Yesterday the University & College Union announced national strike action at 150 universities across the country. This will take the form of strikes on the 24, 25 and 30 November, along with ‘Action Short of a Strike’ until further notice. At this stage this does not include a marking and assessment boycott. 

The strikes are part of a national dispute over pay, pensions and working conditions across the university sector. As an individual institution, we don’t have a major influence over the negotiations which take place at national level between UCU and both Universities UK and UCEA. Our hope is that through discussion all parties can come to an agreement that works for everyone – all of us want to work in a sector where staff are well rewarded for their hard work, but the same cost of living squeeze felt by people across the country also has an impact on the finances of universities too. 

Our priority initially will also be ensuring we minimise any impact on students as far as we can. We will shortly be sending an update to students which will set out our principles in responding to industrial action, including that we will do all we can to limit the impact on their studies and that we will never devalue their degree or coursework.  

Alongside this we will shortly publish student and staff information which will be regularly updated throughout. This will include the background to the strikes, what we have been doing at Kent to address the issues being discussed, what happens on strike days, plus links to wider support. These will be regularly updated throughout.  

Working groups are also meeting this week to manage our response to strikes across the University, while there will be a number of opportunities for students to have their say, including via the Strike Forums organised by Kent Union. 

It’s International Stress Awareness Week this week. The theme for this year is ‘Working Together to Build Resilience and Reduce Stress.’

Stress is not new. The stress hormone cortisol has even been found in the hair of ancient Peruvians who were alive between 550-1532 CE/AD. Defined as a state of mental or emotional strain caused by adverse circumstances, stress is a physical and emotional reaction experienced by all of us, with symptoms such as headaches, a pounding heart, sweating, and more. Experiencing long-term stress can lead to the development of health problems such as high blood pressure and mental health problems, as well as a physiological and psychological condition known as ‘burn-out’.

People can experience stress due to many circumstances in their lives. With the current cost of living crisis, many people are struggling with the basic demands of living. Work can also cause stress, with studies suggesting that costs to businesses from poor employee mental health have increased by 25% since the pandemic.

At Kent, we have measures in place to help you. For example, our Employee Assistance Programme can be accessed 24 hours a day and you can reach out to them if you are struggling, feeling overwhelmed or just at your wit’s end! Details on how to contact them and other support available can be found on the University’s Mental Health Support webpages. There’s also the Staff Wellbeing Reading List, a useful Staff Wellbeing Toolkit, and the opportunity to use the Roberston-Cooper i-resilience tool.

Using the available resources and having a toolkit of tips such as working out how to look after your wellbeing, building a support network and finding out how to organise your time effectively can help you manage stress and build your resilience. Although it’s impossible to make all the stress in your life disappear, the help available could make it easier to get through stressful situations.

We return to the Cathedrals of Canterbury and Rochester next month for our winter graduation ceremonies and we invite you all to get involved to help make these special occasions for our graduands.

There is one ceremony in Rochester on Wednesday 23 November and three in Canterbury on Friday 25 November.

You can sign up here.

There are a range of roles to take on and they all give you the opportunity to share in the celebrations and pass on your congratulations. They include:

• Ticket Collection: You will be responsible for helping graduands and guests exchange their ‘E-Receipts’ for graduation tickets.
• Graduand Registration: This role assists with checking in each graduand as they arrive and giving them a number to line them up in processional order around the precinct. You will have an alphabetised list of names to check.
• Ushering: As an usher, you will be responsible for making sure the guests are seated promptly and safely in the Cathedral prior to, during and post ceremony
• Certificate Table: Based inside the Cathedral, this role is responsible for ensuring that all graduates receive their certificate.

Why should you get involved?

• Share in the celebrations of our graduands as they become our graduates and experience the joy of graduation ceremonies.
• Spend time working in the wonderful locations of Canterbury and Rochester Cathedral.
• Get free refreshments (including one or more meals) if you work for two or more consecutive ceremonies.

We will be delighted to have you for any times you are available. We will send you the briefing closer to the ceremonies that confirms your start times and who to report to on the day.

If you have any questions in the meantime, please do not hesitate to get in touch or if you are all set to help you can sign up here.

Join our Staff Tennis Club each Tuesday between 12pm to 1.30pm with our LTA level 5 coach and Tennis Development Manager Nick Skelton. Drop in during your lunch break for an informal game of tennis with Nick and other members of staff.

You can arrive late or leave early to fit in with your lunch break and Nick will organise all the players on the day into games with others of a similar level. So come along whether you’re new to tennis, haven’t played for a long time, would like to find new players to play with, or just want to get some exercise and let off some steam!

To book on any Kent Sport All Active session please visit kent.ac.uk/sports/all-active

All Active sessions are free for Kent Sport Premium Plus members. Premium, Plus, and Pay to Play members pay £2 per session.

The University’s Institute of Cultural and Creative Industries have announced Jim Ang as its new Deputy Director.

Jim is currently Senior Lecturer in the University of Kent School of Computing, where his main research expertise lies in digital health, specifically in co-designing, deploying and evaluating immersive and sensing technologies in healthcare settings. His team has developed prototypes including virtual reality systems for people with dementia, anxiety and eating disorders, as well as skin-like flexible sensors for monitoring and therapies, some of which are in use in real-world settings.

Jim says: “I hope to help shape the future direction of ICCI, exploring the intersection between my current work, and cultural and creative industries to make an impact.”

iCCi Director Catherine Richardson says “We are delighted to welcome Jim to our team. He brings a wealth of knowledge and expertise as we develop a Digital Strategy for research, teaching and civic engagement, and will bring colleagues from across the university more closely into iCCi as the Institute continues its work with cutting-edge projects – including the Docking Station, a new cultural hub for immersive technologies in Medway”.

Find out more about the work of iCCi.

You are invited to submit new or updated declarations for incorporation in the 2022/2023 Register.

What is this?

The University Council holds a Register of Interests for all staff and members of Council, in line with the Higher Education Code of Governance and the Office for Students Audit requirements. This register is where individuals declare any interests they have. Some examples are:

• Any financial or personal interest you may have between the University and an external body, such as another organisation.
• Consultancy, employment, directorship or other activity within a commercial concern
• Shareholding or membership of statutory and public authorities
• Other education establishments and companies where the University has an actual or potential business relationship
• Any interest a family member might have that could give the appearance of a conflict, even where no actual conflict exists.

When should I make a declaration?

It is up to you what, if any, interests you declare. However, making a declaration provides protection for both you and the University against any possible allegations of misconduct, corruption, or impropriety.

It ensures transparency so it is clear you did not exploit your position for personal gain in some way or used your position within the University for your personal advantage. The rule of thumb is if in doubt, declare it to cover yourself.

Documents, including the Policy and a Declaration Form can be accessed on the Governance website Policies and Procedures – Governance – University of Kent and on SharePoint. You can also find the University’s Policy on Personal Benefit  on our Governance pages.

Colleagues are welcome to contact Council Secretariat for confidential advice if needed.

Completed forms should be returned by the end of November 2022.

We increasingly rely upon networked technologies and the internet infrastructures upon which these rely; the myriad miles of fibreoptic cables, the banks of servers, the lofty data centres and the ever-encircling satellites. However, these integral systems are often unseen, overlooked, and sometimes intentionally concealed. Additionally, the software and hardware that we see in our everyday environments – laptops, desktops, smartphones, smart devices and so forth – are often so entrenched in our way of being that we overlook our reliance upon them until they stop functioning; a power cut, server downtime, an empty battery.

This competition welcomes photograph submissions that engage with the human experiencing of cyberspace and its interconnected hardware and software. Use your camera or other image-capturing device – whether SLR, polaroid, smartphone camera, webcam, Game Boy® pocket camera – to capture a moment that tells a story about living, learning and connecting in cyberspace.

Submitted photographs will be judged for up to 26 prizes in 3 categories (Kent staff, Kent students and non-Kent participants):

• 3 Best Overall Photo Prizes (one per category, £100 Amazon voucher per prize),
• 3 Most Creative Photo Prizes (one per category, £100 Amazon voucher per prize), and
• 20 runner-up prizes (5 for Kent staff, 5 for Kent student, and 10 for non-Kent participants; £20 Amazon voucher per prize).

Submit your photograph by 31 October

The cost of living and rising energy prices are of increasing concern for many of us. Staff from across the University are meeting regularly to see what we can put in place ahead of the winter months.

The Heating and Energy Efficiency Team met recently to identify energy-saving measures this winter. Whereas previously, measures have been driven by the need to reduce carbon emissions, this year, reducing costs is also a key priority. The measures identified are generally no cost, or low cost measures that we can put in place quickly.

John Kingsland said:

“We are estimating to reduce gas consumption in the range of 4-8% this winter and will reduce electricity consumption/costs to a lesser extent. Our current main actions are as follows:

• The Boiler House started operation on Wednesday 14 September with a start up temperature of 90C, which is lower than previous years and will result in less heat loss from the 3km district heating mains. This is being checked to ensure heating and hot water in buildings are reaching the required temperatures. As the weather gets colder the temperature will have to be increased to maintain the heating, but this can be reduced again as the weather turns milder in the spring.
• There are 4 boilers in the Boiler House. On the coldest days 2 boilers can meet the full heating requirements on all but the very coldest of days. Based on this, one boiler will be isolated for the heating season reducing standard losses from the boilers.
• Currently, each building has its own individual outside air temperature sensor. These are connected to the Building Management System (BMS) and when the heating exceeds 16C outside, the BMS switches off the heating systems inside the buildings as it is not required. Some of these controls have been adjusted and there is further scope to have outside air temparature sensors grouped into zones and have the calibration checked.
• Time schedules, boiler set points, heating set points and more are in the process of being reviewed and adjusted to improve control of heating, hot water and associated plant. Additional control systems added to the Honeywell software can reduce energy consumption further.

The above is a starting point and will be reviewed and adjusted going forwards. Any new updates or changes will continute to be communicated as soon as possible.

At the end of July, the T&OD team wanted to recognise the commitment of our Digital Specialists who have been creating online learning for our staff. They entered Jena and Amy into the Learning Pool Awards in the category of Rising Star. This award recognises someone starting out in their career, or new to learning and development.

Jena Dady was previously a Talent Advisor within T&OD but applied for the role of Digital Specialist as part of the department’s restructure. This wasn’t something Jena had previous experience in, yet her enthusiasm, and willingness to learn something new and support the change of training methodology in the T&OD team shone through. Jena picked up the software quickly and has a truly collaborative approach to design, ensuring content is accessible as well as engaging, and informative. Jena continues to look for ways to innovate and learn, including looking into the use of VR as part of the learning experience for staff.

Amy Terry joined the T&OD team in September 2020. As this was during the pandemic, Amy had to start her new role working from home, where she didn’t have the usual introduction to the team or networking opportunities. Not only did Amy have to learn about the organisation and her team, but she also had to learn new software and the remote learning approach we were taking during the pandemic. Although this was challenging, Amy’s energy brings light to any room or meeting. Her pragmatic, matter of fact and organised approach meant she started to make differences very quickly within the team and organisation. Amy is methodical, dedicated and produces high-quality learning modules, that are accessible and easy to learn from.

At the end of September, the T&OD team received the excellent news that both Jena and Amy had been shortlisted out of a large number of entries. On 13 October they attending the awards event and although they didn’t win, it was lovely to see two people from Kent being recognised. They were also very happy to receive their goody bags!

By Dan Harding, Head of Music Performance

23 October 2012 marked a revolution in extra-curricular music at the University; the moment the doors of the new Colyer-Fergusson Building opened for the first time. Since the vibrant Gala opening which took place the following December, the award-winning facility has been the centrepiece of campus-based music-making in Canterbury, with nightly rehearsals and weekend performances galvanising the space.

Sir James Colyer-Fergusson was a passionate supporter of the University music at Kent, and his generous legacy laid the foundation for the building’s construction. This, alongside contributions from over 200 individual doners and support from the Higher Education Funding Council for England’s Matched Funding Scheme, means the building resounds during term-time with music by students, staff, alumni and members of the local community coming together to explore a wide range of music.

Some of the highlights include the Music department’s popular Lunchtime Concert series. This has provided a welcome respite from the working day once a month during term-time, hosting concerts ranging from Scottish folk group Fara to the Deptford Rivieras, sitarist Jonathan Mayer, saxophonist Martin Speake, and others. Students have also had the opportunity to engage with visiting performers in workshops and coaching sessions, including working with the Glyndebourne Touring Orchestra, the London Conchord Ensemble, percussionist Denis Kucherov, and Dame Anne Evans.

Alongside this, a wealth of internationally acclaimed musicians have performed in the prestigious concert-hall over the past 10 years, including Sir Willard White, the Brodsky Quartet, Joanna MacGregor, Robert Wyatt, the London Community Gospel Choir, Stile Antico, Jess Gillam, Imogen Cooper and Rachel Podger. Renowned harpsichordist Trevor Pinnock has even recorded the entire series of Bach’s Well-Tempered Clavier in the concert-hall for the Deutsche Grammophon label.

Over 250 students and staff regularly use the practice rooms each academic year, and the Music department’s annual programme of events comes to a flourishing climax each summer in Summer Music Week, celebrating the end of the musical and academic year.

And it’s all thanks to Sir James’ visionary legacy that this can take place, offering remarkable, memorable opportunities to all those who both come to participate as well as come to watch. This December, we’ll be launching the start of a year-long series of events across our music-making, welcoming back many musical alumni, and continuing to celebrate extra-curricular music at the heart of the artistic life of the University community. We look forward to seeing you!

As part of the anniversary celebrations to mark the ten-year anniversary of the opening of the Colyer-Fergusson, the Music department is delighted to have commissioned a new piece by the composer Russell Hepplewhite.

The piece, written for mixed-voice choir and string orchestra, is a setting of the Magnificat interspersed with four new poems written by Nancy Gaffield in the School of Creative Writing, each inspired by an historic painting. There will be two performances of the piece next year, on Friday 31 March in the Colyer-Fergusson Hall at 7.30pm and Friday 9 June in the Colyer-Fergusson Hall at 7.30pm, as part of Summer Music Week.