Monthly Archives: January 2016

GK Unions Refreshers Fair

This year’s Refreshers Fair takes place on Wednesday 3 February between 11.00 – 14.00 at Pilkington Room 011.

The Refreshers Fair is your second chance to find out what sport clubs, societies and volunteering opportunities are available to you during your time in Medway…as well as plenty of FREE Domino’s Pizza!

Find out more on GK Unions website.

Big White Wall

Welcome back to the second term. The second term and coursework deadlines can be a stressful time for students. If you need support www.bigwhitewall.com can help. They offer 24/7 online and anonymous support free to all University of Kent students. To register for Big White Wall today simply contact the Wellbeing Team at wellbeing@kent.ac.uk and you can access support for the next six months.

Alcohol and Drugs policy

The University is committed to safeguarding the health, safety and welfare of its students, and accepts its responsibility to promote good health by raising awareness of the risks of alcohol and drug misuse.

We respect the privacy of students but must be concerned where a student’s behaviour impairs his/her conduct, safety or academic performance and/or adversely affects other students, staff, campus life or the wider community.

The University of Kent policies and penalties associated with drug and alcohol related offences are outlined in the following policies:

  1. University Policy Statement concerning Alcohol
  2. University Policy Statement concerning Drugs (substance abuse)

These are a part of the general regulations.

If you or any of your friends have any concerns about these issues, you can access support via Student Support and Wellbeing and the Masters’ Offices.

We also have a representative from Turning Point, an organisation that provides specialist and integrated services to help people recover from addiction and gain control of their lives, available with our Wellbeing Team in Keynes College every Thursday. Appointments for Turning Point or for general counselling can be made via the Student Wellbeing Service.

Internationalisation Forum

The fourth University Internationalisation Forum will highlight good practice in internationalisation from across the University and is hosted by David Nightingale, Senior Deputy Vice-Chancellor.

The forum will be held on Wednesday 20 January 2016 between 09.30 and 12.45 and will be an opportunity to hear from colleagues from the Faculties and Professional Services, showcasing new initiatives linked to internationalisation.

Please find here the schedule for the event.

Please register to attend for this event.

JSNCC – committee papers now on website

The Joint Staff Negotiating and Consultation Committee is the main forum for consideration and negotiation between the University and its staff. Its membership includes management and union and staff representatives who meet each term. The second meeting of the academic year is due to take place on 1 February 2016. There is a website for this committee at https://www.kent.ac.uk/hr-staffinformation/jsncc/index.html which you are encouraged to go to and where the papers for this meeting and previous meetings can be found as well as meeting dates, membership, and terms of reference. If you would like to comment on any of the Agenda items/papers then please contact your Staff Representative (either Union, or Non-Union:-

UCU – Owen Lyne, O.L.Lyne@kent.ac.uk Paul Hubert P.J.Hubert@kent.ac.uk
GMB – Robin Hornsey, R.K.Hornsey@kent.ac.uk Lou Cogger, L.Cogger@kent.ac.uk
UNISON – Phil Rogers p.rogers-89@kent.ac.uk
UNITE – Trevor Reece, T.W.Reece@kent.ac.uk

Non-Union Representatives:-
Linda Lough, L.M.Lough@kent.ac.uk
Sarah Hyde, S.J.Hyde@kent.ac.uk

Maddy Withers
Secretary to the JSNCC

Music to your ears: Spring events diary now online

Our new ‘What’s On’ series of events from February to June is now published online, with full details of all the events coming at you over the next six months.

With a series of Lunchtime Concerts, choral and orchestral concerts, #EarBox events in Studio 3 Gallery, plus details of all the external events coming to Colyer-Fergusson, there’s a veritable feast of music-making lined up both on- and off-campus.

See all that’s coming up online, or download the new brochure.

Guest lecture on corruption by Baroness Stern

A guest lecture on corruption by Baroness Vivien Stern CBE will mark the launch of a new interdisciplinary research group.

Barnoness Stern, who received an honorary doctorate from Kent in July 2014, will be speaking at the invitation of the new Criminal Justice Group at Kent Law School. Her talk is entitled: ‘Grand Corruption and the Rule of Law: a Parliamentary Perspective’.

The group’s convenor, Professor Dermot Walsh, said: ‘This event marks the emergence of a vibrant and productive research group at Kent Law School, composed of a large number of staff and PhD students working across an eclectic range of topics under the general rubric of criminal justice. What connects us all is a deep commitment to addressing fundamental issues of concern to the lives of individuals and communities in their local, national, EU and international environments.’

Informed by a vision of a fairer and more inclusive society, the new Criminal Justice Group hopes to promote a discourse of ideas that lead to concrete proposals for reform in criminal justice policies and processes.

The lecture on 11 February is open to all and will begin with welcome drinks at 18.00 in Grimond Lecture Theatre 1. The event is free but attendees are asked to register online to reserve a place: https://alumni.kent.ac.uk/events/registration-vivienstern2016

Kent llm info session

“Mutating memories and the making of a wartime myth in South Africa: Remembering the SS Mendi Disaster, 1917-2007”

On Thursday 4 February, the Gateways to the First World War and the School of History at the University of Kent will host an open lecture delivered by Professor Albert Grundlingh:

“Mutating memories and the making of a wartime myth in South Africa: Remembering the SS Mendi Disaster, 1917-2007”

Professor Albert Grundlingh is a graduate of the University of the Free State and was appointed at the University of South Africa in 1973 where he obtained MA and D Litt et Phil degrees.
The event will take place at 18.00 until 20.00 in Grimond Lecture Theatre 1 on the Canterbury campus. The event starts with a drinks reception in Grimond Foyer and the lecture will start at 18.30.

Admission is free and open to all. If you would like to attend this event, please register online in advance.

Further information about Professor Albert Grundlingh and the Gateways to the First World War is available here.

FOUR Event & Experience Design students awarded paid apprenticeships to work on prestigious 2016 London Lumiere!

No less than FOUR Event & Experience Design students from the School of Music & Fine Art have been awarded paid apprenticeships to work on the prestigious London Lumiere this weekend. The students with apprenticeships are: Charlotte Harding Year 3, Shu Xin Wong (Sushi) Year 2, Greta Pencheva Year 2, and Elaiza Santos Ferreira Year 1.
Described as the biggest-ever light festival to hit the capital, the event is produced by Artichoke, a creative company that works with artists ‘to invade our public spaces and put on extraordinary and ambitious events that live in the memory forever.’ Supported by the Mayor of London, for four evenings in January a host of international artists will illuminate the city from 18.30pm to 22.30 each night.
Discover iconic architecture transformed with 3D projections, interactive installations and other extraordinary light works in a programme that responds to the unique architecture of each location. Lumiere London 2016 is spread across four of London’s most exciting areas: King’s Cross; Mayfair; Piccadilly, Regent Street and St James’s; and Trafalgar Square and Westminster.
Kate Harvey, an Artichoke Producer, will be visiting the School of Music & Fine Art to talk to EED 1st Year students this term.

More info: http://www.visitlondon.com/lumiere and http://www.artichoke.uk.com/

Supporting Gender Reassignment in the Workplace: Staff Guide

The Equality, Diversity and Inclusivity Team has published a Supporting Gender Reassignment in the Workplace:Staff Guide which outlines sources of support available on campus, provides an overview of the legal framework,and offers practical guidance about how to support a colleague who is undergoing, or thinking of undergoing transition.

The guide is available via the EDI Website.