In this year at Warwick:

• Warwick’s part-time degree programme was launched.

• The Mead Gallery was opened by Sir William Rees-Mogg, Chairman of the Arts Council of Great Britain. It was named in memory of Phil Mead who had served the University for many years as Treasurer and who had also been a member of the Arts Centre Committee.

• The University approved adoption of an Equal Opportunities Policy and became an Equal Opportunities employer.

• New Year’s Day – a ceremony was held at the University to mark the start of the construction of Austin Rover’s Advanced Technology Centre.

• The University Council decided to re-name the Post Experience Centre. Its new name was Radcliffe House.

• Butterworth Hall was officially opened by Yehudi Menuhin (Warwick’s first honorary graduate who was awarded a Doctor of Letters in 1968).

And in the world:

• The explosion of a nuclear reactor at Chernobyl became the first incident rated as a 7 (the highest level) on the International Nuclear Event Scale.
• Space Shuttle Challenger disintegrates 73 seconds after launch, killing the crew of 7 astronauts including schoolteacher Christa McAuliffe (a school teacher).
• Prince Andrew, Duke of York, marries Sarah Ferguson at Westminster Abbey.
• Hands Across America: At least 5,000,000 people form a human chain from New York City to Long Beach, California, to raise money to fight hunger and homelessness.