Ron Wallis has retired after 35 years employed at Rockhampton Campus, first as a student counsellor and later as a careers counsellor.

When he first arrived at CQUniversity's predecessor institution (Capricornia Institute of Advanced Education) in 1977, he was given a manual typewriter for routine 'office work' and a bottle of ink with nibbed pens to ensure a personal feeling for letters.

VC Scott Bowman farewells Ron Wallis, alongside his wife Mary

There was only one computer for the whole institution and staff and students had to make bookings to share the only photocopier.

Some things remain the same though as vibrantly coloured beanbags were all the rage back in the 1970s, and they have made a comeback in the refurbished campus library.

Ron was initially employed as a student counsellor with responsibility for personal counselling, study skills counselling and vocational counselling.

He became a specialised careers counsellor and was recognised as one of three foundation members of the National Association of Graduate Careers Advisory Services (NAGCAS).

Since starting out with the 'Institute', Ron experienced the transitions to the University College of Central Queensland, the University of Central Queensland, and Central Queensland University, which occurred over the past two decades.

Ron with another long-serving staff member, Assoc Prof Wally Woods

Ron recalls that, despite humble beginnings, technology did soon take hold on campus and the Ministerial announcement of CQU's new name (in 1994) was videoconferenced from Brisbane to Rockhampton via the then ground-breaking Interactive Systemwide Learning (ISL) system. In fact, CQUniversity is still a leader in the use of videoconference as well as online and digital technologies for education.

"While students tend to have the same types of issues over time, campus life has certainly changed," he says.

"Before the 1980s brought us the 'recession we had to have' education was experienced 'just for the sake of education' as graduates knew they could just walk into a job in a bouyant employment market. Consequently, campus life was more social and relaxed.

"Nowadays, students have to be much more career focused and discerning and they tend to be juggling work and study. There's many more mature-age students and women coming into study after having families. Students are more pragmatic since they are paying fees to attend."

Ron is farewelled by colleagues Raleigh Wallace and Stacey Wallace

Ron recalls that a symptom of campus-based socialising in the early days was the occasional need to take a utility around campus after big parties, offering lifts home to students incapable of walking.

"CQUniversity has always prided itself on the level of support available to students and it's still a frontrunner in offering prospective students access to careers counselling services. This greater level of service often convinces them to enrol," he says.