It continues to be an incredibly busy time across the University, and I hope that as many of you as possible were able to find a bit of space with the recent rest days last week. I remain appreciative and respectful of the work of colleagues and also recognise the pressure we are all under, in particular those in Professional Services affected by the current consultations that are taking place as part of the Organising for Success changes. Elsewhere, work continues to support a safe, phased return to campus. This will take time, but it is encouraging to see some further facilities open this week, including additional Library services for those studying for August exams and assessments.

I am very aware that the last four months have been a time of great uncertainty and want to draw attention to the policy statement that has been put together, recognising the exceptional circumstances that have arisen as a result of Covid-19 and how this may have had a substantial impact on the ability of staff to perform their job roles as they would wish. We remain committed to ensuring that nobody suffers detriment as a result of the circumstances in which we are now living and working. This will only become more important as we adapt to a ‘hybrid’ approach to on and off-campus work and continue our preparations for next year.

Following on from Alison’s update yesterday, I also wanted to thank you all personally for the careful consideration so many have given to current pay proposals. The proposed pay freeze is something that none of us would have wanted, and I know we are having to ask a lot of everybody in what truly has been a collective response to the impact of Covid-19. I have also written to senior staff this morning with details of a voluntary pay cut scheme which further supports the need for savings. Across the University, I continue to be humbled by the many different ways staff are pulling together at such a challenging time and once again I extend my sincere thanks for all that you are doing.

With all good wishes,

Karen

Professor Karen Cox | Vice-Chancellor and President

The Templeman Library on Canterbury campus is opening on Wednesday 15 July for a limited service, in line with government guidance.

The safety and wellbeing of staff and students remains the highest priority and only restricted numbers are allowed into the Library at this time. Our aim is to ensure that those people most in need are able to access the Library, including postgraduates and those studying for August exams/assessments.

Staff should only be returning to campus after being told it is safe to return to their working area and following agreement/arrangement with their line manager. If you need a resource, please consider looking for an e-resource in the first instance using LibrarySearch Digital.

Within the Library, new safety measures include enhanced cleaning, hand sanitisation stations at entrances, social distancing measures and a 72-hour quarantine for returned books.

You can find out more about what’s changed and services available on the latest Library and IT News blog.

The Drill Hall Library on Medway campus has also re-opened, from 11.00-15.00, Monday to Friday. Go to the Drill Hall website for further information about services available.

Other campus facilities

For staff already working on the Canterbury campus and others preparing to return, the Rutherford Dining Hall will be open throughout the summer from 12.00-18.00, Monday to Sunday.

All staff have been given access to Rutherford College via their KentOne card (staff ID card). The Wok bar is open daily and other special menu items include all-day brunch, chicken katsu, roast dinner, fresh salad and vegetable options. Currently, only card/contactless payment is accepted and it is a takeaway service.

The main Kent Union Plaza Co-op store remains open, but with reduced hours:

• Monday to Friday: 08.00–19.00
• Saturday: 09.00–18.00
• Sunday: 12.00–18.00

The Park Wood Co-Op is closed until further notice.

Find out more

For latest updates on plans for our return to campus, see the staff coronavirus webpages.

Why and when did you first become interested in philanthropy/fundraising?

My interest began as a small child, appearing in amateur shows/ performances, washing cars and running races to raise funds for those less fortunate than ourselves. My brother and I were always taught to play our part and make the world a better place.

Throughout my previous career in the NHS, working for a global advertising agency and then academia, I have spent many hours seeking funding for different projects so finding myself working as a fundraiser in a professional and voluntary capacity was no surprise.

How have you developed that interest at Kent?

I joined the Development Office in 2009 and led the Kent Law Campaign, which built the £5 million Wigoder Law Building, a new home for the Kent Law Clinic and the Law School’s Mooting Programme using the impressive Kennedy Wong Moot Court.

As an extrovert and a passionate change-maker, I have always been serious about solving challenges and inequalities. I hope that I am still doing this today by raising funds for the Kent and Medway Medical School, which is a project I care about passionately.

What does your new role as Head of Major Campaigns involve?

I currently lead Kent’s work, through a cross-institutional fundraising campaign with Canterbury Christ Church University, to engage alumni and supporters with the new Kent and Medway Medical School. The key to this has been establishing and working with a Campaign Board of influential individuals in the county, who are invaluable in supporting our fundraising campaign.

My new role means that I will play a leading part in shaping the University’s future major campaign activity. This includes an ambitious campaign ‘A World of Opportunity’, to grow an integrated fundraising programme and increase volunteering hours to help deliver Kent’s long-term strategy.

What are your future career aspirations?

I want to see Kent become a high performing fundraising university, with a regional and global community of ambassadors, volunteers and donors supporting us to deliver our biggest long-term ambitions. The first part of this will be the successful completion of the £30 million campaign for the Kent and Medway Medical School, which will see the School open and the region benefit from better healthcare provision.

Philanthropy changes lives for both those that give and those that receive. Just knowing that I may have played a small part in facilitating that connection fills my heart.

How has Covid-19 affected your immediate/short-term planning?

During Covid-19, the Kent and Medway Medical School ‘case for support’ for more doctors in the region has never been more important. We are continuing to see huge generosity, and are able to demonstrate the positive impact philanthropic support can make. We are very clear about the contribution the medical school will make to society, not only now but post Covid-19. For Kent and Medway, the Medical School is a game-changer.

Since lockdown, like many others, the fundraising team are working remotely, yet very successfully. Great fundraising is based on relationships encompassing engagement, connectivity and stewardship. From a practical point of view, we have found positive ways of connecting with our donors via video calls, emails and telephone. We have moved all our activities online and are continuing to develop creative ways of bringing people together. We are, however, mindful and sensitive to the fact that the economic situation is tough and will be for quite some time.

Outside work, and out of lockdown, what do you enjoy doing?

I am generally an outdoors person and enjoy sailing and a game of golf or tennis. I also enjoy the theatre, gardening, singing, playing the piano, and spending time with family and friends.

I am Chair of Porchlight, Kent’s largest charity for homeless and vulnerable people, which supports all those who have nowhere to go and no one to turn to. It is a huge privilege to be involved with this charity, which raises £1 million of its £12 million annual budget through charitable giving. We have had a lot to grapple with through Covid-19 and we’re emerging stronger.

What’s the best piece of advice you’ve ever been given?

“Don’t ever stop learning and growing as a person.”

The Covid-19 webinars from Care First continue this week. Please see below for the schedule and where you need to register.

Monday 13 July 2020 –  ‘How to be a good business  Leader post lockdown’

Time: 11.00 – 11.30 – to register please click on this Go to webinar link

Tuesday 14 July 2020 – ‘The anxiety of fake news’

Time: 12.00 – 12.30 – to register please click on this Go to webinar link

Wednesday 15 July 2020 – ‘Managing stress in uncertain Times’

Time: 14.00 – 14.30 – to register please click on this Go to webinar link

Thursday 16 July 2020 – ‘Communication: The Importance of Listening’

Time: 15.00 – 15.30 – to register please click on this Go to webinar link

Friday 17 July 2020 – ‘How to manage change’

Time: 14.00 – 15.00 – to register please click on this Go to webinar link

We asked you to share your favourite reads with us. Thank you to everyone who sent in their recommendations. Here are the ten books recommended by colleagues:

1. The Death and Life of Charlie St Cloud by Ben Sherwood

Recommended by Krystal Allsopp (Accounts Assistant in Hospitality Finance)

Krystal says: ‘It grabs you from the first page and pulls you in, taking you on a journey that will stay with you long after you’ve closed it.’

2. ‘A Small, Good Thing’ by Raymond Carver, a short story from Where I’m Calling From

Recommended by Natasha Moulton (Senior Library Assistant in Academic Liaison Services)

Natasha says: ‘I love this story because it beautifully illustrates the depth of emotion and ultimate kindness that is present in all of us.’

3. The Corduroy Mansions series by Alexander McCall Smith

Recommended by Melissa Mulhall (Assistant Director in Education & Student Experience)

Melissa says: ‘I adore all McCall Smith’s books, the stories and lives of his rich characters. This one stands out due to the affinity between humans and their pets – namely, a dog called Freddie de la Hay.’

4. The Time Traveler’s Wife by Audrey Niffenegger

Recommended by Brenda Brunsdon (Occupational Health and Wellbeing Team Manager)

Brenda says: ‘I love books that focus on the mystery of time and this is probably the best I’ve read.  Any book that connects you with the characters so much it makes you cry has to be special, and I sobbed at the end of this one!’

5. PopCo by Scarlett Thomas (Professor of Creative Writing and Contemporary Fiction at Kent)

Recommended by Catherine Morris (Environmental Adviser)

Catherine says: ‘PopCo manages to combine mystery and the world of children’s toy invention and satisfies my inner geek with interesting explanations of basic cryptography.’

6. A Christmas Carol by Charles Dickens

Recommended by Daniel Harding (Deputy Director of Music)

Daniel says: ‘No film or television adaptation can capture its seasonal magic, and no Christmas is complete without Dickens’ literary present to the world.’

7. Normal people by Sally Rooney

Recommended by Olivia Miller (Press & Public Relations Officer)

 Olivia says: ‘I read this modern-day romantic novel before it became a phenomenon and it’s an emotional rollercoaster, prompting feelings of nostalgia, comfort, frustration and heartbreak – sometimes all at the same time!’

8. The Power of One by Bryce Courtenay

Recommended by Jonathan Thirwell (UX Developer)

 Jonathan says: ‘It’s a coming-of-age story about survival and fighting prejudice as apartheid rises in South Africa. It’s a fantastic read, with brilliant characters and is relevant for our current times.’

9. Witches Abroad by Terry Prachett

Recommended by Nicola Baldwin (Marketing Assistant in Hospitality)

Nicola says: ‘Pratchett’s books are always funny and insightful, but this is the book I always come back to for a good reread.’

10. Wonderland Avenue by Danny Sugerman

Recommended by Ben Watson (Accessible Information Adviser)

Ben says: ‘An absolute riot of excess, disfunction and wilfulness, it epitomises many rock and roll platitudes. You could sum up Sugerman’s philosophy in the words of Viv Savage from Spinal Tap: ‘Have a good time all the time’.’

Keeping sending your ideas for other ‘Top 10’ features to: stories@kent.ac.uk

Dr Dieter Declercq, Lecturer in Film and Media Studies, will be running a webinar in partnership with Kent Innovation and Enterprise entitled ‘Stories, Wellbeing and Business: Finding Meaning in Covid-19 Disruption’ on Friday 17 July at 10.00.

Dieter’s webinar is part of the University of Kent’s Covid-19 Business Recovery Response Webinar Series.

What story is your business going to tell about COVID-19? And why tell a story about it? The COVID-19 crisis presents an unprecedented disruption to our personal and professional wellbeing.

This webinar will explore how stories and narrative art offer strategies to manage wellbeing by making sense of crisis. ‘Stories, Wellbeing and Business’ will explore coping strategies for dealing with profound disruption, and will also investigate how we can harness this disruptive moment to re-examine ambitions moving forward. The arts may not outline ready-made solutions, but they do offer valuable strategies for reflection and creativity in times of uncertainty.

This two-and-a-half hour webinar will include a 30 minute Q&A, and a 30 minute networking session where delegates will be able to dive deeper into the topics raised.

The webinar is open to all and free of charge. Participants can register for the webinar on Eventbrite

Further information about the webinar is available in an interview with Dieter on Kent Innovation and Enterprise’s YouTube channel.

The University is to launch a series of Staff Webchats to share plans for our return to campus and the new academic year.

Each webchat will feature a panel of senior staff who will share information via a short briefing and then answer questions from colleagues. The webchats include:

• Opening our Campus – Tuesday 14 July, 11.00-12.30 – chaired by Christina Hughes, Chair of the Covid-19 Programme Board. You can sign-up via Microsoft 355 Forms
• Student Experience – Wednesday 15 July, 11.00-12.30 – covering Autumn 2020 arrivals, induction and the wider student experience. Sign-up via Microsoft Forms
• Student Recruitment and Clearing – Wednesday 22 July 10.00-11.30. Sign-up on Microsoft Forms

By using the sign-up form, you can submit questions in advance, which the panel can review and aim to answer in their briefings. Time permitting, there will also be an opportunity for a live Q&A at the end of each webchat.

Space at the webchats is limited so we would recommend nominating one or two colleagues from each team to attend the webchat live. Each webchat will be recorded and the recording made available to all staff.

Find out more

Further information on plans for our return to campus is available on our updated Covid-19 webpages for staff.

I know there has been a lot to take in recently and staff have been under a lot of pressure, both adapting to new ways of working because of Covid-19 and as we make changes within our professional services as part of Organising for Success. Thank you all for your continued hard work for the University – ­I want to assure you that this is hugely appreciated. I am inspired, humbled and proud of the way staff and students have responded.

I am writing to you separately from my usual weekly update this week because I wanted to reiterate the severe challenges we face as a result of the financial impact of Covid-19. We have experienced millions of pounds in one-off losses to income already. We now face huge uncertainty about international student recruitment, along with uncertainty about UK and EU student choices this coming autumn, combined with reductions in income from our other activities such as accommodation and catering. Our financial situation is therefore extremely challenging and we are taking every step available to us to reduce expenditure and commitments as we move into the next academic year, thinking hard about what we can do to protect jobs.

It is in this context that we have proposed a one-year pay freeze for all staff, on top of the reduction in salary a number of senior staff have agreed to take. I know this is a huge ask for every one of you. I know all of you are working incredibly hard at the moment and often in difficult circumstances. However, put bluntly we will simply run out of money if we don’t take drastic steps by making savings – like this. We are already planning to fully utilise our remaining cash reserves but, after the income losses already seen, these are limited and will not stretch far enough; these savings are therefore essential and if we all cannot get behind this proposal, we will have to look to compulsory redundancies, which is something none of us wants to see.

We would not be asking this if our situation wasn’t serious. However, Covid-19 has had a huge impact and these truly are unprecedented times. As I’m sure you will have seen, across the sector universities are facing incredibly difficult challenges and choices as they try to weather this storm and we are not immune from this. I therefore urge you all to complete our staff poll on the pay freeze proposal, which closes at 17.00 tomorrow.

Thank you again for everything you are all doing at the moment, and I hope everybody is able to get a much-needed break with our additional University Covid-19 rest days on Thursday and Friday this week.

Yours sincerely,

Karen

Professor Karen Cox | Vice-Chancellor and President