|
Week
ending Friday 17 December 2004 |
Staff BriefingA joint initiative by MIS, Corporate Communications and Inprint & Design |
Edition
194 
Next editions of the briefing
- Friday 17 December (last thing in the afternoon) - last briefing of the year!
- Monday 10 January 2005
Please send entries through in plenty of time to guarantee entry to the briefing. Please don't use capital letters for headings or sentences - they only get changed back to sentence case!
Email: briefing@bradford.ac.uk
Computer Security - news from
Learning Support Services
Computer security is increasingly important and can cover a wide range of subjects. LSS have a new area of their Web site dedicated to this giving simple ways for you to protect yourself when you are online, such as choosing a good password, anti-virus advice, firewalls and online fraud.
See http://www.brad.ac.uk/lss/it-services/security/.
We have also produced a new
document "Installing and Using Anti-Virus and Firewall Software on
Your Computer" (Acrobat) - see http://www.brad.ac.uk/lss/documentation/anti-virus-&-firewall/anti-virus-&-firewall-software.pdf
We need your stamps
Shirley Moorhouse in the Students' Union Advice Centre would like to ask all staff to save their stamps from the festive season and overseas to go towards Guide Dogs for the visually impaired.
You can send stamps all year round to - Shirley Moorhouse, Student Adviser in the Students' Union Advice Centre, Room 0.111, Communal Building. Many thanks.
SAINT and related services unavailable
Due to essential upgrading of the Oracle database, the following will not be available on 14th December (this may also run into 15th December):
- SAINT
- e:vision
- Business Objects reports which look at SAINT
- SOMARK
- BASiL
- ModCat2 application (the module catalogue on the web will still be available)
Chris Toft
SAINT Support Manager
Departmental Closures around the University over Christmas
For info, and to pass on to your students. This information will also appear in Campus News which gets emailed to all students.
Halls Porters
Halls Porters are working, although in reduced numbers except at these times:
- 24th December working until 15.00, 25th and 26th - there is no cover but security staff will be working from the Richmond Building
- 27th to the 30th December, staff are working from 9am until 5pm
- 31st December 7am - 3pm
- 1st January 2005 there is no cover, but there will be security cover
- From 2nd January there is normal cover, although with reduced staff
- The dates when there will be no night porter cover in halls are: 24th, 25th, 26th, 31st December, 1st Jan, with normal cover from the 2nd January.
- In an emergency students should ring ring Richmond reception 234499, internal phone 4499
- Routine matters ring 236999 internal phone 6999
Student Financial and Information Service (SFIS)
- We are closed from the 24th December and reopen 4th January.
Sports Centre
- Close at 10pm on 23rd December.
- Open on 29th December and 30th December from 7.30 to 1.30.
- Closed from 1.30pm 30th December until 4th January
Library
Closes on the evening of the 23rd until the 4th January but the building is open 29th and 30th for access to books but there are no other services available.
The Health Centre
- Open as usual except 25th and 26th December and 1st January 2005.
- If you telephone (ext: 4979) there will be an alternative number to ring for cover, or if in doubt ring for an ambulance if the problem is really serious, but expect casualty departments to be very busy indeed.
Changes to USS Pension
Scheme
Scheme members need to be aware of two significant changes which have recently been introduced by USS:
(1) Up until the ruling in a recent court case, members who had left their USS employment before retirement, and who therefore had "deferred" benefits, were only allowed to apply for their USS pension from around age 65. The court ruling and subsequent USS rule changes has now overturned this and ex USS members with deferred benefits can now access their pension from the earliest date on which it would have been available to them had their last contract of employment still applied. In the case of Bradford University, this would normally be from age 60.
(2) USS have now introduced a two-tier provision for Ill-Health Retirement. Under the old rules, a member who applied for ill health retirement had to be able to satisfy the USS independent medical panel that he/she was permanently unable to work.
Now, where this criteria cannot be met, but where the member is nevertheless incapacitated from carrying out his/her duties for the foreseeable future, USS will grant a pension based on the member's actual service to the date of ill-health retirement; i.e. a pension payable immediately, but which does not include the service enhancement which would have applied in the "permanent" category above. This again would all be subject to assessment and decision by the USS medical board.
Please refer any queries on these to the Pensions Office, D31 (Ex.3143 or 3144)
Places available on the following Staff Development Unit events:
Time Management - offers time management techniques and frameworks for discussion and action planning. Time Management is a way of looking after yourself, reducing stress, and feeling you are back in control of what you need to do, and what it's important to do. Monday 20 December 2004, 09.15 - 16.30.
Managing Diversity Wednesday 12 January 2005, 09.00 - 17.00 Target Audience: All staff, especially managers Raises awareness of issues relating to equality and diversity.
AppriasEE Training Thursday 13 January 2005, 09.15 - 16.45 Target Audience: All staff The aim of this course is to inform about the University's approach to appraisal, give an overview of the appraisal interview, and to familiarise participants with the associated paperwork. Learn how to get the most from appraisal as an Appraisee.
AppraisER Training Friday 14 January 2005, 09.15 - 16.45 Target Audience: Staff who appraise other staff. To prepare participants to undertake appraisal interviews, understand the skills required of appraisers, and for them to become familiar with the associated paperwork. NB prior attendance at an Appraisee training course is a requirement of this course.
Performance Management Monday 17 & Tuesday 18 January, 09.15 - 16.45 Target Audience: Anyone who manages other staff This course aims to provide techniques for: managing good performance, and setting targets for improving poor performance; dealing with unacceptable behaviour, including how to use disciplinary procedures and sickness absence.
Cash in the University
Can all Schools and Departments be aware that our Insurance cover in respect of cash held at the University is not unlimited. The following guidelines have therefore been issued
- All Cash and Cheques must be deposited with the Cashiers Office at least once a week (this rule includes Departments that have an agreement to pay in at Nat West Bank)
- If, at any time, your cash exceeds £500 (not including Petty Cash and Till Floats), it must be paid in immediately
- Any exceptions to these rules must have prior agreement
Please e-mail Jill Miller on j.l.miller@bradford.ac.uk with any queries
Calling all Unison members, and potential Unison members!
The University Unison Branch are holding their Christmas event in the Richmond Foyer next Wednesday, 15th December. If you're a Unison member you'll get a goodie bag, a glass of something (non-alcoholic!), a mince-pie and the chance to win prizes in our festive game!
If you're not yet a member, come along and find out how you could benefit from joining.
We'll also be running a Charity Draw - nominate the charity of your choice, and if your name is drawn we'll give them £50.
Come along between 11:30 and 2:30 to join in the fun!
International Students Staying
in Bradford over the Christmas Vacation
We are currently putting together a programme of activities and events for international students who are staying in Bradford over the Christmas Vacation.
If you would be interested in volunteering to have a small group - 2 or 3 - international students come to visit you in your home for a meal over the Christmas period, please contact Sue Baker, International Office (s.m.baker@bradford.ac.uk).
Volunteers also required for leading/helping with other activities such as bowling, day trips, theatre visit.
Bradford Local Academic Women Network
The Bradford Local Academic Women Network will be starting 2005 with an early exciting event, please mark this down in your diary, and we hope to see as many of you as possible.
This LAWN event will take place on January 10th, 2004, 12.30-1.30 in the Board Room, D Floor, Richmond Building, University of Bradford. Tea/Coffee available, please bring in your sandwich.
Keynote Speaker: Erica Williams
Erica will come to present the activities of the UK Resource Centre. This is a centre of excellence, continuing to break down barriers for women in science, engineering and technology. It provides an information base for girls and women, careers professionals, learning providers, employers, professional institutes and membership organisations and draws on the knowledge base that currently exists nationally to share and develop best practice.
We also provide best practice guidance in HR practices for employers and academia.
Erica Williams is Information and Knowledge Coordinator at UK Resource Centre for Women in Science, Engineering and Technology Bradford College, Great Horton Road, Bradford, BD7 1AY
- Web: www.setwomenresource.org.uk (external link, will open in a new browser window)
- Web: www.letstwist.bradfordcollege.ac.uk (external link, will open in a new browser window)
- Web: www.jivepartners.org.uk (external link, will open in a new browser window)
This will provide an ideal platform to start out activities within our Local Academic Women Network.
Please confirm to Axele Giroud (a.l.a.giroud@bradford.ac.uk) that you will be able to join. Have a great christmas break, and see you on January 10th!
The Eye Clinic, Listerhills Science Park 
The Eye Clinic is open to staff, students and general public.
We are open Monday to Friday offering morning and afternoon appointments.
We have a large range of frames available with 25% discount off all frames and lenses!!
To make an appointment plese contact reception on ext: 4649.
Learning Support Seminars and Events from TQEG
Training for Invigilators on 15 December at 1300-1500 in Room 01.58, JBP Library Building - Presented by Dr Jon Owen of the Academic Standards and Support Unit.
Why use the VLE (Blackboard)? on 5 January at 0930-1230 in Room 01.58, JBP Library Building - Presented by Carol Higgison and Ken Panko of the Teaching Quality Enhancement Group.
Practical Assessment - Strategies, Marking Schemes, etc on 5 January at 1330-1630 in Room 01.58, JBP Library Building - Presented by Dr Chris Alder and Ken Panko of the Teaching Quality Enhancement Group.
Practical Approaches to Student Motivation and Behaviour on 6 January at 0930-1230 in Room 01.58, JBP Library Building - Presented by Dr Chris Alder and Prof Peter Hartley of the Teaching Quality Enhancement Group.
Making E-Learning accessible: Can We? Will We? Do We Have To? on 6 January at 1330-1630 in Room 1.7, JBP Library Building - Presented by Carol Higgison of the Teaching Quality Enhancement Group.
Frequent Formative Assessment - A Computer Based Approach on 7 January at 1130-1230 in Room 1.7, JBP Library Building - Presented by Dr Chris Alder and Ken Panko of the Teaching Quality Enhancement Group.
Writing High-Quality MCQs on 7 January at 1330-1630 in Room 01.58, JBP Library Building - Presented by Carol Higgison and Ken Panko of the Teaching Quality Enhancement Group.
Assessing Group Work on 12 January at 1300-1400 in Room 01.58, JBP Library Building - Presented by Dr Chris Alder of the Teaching Quality Enhancement Group.
Dealing with Diverse Groups on 19 January at 1300-1400 in Room 01.58, JBP Library Building - Presented by Udi Archibong of the School of Health Care Studies.
Assuring the Quality and Standards of the Off-Site Provision on 24 January at 1300-1400 in Room 01.58, JBP Library Building - Presented by Allison Campbell of the Academic Standards and Support Unit.
Supporting Reflective Learning on 26 January at 1300-1400 in Room 01.58, JBP Library Building - Presented by Prof Peter Hartley of the Teaching Quality Enhancement Group.
Details of the above events and online booking can be found via: http://staffdev.bradfordcollege.ac.uk/cgi-bin/staffdev/enduser_courselist.pl
Please contact Christine Rayment or Beverley Lyons on 5138 or email tqe.sec@bradford.ac.uk if you have further enquiries.
Adult Learners' Week
(21 - 27 May 2005)
Adult Learners' Week, which takes place every year in May, is the key national campaign to highlight the successes and excellence of adult learners and the organisations that support them.
2005 award nomination forms for Adult Learners are now available at the NIACE Website www.alw.org.uk (external link, will open in a new window).
You need to print off the completed application and send it direct to NIACE by post.
The closing date for applications is Friday 21 January 2005.
If you are entering any of your students for these awards or are planning any events for this week then please let Kevin Spencer in Corporate Communications know as he is the University's co-ordinator for Adult Learners Week.
Ext: 3034 or email: k.spencer1@bradford.ac.uk
Job Vacancies at the University and College
Current vacancies at the University and College can be found at the Personnel website:
http://www.brad.ac.uk/admin/personnel/jobvacancies/
The weekly bulletin can also be found as a pdf from the same page.
All queries should be directed to Personnel: ext: 5347, email: personnel@bradford.ac.uk
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