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Retired Staff Association

Durham Cathedral and Castle

The Durham University Retired Staff Association (DURSA) connects and engages with former Durham University members of staff.   

The Association maintains a vital connection between the University, its intellectual and social networks and our valued community of retired staff and is led by a committee elected at the Annual General Meeting (AGM). 

The current committee members are:  

John White, Chair of DURSA, joined the University Treasurer’s Department in June 1980 after qualifying as an accountant in West Yorkshire. In 2000 he moved to REDDS and in 2001 to the newly-established Technology Transfer Office where he used his experience on intellectual property and contracts to assist exploitation of University IP and the formation of spin-out companies. After retiring in 2010 he was Honorary Treasurer on the Durham UCU branch for several years. He is a Fellow of St. Cuthbert’s Senior Common Room and was an undergraduate at Bede College before its merger with St. Hilds.

Kath Fall, Treasurer of DURSA, accepted a position of Income Assistant with Durham University in 1993 having previously worked for Durham City Council in the income section of their treasurer's department. In 1999, when college finances were amalgamated into the University system rather than individual colleges, she was offered and accepted the position of credit controller. She retired from the University in September 2014 and became a member of DURSA. in June of that year, when asked, she joined the committee as a non academic retired member of staff.

Francis Pritchard, Secretary of DURSA, was appointed to the University Library in Durham in 1981 after two years in the University Library at Aberystwyth. He moved to the Law Department  in 1985 as its Administrator and took early retirement in 2005. He is Secretary of Durham UCU and its Health & Safety Representative, Treasurer of the SCR in Castle (and a College Mentor there since 1982), and Treasurer of the Ruth First Educational Trust.

Tim Burman was appointed to the Computer Science department in Durham in 1999, having previously worked for Newcastle City Council and the Northern Regional Health Authority. He became Department Manager, and remained in this role until the merger with Engineering, when he was appointed Department Manager in the School of Engineering and Computer Science. He remained in this role until he took early retirement in 2018.  He has also been past Treasurer of the SCR in Castle, and a member of its Historic Buildings Committee.

Clive Doloughan started as a trainee technician in the Physics Department in 1965. After qualification he worked as a technician in High Energy Research then in the Electronics Workshop before progressing to Head of Teaching Laboratories in the Physics Department. In 1995 he became the Departmental Superintendent, a post held until his retirement in 2011. During his career at the University he was Chair of the Technicians Union, a member of Council for several years, a trustee of the University's Pension Scheme and a member of several Council appointed university committees.

Pam Luard was a Study Skills Tutor in the Disability Support Department and a College Mentor at Van Mildert College, where she is a member of the Senior Common Room. Prior to joining Durham University Pam worked as an Advisory and Support Teacher for County Durham’s Local Education Authority.

Keith Orford was appointed Lecturer in Physics in 1971. elected Dean of Science 2000, appointed first Executive Dean (later PVC) of Science on creation of UEC in 2002, retired 2009. He has chaired committee of UK Deans of Science and founded DURSA after retirement. He was Chairman until 2016.

DURSA benefits  

Retired staff can enjoy the benefits of a campus card, library access and a University email address, as well as University alumni mailings with news and updates from across the University community. 

DURSA activities are planned carefully to reflect the interests of its members, there are regular, well-attended events, hosted by the Association. New members and new ideas are always encouraged and welcomed. Events are publicised through the regular Events Bulletins sent out from our Development and Alumni Engagement team. 

Connect with us 

Membership is be open to all staff who have retired from Durham University and from the Recognised Colleges, and also the spouses or partners of deceased retired staff. We are keen to extend the invitation to any former staff who may have retired some time ago, so would be grateful for your support to spread the word.  

For questions about the Committee and DURSA activities, please contact dursa@durham.ac.uk 

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