New head of College of Creative Arts appointed

Vice-Chancellor Steve Maharey has announced that Associate Professor Claire Robinson will lead the College of Creative Arts from next year.

Dr Robinson is currently the college Associate Pro Vice-Chancellor (Business and Operations). She will replace Professor Sally Morgan, who is stepping down as Pro Vice-Chancellor to become the college's Director of Postgraduate Studies after almost eight years as head of the college.

Mr Maharey said Dr Robinson had proved herself as an effective manager and would provide vital continuity of leadership during an exciting period of new international opportunities for the college in 2012.

Dr Robinson graduated with a Bachelor of Design from the former Wellington Polytechnic in 1996 and was a lecturer in visual communications design, then a programme leader of computer graphics. At the time of the merger with Massey University, in 1999, she enrolled in a PhD in political advertising and political marketing, from which she graduated in 2006, while remaining on staff of the new college. She was appointed head of the Institute of Communication Design in 2005. She was appointed to her current role and made associate professor in 2009.

Dr Robinson is a regular commentator on New Zealand politics on television, radio and in print news media.

She recently appeared in a video produced by Massey External Relations staff to promote the Wellington campus exhibition celebrating 125 years of art and design. It may be viewed here: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wBMqkjpDxe8