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Week ending Friday 3 February 2006 |
Staff BriefingA joint initiative by MIS, Corporate |
Edition
245
Next editions and entries to the briefing
- Monday 6 February 2006
- Monday 13 February
- Monday 20 February
Please keep entries concise with, if necessary, a link to further details on the web. Please check entries for accuracy and timeliness before sending. Deadline for entries is (generally) 12 noon each Friday.
Email: briefing@bradford.ac.uk
General University notices
News from Voice Communications
1. Recycling of Mobile Telephones:
In light of the forthcoming WEEE regulations and our obligations to dispose of several items (mobile phones included) in an environmentally friendly manner, I am in the throes of establishing an agreement with a mobile phone recycler. If any departments have old mobile phones preferably with the chargers) gathering dust in drawers and cupboards, these can be forwarded to ICT Servicdesk, Learning Support Services, where they will be added to our pool of old phones prior to despatch to the recycler.
2. Fault Reporting and Job requests:
A reminder to colleagues that the accepted route for all ICT and telephony related job requests and fault reports, is via ICT Servicedesk on extension 3333 or email to ictservicedesk@bradford.ac.uk. Whilst understandable at times, attempts to circumvent this route, by contacting members of the ICT Support team direct, do not always achieve the quick fix the end user desires, and perhaps more importantly, leaves us with no record or audit trail of the request or problem.
3. Mobile Telephone Bills:
We are currently configuring and trialling a product called Vodafone Vision Elite, which will allow us to introduce auto-emailing of mobile telephone bills; this follows on from our auto-emailing of monthly departmental extension statements, which was implemented in March 2005. Unfortunately this won't quite be ready for the quarterly mobile bills due in February, but named contacts in Schools/Departments currently receiving paper copies, should see something in their inbox (rather than their in-tray!) when the next set of bills arrive in May.
4. Changes Following Recent Telephone System Upgrade:
The recent telephone system upgrade to Business Communication version 12 (BC12) provides a number of additional features for Ericsson digital telephone users.
(i) Additional functions for Manager/Secretary links. Manager extensions can now be represented on a number of Secretary handsets, any of which can answer the call when the Manager does not wish to be disturbed. Likewise, secretaries can take calls for multiple Managers, by having them all represented on their digital phone.
(ii) For those who use multiple telephone profiles i.e. a different profile to reflect your different working circumstances on a day-to-day basis, these can now be programmed on to your digital phone buttons, making for easy switching between profiles.
(iii) BC12 is compatible with the latest 4000 series digital handsets from Ericsson. For more details on the range, please see: http://www.ericsson.com/solutions/enterprise/products/telephones_digital.shtml (external link, will open in a new window)
Over and above this, BC12 allows us to implement other functionality, which we hope to trial during 2006. These include enhanced options for mobile and home workers, i.e. using your mobile or home phone as an extension off the University telephone system. This will integrate mobile phones and external landlines into the corporate network, giving access to exactly the same functions as your desk phone. Moreover, the addition of a VSU (Voice Server Unit) board will allow us to add "welcome" and "announcement" messages to telephone hunt groups.
The most important feature of the upgrade, however, is the future proofing of the telecoms infrastructure, and the possibilities this gives us in terms of implementing IP Telephony (IPT) in the coming years. We will be initiating a small IPT trial within Learning Support Services in the very near future, while IPT functionality will be further enhanced with an upgrade to BC13, provisionally timetabled for December 2006.
If you require further information on any of the above, in the first instance, please contact ICT Servicedesk on extension 3333 or email ictservicedesk@bradford.ac.uk
Major Competition for International Students
For the fourth year running, the British Council are organising a major competition for international students studying in the UK.
The Shine! International Student Awards competition focuses on how international students are making the most of their time in the UK. Students need to write a short essay - as if writing a letter home to a parent, relative or friend, telling them about their life in the UK and how they are making the most to their time here.
If you know of international students in your Department who are really making the most of their time in the UK - getting involved in the life of the University, the clubs and societies, voluntary work, realising lifetime ambitions, trying something new that they have never considered before, and generally trying to get the most out of their time here, please encourage them to apply.
The top prize is £2000 and obviously massive publicity for your School if the student should win one of the awards! Last year one of our students was in the final and won a silver award plus £1000, and 12 of our students gained 'Highly Commended' awards the year previously - so we are hoping for further success!
Full details and the online entry form can be found at http://www.educationuk.org/shine (external link, will open in a new window)
The deadline is 20th February 2006.
If you have any queries, please contact Sue Baker, in the International Office (email s.m.baker@bradford.ac.uk).
Furniture for Sale
Estates department have an amount of furniture that they would like to offer for sale to departments. The items (mainly chairs but there are various other bits) are based in the West End Building and a store in JBP Library.
Anybody interested in viewing any items please contact Karen Mortimer either by email - k.mortimer@bradford.ac.uk or on extension 4858.
Can you spare 20 minutes to play a computer game?
A Pharmacy PhD student is looking for staff and students to contribute to an ongoing research project investigating differences between men and women.
Participants are required to perform tasks using a touch screen computer. No computer skills are needed and no physical pain is involved!
- Ful details on this word doc (will open in a new window)
Interted? Please contact Ammie Fox at: a.fox@bradford.ac.uk (M10, Pharmacy)
Semester 2 Teaching Rooms Update
As many of you will know, the installation of PCs and AV equipment in the lecture rooms at the top of the Chesham and Horton buildings were delayed last summer due to problems with the ceilings.
First the good news, Horton D5.11 and Chesham B4.2 are now equipped with projector, sound system, video and DVD player. You will need to take a laptop for the time being.
C4.1 and C4.2 are now closed and will be completely refurbished before reopening during the Easter vacation. We apologise for the inconvenience this has undoubtedly caused but hope the new seating, décor and equipment configuration will be worth the wait. Many thanks to those staff who responded with what they would like to see included; we have tried to address all the diverse requests.
Unfortunately we have been unable to find a workaround to the problems for Chesham B4.1 so anyone wishing to use IT or AV in there will still need to collect a portable projector and laptop from C60. We are trying to establish an equipment loan location in the Chesham/Horton complex to ease this situation. Funding for equipping the remaining teaching rooms in Phoenix has been agreed but is now unlikely to be installed until the summer.
If you have any questions or need a demonstration of any the facilities available in teaching rooms, please contact Lecture Room Services on 3159 or email to lrs@bradford.ac.uk.
Arts on Campus news
Gallery II - our first exhibition of our new season is 'Memoria Historica', Drawings by Simon Manfield, which is now on display until Friday 3 March 2006. http://www.brad.ac.uk/gallery/
Theatre in the Mill - our first show of the new season is 'Raining Old Women and Sticks/Bwrw Hen Wragedd A Ffyn', a joint production between Theatre in the Mill and North Wales Stage. The show is a brand new piece of commissioned work and is performed in English, Welsh and Punjabi. http://www.brad.ac.uk/theatre/ Book now!
Theatre in the Mill Workshops. Our professional workshop season gives you the chance to work alongside some of this country’s most interesting artists in a series of weekend long workshops. And they are FREE! Places are limited and there is always a great demand so we advise that you book places in advance by calling 01274 233185 or by emailing r.price@bradford.ac.uk.
See: http://www.brad.ac.uk/theatre/workshops.phpTheatre in the Mill Auditions. Want to be on stage? Then come along to open auditions for three exciting new theatre shows on
Saturday 4th February, 1.30 - 4pm. Meet at Theatre in the Mill. All welcome. Full details of the shows from: a.graham@bradford.ac.uk
Buddhist Meditation Sessions - room change
The Buddhist Meditation Sessions start again for the new year every Wednesday from the 1st February 2006 , 12.30pm to 1.15pm, Room T1.1 Ashfield Building. All staff and students welcome.
Saturday school 'Creating Life Change'
Session cancelled (added 7 February 2006)
A Saturday school 'Creating Life Change' by Murray Edscer will be held on 11 February in the Graduate School. Further details & a booking form can be found at http://www.bradford.ac.uk/admin/conted/civic-community/lifechange.html
Details of the new Civic & Community Education Programme can be found at http://www.brad.ac.uk/sled/civic-community/
Estates faults - heating issues and leaks
I would request that all faults in connection with heating issues and leaks etc are reported to the Estates Helpdesk, ext: 3001. There is an increasing number of requests for work being sent to individual emails addresse in Estates and Facilities. This does not assist in accelerating attendance to requests and often has the opposite effect, resulting in a delayed response times as emails may 'sit' unseen in the individual's in-box for extended period. The Helpdesk is staffed between 8:45am and 5:00pm and will assist in giving prompt attention.
A new computerised heating controls system has been installed in Richmond Building (except on floors C, D and N). Bar some minor modification work and final tweaking the system is complete and working. It is anticipated, funds permitting, that work to the remaining floors will commence later this year.
I would like to take this opportunity to remind people that this system is set to control the building to the temperatures as set out in the University's Environmental Policy of between 19 and 21 degrees C.
For energy advice and policies visit: http://www.bradford.ac.uk/admin/estates/energy.php
Writer Fellow on the Radio
The J B Priestly Library's Writer Fellow, Christine Finn, is presenting a programme on BBC Radio 3 entitled "I'll Dig With it" at 9.30pm on Sunday 5th February. This programme is a radio feature about the relationship between archaeology and poetry.
Christine can be heard again on BBC Radio 3 on Thursday 9th Feb from approximately 8pm when there is a repeat of last year's programme "The Glob Girls" in which she talks to two of the British schoolgirls who inspired PV Glob's classic book "The Bog People" 50 years ago.
BBC Radio 3 can be heard between 90 and 93FM or on the internet at http://www.bbc.co.uk/radio3 (external link, will open in a new window)
Training courses and events
People Development Events
New Staff Induction - Monday 6 February 2006, 11.45 - 15.00
Target audience: Staff who are new to the University.
http://www.brad.ac.uk/dev-prog/development/index.php?course=NSIN
Performance Management (2 days) - Thursday 9 & Friday 10 February
2006, 09.15 - 16.45
Target audience: Any members of staff who are line managers.
http://www.brad.ac.uk/dev-prog/development/index.php?course=PERF
Conflict in the Workplace 1: Understanding Conflict - Thursday 23 February
2006, 09.15 - 16.45
Target audience: Any members of staff.
http://www.brad.ac.uk/dev-prog/development/index.php?course=CON1
Details of all the People Development training events for 2005-6 may
be found at the following web page:
http://www.brad.ac.uk/dev-prog/index.php?section=development
Web authoring courses
Introduction to Dreamweaver
6 February 2006
http://www.brad.ac.uk/dev-prog/it/index.php?course=web-dw
Designing effective Web site navigation
7 February 2006
http://www.brad.ac.uk/dev-prog/it/index.php?course=web-nav
Web accessible tables
2 March 2006
http://www.brad.ac.uk/dev-prog/it/index.php?course=web-td
Works on Campus
Mobile Phone Reception
In connection with re roofing works on Richmond Building certain mobile telephone transmitters will be require to be powered down for safety of the workforce. This will occur at 08.00 on Thursday 2nd February and be restored at 16.00 on Friday 3rd February. Reception of Vodafone and T-Mobile mobile telephones may be effected during this period.
We apologise for any inconvenience caused during these improvement works.
Should you have any queries regarding the work, please direct them to Mr Alan Harrison, Building Maintenance Officer on extension 3423.
Electrical testing and inspection of the fixed wiring - Ashfield and Pemberton
Buildings
For your information, the electrical testing and inspection of the fixed wiring in the Ashfield and Pemberton Buildings is to be carried out in the very near future. This will involve the testing of every electrical circuit in the Ashfield and Pemberton Buildings.
This work will commence on the 27th January 2006.
Consultations will take place before the electricity supply, to the areas being tested are switched off.
The individual circuits from each distribution board will be tested, this will involve the areas being tested being without electricity for short periods of time
We appreciate that this statutory work will cause inconvenience to the occupants of the two buildings and we will endeavour wherever possible to keep it to a minimum.
It would be appreciated if you would inform other members of staff through your email listings.
The heating and hot water supplies to University and Bradford Halls may be affected by this work.
Should you have any queries regarding this work, will you please direct them to either of the following people - Mr G Simpson, Electrical Maintenance, or Mr C Overton, Electrical Supervisor, ext: 3425.
Lectures, seminars and newsletters
Baroness Nicholson - Public Lecture reminder.
Members of staff are invited to a Public lecture by Baroness Emma Nicholson entitled 'Kashmir - the earthquake and the work of AMAR' today at 4.30pm In John Stanley Bell Lecture Theatre. Tea and coffee will be served from 4pm onwards in D Floor Foyer adjacent to the Lecture Theatre.
Further information can be found at http://www.brad.ac.uk/admin/pr/pressreleases/2006/amar.php
For catering and seating requirements please let June Kronbachs at j.kronbachs@bradford.ac.uk know if you will be attending.
Research Bulletin
The latest edition of the Research Bulletin is now available on the web and can be found at: http://www.brad.ac.uk/admin/rsil/Newsletter/newsletterfp.htm
Included in this issue:
- British Society of Gerontology Conference - "The Ageing Jigsaw: Interdisciplinary Approaches to Old Age"
- BBSRC's second Open Meeting - Future Scientific Research Priorities and Responsible Funding
- BBSRC calls for Avian Flu Research
- BBSRC - new responsive-mode priority area in Bio-energy - Fossil Carbon Substitution: Biomass to Biosynthesis
- JISC Workshop on Security and Access Management
- Joseph Rowntree Latest Calls for Proposals
- Understanding Fathering - Masculinity, Diversity and Change
- Community Engagement in Governance in Dynamic and Diverse Neighbourhoods
- Practitioners' Assessments of Parenting
- Arts and Humanities Research Council
- Landscale and Environment
- Larger Research Grants
- Collaborative Research Studentships
- Research Networks and Workshops
- Smaller Research Grants
- Collaborative Research Training Provision
- Research Leave
- Postgraduate Competition
- Landscale and Environment
- ESRC - Placement Fellows Scheme
- EPSRC - Mathematics for Industry and Business
- Royal Society - Partnership Grants
European Research Seminars
Dr Jenny Fairbrass (School of Management) - 'The EU’s sustainable development policies: actors and processes'
Chair: Dr Liz Sharpe (Environmental Science). 3 February 2006 at 1400, in Mezz 2, Graduate School, Richmond Building. All welcome.
The European Research Seminars are organised with the support of the Jean Monnet Programme and the Marie Curie Training Site on Europeanisation.
For further information, please contact Gabi Borz at G.Borz@bradford.ac.uk or ext 5573.
Learning Support Seminars and Events from TQEG
Centre for Community Collaboration on 1 February 2006 at 1300-1400 in Room 01.58 JBP Library Building. Presented by Steve Skinner of the School of Lifelong Education and Development.
Assessing Students Online - A 6 week online course beginning 6 February 2006. Led by Carol Higgison and Ken Panko of TQEG and Jak Radice of the School of Health Studies.
Getting Started with Blackboard on 7 February 2006 at 1300-1500 in Horton Building. Presented by Carol Higgison and Ken Panko of TQEG and Jak Radice of the School of Health Studies.
Online Assessment in Blackboard on 14 February 2006 at 1300-1500 in Horton Building. Presented by Carol Higgison and Ken Panko of TQEG and Jak Radice of the School of Health Studies.
Bradford University Academy and it many Strands on 15 February 2006 at 1300-1400. Presented by Sally Raby of Marketing and Corporate Communications.
Providing Support for Students with Dyslexia on 22 February 2006 at 1300-1400. Presented by Helena Jones of Disabilities Office.
Assessing Group Work on 24 February 2006 at 1300-1400. Presented by Dr Chris Alder of the Teaching Quality Enhancement Group.
Online Collaboration in Blackboard on 28 February 2006 at 1300-1500. Presented by Carol Higgison, Ken Panko of TQEG and Jak Radice of the School of Health Studies.
Details of the above events and online booking can be found in at: http://www.brad.ac.uk/dev-prog. All the Teaching Quality and Enhancement Group's Seminars are listed on the "Learning and Teaching" link.
Please contact Christine Rayment or Beverley Lyons on 5138 or email tqe-sec@bradford.ac.uk if you have further enquiries.
Job Vacancies at the University
Current vacancies at the University 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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