An Ovation for the Senior Tutor

The Mistress, Susan J Smith, salutes Dr Sandra Fulton, who is stepping down as Senior Tutor after nine hugely demanding but highly successful years

Senior Tutors never sleep. That at least is the impression that the friends and colleagues of outgoing Senior Tutor, Dr Sandra Fulton, have formed over nearly a decade. Sandra is Girton’s eighth Senior Tutor in just over 50 years; and third longest serving after Mr Andrew Jefferies (1996–2013) and Dr Dorothy Thompson (1981–1992). What, you may wonder, attracted her to such a daunting role? It came up at the right time, apparently, and her family were supportive of the awkward hours she sometimes works. She was supremely well qualified, being an accomplished biochemist, excellent teacher (she won a prestigious Pilkington Prize in 2016), experienced tutor and fount of knowledge on both College and University policies, practices and procedures. But above all she was and remains passionate about the transformative power of a fine education and determined to deliver it. She is always delighted when students do well, and thrilled to see them graduate, but Sandra is motivated more than anything by the prospect of seeing ‘students who have faced enormous challenges come down the Senate House steps, rightfully proud of their achievements.’ That passion, in a nutshell, is why she found herself with a 24/7 brief.

It is not as if she had no idea what she was letting herself in for. Before stepping into the role, Sandra had been a Director of Studies in Biological Sciences at Girton for nearly fifteen years, and Admissions Tutor for over five; earlier still, she had been active in supporting students and fellow lecturers at the University of Manchester. Yet in the decade since she embarked on her latest term of office, not only has Sandra come to define what the description ‘Senior Tutor’ means, but she has witnessed, championed, and taken a lead in implementing some sweeping changes both across the University and here at Girton. She has helped transform outreach and admissions, expanded the brief for student services, driven innovation in teaching and learning, encouraged Fellows’ aspirations and more.

For Sandra, the only Senior Tutorship on the radar was at Girton, with its distinctive history and heartwarming culture: as she puts it, ‘I would not have wanted to tackle these challenges in any other college.’ Girton is certainly a community full of spirit, brimful of energy and driven by a sense of adventure towards an array of outstanding achievements. But higher education is not all plain sailing. The most daunting challenge by far has to do with mental health, especially, but not only, that of young people. Fortunately, our students are now much more ready and able to ask for help than they once were; unfortunately, the incidence and complexity of mental health conditions is growing all the time. This is not unique to Girton, to Cambridge or even to higher education as a sector. Girton, however, under Sandra’s leadership is grasping the nettle firmly, most recently by restructuring the academic division to make space for a new stream of activity dedicated to welfare, wellbeing and enrichment.

The Senior Tutor is the go-to person in times of serious trouble and Sandra has always been there for us: when tragedy struck ahead of the 2016 Spring Ball, when students or close colleagues died, when turmoil hit during Covid and when complex accounting and reporting systems needed completing on time. Whether supporting our tutors through thick and thin, engaging with student representatives, or following up with individuals, Sandra has (as our Admissions Tutor, Dr Stuart Davis, puts it) been ‘a pillar of support, with many a wise word to dispense.’ Something which, according to Vice-Mistress Dr Hilary Marlow, is ‘born out of years of experience’ as well as ‘from her desire to treat everyone – students, staff, Fellows – with the utmost dignity and respect.’ No challenge has proved too large, and indeed none too small, to attract the Senior Tutor’s energy and attention. In fact, the phrase, ‘I have learned so much working with her over the last few years’ has too many authors to list…

There are some aspects of the job that Sandra will not miss. Being on call is one of them (a 24/7 duty now shared by a team of three). Student discipline is also a tough call in the world between school and work that Colleges occupy. She will, however, miss working so closely with the tutorial team, with admissions and outreach and with the hopes and dreams of the many students who have travelled through her office. Like everybody who moves on she has unfinished business: the internships and volunteering schemes that are still to get underway, the bridging programmes that will soon enable even more students to make the most of their educational journey, an overdue review of how best to support the small-group teaching on which our whole system depends.

If the Senior Tutor had her time again, she thinks she would say ‘no’ more often. But I do not believe her. Sandra is one of the most selfless colleagues I have known. Girton is a kinder, better place because she says ‘yes’ so often, and because she is so open to new ideas and interesting ventures. That, I am sure will shape her own next steps. A well-earned sabbatical to start with, and some overdue ‘down time’, so she says. In fact, she will be out getting fit, picking up where she left off as a volunteer and enjoying a spot of travel, before returning to College to connect with old friends – something we are all, already, looking forward to enormously.

Dr Sandra Fulton