From 12 June 2019 all professional services, academic and research staff will be able to use Staff Connect to submit expense claims replacing the existing paper based solution.

If you need assistance with transitioning to the new system please contact the Payments Office at expenses@kent.ac.uk

The Staff Connect Expenses module will allow the submission of expense claims online and to attach scanned copies of receipts to the claim. The claim will then be forwarded, via the system, to an agreed Authoriser within your area, for approval.

Once the claim has been approved it will be forwarded automatically for payment. Payments will be made on a fortnightly basis into the same bank account used for your salary payments.

Drop-in sessions
Drop-in sessions will be held in the period following the launch of the expenses module to allow anyone who wishes to attend for informal training, support and to answer any questions. Please find dates, times and room locations within Cornwallis South East Octagon below:

Monday 10 June all day – SE14
Wednesday 12 June all day – SE14
Thursday 13 June 10.00-12.00 – SE20
Tuesday 18 June 10.00-12.00 – SE20
Wednesday 19 June 14.00-16.00 – SE14
Monday 24 June 14.00-16.00 – SE14
Friday 28 June 10.00-12.00 – SE20
Medway TBC

Further help

If you have any questions about Staff Connect and the launch of this new module, there is guidance, including a frequently asked questions section, on the Staff Connect website.

To find out more about using Staff Connect to make expense claims, please come to one of the demo and drop-in sessions available for all staff and line managers.

There is a high level guide available in relation to the process for submission and approval. Please go to support to find out more. Online user guides are available.

With the school holidays just around the corner, Kent Sport has the perfect solution to keeping your children entertained this summer – SummerZone! With up to two weeks of professional sports coaching, led by qualified and DBS checked coaches and supported by sports supervisors, SummerZone cures the summer boredom and gets your children active. If your child(ren) are aged five to 14 and would enjoy taking part in a variety of sporting activities on a daily basis, including football, kwik cricket, tag rugby, hockey and tennis, then book them on SummerZone 2019!

SummerZone will run from 09.00 to 15.00 daily from Monday 12 to Friday 16 August (week one), and Monday 19 to Friday 23 August (week two). Late pick-ups are available from 15.00 to 17.00 and will include staff-led fun games and creative activities.

“This is a wonderful sports camp. We are grateful that Kent Sport organises it. Our son absolutely loved it!” – proud parent of previous SummerZone attendee

You can book places for SummerZone now through the website. Booking is available for one week, two weeks or individual days. For full details please click here. Booking closes on Friday 26 July.

To stay up to date with Kent Sport news, Like us on Facebook and follow us on Instagram and Twitter UniKentSports and if you have any questions you can email sportsenquiries@kent.ac.uk.

A reminder that the KVSS (Kent Voluntary Severance Scheme) application deadline is 21 June 2019. Applications submitted after this date will not be considered.

All applications received by the deadline will be considered by the KVSS Group (a sub-group of Executive Group) and decisions will be sent to applicants between 1 and 7 August 2019.

You can find out more about the Scheme on our HR webpages.

If you are interested in applying, please discuss this as soon as possible with your line manager or head of school/professional service department. If you would like a quotation before applying, the last day to request an initial KVSS quotation is Friday 7 June 2019.

If you have any questions, email our HR team: KVSSenquiries@kent.ac.uk.

Due to the exciting redevelopment of the two SU Shops to Co-ops, there will be some temporary closures over summer. But don’t worry – there will always be a store open to ensure you can still get everything you need.

The Park Wood SU Shop will close Monday 15 July, reopening Thursday 25 July as Park Wood Co-op.

The SU Shop, Union Plaza will then close Friday 26 July, reopening Thursday 29 August as Kent Union Co-op.

All University of Kent staff are invited to a lunchtime BBQ hosted by the Vice-Chancellor and President, Professor Karen Cox.

The lunchtime BBQs will take place on the Registry Lawn in Canterbury on Wednesday 26 June (12.00 -14.00) and outside No 1 Bistro in Medway on Monday 24 June (12.00-14.00).

Please register for either Canterbury or Medway and bring your ticket with you on the day.

The RSVP for this event is Monday 17 June – please register as soon as possible as this is a popular event.

Vegetarian and vegan food will be provided, but please do register any other dietary requirements.

The BBQs are free events for staff and we would hope to see you there.

Please email events@kent.ac.uk if you have any further questions.

The next in a series of Student Success (EDI) Project Staff Seminars will look at a portfolio of interventions and consider which have worked well to bring about change.

Dr Laura Bailey, Student Success Lecturer and Philippa Moreton, Student Success Co-ordinator from the School of European Culture and Languages, will present SECL’s multi-pronged approach to tackling attainment and retention gaps.

Having “thrown a whole bag” of different interventions at the school “to see what sticks”, Laura and Philippa will highlight a range of interventions, from short-term, one-off instances of specific assistance to more wide-reaching, long-term institutional change in the running of the school.

The seminar takes place on Friday 7 June in Keynes Seminar Room 4, Canterbury Campus from 13.00- 14.00.

The seminar is open to all staff and registering to attend couldn’t be easier. Simply email studentsuccessproject@kent.ac.uk to reserve your place.

George Turner, who is currently studying on the BA (Hons) in Film, was nominated as a semi-finalist for the Best Experimental UK Short Film in the London International Motion Pictures Awards (LIMPA) 2019.

The film follows the journey of a young photographer, asking are our passions always worth pursuing? When does enthusiasm become obsession? Is independence an asset or a hindrance?

George explained the background to the film: ‘The project was a joint effort between myself and Lee Reynolds – a friend and colleague for many years; our film collaborations began at our Sixth Form College (now known as USP). It was shot back in January 2017.

‘What is most interesting is LIMPA’s recognition of our film; I submitted the film for competition in August 2018. It was the only competition that the film was submitted to. In early May I received a notification that we had been shortlisted for Official Selection and, a week later, Semi-Finals. We were honoured to have been selected.’

Seclusion received a screening last week, 24 May 2019, at Regent’s University in London, as part of the awards festival. However you may view the film via the YouTube link here.

University of Kent staff and students can now get a year of free access to the physiotherapy app Injurymap. The proven path to reducing muscle and joint pain is through exercise. Injurymap makes it easy to perform the most effective exercises with a personalised training program. The app adapts each exercise to your strengths and weaknesses and provides you with the safest and shortest path to recovery.

We all experience pain in our muscles and joints from time to time, be it back pain, neck pain, shoulder pain, knee pain or one of the many other areas that can lead to discomfort and impact your quality of life. So just download the app  and experience the benefit of tailored guidance at your fingertips. To conduct some of the exercises referred to by the app visit Kent Sport Physiotherapy Clinic in the Sports Centre to collect your free exercise band.

Injurymap is made available to you through a collaboration between Kent Sport Physiotherapy Clinic, Kent Business School and Injurymap. After creating an account within the app, Injurymap will send you an invitation to join a research project administered by Professor Ben Lowe and Dr Des Laffey from the University of Kent.

Why not book an appointment with Kent Sport Physiotherapy Clinic to compliment your use of Injurymap. For details to our limited time incentive offer please visit www.kent.ac.uk/sports/physio or email physio@kent.ac.uk.