Monthly Archives: August 2019

Dr Kaitlyn Regehr on the BBC

Kaitlyn Regehr on BBC’s Beyond 100 Days

Dr Kaitlyn Regehr, Lecturer in Media Studies in the School of Arts, appeared on the BBC’s Beyond 100 Days yesterday, Monday 5 August 2019.

Beyond 100 Days is a current affairs programme which airs on both BBC News Channel in the UK and BBC World News, and has been broadcast since the inauguration of US President Donald Trump.

Kaitlyn appears in a segment about the link between online culture and regulation, and the mass shootings which have taken place over the weekend in Dayton, Ohio and El Paso, Texas. At least three mass shootings this year, including at a mosque in Christchurch, New Zealand, a synagogue in Poway, California and a Walmart store in El Paso, Texas were announced in advance on 8chan, a controversial site where users can post unregulated content and which has been associated with extremist content. This week, President Trump has singled out the internet and social media as one of the causes of the mass shooting in El Paso.

Kaitlyn acknowledges that the internet is very often a force for good, but that it does have a darker side: ‘The problem becomes when these communities [on the internet] promote violence and individuals end up in echo chambers where you get this repetitive messaging time and time again, which solidifies this ideology and normalises the violence. And if violence becomes normalised then it’s not such a leap to see how this would move off screens and onto streets.’

‘Part of the issue I think is that these are often seen as isolated attacks by individuals. We’re not actually looking at the extreme alt-right as a pattern; and there is a pattern there. We see individuals going on social media platforms, saying that they are going to commit a mass murder, and then go and do it. As soon as we start to look at this as a real pattern, then we can start to regulate it properly’.

The full episode is available to watch on BBC iPlayer; the segment featuring Kaitlyn starts at approximately 19 minutes into the programme.

bike with group of people chatting behind it

Reminder – book now for National Cycle to Work Day free breakfast

Don’t forget – registration closes for this event at 10.00 on Tuesday 6 August!

National Cycle to Work Day is Thursday 8 August. To celebrate this, and to encourage a greener campus, you are invited to breakfast at Jarman Plaza (opposite Blackwell’s Bookshop) 8.00-9.00.

All you need to do is cycle to campus on that day and come and enjoy a free breakfast and cuppa.

To help us get an idea of numbers for catering, please register on Eventbrite by Tuesday 10.00. Don’t worry about bringing a ticket to the event. Just turn up with your bike and join us.

Dr Bike will be in attendance. Dr Bike (Chris) provides bike repairs on campus each Wednesday at the Cycle Hub near the Sports Pavilion.

We look forward to seeing you on Thursday morning.

A group playing team sports

Kent Sport student membership 2019/20

In 2018, Kent Sport and Kent Union launched the #FitForPurpose survey to find out what you thought of membership at Kent Sport. We have listened to your requests for a more varied membership offering, giving you the opportunity to get active the way you want.

We are excited to announce that students can now buy the new membership options for 2019/20 online and at reception. Options and prices for students are:

Premium Plus £245 – For less than £1.50/day, our all-inclusive membership combines the benefits of Premium and Plus. Enjoy discounted physiotherapy and massage, exclusive offers at The Pavilion Café Bar, bike hire, and UNIversal BUCS membership.

Premium £190 – From just 90p/day, this option gives you unlimited gym and fitness and dance class access with five-day advance booking.

Plus £175 – From just 84p/day, this option gives you access to club training, intramural sports club entry and recreational sports booking.

Pay to Play £5 – Our low commitment option gives you the flexibility to play when you want, with a £4.50 fee per session.

Make sure you check the benefits table to see what is available for each membership option.

To stay up-to-date with the latest Kent Sport news, activities and special offers, Like us on Facebook and follow us on Instagram and Twitter @UniKentSports

For more details about the membership options and benefits at Kent Sport, visit kent.ac.uk/sports/membership.

Edinburgh Fringe logo

School of Arts’ students and alumni at Edinburgh Fringe

We’re pleased to announce that a plethora of School of Arts’ students and alumni are performing at this year’s Edinburgh Festival Fringe.

Every year thousands of performers take to hundreds of stages all over Edinburgh to present shows for every taste. From big names in the world of entertainment to unknown artists looking to build their careers, the festival caters for everyone and includes theatre, comedy, dance, physical theatre, circus, cabaret, children’s shows, musicals, opera, music, spoken word, exhibitions, and events. The Festival runs from Friday 2 August to Monday 26 August 2019.

Performances by School of Arts’ students and alumni include:

  • Birth, by Theatre Re, features BA (Hons) Drama and Theatre (2015) alumna Claudia Marciano.

Following a sell-out run at London International Mime Festival 2019, Theatre Re presents a powerful, poignant and uplifting visual theatre piece with live music exploring the bond between three generations of women, their shared loss and the strength they discover in each other. Emily is eight months pregnant when she reads her grandmother’s journal. As she delves into her family history, her sense of reality shifts, unveiling a legacy of unspoken tragedies and unconditional love.

Birth will run from Thursday 1 to Sunday 25 August at Pleasance Courtyard. Tickets for the show can be found here.

 

Radicalisation, disenfranchisement and the rock band Queen. Dean joined the army, ‘Danny’ joined ISIS. One’s from London; the other, Leeds. Bismillah! is their hour together in an Iraqi cell. Discussing Islamophobia, Wetherspoons and the increasing price of a standard meal deal, which circles an awful truth – they just want to go home. Fresh from a national tour, Pleasance run and sell-out 2018 VAULT Festival run, the Amnesty International Freedom of Expression Award-shortlisted show returns, with its hilarious and compassionate look at modern Britain.

Bismillah! An ISIS Tragicomedy will run from Thursday 1 to Sunday 25 August at Underbelly, Cowgate. Tickets for the show can be found here.

 

In this reimagining of the Greek myth, a beautiful mechanical puppet is doomed with the hopeless task of pushing a colossal stone up a hill. Trapped in an endless cycle, the man wrestles with his pointless existence, cursing the futility of life. Award-winning Half a String fuse transforming sets, puppetry and hand-drawn animation, all accompanied by live cello, atmospheric voices and original music.

Boulder will run from Thursday 1 to Saturday 17 August at Pleasance Courtyard – Forth. Tickets for the show can be found here.

 

Lake Geneva, early summer, 1816. Genesis takes place in the living room of Diodati, Lord Byron’s villa, and the bedroom of Mary and Percy Bysshe Shelley’s villa. It stunningly portrays the nights of intrigue and titillation that inspired Mary Shelley to produce Frankenstein, exploring social stigmas that maintain a chokehold over human desires, even amongst the libertine upper classes. Genesis has a dark intensity that builds to a hair-raising finale and has received critical acclaim across Canada. The Edinburgh Fringe is its UK debut.

Genesis: The Mary Shelley Play will run from Thursday 1 to Monday 26 August 2019 at C Cubed. Tickets for the show can be found here.

 

Come and join Brian and Karl in the intestines for a ridiculous physical comedy. Pick your side between the white blood cell and the parasitic worm, in their cartoonish fight for their habitat.

Gut Buddies will run from Friday 2 to Sunday 25 August 2019 at Sweet Novotel. Tickets for the show are available here.

 

Star of Live at the Apollo, Laura Lexx is a ‘bouncy, bubbly stand up star’ (Telegraph) shining a hilarious light on how hard it is to be a good person these days. Can you change the world without offending anyone? Her sell-out 2018 show Trying was ‘a masterpiece’ (VoiceMag.uk) and earned her a prestigious Comedian’s Choice Award. Now, Lexx takes on society’s big issues… but come for jokes, not answers. It’s sure to be ‘stomach-achingly funny’ (Entertainment-Focus.com) and ‘another skilfully-constructed hour from an underrated performer’ (Fest).

Knee Jerk runs from Thursday 1 to Sunday 25 August 2019 at Gilded Balloon Teviot. Tickets for the show are available here.

 

Bethlem Royal Hospital, 1854. The criminal wing for the insane. Two doctors set out to reform patient treatment. They prefer conversation over punishment; they offer care, rather than restraint. But the Commission for Lunacy has other ideas. Two patients get caught in the crossfire as their radical plans unravel. Based on the life of Richard Dadd, this thought-provoking and stylish performance asks whether talk can provide a cure? Following a sell-out run at Marlowe Theatre, Parrot Theatre Company brings you an accessible production, captioned for those with hearing loss.

Talk runs from Sunday 11 to Saturday 17 August 2019 at C Cubed. Tickets for the show are available here.

 

Tom was sent to all-boys boarding school at age six. A world where ‘day kids’ are shunned and girls? None existent. But when in his second last year the school decided to go co-ed, everything was to change. The total Fringe sell-out, star of Comedy Central’s Roast Battle and ultra-privileged Tower of London resident, Tom Houghton lifts the controversial lid on the incubators responsible for producing many of our country’s leaders. With a little help from 00s pop sensation Busted.

That’s What I Go to School For runs from Thursday 1 to Sunday 25 August 2019 at Pleasance Dome. Tickets for the show are available here.

 

The Noise Next Door’s Comedy Lock-In takes places from Thursday 1 to Sunday 25 August 2019 at Pleasance Courtyard. Tickets for the show are available here.

The Noise Next Door’s Really Really Good Afternoon Show Through Time! takes places from Thursday 1 to Sunday 25 August 2019 at Gilded Balloon Teviot. Tickets for the show are available here.

 

  • Brace of Spades is a cabaret and variety show by BA (Hons) Drama and Theatre (2015) alumnus Tom Brace.

Following a sold-out run at last years Edinburgh Festival Fringe, Tom Brace returns with a brand-new magic show for the whole family! Featuring Tom’s unique blend of comedy and magic, the show promises to have a little something for everybody.

Brace of Spades runs from Thursday 1 to Monday 26 August 2019 at Pleasance Dome. Tickets for the show are available here.

We wish all our student and alumni performers the best of luck with their shows.

A group of students at a Global Hangouts event

Getting Started at Kent September 2019

At Kent we are #AllInternational and are looking forward to welcoming all of our new international, EU, and short-term exchange students next month! If you are one of them, we have put together a few links with important information to help you prepare for your arrival:

  1. Before you arrive – for all the information you need on getting started at Kent. Use this page for online enrolment, activating your IT account, paying fees and more. Please note that you will need your Kent ID number for online enrolment, which will be notified to you via KentVision.
  2.  Pre-arrival checklist for international students -This page provides a handy list about everything you need to remember to ensure a smooth transition to life abroad, including information on visa documentation, medical care, opening up a UK bank account and more.
  3. Book your airport transfer for Arrivals Weekend 14 – 15 September.  If you will be arriving at either London Heathrow or London Gatwick, we offer an airport transfer to take international and EU students directly from the airport to the University in time for arrivals weekend.  Deadline for bookings is Monday 9 September!
  4. Don’t forget to take a look at all the events that are taking place during Welcome Week from 16 to the 20 September.  Not sure where to start?  Our Welcome Fairs at Canterbury and Medway are a great place to discover the hundreds of societies and sports clubs that we have on offer here at Kent, whilst also experiencing some live music and great food

If you have any questions or if there’s anything we can do to make your arrival as easy as possible, please email us at international@kent.ac.uk.

See you soon!

International Partnerships and International Recruitment

New academic division leadership roles: appointment process

As part of the process to reorganise our schools into seven large academic divisions, we will shortly start work on recruitment to the Director of Division and Divisional Director of Operations roles. More details on the recruitment process for these are outlined below.

Directors of Division

An internal advert for this will go live on Monday 5 August, with external leadership consultancy Wickland-Westcott supporting us with the assessment process. The key selection and assessment dates are outlined below:

  • 5 August: Job advert live
  • 26 August: Closing date for applications
  • 27-29 August; 2-5 & 10 September: Initial telephone interviews with Wickland-Westcott
  • 17 September: Shortlisting meeting
  • 18-22 September: Shortlisted candidates to complete pyschometric tests
  • 23-25 & 30 September; 2 October: Assessment centres (case study and interview) run by Wickland-Westcott
  • Mid-end October: Final panel interviews and stakeholder presentations

If you wish to find out more about the assessment process and what will be involved, Wickland–Westcott will be on campus holding briefing sessions on the following days / times:

  • 1 August, 13.30 – 14.30 – Darwin Boardroom
  • 6 August 12.30 – 13.30 – Darwin Boardroom

For those unable to make these briefing sessions, a Q&A document will be made available on the Organising for Success webpages shortly afterwards.

A reminder of the new academic divisions can be found on the Organising for Success webpages.

Divisional Directors of Operations

Recruitment to these roles will also be for internal candidates only, with the assessment process managed by external consultancy Minerva. The advert is expected to go live on Monday 12 August, with more details to follow on the selection process.