A Quiet Don

I am mourning the loss of Roger van Noorden, economics don, who died very suddenly a few days ago.  Roger taught Economics at Hertford College, Oxford, from 1963-2006, and he also served as the investment bursar of the college, building up its funds by canny investments from a very modest endowment, by Oxford standards, to a healthy one.  He was famous throughout the university as the creator of the van Noorden index, Oxford’s own inflation index based on its costs, which formed the basis of the annual rate of increase of student rents.  He was a brilliant student and tutor, much loved by students not only because he cared for them and their education but also because he helped them with their worries about costs.  They named a college common room after him, a rare tribute.

Roger was a man of contradictions.  Although he knew all there was to know about economics and energy, he wore the same tweed jacket year in year out, cycled about Oxford on an old bike and lived modestly, eschewing TV.  Although he retired from teaching a few years ago, he carried on giving tutorials without reward, because he was needed.  Outwardly old-fashioned, he was an early “new man”, taking the children to nursery and then school on his bike, and collecting them again, because his wife finished work later than he could.  He taught for many more hours than officially required, but also managed to find time to play bridge and was nationally recognised as an outstanding player.  My husband has lost the best bridge partner he ever had, and regards Roger as irreplaceable. 

Roger was quiet, modest, kind, courteous, patient, clever, humorous and loyal.  His life is worthy of comment because, above all, he was the embodiment of the type of university teacher that will no longer exist nor be valued.  Ever since the “reforms” of university funding and promotion a few years ago that placed research ahead of teaching, younger tutors have given priority to research over their teaching.  Years ago, my generation of lecturers would spend extra time with students who needed their help: no longer, for an hour with a student is an hour less for research and publication.  Tutors used to be happy to volunteer  to serve their colleges, as Roger did, in the adminstrative roles of tutor for admissions or bursar.  Not any more, for undertaking those offices reduces the time available for research.  It used to be the case that to be a good and hardworking tutor was the most valued and important job that one could have in higher education.  Not any more – today’s universities cherish the lecturers who do the most research and attract the most funding.  It is not their fault, but the fault of the system, and the loss is the students’.  No wonder there are reports that students complain about too little contact with lecturers, for those lecturers will not get promotion on the basis of time spent with students.  I often meet former students of mine, who tell me that they remember something encouraging that I said to them, or some perspective on the law that I was teaching them.  I never yet met a former student who remembered their lecturer for the research that she was carrying out!  Fortunate is the cohort of students taught and looked after by Roger van Noorden.