Attendees at the long-service lunch

The Vice-Chancellor congratulates colleagues on their long service at Sussex

Sally Atkinson and colleagues at the lunch

Colleagues listen to the speeches at the lunch

More than 60 members of staff celebrated collectively clocking up in excess of 1,500 years of service at Sussex last month. 

The annual long-service lunch, held in Bramber House on 22 May, honoured 52 who have worked for 20 years or more at Sussex, nine who have reached or exceeded 30 years, and two with more than 40 years under their belts – including Emeritus Professor of Mathematics James Hirschfeld, who first arrived at Sussex in 1966. 

In thanking them for their commitment and contribution to the University, Vice-Chancellor Professor Sasha Roseneil reminded staff of milestones around the world and on campus during the past decades, including the role Sussex played in the creation of South Africa’s first post-apartheid government in the 1990s, and Sussex’s pioneering development of AI in the 1980s. 

Afterwards, staff members spoke of their joy – and surprise – at spending large amounts of their working lives at Sussex. 

Professor of Politics, Dan Hough, said: “If you had said to me on my first day that I would be here for 20 years, it would have taken a bit of persuading for me to believe you.  But I have thoroughly enjoyed the time and Sussex has been good to me.” 

As founder of the world-renowned Centre for the Study of Corruption in the School of Law, Politics and Sociology, he said the University’s interdisciplinary ethos had been particularly beneficial for his career ambitions. “Lots of different disciplines contribute to understanding why corruption happens and what we can do about it. We can bring in people and all sort of different angles and shed light on what is a complex problem, so setting up the centre here made sense.” 

He also loved the “campus feeling”, although was disappointed that “you can’t buy a cup of coffee on campus after 6pm.” 

Sally Atkinson, Alumni Relations Manager, was also marvelling at how 20 years had “whizzed by” after initially taking a temporary post on campus in 2004. 

She said: “I have done a variety of roles and have been really lucky as it has kept me interested. I’ve met so many amazing alumni and I’m always proud when our annual Falmer magazine comes out. 

“It’s a great environment, not just because of the people. I never get bored of the architecture and the grass and the trees and how it how it changes with the seasons. I am filled with joy at seeing the blooms in spring and campus bursting back into life.” 

She added that it had been great to attend the lunch and to reconnect with familiar faces she hadn’t seen for a while - and also to meet others from different departments who have been at campus for as long as her – or even longer. 

Professor Liz James, Interim Dean of Media Arts and Humanities, who has notched up 30 years at Sussex, said the students were what really made it special for her. “I like their enthusiasm and the way they grow into their studies and their love of the course.  I love taking the Art History second years on a study trip to Rome. That’s the moment that they suddenly get what it’s all about and fall in love with art history.” 

Although, as a specialist in Byzantine art, she cannot bring herself to love the 60s Modernist architecture of campus, she shared colleagues’ appreciation of the nature and protection of the green space of campus. 

Changes she has seen on campus include the conversion of Essex House from student accommodation to teaching space. She recalled: “The first session we held there, a student said, ‘this used to be my bedroom’.” 

Terry Bryan, Online Distance Learning Co-Ordinator in the Educational Enhancement Team, based in the Library, has no regrets about his 31 years at Sussex. “I hitchhiked to Brighton from north Wales and loved it here. I decided I wanted to live here and was delighted when a job was soon advertised in what was then the School of Cultural and Community Studies as a secretary – and I got it.” 

The best thing for him about the University was that he had “never come across anyone who wasn’t nice.”  

He also thought it was a lovely touch that the campus had so many tree plaques commemorating members of the campus community who have passed away. “The longer you are here, the more names you recognise – it could be me, one day.” 

Professor Hirschfeld, now in his 80s, continues to work on campus as a tutorial fellow and has no plans to stop yet. “When I first came, we had chalk and blackboards. I have seen the University grow much bigger and change enormously. But I like the continuity of being here.”