Welcome to Philip Pothen as he starts work this week as the new Director of Engagement. For the last 15 months, Philip has been the Acting Executive Director of Marketing and Communications at De Montfort University, with a wide-ranging portfolio including reputation management and communications, having joined the University in 2015 as Deputy Director, and Associate Director of Communications. 

Prior to working at DMU, Philip worked for the Arts and Humanities Research Council (AHRC) where he was Head of Communications and Public Engagement.  While there, he was responsible for the promotion of major initiatives involving public policy, the creative economy and the arts and culture sector and for setting up and developing partnerships with the BBC, the Heritage Lottery Fund, Wikimedia and the Cheltenham Festival, among others. Prior to that, he worked for Jisc, promoting the use of technology in higher education and research during an exciting time of change for the sector as it embraced the use of ICT in learning, teaching and research. 

He has qualifications in PR and teaching, having taught in both higher and further education, has a D Phil in Philosophy from the University of Sussex, and authored a recently republished book entitled Nietzsche and the Fate of Art.

Philip says: ‘I’m delighted to be joining the University of Kent at this time and I’m very much looking forward to working with colleagues to help take forward Kent’s exciting ambitions as a civic university. It’s clear there’s already so much great work going on and I’m excited to be supporting this really important area of the University’s work. Thank you to everyone for the very warm welcome!’

With our new Divisions and team structures now largely in place, our ongoing focus in the months ahead will be on how we work together across the University so that each team has the tools they need to thrive. 

Alongside major projects like KentVision and the continued rollout of Microsoft 365 online collaboration tools, we want to hear from you on what we could be doing differently to simplify and improve the way we work. With help from staff across the University, the Project Management Office is working to map our processes and see if there are new or simpler ways we could be doing things so we all have more time to focus on the best of what we do. 

Everybody at Kent can have a part to play in this work, and we want to gather your thoughts, big or small, on what changes we need to make our day-to-day jobs more straightforward. If you’ve got an idea, let us know via the form on the How We Work staff webpages. 

The Project Management Office will collate these suggestions before updating on what we will prioritise in the weeks and months ahead. We will shortly also be launching an online tool which will highlight all of the suggestions that have come in from staff, along with what is being done about them – whether it is a quick fix, part of a longer-term project or something we can tackle another way. 

We will also provide regular updates over the coming months and hold ongoing engagement events so that all teams across Kent have the chance to feed in their thoughts. 

Ray Short, Head of the Project Management Office, said: “Nobody knows better than all of you what the little headaches are that stop us all working as well as we can. With our new structures in place this is the perfect time to focus on what we could be doing better – whether they are improvements, changes, or even whole new processes that could benefit you, your colleagues, your students or the wider University as a whole. Let us know your thoughts and we look forward to working with you on the things we need to fix!’. 

Submit your suggestion for how we could do things differently 

Find out more about our focus on How We Work 

As you know, the Prime Minister has confirmed that the earliest date for the return of schools and universities in England is Monday 8 March, depending on public health advice. For us, any return to face-to-face teaching is likely to be staggered, with the prioritisation of groups such as finalists or those who need specialist facilities. However, this very much depends on the outcome of the Government’s review of the current restrictions, which is currently scheduled for the week of the 22 February 2021.

To ensure that we are best placed to respond to a possible return to campus from 8 March, if we are allowed to and it is safe to do so, Richard Reece, Deputy Vice-Chancellor (Education and Student Experience), working through Silver Command, is setting up a task and finish group, comprised of Division Directors of Education and Student Engagement and Experience leads.

This group will build on our previous work and set out plans to enable a safe return.  Part of this work will be engaging with staff to allow them to plan out their teaching and examining activities for the rest of the academic session. We will continue to keep staff and students informed of our progress in this area.

I appreciate that, while this latest news provides us with a direction of travel, it does not give us the certainty we would like to have at this time. There is no doubt that such ongoing uncertainty is affecting both staff and students, and we are committed to ensuring our plans are centered on the need to protect the health and wellbeing of our entire community.

The pandemic has affected all our mental health in one way or another, and I wanted to draw your attention to Time to Talk day which takes place next week. A national initiative, its aim is to show how small conversations about mental health can make a considerable difference and there are several ways you can get involved here at Kent.

A project team including staff from across the University is also putting in place the recommendations from the Stevenson / Farmer Thriving at Work review, which focuses on mental health in the workplace standards. Over the coming months, the team will be raising awareness of resources already in place to support staff, along with establishing networks, training and support. This measure will add to our already considerable range of resources and support for staff that can be found our staff webpages.

I thank you all for your hard work and dedication at this difficult time,

My best wishes go to you and your families,

Karen

Professor Karen Cox | Vice-Chancellor and President

Academic mitigation

A new Academic Mitigation Group has been established to plan for and coordinate issues relating to students’ academic performance and progression during this academic year. Led by Professor Richard Reece (Deputy Vice-Chancellor Education and Student Experience), the group brings together divisional and professional service staff with working groups currently focussing on four areas:

• No detriment measures
• Online assessments and examinations
• Timetabling
• Review of consumer law compliance as requested by the Office for Students.

The first outcome of the group was to confirm details of the current coursework extension available for students which is outlined in the Student Coronavirus webpages. Outcomes from the Group will continue to be shared with staff before being communicated to students and we hope to have the first overview of our no-detriment plans and processes early next week.

Regular Covid-19 testing

Taking part in regular testing is an essential part of the Government’s strategy to combat the spread of Coronavirus. According to Government guidance, any staff working on campus should be tested twice a week. You can book to have your tests at our Canterbury Asymptomatic Testing Site or at the facility at the Deep End at Medway. Testing facilities are also available in the community and relevant sites are listed on the Kent County Council and Medway Council websites.

Further information about asymptomatic testing is available on our Staff Coronavirus webpages.

Our official Employee Assistance Programme provider, Care first offers a numbers of services and provide useful advice and support, including weekly webinars.

This week’s (Monday 1 February – Friday 5 February webinars are as follows:

Monday 1 February 2021 – ‘How Care first can support you’
Time: 12.00-12.30 – to register please click on this Go to webinar link.

Tuesday 2 February 2021 – ‘Resilience during the Pandemic‘
Time: 12.00-12.30 – to register please click on this Go to webinar link

Wednesday 3 February 2021 – ‘Children’s Mental Health Awareness’
Time: 12.00-12.30 – to register please click on this Go to webinar link

Thursday 4 February 2021 – ‘The Benefits of Counselling’
Time: 12.00-12.30 – to register please click on this Go to webinar link

Friday 5 February 2021 – ‘Living with someone with COVID-19: Tips for the Home’
Time: 12.00-12.30 – to register please click on this Go to webinar link

The Music department is pleased to announce the launch of their Zoom for Thought: Music Department In Conversation series, starting on Wednesday 3 February. This sequence of livestreamed interviews with luminaries from the music industry is one not to miss, with the first featuring soprano super-star Rachel Nicholls.

Rachel will be In Conversation with Head of Music Performance, Dan Harding, on Weds 3 February at 19.30, and everyone is welcome to watch what promises to be a fascinating insight into the working life of one of the country’s foremost sopranos. The entire series will be free to watch from the Music department’s YouTube Channel.

Livestreamed every fortnight, during this series viewers will be able to submit questions if they wish.

The National Student Survey launches on 8 February and it gives our students the chance to tell us (and everyone else!) what it is like being a student at Kent.

Although the last year has been challenging, we are encouraging our students to share their thoughts about their experiences.

All students eligible to take the survey, will receive an email invitation from Ipsos MORI week commencing 8th February.

In past years, Kent has scored highly in the NSS for student satisfaction, and the survey results help to improve our university for future students.

We have created all the resources you need to communicate the survey to your students. You can access all the marketing material and resources on Sharepoint.

You can help promote the NSS to your finalist students by:

• Using the artwork. There is also a PowerPoint presentation template for you to use.
• Promote any divisional incentives e.g. prize draws, in order to help boost response rates within your area.
• Highlight to students and colleagues the importance of the NSS.

Please note that the NSS should not be communicated to students before 8 February

To mark LGBT History Month this February, our LGBT+ Staff Network is running a number of events, including:

Queer Quiz Night – Sunday 31 January from 18.00

To kick off LGBT History month, we will be hosting another quiz night! It’s a little short notice… but we’re banking on you not having too many plans which may clash!

So join us this Sunday, along with partners, friends, housemates, bubbles and anyone else you’d care to invite! As always, dressing up for the occasion is encouraged, and make sure you have something to drink and nibble to hand!

Click here to join the Queer Quiz Night at 18.00 on Sunday, or email us at lgbtstaffnetwork@kent.ac.uk if you’d like to be added to the calendar invite.

LGBT in Lockdown – Wednesday 17 February from 18.00

‘LGBT in Lockdown’ is an event for LGBTQ+ people to share their experiences of the Covid-19 pandemic. We will be joined by former network co-chair Dr Christin Hoene sharing her story of moving abroad mid-lockdown for a new job… and we also want to hear from you!

If you have a story to share, please email at lgbtstaffnetwork@kent.ac.uk to be included in the event. We would love to hear about a diverse range of experiences, so please don’t be shy! Now more than ever it’s important for us all to hear and understand the range of lived experiences within our community, and so we hope to see as many of you there as possible.

Click here to join the LGBT in Lockdown Event or email us at lgbtstaffnetwork@kent.ac.uk if you’d like to be added to the calendar invite.

This Is Not My First Pandemic – Thursday 25 February from 18.00

Russel T Davies’ latest drama It’s A Sin has brought to life the horrors, heartbreak and homophobia of what for many of us remains a vivid memory and lived experience in the HIV/AIDS pandemic of the 1980s and 90s. ‘This Is Not My First Pandemic’ seeks to highlight the impact of both the HIV/AIDS and Coronavirus pandemics, and to draw parallels between how these two periods have affected our community. Some speakers have yet to be confirmed, but we will be hearing from experts in their fields including Jose C Mejia from METRO Charity who will be addressing the legacy and continued impact of the HIV/AIDS pandemic.

To join this event, sign up via Eventbright  before 25 February.

We look forward to seeing you!

LGBT+ Staff Network

The University of Kent has achieved an ASPIRE gold rating for their accessibility statement and has therefore become the first UK university to achieve 100% compliance.

Led by the OPERA ((Opportunity, Productivity, Engagement, Reducing barriers, Achievement) project team in Student Support and Wellbeing, this is a great success for everyone involved. Particular credit must go to the web development and Requirements teams in Information Services and the Kent Digital Accessibility Working Group.

TextBOX Digital, the organisation behind the awards scheme has said:

‘The University of Kent have scored 98% in the ASPIREreview (FACTS) and 100% for the ASPIREreview (Compliance). There has clearly been a lot of time, thought and effort invested in the development and writing of your accessibility statement. The statement is clear and well -organised and avoids technical jargon. The accessibility tools section is a work of art and the accessibility roadmap is clear and informative. A 100% Compliance rating is a fantastic achievement on its own. To have a 98% FACTS ASPIREscore as well is inspiring. Very many congratulations on achieving gold ASPIREscores. Thoroughly deserved’.

Huw Alexander from TextBOX Digital explains what the organisation looks for and the  importance of accessibility in the Higher Education Sector:

‘ASPIREeducation has been designed to ensure that further and higher education institutions can measure the compliance of their accessibility statements with the new Public Sector Bodies Accessibility Regulations. However, ASPIREeducation goes further and introduces the FACTS model to measure the quality of the accessibility statement in terms of the transparency, supportiveness and usefulness of the information provided to users.

‘The University of Kent have long been a pioneer in the provision of accessible content to their students, and in supporting faculty in the creation of content. The Kent accessibility statement is a wonderful reflection of the work and dedication of everyone at the University in creating an inclusive learning environment. Kent are the first university to undertake the ASPIREeducation review process and the first university to secure a 100% compliance score. Kent continues to be a pioneer and an inspiration across the education community, and their ASPIREeducation gold award is a testament to the expertise and thoughtfulness of everyone involved in their accessibility project’.

You can read TextBOX’s announcement on Kent’s achievement via their LinkedIn and Twitter pages.

For more information about accessibility at Kent please contact opera@kent.ac.uk