Kick start environmental conversations with your family this Plastic Free July with Gulbenkian’s family film screenings of Moana and Ponyo.

In Moana, the daughter of a Polynesian Chief undertakes an oceanic odyssey to save her endangered isle from environmental devastation enlisting the aid of the legendary demigod Maui along the way. Moana and Maui’s quest to restore ecological balance and preserve traditional culture highlights how indigenous peoples are among those most impacted by global warming. Moana will be screened at Gulbenkian on Sunday 18 July at 15.00

Fantastic for younger children, Ponyo is a colourful story of a little boy who befriends a magical fish, who evolves into a young girl.  An environmentalist twist on the little mermaid tale from Studio Ghibli, touching on themes of pollution, global warming, personal responsibility and rising sea levels. Ponyo will be screened at Gulbenkian on Sunday 25 July at 15.00.

Tickets for family film screenings are £3.50 / Baby on laps(0-18months) +£1. For more information and tickets please visit www.thegulbenkian.co.uk or call 01227 769075.

Find out more about how you can join the global movement to reduce plastic pollution so we can have cleaner streets, oceans and communities on the Plastic Free July website.

The University is creating a new online space for staff information, as our new staff intranet, delivered through SharePoint Online. It will be the go-to place for staff information and news.  

Rather than one size fits all, you’ll be able to tailor the new intranet to what works best for you. Each Division and Department will have its own special space to share with its community, and staff will be able to choose much of the news they see depending on their interests. 

Using SharePoint Online as the basis of our new intranet will ensure compatibility with all our other Microsoft 365 tools, including Teams, OneDrive and other apps.  

What type of information will be on it? 

• University-wide news  
• University-wide resources  
• Departmental and divisional news, resources, events and information 
• Project information and document sharing  
• Specialist topic areas such as Copyright and Finance 

See how all the Staff Intranet will fit in with other Microsoft 365 tools 

It will replace the Staff Guide on the University website, and current SharePoint sites such as the departmental, divisional and project sites housed in SharePoint 2013. 

Why we’re changing things 

Our new staff intranet will offer the following benefits:  

• Simpler to find what you need – no need to search in numerous places online 
• Single source of accurate information 
• Easy to manage and update content through a simple interface  
• Keeps audience-specific content separate e.g. staff and student information 
• Let’s you tailor content that is relevant to you  

Timeframe for introduction

Divisions already have access to a SharePoint Online Communications hub site, and are putting in content useful for their own division.

July – October 2021 

• We’ll consult with your department / directorate to understand your needs and requirements for storing and sharing staff information. We’ll take this feedback into account when developing the service.
• We’ll pilot intranet sites with different business areas across the University. 
• Professional service directorates’ needs will be gathered over this period. 

November 2021 to 2022  

There will be a phased approach to the creation of intranet sites across academic divisions and professional service directorates. 

By September 2022 

Existing SharePoint 2013 sites will become ‘read only’. 

End 2022 

Work is expected to be completed by end 2022. SharePoint 2013 sites will need to close by then. 

Support 

We’ll offer training and guidance to support you in creating your new intranet presence and choosing the most appropriate place to store your content. There will be no automated transferring of information from SharePoint 2013 to the new intranet.  

You’ll need to plan in some time to review all your current staff-based content stored elsewhere eg SharePoint, Staff Guide, the Kent.ac.uk website. It will take time to review and scope your new intranet area. 

It is suggested that you identify a lead person for this work. We’ll be in touch to identify with you the best way to proceed.  

What should we call it? 

The new intranet is a first for the University and a unique opportunity to celebrate our staff community and everything that makes it special to work at Kent. 

We need a name for our new staff intranet and would welcome your suggestions. Head over to Yammer now and cast your vote on the options, or feel free to add your own!  

There will be a new SharePoint Online site published soon with all the information you will need about the staff intranet and how you will be supported in this change.  

For further information contact: Isobel Linthwaite, Collaboration Services Owner, through Teams or email.  

Applications open today (Wednesday 30 June) for staff who wish to choose where they work for part of the week.

Under our new Hybrid Working Scheme – open to all professional services staff on UK employment contracts – if your job is suitable for remote working, you can request to work off-campus for up to two days per week, starting from 20 September 2021.

Staff who are contracted to work on four days per week or more will be able to apply to work remotely up to two days per week. Staff who work on fewer than four days can apply for one remote working day per week.

How to apply

The default application window for eligible staff is from 30 June – 30 July 2021. This may be varied locally, if necessary due to logistical constraints, and you will be notified if this is the case.

To apply, log into Staff Connect and go to ‘My Forms’ where you will find a link to the Hybrid Working Scheme application documents.  It is important that you read the Application Guide on the HR pages, and take into account any local parameters that have been shared with you by your line manager, before submitting your application.

Your application will be assessed by your line manager, in consultation with your departmental director and in line with agreed criteria. This will take account of what is operationally viable for you in your role, service requirements and overall needs of your team. Managers are being encouraged to facilitate hybrid working wherever operationally possible.

Why we’re doing it

The new scheme underlines the benefits of hybrid working for both the University and our staff. We believe that giving you more choice and control over where you work helps build mutual trust, employee motivation and wellbeing, and can result in enhanced performance.

The Hybrid Working Scheme has been developed in consultation with a JSNCC Working Group and cross-section of other key stakeholders across the University.

Find out more

Further information on the Hybrid Working Scheme, including FAQs, is available now on our HR webpages.

bOing! Kent’s Family Arts Festival is bouncing back this summer and there is an extra special day before the festival weekend kicks off just for Kent Staff and their families on Friday 27 August.

Organised as a big thank you from our Executive Group in recognition of colleagues’ tremendous effort throughout the year, the Staff Family Day at bOing! is FREE for Kent Staff and their families to attend.

Whether you’ve been working on site or remotely, this is an opportunity to reunite with family and colleagues in person for an amazing summer day on campus filled with FREE live performance, music and fun for all!

Everybody’s invited, so say a proper farewell and invite colleagues who have left while we have all been working remotely.

Free refreshments will also be on offer with a £5 credit loaded to Kent Staff KentOne cards that can be redeemed at any University of Kent catering outlet on campus.

All events are free to attend, but please register your attendance via this booking link. MOONmoon has a limited capacity so you will need to book tickets individually for this performance by following this booking link.

Schedule for bOing! on Friday 27 August

12.30 – 12.50pm – The Puppet Van: The Lost Colour
Outdoor chaos 2m in the air featuring clowning and puppetry from Kent Alumni company Half A String.

1 – 1.30pm – Gandini Juggling’s Smashed2
Funny and inventive juggling performance featuring a lot of fruit.

2 – 2.20pm – UPSWING’s Catch Me
A playful mix of dance, circus and chairs.

3 – 3.40pm – Dybwikdans’ MOONmoon – BOOK TICKETS
Marvellous moon inspired musical performance for 0-18months and their adults. Limited capacity so tickets must be booked in advance.

3.30 – 4pm – Gandini Juggling’s Smashed2
Funny and inventive juggling performance featuring a lot of fruit.

4 – 4.20pm – The Puppet Van: The Lost Colour
Outdoor chaos 2m in the air featuring clowning and puppetry from Kent Alumni company Half A String.

4.30 – 4.50pm – UPSWING’s Catch Me
A playful mix of dance, circus and chairs.

5 – 7pm – Global Sounds Music Stage
Programmed by Music for Change, enjoy some summer sounds under the sun.

Find out more about bOing! Kent’s Family Arts Festival

bOing! Kent’s Family Arts Festival is open to the general public on Saturday 28 and 29 August 2021 with a range of free and ticketed events. Funded by Arts Council England and the University of Kent, bOing! welcomes the most innovative and exciting performers from across Europe to the Gulbenkian Arts Centre and our beautiful Canterbury campus. All events at bOing!2021 will be performed in line with Government guidance on Covid-19. 

Watch the bOing! Festival trailer

Become a bOing! Volunteer

Follow in the paw prints of our amazing volunteers of previous years, don a pair of ears and become a bOing! Volunteer. Find out more about volunteering at bOing!

The Joint Staff Negotiating and Consultation Committee (JSNCC) is the main forum for consultation between the University and its staff on matters of mutual interest.

Staff membership of the committee comprises representatives of each of the trade unions and four representatives of non-union staff: two from the professional services and research support staff in grades 1 to 6; and two from the academic, research and professional services staff in grades 7 and above.

One of the current representatives, Jon King, is leaving the University in August so nominations are now invited for one position to represent staff grade 7 and above. Staff members working within Grade 7 and above are encouraged to apply.

Nominations can be made by responding to the nomination email sent on 14 June. All nominations must be proposed and seconded by two other staff members and nominees must confirm that they agree to be nominated. The deadline for completed nomination forms is 17.00 on Monday 28 June 2021.

Why join the JSNCC?

Acting as a staff representative is interesting and rewarding. It provides the opportunity to discuss and comment on University plans and policies, meet a wide range of new people and gain valuable personal development. Training and support will be provided to the successful candidate.

Further information about the JSNCC and the nomination and election processes can be found on the JSNCC website or by contacting HR via ERBP@kent.ac.uk

As we near the end of our financial year (31 July 2021), colleagues are reminded of the continued need to limit our non-pay spend.

Lockdown rules may have been gradually relaxed and travel become less restricted, but we are still working within extremely challenging financial conditions.

To help minimise our non-pay spend, a number of controls introduced last year remain in place, including:

• Credit card use restricted to a small number of nominated areas
• Limited travel, especially overseas (see below)
• ‘No PO, No Pay’ process still applies

New travel policy

Following the UK Government’s recent relaxation of travel rules, our Procurement team has published an updated policy on staff travel during 2021-22.

The new policy states that staff should travel in the UK and abroad only where absolutely necessary and following detailed risk assessment and latest FCDO guidance.

Travel requests will have to be approved by your line manager or director. The expectation is that travel will be much lower in the financial year 2021-22 than in pre-pandemic years.

University taxi service

A new contract for University taxi services went live in May 2021.

A single monthly invoice for each section of the University is now paid from a single purchase order each month. This will reduce the number of card transactions, very low value invoices and expense claims for taxis. Our new taxi suppliers are:

• Longleys, for journeys around Canterbury, including Canterbury-airport bookings
• Vokes, for journeys around Medway, including Medway-airport bookings

An App will be launched for staff to use shortly. In the meantime, bookings can be made by  telephone and, for cost control purposes, staff will need go through their respective Division bookers.

IR35 legislation

From 6 April 2021, there are extra responsibilities when deciding whether off-payroll working rules apply. This is where consultants or contractors engage with the University through an intermediary, such as a Personal Service company. Further information is available on the Procurement webpages.

Best practice guidance

Our Procurement Team has put together a comprehensive guide to best practice in purchasing goods and services on the University’s behalf.

The new Procurement Manual takes account of changes in legislation post-Brexit and includes easy access to key information, as well as a list of contracts to help you choose which suppliers to use. The Manual will be updated and republished on an annual basis.

Click on a PDF version of the Procurement Manual, or find the latest guidance under a new Procurement Manual tab on the Procurement webpages.

Our next staff webchat, on the theme of ‘Kent Summer’, takes place on Teams this Thursday (10 June), from 12.00-13.00.

The webchat focuses on plans to mark the end of summer term with a fortnight of fun and community on our Canterbury and Medway campuses from 21 June to 21 July.

Primarily for students, the wide-ranging programme includes a host of activities, including music, food, sport, outdoor cinema and workshops. Plans may need to be flexed depending on the outcome of the Government’s review of lockdown restrictions next week, but it’s an exciting programme with something for everyone.

The webchat will be chaired as usual by Professor Richard Reece, DVC Education & Student Experience. He will be joined by members of the Kent Summer team, including Victoria Edwards, Sarah Slowe, Richard Bradford, Annikki Laitinen and Jacqui Double.

Ahead of the session, it would be helpful to have as many questions as possible so we can do our best to cover everything in the time. To do this, please sign-up via this form where you can include your question when prompted.

Recordings and slides from all previous sessions are available on our staff webpages.

Lynne Regan, Disability Adviser and Student Support and Wellbeing Administration Manager at Medway campus, tells us more about her role.

When did you join the University and why?

I joined the University in January 2008, initially in an administrative role within what was then the Disability and Dyslexia Support Service. I have stayed in the same department – what is now Student Support & Wellbeing, part of the Student Services Directorate – changing over the years from an administration role to a Disability Adviser role, alongside managing the office and administration for the Medway team.

Before joining Kent, I worked in freight forwarding for 10 years until leaving to have my children. I then held various home-based admin roles, which meant I did not have to return to the workplace until the children were older.

Can you tell us what your current role involves?

My current role has two elements. As a Disability Adviser, I support students with physical/sensory disabilities, long-term medical conditions and Autistic Spectrum conditions. This includes talking to students about their support needs, writing Inclusive Learning Plans, and helping students with their eligibility for support from the Disabled Students’ Allowance. I also handle enquiries from academic division staff and other central services, and present our services to new intake students at the start of each academic year.

As Student Support & Wellbeing Administration Manager for Medway, I manage a team of Educational Support Assistants and Administrators at the Medway campus, and work with the Head of Student Support & Wellbeing and Team Managers in Canterbury to ensure an equal and effective service for all students. I also oversee the running of the Student Services office at Medway, which includes the Mental Health and Specific Learning Difficulties Advisers for Medway, Study Skills Tutors and Mentors, Counselling team and the Careers and Employability Team.

Gillingham Building, Medway, where Lynne’s team is based

How has Covid affected your work and what sort of measures have you taken to overcome these extra challenges?

Covid-19 restrictions have changed the way we work in Student Support & Wellbeing and across the Student Services Directorate. Where appointments were previously in-person, we have had to adapt to providing support remotely. Some students benefit from this support method, whereas others have struggled with not being able to meet support staff in person.

Most of the Student Services team at Medway are currently working from home, with the exception of the Mental Health Adviser and Specialist Mentor. As Admin Manager, I have kept in weekly contact with the Administrators and we have a WhatsApp group for the Student Services team at Medway – mostly for social chat and daily challenges – which has helped to keep us all connected throughout this time. It also helps us keep up-to-date with changes in the University’s response to Covid where this has an impact on our service. 

Looking ahead, what are your plans for the next year or two?

To continue supporting students at Medway – hopefully, resuming in-person appointments soon – and supporting the Student Services team at Medway who do a fantastic job.

Away from my role in Student Support & Wellbeing, I have been actively involved, along with Medway Student Services colleagues, in Green Impact/Green 15/FutureProof, working on sustainability projects.

Biodiversity garden at Medway

Our biggest project at Medway is plans to bring a little bit of biodiversity to our rather concrete campus – by way of a woodland walk (through woods that have, until recently, been totally inaccessible), accessible seating areas, plants and other additions to help improve wellbeing and provide staff and students at Medway with somewhere nice to sit, gather, contemplate and enjoy the nature around us. After a false start and funding issues due to Covid interruption, this now looks as though it will be going ahead and I’m looking forward to being involved in the planning and development of this exciting project.  

Covid-restrictions permitting (!), what are your interests away from work?

I am a serial-studier! I started studying with the Open University in 1994 and have completed two undergraduate degrees and a postgraduate degree there, and also an MA in Higher Education at Kent. I am currently in the final stages of completing a Doctorate in Education at the Open University, with my research investigating the experiences of transgender students in higher education. Aside from this, I enjoy live events such as concerts and theatre, and I am looking forward to filling my diary with events again once Covid restrictions are lifted.

Lynne receiving her MA in Higher Education

What would be your idea of a perfect day?

Spending time with my family, something that I’ve missed over the last year and that I am looking forward to, hopefully, this summer.

From September 2021, a number of University staff will be able to choose where they work for part of the week.

Under our new Hybrid Working Scheme – open to all professional services staff on UK employment contracts – you can request to work off-campus for up to two days per week.

The new scheme underlines the benefits of hybrid working for both the University and our staff. We believe that giving you more choice and control over where you work helps build mutual trust, employee motivation and wellbeing, and can result in enhanced performance. 

How will it work

Staff who are contracted to work on four days per week or more will be able to apply to work remotely up to two days per week. Staff who work on fewer than four days can apply for one remote working day per week.

Applications will be assessed by your line manager, with oversight by the departmental director, in line with agreed criteria. This will take account of what is operationally viable for you in your role, service requirements and the overall needs of your team. We will be encouraging managers to facilitate hybrid working wherever operationally possible.

The Hybrid Working Scheme has been developed in consultation with a JSNCC Working Group and cross-section of other key stakeholders across the University. Documentation will be shared with JSNCC in mid-June and the scheme will be open for applications after that. 

Find out more

Further information on the new Hybrid Working Scheme, including FAQs, is available now on our HR pages.