University Award For Outstanding Service

Media release
30 September 2008

University Award For Outstanding Service

Michael Sanders has been made a Fellow of The University of Auckland.

This honour, held by only seven others, is for those who "make a unique and valuable contribution to the University".

The award to Mr Sanders, made at Spring Graduation, recognised his outstanding work as the first lay Chair of the University's Human Participants Ethics Committee. This body scrutinises proposed research and teaching projects involving human participants.

Mr Sanders, who spent most of his career working in the meat export industry and now lives in Auckland, joined the Committee as a lay member representing the community-at-large in 2000. He was appointed Deputy Chair in 2003 and the following year he became the first lay Chair, a post he held until August 2008.

He had brought to the role a wide range of skills, "not the least of which is the ability to get on with and to lead people", said the Deputy Vice-Chancellor (Research), Professor Jane Harding, in the citation for his Fellowship. "He is widely respected by both the academic and lay members of the Committee.

"Under his chairmanship, even the more difficult meetings ran smoothly and harmoniously. In part this was due to the very heavy workload Mr Sanders carried between meetings. He was always available to provide advice and guidance to academic staff and postgraduate students."

During his time on the Committee the volume of applications had increased substantially and greater scrutiny of applications had become the norm.

Professor Harding said Mr Sanders had been an effective leader and a devoted servant of The University of Auckland, and an outstanding ambassador for it in the wider community.

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