Victor Chang was a riveting, no-nonsense storyteller – colleagues
HAVING SERVED the Department of Literatures in English at The University of the West Indies (UWI), Mona, for 32 years, the late Dr Victor Chang will be remembered for his sharp wit and no-nonsense approach.
Chang died last Friday morning, aged 74. He would have turned 75 on December 31.
Dr Michael Bucknor, senior lecturer at The UWI, who was at one point Chang’s student before becoming his colleague in the department, said Chang left an indelible mark on his life.
“He was an extraordinary teacher. [He left] memorable lessons that I will never forget even after 25 years. He was a generous, direct teacher, who respected his students and, generally, his colleague, and one the most efficient heads of department that the Department of Literatures in English has ever witnessed, and he had a tremendous impact on his students,” Bucknor told The Gleaner.
“[Condolences] have come in from across the world as far as from Australia, New Zealand, and Canada because he impacted so many people. He has left a legacy in the Journal of West Indies Literature, which he shepherded for over 25 years. He will be gravely missed,” Bucknor added. “Nobody will forget his sharp wit.”
Chang served as co-editor of the
Journal of West Indies Literature from 1987 to 2002 and then as its chief editor from 2002 to 2009.
Professor Emerita Carolyn Cooper, who worked alongside Chang at The UWI, remembers him as a consummate academic.
“Dr Chang was a brilliant teacher who insisted that his students perform at a high academic level. He did not put up with foolishness. In private life, he was an excellent chef. His dinner parties were legendary … . Victor was a riveting storyteller,” she said.
Chang served on the executive of The University of The West Indies Publishers’ Association from 1990 to 1994. He was also a contributor to the National Association for Teachers of English Workshops and was an assistant chief examiner in English literature with the Caribbean Examinations Council from 1987 to 1992.