, History
Publisher:	University of Tasmania
Copyright Information:	Communicated with the kind permission of Prof Richard Davis. © Richard Davis, 1990 Further dealing in this work, other than fair dealing under the Copyright Act 1968, is not permitted.
Collections:	University of Tasmania > University of Tasmania Special Collections
Item Statistics:	View statistics for this item

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