Dr Todd Mei, Head of the Department of Philosophy, has recently been interviewed by the journalist Dana Lewis, alongside BBC political commentator Jo Phillips, on a podcast episode of ‘Back Story’.

Todd uses the words of Aristotle to extol the virtues of courage and justice in times of a global pandemic.

He says: “In these kinds of situations, as a result of the pandemic and as a result of our lifestyle changing, it does require resilience, solidarity and community.”

“Day to day, people who we encounter in shops and communities are taking on significant importance in our daily lives. I would hope that this would go on to create a greater appreciation for low paid workers. Hopefully, it will create a renewed respect and appreciation for community workers and encourage businesses to get involved with meaningful work, which does not just equate to monetary value, but also makes the workers feel like they are doing something that contributes to society.”

You can listen to the full episode online (Todd’s segment is at around 16:00)

The Government has now published its recovery strategy in support of a lifting of the restrictions brought in to manage the coronavirus. Like others in the sector, we are working towards a phased return of our activities and will need time to prepare and adapt our ways of working as well as our physical spaces and buildings before they can be re-opened.

While the Government’s strategy does not refer directly to universities, it does confirm that scientific research laboratories can now begin to re-open. This is welcome news, but it is essential that the appropriate health and safety measures are in place before we resume lab-based research. We have already started work on how we can do this and will draw on best practice from the sector as well as following government advice on ensuring a safe working environment. We will continue to update you on our progress in this area.

Over the coming months, we will gradually begin to recommence our activities on campus in a measured and considered way. The health and wellbeing of our staff and students remain at the forefront of all our planning and the appropriate measures will need to be in place before we begin to transition back to more face-to-face ways of working.

In the meantime, you should continue with your current working arrangements as agreed with your line manager.

My very best wishes to you and your families,

Karen

Professor Karen Cox | Vice-Chancellor and President

Following the extension to the scheme due to the disruption caused by Covid-19, the current window for KVSS applications will close on 24 May.

This additional window of the scheme was introduced in light of the University’s financial situation and the need to make significant savings in staffing costs this year. It is open to specific groups of staff, including those in areas where we know that savings will need to be made. Full details, including information on how to apply, are available on the HR staff webpages.

There will be a final window of KVSS only for those staff who are formally put at risk of redundancy as a result of changes under Organising for Success. Unless you are formally put at risk of redundancy under Organising for Success then the 24 May deadline will be the final opportunity to apply. If we are in a position where we need to make further staff savings next year, we will unfortunately not be able to provide terms as generous as KVSS.

All staff interested in applying are encouraged to discuss with either HR or their line manager for further details about how the scheme works. If you would like to discuss this confidentially or would like impartial advice, please remember that the Employee Assistance Programme is available 24/7, with more information on the Occupational Health staff webpages.

Find out more about the Kent Voluntary Severance Scheme

As part of the wider programme of work across the University to ensure our future financial sustainability, a task force reporting to the Cash & Capital Approvals Committee has been looking into ways to reduce the cost of our day-to-day activities. The group is led by our Procurement Team, with members from JSNCC and both central and Divisional finance staff, with their work key to identifying non-pay savings required this year.  

A number of changes to how the University procures its goods and services have already been put in place as a result of this, helping ensure that expenditure is limited to essential activity only. With immediate effect: 

External Providers can now only be used when there is no viable internal alternative, meaning that (for example) all refreshments must be ordered through Kent Hospitality and all printing requirements through the Design and Print Centre. If cheaper alternatives are found externally, this should be shared with the relevant internal department in case they can review and improve their offering.  

Purchasing Cards will now have a transaction limit of £500, with Procurement working to reduce the total number currently in use across the University. 

Travel should currently only be booked if it directly relates to the successful recruitment of students and meets wider government Covid-19 restrictions. Travel budgets will also be reduced as a result of latest government advice, with restrictions lifted when appropriate. 

Unneeded suppliers whose services are no longer required as a result of Covid-19 restrictions have been written to by Procurement to suspend their services for the duration of major changes such as the closure of campus. If any supplier insists on being paid while not providing services, refer all correspondence to the Procurement Team. 

More widely, the Cash & Capital Approvals Committee is working closely with budget holders to ensure that all departments contribute to University-wide efforts to identify savings. This includes limiting any end-of-year spend to essential activity only, ensuring as much resource as possible can be put towards core University work.  

Read more on the recent changes to procuring goods and services at Kent 

Find out more about the Cash & Capital Approvals Committee. 

While film and TV production is in lockdown, the University of Kent has original research documentaries for you to discover.

Starting the week commencing 18 May, Researchers and field experts will host interactive talks featuring topical discussions as the University launches the “Think Kent Discovers series”, a series of nine cutting edge research documentaries produced by the University of Kent in association with KMTV.

Each event will start with the screening of a research documentary followed by a live panel discussion on the topic.

The series will be live streamed via Research Services ‘YouTube channel and the university’s facebook page.

All events are FREE to watch and to book your place,  please visit EventBrite. 

Series schedule to include:

Tuesday 19 May at 19.00: “Restoring the Palace of Westminster”
Dr Henrik Schoenefeldt from the Kent School of Architecture and Planning analyses the Houses of Parliament’s historic ventilation system and how it shaped the overall design of the building.

Panel members:
– Dr Henrik Schoenefeldt, Senior Lecturer in Sustainable Architecture at the University of Kent
– Professor Dean Hawkes, Emeritus Professor of Architectural Design at the Welsh School of Architecture, Cardiff University and an Emeritus Fellow of Darwin College, University of Cambridge
– Richard Ware, Former Director of the Palace of Westminster Restoration and Renewal Programme

Thursday 28 May at 19.00: “Mary Rose – A Chemical Conundrum”
The documentary explores how a team from the School of Physical Sciences helped to preserve, and put on display, the pride of the Tudor fleet.

Panel members:
– Professor Alan Chadwick, Emeritus Professor of Physical Chemistry at the University of Kent
– Professor Eleanor Schofield, Head of Conservation & Collections Care at the Mary Rose Trust
– Fred Mosselmans, Principal Beamline Scientist responsible for I20 at Diamond Light Source

Week commencing 1 June: “Peru – A Living Memory” (details to be confirmed)
Researcher Natalia Sobrevilla Perea, from School of European Culture and Languages, wants to teach citizens about all aspects of  Peru’s history in order to create a fully realised national identity for future generations of Peruvians.

For more details on each event, visit the Research Services webpage.

Following the popularity of the Additional Leave Purchase scheme in 2019, this will become an annual scheme from 2020.

The University is committed to providing policies that support work-life balance for staff, and recognises that there may be instances where staff wish to increase their annual leave for personal reasons.

This scheme has been devised to provide staff with additional flexibility in respect of planned time off work whether that be for a special occasion, an extended holiday (once travel restrictions are lifted), to help with caring responsibilities, or simply to support your wellbeing.

Applications for this year can be made from now until the end of June 2020 and the leave can be taken between July 2020 and June 2021. Full details of the scheme, including eligibility and how to apply can be found on the HR webpages.

The University recognises the impact COVID-19 is having on the usual patterns of annual leave. For some, operational pressures are affecting their leave plans, many will have had holiday plans for the coming months cancelled and, for large numbers, an increase in caring responsibilities means annual leave is not being used in the normal way.

Although social distancing is expected to continue for at least the next few months, it is still important that you take annual leave when you can. Even though most people are currently unable to leave their homes, spending time away from work is really important. We all hope that normal circumstances will resume in the coming months, which is why this annual scheme is being launched now as previously planned.

Did you know that National Vegetarian Week has arrived? During this annual event (11 May – 17 May 2020), we’re encouraged to try and go meat-free for a week, with vibrant and exciting dishes.

So, whether you’re a fully-fledged vegetarian, or just want to introduce one or two meat-free options to your diet, these 10 tasty vegetarian recipes are sure to be loved by all!

1. Roasted vegetable lasagne

Putting a spin on this Italian-style dish, BBC Good Food serves us up with a delicious alternative.

2. Mixed bean falafel and sweet potato hummus

Perfect for your evening meal or a lunchtime treat, this Good Housekeeping recipe is a great mix of delicious ingredients!

3. Black bean burgers

Packed with protein, Jamie Oliver’s veggie burger recipe can be whipped up in under an hour!

4. Tomato tarte tatin

From Olive magazine, this show-stopping savoury recipe is a great take on the classic French tart.

5. Acorn squash with wild rice stuffing

With squash and wild rice providing the perfect combination, this recipe from Cooking Light is sure to be a crowd-pleaser!

6. Sweet potato, chickpea and feta salad

Bursting with colour and flavour, this scrumptious salad from Delicious magazine is perfect for a warm summer evening…

7. Garden-fresh grilled veggie pizza

Providing us with a pizza loaded with fresh, flavoursome toppings, this recipe from Taste of Home is a slice of  deliciousness!

8. Broccoli and cheddar crêpes

Shake up your normal cooking routine with this hearty recipe from Good Housekeeping.

9. Summer squash and basil pasta

If you’ve not tried it already, why not add sautéed squash to your favourite pasta, and create this colourful dish from Bon appetit?

10. Roasted aubergine and tomato curry

Simple yet tasty, this vibrant dish from BBC Good Food is the ideal recipe for a quick mid-week dinner.

If you have any more vegetarian dishes you’d like to share, please send them to stories@kent.ac.uk

Entries for the Times Higher Education Awards 2020 are now open.

Entries are invited from UK higher education institutions across 19 categories, which will be shortlisted and judged by an expert panel. This year’s categories are listed below and, unless otherwise stated in the specific subject criteria, the judges will be looking for outstanding examples of best practice during the 2018-19 academic year.

• THE Outstanding Achievement Award
• Business School of the Year
• Widening Participation or Outreach Initiative of the Year
• Knowledge Exchange/Transfer Initiative of the Year
• Research Project of the Year: Arts, Humanities & Social Sciences
• Research Project of the Year: STEM
• Outstanding Research Supervisor of the Year
• Technological or Digital Innovation of the Year
• Outstanding Contribution to the Local Community
• Outstanding Support for Students
• Outstanding Entrepreneurial University
• Outstanding Library Team
• Outstanding Estates Strategy
• Outstanding Marketing/Communications Team
• Most Innovative Teacher of the Year
• International Collaboration of the Year
• Outstanding Contribution to Equality, Diversity and Inclusion
• Outstanding Technician of the Year
• University of the Year

Winners will be announced at a prestigious awards ceremony at the Grosvenor House Hotel, London on 26 November.

Corporate Communications will once again be co-ordinating Kent’s award entries this year and is happy to support schools/departments with their submissions. Please email Corporate Communications by Friday 22 May if you know of a potential entry – deadline for all completed entries is Wednesday 10 June.

Further information on the awards is available on the THE Awards 2020 website.

Picture shows: Kent’s Outstanding Library Team at the THE Awards 2019