Keeping our university community as safe as possible is a top priority for us all.

Staff working on campus should ensure that they are fully aware of the safety measures we have put in place to limit the spread of Covid-19.  Whether it’s arranging a meeting, in a teaching setting or simply walking across campus, please remember to follow the guidelines for ‘hands, face, space’ and the ‘rule of six’ as they apply in a work setting.

Risk assessment

Make sure you are aware of the detailed risk assessment, which has been applied across the University ahead of staff return to work across campus.

The risk assessment covers measures such as

• Disease control (including downloading the NHS Test and Trace app, and staying at home if you feel unwell)
• Improved hygiene (such as extra hand-washing and sanitisers in all key areas and enhanced cleaning of buildings)
• Social distancing set at 2m in most areas but 1m+ in teaching rooms (where all students should be wearing face coverings and staff have access to face shields, particularly for over-the-shoulder supervision)
• PPE/face coverings
• Safeguards for vulnerable individuals

Code of Conduct

You should also familiarise yourself with our Covid-19 Code of Conduct for Staff and Students.

The Code of Conduct is updated regularly in line with latest government guidelines. It outlines changes to our environment, adaptations to ensure our sites are Covid-secure, and what we all need to do to make sure we keep each other safe.

All staff and students are expected to follow the Covid-19 Code of Conduct guidelines while on campus, as well as standards within our existing Charter/Code of Conduct.

• Student Charter
• Staff Code of Conduct

Find out more

To find out more about staying safe while on campus, see our staff Covid-19 webpages.

Don’t forget to have your say in the BAME Staff Network All Staff Survey 2020, which is open until 8 November.

Why we are running this survey
The University of Kent has committed to addressing racial inequalities and creating an inclusive culture and environment where individuals are able to thrive, irrespective of their race, ethnicity or various intersections. To help facilitate progress, the University of Kent’s Black, Asian and Minority Ethnic (BAME) Staff Network is working in collaboration with the University senior management team.

We want to hear your views on working at the University of Kent, and whether you think there is anything the University can do to eradicate racial discrimination and advance race equality. This survey is just one of the ways you can be involved. We will be communicating with you regularly to keep you up to date with the race equality work we are undertaking and will seek your views on future actions we intend to propose. If you would like to be further involved in this work, or become a member of the University of Kent Staff Network, please email bamestaffnetwork@kent.ac.uk.

Who should take part?
This survey is for both BAME and White staff working in academic or professional services roles within the University of Kent.

Why should you take part?
This survey is the first part of a wider piece of research that seeks to understand the culture of the University of Kent, in order to advance race equality. By taking part in this survey, you are adding to the knowledge of the University of Kent and helping us to identify areas for improvement, and ways to make those improvements.

The results of this survey will be published on our website. We hope you will see your views and ideas acted upon and reflected within the University Equality, Diversity, and Inclusion (EDI) strategy, in order to make progress on race equality. The survey will be followed by a qualitative study that will involve participants from this survey who have willingly expressed an interest in being part of a case study. The second phase will involve participants of the survey who have willingly expressed an interest in being part of a case study who will be contacted by the management research team. At the end of this survey, you will be asked to indicate if you would be willing to participate in the case study.

Data security and anonymity
Throughout the survey, please only answer the questions with which you are comfortable. All of the information you provide will be held in the strictest confidence and will only be seen by the University of Kent BAME Staff Network management team which comprises the four co-Chairs of the BAME Staff Network, Dr Heejung Chung and research associate (RA) Hyojin Seo. The data will be stored according to the Data Protection Act 2018. The University’s privacy notice contains information that outlines how your personal data will be processed as part of this research process.

Only the research team will have access to this database. Aggregated, anonymised analysis will be shared with other departments in the University to inform the development of services, policies and processes. At no point will the information you provide be shared in a way that would allow you to be personally identified. Any published material will be anonymised.

If you have any questions about this survey that have not been answered by this information page, please contact the BAME Staff Network by emailing bamestaffnetwork@kent.ac.uk.

Proceed to the survey
To proceed to the survey, please click on this link.

The link also includes more information about the survey’s purpose and objectives, and outlines its complete anonymity and confidentiality.

The Survey will be open until 8 November 2020 and the Network hopes that as many staff members as possible will participate. Please remember, if you have any questions about the survey, email the Co-Chairs at bamestaffnetwork@kent.ac.uk

Thank you,
Bridget, Dave, Barbara and Vanisha, Co-Chairs of the BAME Staff Network

This Covid-19 Update explains the ‘Tiers of Restriction’ set out by Government which concern HE provision. These differ to the national Covid Alert Levels, which are sometimes called ‘tiers’ or ‘local lockdowns’.

The Tiers of Restriction recommend restrictions to HE provision based on the infection rates within a particular area. The Government recommends that if restrictions are required, these should be implemented in a phased manner to ensure students and staff are supported.

The National Institute of Health Protection (NIPH) will provide guidance on how any additional restrictions will apply to students travelling between university and home.

Currently, Kent is at Tier 1 teaching provision out of a possible 4. The Tiers are outlined below:

Tier 1 (default position): This is our current position. HE providers are expected to deliver blended learning, with online and face-to-face tuition, whilst following public health guidance (for example, the use of suitable face coverings)

Tier 2 (fallback position): HE providers will move to an increased level of online learning. Face-to-face teaching should be continued according to the provider’s own risk assessment. In most cases, this will be for clinical or practical teaching and research.

Tier 3 (stricter measures): HE providers will further increase online learning and face-to-face teaching will be reserved only for priority courses (e.g. clinical and medical courses), and in as limited number of situations as possible. At this Tier, providers should support students by keeping key services such as libraries and catering facilities open. Students will need to follow local Government guidance including remaining in their current accommodation to reduce the risk of spreading the virus.

Tier 4 (last resort): The majority of HE provision will now be online. Buildings will be open only for essential workers and students who must still attend for face-to-face teaching. This includes the continuation of essential research.

We have produced a new FAQ for staff and students explaining the Tiers of Restriction. These can be found on our Coronavirus webpages (under Returning to Campus/Safety on Campus for staff and in the Studying section for students).

All our academic and professional service departments are currently planning how to continue their service should our Tier status change. This ensures we are prepared for any future context we find ourselves in and can support all our people to work and study effectively at Kent.

Further information concerning the Tiers can be found on the Government guidance concerning reopening buildings and campuses.

This interactive workshop for managers, team leaders and supervisors will highlight essential good practice in supporting staff wellbeing and mental health. The aim of the workshop is to enable and encourage managers to develop a management style that strikes the right balance between the needs of the individual/team and the needs of the business.

Course content

• Signs that might indicate that a staff member is struggling
• Impact of the Covid-19 pandemic – issues to be aware of
• 2 golden rules for managing stress and mental health at work
• Practical problems for managers
• Good practice framework for managing mental health at work
• Clarifying the role of the organisation, individual staff and the manager
• Guidelines for managing sensitive conversations about stress and mental health
• Practical support – ‘reasonable adjustments’ during and after the Covid-19 pandemic
• Sources of support for staff and managers

Your trainer

Anna’s background is in mental health where she has accumulated 30 years of practical and managerial experience in both statutory and voluntary sector settings, including 10 years in mental health crisis services. Anna was senior associate trainer for Mind, the mental health charity for over 10 years and is a UKCP accredited Integrative Psychotherapist and Clinical Supervisor in private practice.

To sign-up

Numbers are restricted so book your place via Staff Connect now.

The Public Sector Bodies (Websites and Mobile Applications) Accessibility Regulations (2018) requires the University to make sure digital content is accessible to everyone by September 2020, ensuring that all our digital content is ‘perceivable, operable, understandable and robust’ in accordance with the Web Content Accessibility Guidelines (WCAG) 2.1 AA accessibility standard.

What this means is that all of us who produce or share University documents need to make sure they meet accessibility standards.

The standards apply to digital resources we share with students, colleagues, or members of the public by digital means (e.g., by website, Moodle, email, SharePoint, Teams etc). Accessible content is better content and will enable a wider and broader range of users to understand, or act on, your key messages.

Once you know how to do this, creating accessible content becomes second nature and we have lots of guidance to help you:

• Review the guidance in our accessible content guides to help you produce documents, presentations, video, and web pages that meet the regulation requirements.
• Continue to follow the Kent Inclusive Practices (KIPs) 
• All video-based content (including KentPlayer recordings) will need to have closed captions available to students from September 2020. To help meet this requirement all new KentPlayer recordings will have closed captions automatically applied. Further information on KentPlayer captions and how to edit them, is available on the University’s Captions in KentPlayer guide.
• The Digitally Enhanced Education – A Guide to Teaching Online course has been designed to help academic colleagues from around the institution transition their teaching online and includes a focus on digital accessibility throughout.

The Kent accessibility pages are the main source of digital accessibility information and will be constantly updated.

If you have any questions or concerns, please contact : opera@kent.ac.uk

We all have a responsibility to ensure that the digital content we create is accessible to all so that the digital experience of students and staff is as good as it can be.

Professor Richard J Reece 
Deputy Vice-Chancellor – Education and Student Experience

Eighty-five academic colleagues are celebrating their promotion to professor, reader, senior lecturer or senior research fellow in the 2019-20 academic year.

The new professors are:

Division of Arts and Humanities

Julie Anderson (History), Juliette Pattinson (History), Henrik Schoenefeldt (Architecture and Planning), Anna Schaffner (Comparative Literature)

Professor Anna Schaffner

Division of Computing, Engineering and Mathematical Sciences

Richard Guest (Engineering and Digital Arts), Rachel McCrea (Mathematics, Statistics and Actuarial Science)

Professor Rachel McCrea

Education Directorate

Kathleen Quinlan

Division of Human and Social Sciences

Markus Bindemann, (Psychology), Matthew Skinner (Anthropology and Conservation)

Professor Matthew Skinner (with Professor Tracy Kivell)

Kent Business School

Joseph Amankwah-Amoah

Division for the Study of Law, Society and Social Justice

Lindsay Forbes (Centre for Health Services Studies), Karen Jones (PSSRU)

Division of Natural Sciences

John Dickinson (pictured – Sport and Exercise Sciences), James Hopker (Sport and Exercise Sciences)

Professor John Dickinson

Alison Ross-Green, Director of HR and Organisational Development, said:

‘The University is dependent upon the personal growth and career attainment of its academic staff to refresh, develop and strengthen our organisation for the future. Congratulations to all those promoted in 2019-20. Your hard work and focus on excellence help to ensure the outstanding student experience, research achievement and funding that is so important to our success going forward.’

You can see the full list of Academic Promotions 2019-20 here.

All University staff are invited to take part in the BAME Staff Network All Staff Survey 2020, which launches on Thursday 8 October. Findings from the survey will help the BAME Staff Network explore and examine staff experiences of working at Kent.

About the Network

The BAME Staff Network was launched in 2019 to support the University’s commitment to equality, diversity and inclusivity and provide an active forum for BAME staff to discuss issues and experiences important to them. Full Terms of Reference for the Network can be seen on the HR webpages.

Current Network Co-Chairs are Dr Bridget Ng’andu, Dave Thomas, Dr Barbara Aduwemi and Vanisha Jassal; all have been staff members at Kent for several years. Two of the Co-Chairs are also studying at the University. They therefore bring a range of experience and knowledge related to both staff and students – critical to a comprehensive understanding of BAME experiences at the University. To find out about the people behind the Network, take a look at the blog and videos produced by the Co-Chairs during the University’s virtual ‘Belong and Grow’ week in May 2020.

Following its launch last year, a key objective of the Network has been to reach out to all staff members so please contact the Network at bamestaffnetwork@kent.ac.uk if you would like to talk to the Co-Chairs about membership or any other matters. Please note that this inbox is only accessible by the four Co-Chairs and all communication will be kept confidential and anonymous.

Staff survey

The BAME Staff Network All Staff Survey 2020 will enable the Network to continue its collaborative work with the University’s senior management team to address racial inequalities and create an inclusive culture and environment, where all staff are able to thrive, irrespective of their race or ethnicity.

We want to hear the views of all staff on working at the University and whether you think there is anything we can do to eradicate racial discrimination and advance race equality. This survey is just one of the ways you can be involved and we will be communicating regularly to keep you up to date with the race equality work we are undertaking. We are seeking views from all staff – academic, professional services, Estates and Hospitality – to help inform our future actions. The survey has been approved by the SSPSSR ethics committee and the data will allow the Network to produce necessary research.

You can go directly to the survey by clicking on this link. The link includes more information about the survey’s purpose and objectives, and outlines its complete anonymity and confidentiality.

The survey will be open from 8 October until 8 November 2020 and the Network hopes that as many staff members as possible will participate. If you have any questions about the survey, please email the Co-Chairs at: bamestaffnetwork@kent.ac.uk

Thank you,
Bridget, Dave, Barbara and Vanisha, Co-Chairs of the BAME Staff Network

If you start to experience symptoms of Covid-19 or have been advised to self-isolate, it is important that you know what to do; how this should be reported and the procedures you need to follow.

Key Covid-19 symptoms are:

• high temperature (fever) – you feel hot to touch on your chest or back (you do not need to measure your temperature)
• new continuous cough – coughing for more than an hour, or three or more coughing episodes in 24 hours (if you usually have a cough, it may be worse than usual)
• new loss or change to your sense of smell or taste – you cannot smell or taste anything or things smell or taste different to normal.

To ensure we keep our community as safe as possible, all staff are asked to familiarise themselves with the new reporting procedures.

Guidance for staff

If you display any of the key Covid-19 symptoms, or you need to self-isolate, you should follow our reporting procedure for staff, which includes guidance on:

• booking a Covid-19 test – we have testing centres on both our Canterbury and Medway campuses
• what to do if you become unwell while on campus
• reporting a positive test
• self-isolating if someone in your household tests positive or you are contacted by the NHS Test and Trace Service
• how your absence is reported on Staff Connect.

Guidance for managers

Managers are advised to also read the separate reporting procedure for managers to ensure appropriate and necessary action is taken in the event a member of staff reports Covid-19 symptoms, a positive test, or a requirement to self-isolate.

Further information on Covid-19, including updated FAQs on wearing face coverings and visitors on campus, is available on the staff coronavirus webpages.

A thank you from Professor Richard Reece:

Dear Colleagues,

On behalf of the University, and particularly on behalf of our students, I would like to take this opportunity to extend my thanks and appreciation for all of the work that you have done to ensure that the campus has been so ready to welcome students this week, and begin teaching for the majority of students next week.

We are living through extraordinary times and it is hard to imagine, even just thinking back to January, that the University experience over the course of the 2020/21 academic year could have changed so radically. For many students, the experience of starting (or restarting) their university life is a stressful and disorienting one. I wanted to take this moment, therefore, to thank all of you for your diligence and generosity as we work together to respond as circumstances require. I have been enormously impressed with the dedication, commitment and skill that all of you have brought to ensuring that we are as ready as we can be for the start of the new term.

I literally cannot say ‘thank you’ enough. The changeable times that we have all encountered since lock-down foster tremendous levels of anxiety and bring each and every one of us face-to-face with profound uncertainty, with worry for loved ones, and with dislocation in all aspects of our lives. By continuing to work together, in a collegiate, supportive and kind way, I have no doubt that that we will overcome undoubted obstacles that we will face as the term progresses.

With many best wishes,

Professor Richard Reece| Deputy Vice-Chancellor (Education and Student Experience)

(Watch Richard Reece’s thank you on this YouTube video)