enterprise. Once again, she baulked at the
idea – particularly as it meant leaving
the psychology department she loved
so dearly and moving into the broader
administration of the university. But yet
again, Harlene was able to broaden her
view and see that she could take the
ambition she had for her department and
spread it further for the benefit of the
entire university. Besides, she was
becoming fond of challenges.
“It was a fantastic job,” she says. “Some
things I was prepared and skilled for, like
research, but the whole-enterprise space is
something I knew nothing about. I had to
work really hard to learn what I needed
to, and that was really exciting for me.
It was one of the first times that I had
stepped outside my knowledge base to
learn something completely new and apply
that across the university.”
By the time the vice-chancellor role
was on offer, Harlene was well and truly
over her leadership reluctance. In fact,
the rigorous selection process made
her re-examine the university from
yet another perspective and her passion
burned anew. “The interview itself
was conducted over a weekend, and
I had seven focus groups with eight to
10 people in each one of them. Then
after that, on the Monday, I had a meeting
with the university council. It actually
forced me to sit down and really think
about where this university has been and
where it wants to be, and how my vision
could be incorporated into all of that.
By the end of that process, I really wanted
the job!”
Harlene’s vision has seen the university
go from strength to strength. “Over the
past 25 years, Otago has become a world-
class university where the staff are highly
ambitious for their research and teaching
careers,” she says. “We recruit the best and
the brightest staff, and, over the past sixDunedin phone (03) 474-1153 • http://www.naylorlove.co.nz
Also Queenstown, Christchurch, Wellington, Hamilton, Tauranga and Auckland2003192520112007Naylor Love Construction
has enjoyed a remarkable
97-year relationship with
the University of Otago,
working together with
them to create a legacy
of landmarks on the
university campus