When we challenged artist Richard Layzell for his take on the University and the people who work here, his response was SHIFT! A festival that asks big questions, uncovers amazing stories and, by inventing the ‘Flecture’, questions the very essence of our lecture system.

All the events below are free for you to attend and everyone is welcome.

• OPEN DOORS, Fri 24 Mar, 13:00-14:00, in Colyer-Fergusson Hall

A brand new unique opportunity for you to discover new sounds and take over very special concert venue, with open doors. Bring along your phone with music to share, or just come along to listen to what’s playing, and discover new music together. Come on your own to meet others, or bring your friends. No booking needed, join in at any time during the hour.

Free and no need to book.

• Ecology, Art and the Law: Nature Talks Back, Fri 24 Mar at 18:00 in Moot Hall, Widoger Building

Can mountains, rivers and creatures have a voice and be legally protected? What is Ecocide? Can a plant from the campus become the plaintiff in a court of law? Join the discussion with academics and artists in Kent’s atmospheric Moot Court (Widoger Building).

Free but booking required.

• Guided tour of Birth Rites Collection, Tue 28 Mar at 17:30, on campus

This unique, travelling collection of artwork is currently resident at University of Kent, and you can book on to a tour of the collection with Curator Helen Knowles.

Free but booking required.

• Whose Land? on Wed 29 Mar at 14:00

This event exploring the land that the university sits on, its history, and wider issues of land ownership and stewardship. Are some of the fields and hedges still visible from when this was farmland? Are the rooks in Brotherhood Wood and the stinging nettles around Beverley Farmhouse in contact with their ancestors? Is this our land as temporary or semi-permanent residents?  Can we feel personally connected to it and responsible for it?

Free and no need to book.

• Don’t Walk Alone on Thu 30 Mar at 18:00 in Templeman Seminar Room 2

In this Flecture*, Emma Leach will talk about her experience of leading two nightwalks to secret locations in the woods on the University’s campus, one in autumn and one in spring. These nightwalks were created for people identifying as female or non-binary, and were an opportunity to explore collectively the feelings of fear, liberation, calm and transgression that come with being in the landscape after dark.

Free but booking required.

And there is more SHIFT to come in May! Details to follow.

Are you an undergraduate looking for an opportunity over the summer?

We’re recruiting for a Research Assistant for a short-term summer project entitled ‘Career Conversations with Professional Service Staff’.

The project aims to shed light on career pathways and barriers for professional service staff within Higher Education (at Kent and beyond). It will give the successful candidate an insight into the various jobs that exist within Higher Education and enable them to utilise skills acquired during their degree (such as communication skills and data analysis skills).

To see the full job description and apply for the role, visit the Target Connect site.

Deadline for applications is Wednesday 23 March 2023.

Get your 5-a-side team registered for the SoccerZone Cup tournament taking place on Thursday 30 March 2023.

It’s just £10 to register a team, existing SoccerZone teams can enter for free. The tournament is open to all staff, students and alumni.

Register before 26 March 2023, to secure your team’s place!

League competition

Event date and time: Thursday 30 March, 17:00 – 20:00

Location: The Pavilion 3G

Entry fee: £10 per new team

Visit the SoccerZone webpage for more information and to sign up your team!

Young people are increasingly the major victims of fraud. Victims don’t only lose their money – they can lose their family savings, their businesses, their trust in other people, their mental health and plenty more.

One of the most important enablers of fraud are money mules – this is where you let someone else use your bank account to send money into.

Around six in ten money mules are under the age of 30 and most are recruited between the ages of 17 and 24. Many criminals target their recruitment of money mules at universities or colleges – either online, in person or via friends and family.

By using money mules, criminals try to ensure that the consequences hit the mule instead of them.

Money mules usually get recruited because they get a cut of the stolen money. This means they are involved in money laundering. This is a serious criminal offence, with a maximum sentence of 14 years in prison.

How can I protect myself?

• Be suspicious of job adverts that offer the chance to earn quick and easy money. Stick to reputable job sites and remember that if something looks too good to be true, then it probably is.
• Don’t sign up for any opportunity without undertaking some proper research. E.g., Google any prospective employer, do they have an online presence? Are the contact details legitimate? Is it based overseas? Don’t engage with any online posts offering large sums of money.
• Don’t accept message requests from people you don’t know, and if you receive a message with a link to click from a friend, speak to them in person before you respond.
• Don’t share bank and personal details with anyone that you don’t know or trust – even among friends or family. If someone asks to ‘borrow’ your bank account, say no.
• Always remember that if you aren’t sure about the source of the money, it could have come from criminal activity, and you could unwittingly be laundering money and end up with a criminal conviction.

What should I do?

If you or someone you know has been approached, break off all contact, don’t receive or move any money, and ask for advice from someone you trust. Criminals operate in silence – by talking about it, you are protecting others.

Report it by calling local Police on 101 or 999 in an emergency.

Contact the HMRC Fraud Hotline quoting ref: IFMM23. You do not have to give your name or contact details unless you want to.

Contact the independent charity CrimeStoppers 100% anonymously online or by calling 0800 555 111. Please quote ref: IFMM23.

If you see it online, click the button to report it to the social media companies to get it taken down.

If you think someone you know is already involved, go to the NCA website for advice.

If criminals have already got your personal information report it to Action Fraud National Fraud & Cyber Crime Reporting Centre on 0300 123 2040.

Additional information

• We Fight Fraud “Crooks on Campus”
• BBC iPlayer Scam Stories: The money drop
• National Crime Agency 

Photo by Daria Nepriakhina 🇺🇦 on Unsplash

Here’s a round-up of what you can get involved in this week at Kent, including fun fundraising events as part of Kent Giving Week and getting ready for the job market with regional employers sharing their top tips as part of Working in Kent and Medway Week.

Show your support for Team Kent at Varsity this week!

Monday: Exam support and free dance class

As we get closer to exams season, take time to read our exam webpages which include loads of support and events to help you get ready, such as a session on how to prepare for online exams.

On Monday you can also try Kent Union’s Booiaka dance class which is a cardio workout to music – as much dancing fun as a night out with friends!

Tuesday: Jobs Fair, revision workshop and Cooking Show

Kent Union’s Jobs Fair is happening from 11:00-14:00 in Eliot Hall. This is a great opportunity if you are looking for part-time, temporary or seasonal work.

Not sure where to start with your exams revision? Go along to SLAS’s free revision workshop on Tuesday.

Grab one of 100 free tickets to see Kent Giving Week’s ‘In The Kitchen Cooking Show’! Local chefs will share how you can recreate their signature dishes on a budget and you can then eat what they cook for lunch!

Wednesday: Graduation message board, Diamond Orchard planting and Relaxation Sessions (Medway)

Are you graduating this July? Head over to Nexus on Wednesday between 10:00-14:00 to write a message to your friends and/or family and we will share them at your graduation ceremony.

Help us plant the 300 trees for our Diamond Orchard celebrating the University’s 60th anniversary!

At The Hub, you can choose between a 15 minute back massage or a gel manicure on Wednesday to help you relax.

Thursday: Spring Careers Fair, 5k Your Way and Windrush Talk

Talk to leading graduate employers to find job and placement opportunities at our Spring Careers Fair in Eliot Dining Room between 10:00 and 15:00 on Thursday.

From midday on Thursday, walk, dance, scoot or run ‘5k Your Way’ at our Canterbury and Medway campuses for free with a student ticket. Register now on the Kent Giving Week website.

In honour of the 75^th anniversary of the Windrush Landing, join a talk by Dr Mark Ledwidge about the historical and cultural significance of the Windrush Landing.

Friday: Find a graduate job (Medway) and free yoga

Working in Kent and Medway Week concludes on Friday with an advice session at Medway on how to find a graduate job.

Unwind and stretch at this free yoga session in the Sports Centre (Canterbury) on Friday afternoon.

Reminders!

• Industrial action this week. Monday, Tuesday and Wednesday are UCU strike days, so your teaching may be affected on these days. The College and Community Life Team are offering drop-in support sessions on these days in Locke Building between 9:00-17:00. How to prepare for a strike day.
• Online Module Registration is open. If you’re returning to Kent as an undergraduate student for the 2023/24 academic year, you need to choose your modules by 26 March. If you haven’t already, complete Online Module Registration now.
• Apply for student finance. Full-time undergraduate 2023 to 2024 Student Finance applications are now open.
• Final year student? Your invitation to your graduation ceremony was emailed to you last week. Make sure to check your emails for more info including key deadlines.

As part of the National Day of Action Against Bullying and Violence, learn about what you can do if you or someone you know experiences bullying and harassment.   

At the University of Kent, we want to create a safe and supportive environment for all students and staff, and make it clear to all in our community that bullying and harassment are not acceptable.

Bullying only happens in the playground, right?

Bullying and harassment can take subtle forms and happen at universities and in workplaces. Bullying is defined by ACAS (the Advisory, Conciliation and Arbitration Service) as ‘offensive, intimidating, malicious or insulting behaviour, an abuse or misuse of power through means intended to undermine, humiliate, denigrate or injure the other person’. If you’ve been talked down to at society meetings, if there’s a housemate who makes jokes at your expense when you’ve asked them not to, if you feel singled out or excluded in social settings, if you’ve received unwanted messages or been put down on social media – you have experienced bullying, and can get support. These behaviours could also be prompted by discrimination for a protected characteristic, such as being made fun of/ excluded/ insulted because of one’s faith, disability, race, gender, sexual orientation, pregnancy, and age. Bullying and harassment undermine the core values of the University and create a negative working, learning and living environment, and we think everyone in our community deserves better.

How can you get help?

If you or someone you know is experiencing bullying or harassment, you can get help from the University by visiting the Report + Support tool, which can help you get support and report an incident.

Listed below are some useful guidance links:

• I’m experiencing harassment and/or bullying
• Someone I know is experiencing harassment and/or bullying
• Further support and resources available (Online Harassment and Stalking).

You can submit a report or get support through the Report + Support tool. If you are unsure on how to submit a report, take a look at this video guide.

Even if you report anonymously, you’ll be helping our campuses stay safe. Our team will review information monthly to identify any areas of concern that need to be addressed, and we’ll intervene as necessary. Remember, we’re here to support you. You can also learn more on this topic and how to be an active bystander by accessing the Expect Respect module in Moodle. #GetSupport

Who can help at Kent?

‘I’m Ally, I am a Specialist Wellbeing Adviser supporting students who experience bullying and harassment, discrimination and/or hate incidents. I provide practical support and can help students to process information about further support, and how to make a formal report if they wish to. There is never any pressure or judgement on students to report, and my main aim is to provide a safe space for students to talk about what they have been through.’  Ally Staddon – Specialist Wellbeing Adviser

If you would like to speak to specialist staff about an incident, contact Student Support and Wellbeing and ask for a specialist wellbeing adviser.

Join us in making our university the safest it can be – take control, get support, and build a safer community. #InclusiveKent

Written by Kamila, Ally and Natalia, Student Services staff, on 07.03.23