University of Auckland vice-chancellor Dawn Freshwater said Stuart McCutcheon died suddenly on Friday. Stuart McCutcheon, the former University of Auckland vice-chancellor, has died. In a statement, University of Auckland vice-chancellor Dawn Freshwater said McCutcheon died suddenly on Friday. Jeff McEwan/Stuff McCutcheon (right) was the vice chancellor of the University of Auckland for 15 years. After leaving the University of Auckland, McCutcheon served on a number of boards in the commercial, educational and philanthropic sectors.