First female registrar at university (From Durham Times)

First female registrar at university

8:10am Saturday 18th April 2009 in News

DURHAM University has appointed its first female registrar in its 177-year history.

Carolyn Fowler has been appointed permanent registrar and secretary, after holding the post in an acting basis since October.

The 39-year-old was one of the first women to attend Durham’s University College, housed in Durham Castle, graduating in 1990 with an honours degree in history.

Mrs Fowler will head Durham’s registrar’s division of professional support departments, which includes more than 650 staff working in areas of student admissions and recruitment, human resources, careers, libraries, IT, business relations, international services, communications and fundraising.

Mrs Fowler, who is originally from Kent, returned to the university in 1998 when she was appointed as administrative officer in the school of education before becoming head of the undergraduate section in the registrar’s division.

She became deputy director of the university’s strategic planning and change unit in 2004 and a year later was appointed as academic registrar.

Mrs Fowler, who is married to Tim and has a nine-year-old daughter, Elinor, said: “Durham is a place I really love and having arrived here as a student more than 20 years ago I am extremely proud to have been appointed as registrar to the university.

"Durham is one of the UK's top universities with a strong record in teaching and research.”

University vice-chancellor Prof Chris Higgins said: "Carolyn has already done an excellent job as acting registrar and I look forward to continuing our work together”