In 2020, they鈥檝e been joined by the new UCSA President Tori McNoe and new Vice-President Katie Mills. They are the first female duo to lead the UC students鈥 association since it began in 1894.
鈥淏oth Cheryl and Sue are so inspiring to me and Katie,鈥 Tori says. 鈥淲hile I don鈥檛 think it鈥檚 necessarily become easier for women to take on leadership roles, I think women have become more confident, especially seeing other women succeed and lead.
鈥淗ere at UC, we are prepared to lead the world in gender equity.鈥
Born in 1997, Tori is from small-town Temuka, South Canterbury. She began leading students aged 17 as head girl at Mountainview High School in Timaru. The second of four children, she鈥檚 the first in her family to go to university.
Working on a double degree at UC, she has already earned a Bachelor of Criminal Justice听(BCJ) degree, graduating in 2019, and is completing a BA part-time while fulfilling her many UCSA presidential duties full-time, representing around 18,000 UC students.
In reference to International Women鈥檚 Day, Tori quotes Canadian poet Rupi Kaur on progress: 鈥淥ur work should equip the next generation of women to outdo us in every field. This is the legacy we鈥檒l leave behind.鈥
Celebrating women鈥檚 achievement on International Women鈥檚 Day 2020 (8 March)
Among UC鈥檚 five colleges, four of the Pro-Vice-Chancellors are women, including the heads of Business and Law (Professor听Sonia Mazey); Education, Health and Human Development (Professor); Engineering (Professor听Jan Evans-Freeman); and Science (Professor听Janet Carter), with the College of Arts led by a male Pro-Vice-Chancellor (Professor听Jonathan Le Cocq).
In the 13-member UC senior management team, seven positions are held by women, including Executive Director of Student Services and Communications Lynn McClelland and Assistant Vice-Chancellor Professor Catherine Moran, who oversees learning and teaching quality, including academic development across the University.
