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NEWS

Degree ceremonies

Congregations for the conferment of Higher and Honorary Degrees will take place on Wednesday 14 December 2011. The full timetable is available on the website. Students will be contacted by the Ceremonies Office in early October inviting them to register to attend their Graduation.

The University will be awarding two Honorary Degrees:

• Professor Gu Yueguo, Founding Dean, Beijing Foreign Studies University Online Education Institute (and Lancaster alumnus)
• Ian Cumming OBE, Chief Executive, NHS West Midlands

For more information, please contact the Ceremonies and Events Office on 01524 592190.

World Mental Health Day – Monday 10 October 2011

The Counselling Service is running an event in the Great Hall on 10 October in support of World Mental Health Day. Throughout the day there will be free workshops and free taster alternative therapy sessions available. There is also a Treasure Hunt open to students, staff and their families, follow the link for further information.

Human Resources is also supporting this event, and will have a stand with information and advice on how staff wellbeing is supported.

Film Actor Researches Role at the Ruskin Library

The film actor Greg Wise has visited Lancaster University in preparation for his role as the Victorian art critic and writer John Ruskin. The feature film “Effie” centres on Ruskin’s ill-fated marriage to Effie Gray, who will be played by the Hollywood actress Dakota Fanning. Greg Wise looked through Ruskin’s drawings and papers from the Whitehouse Collection housed in the Ruskin Library, which is the largest single collection of material about one of the Victorian era’s most influential thinkers.

The Ruskin Library is supplying images of books and drawings to be recreated for use in the film, which will be shot in Scotland, London and Venice and is due to be premiered at the 2012 Venice Film Festival. Full story.

International nuclear conference

The Department of Engineering hosted the Control and Instrumentation in Nuclear Installations conference 'CANDI2011' this week, on behalf of the Nuclear Institute and the Institute of Measurement and Control. The conference attracted 90 delegates from 50 commercial organisations, including keynote papers from Tony Lavietes of the International Atomic Energy Agency (Vienna, Austria) and Nguyen Thuy of EDF Research and Development (Chatou, Paris).

Plant “body clock” observed in tropical forest research

Predictions of the ground-level pollutant ozone will be more accurate in future following research led by Lancaster University, published in Nature Geoscience on September 25. Ozone is formed in the atmosphere when volatile organic compounds like isoprene – which is emitted by some plants - react with nitrogen oxides from car engines or industry. Ozone at ground level is very harmful to human health, may decrease crop yields, and is a greenhouse gas. Researchers, led by Professor Nick Hewitt of the Lancaster Environment Centre, have found that the rate at which plants emit isoprene is influenced by their body clock or circadian rhythm. Full story.

Lancaster students meet Malaysian Prime Minister

Students from Lancaster University on an international volunteering trip abroad have met the Prime Minister of Malaysia. The students were attending a conference in Malaysia where the Prime Minister Dato’ Sri Mohd Najib bin Tun Abdul Razak was the guest speaker. The students also met the Chairman of the Sunway Group, Tan Sri Dato' Seri Jeffrey Cheah. Sunway University College is Lancaster University’s partner institution in Malaysia. The visit to Malaysia was organised as part of an international student volunteering programme set up by the Lancaster University Students’ Union (LUSU) involve – the UK’s biggest and most successful university volunteering unit. Full story.

CyberSecuity event reveals new insights into the cyber concerns of business

The increase in directed ‘spear phishing’ attacks on businesses and the increasing cost of compliance to regulations designed to protect consumer information were the key concerns raised by SMEs at the Cyber Security Conference 2011 for SMEs– organised by the School of Computing and Communications and the ICT Knowledge Transfer Network this month. The conference presentations are available online. Full story.

People

Congratulations to the following colleagues who have been awarded Readerships; Dr Carolyn Jackson (Educational Research) and Dr Vadim Cheianov (Physics).

Dr Rebecca Braun (Department of European Languages and Cultures) has been awarded the 2010 Max Kade Prize for the best essay published in the leading US journal German Quarterly last year. The American Association of Teachers of German will formally award the prize of $1500 at a ceremony on 19 November in Denver, Colorado. The essay, ‘1967-2007: The Gruppe 47 as a cultural Heimat’, looks in detail at how the post war literary association Gruppe 47 (Group 47), has been presented in the media since its official demise in 1967, and considers why the group still has a high level of symbolic capital decades after its active participation in the German literary field.

Professor Ruth Wodak (Linguistics and English Language) presented a work-package for 'multilingualism in EU institutions', at a roundtable at the final symposium of the 6th framework EU project DYLAN in Brussels, where members of the European Commission participated, held on 22 September.

Dr Rebecca Seviour (Physics) has been awarded the "Lise Meitner" chair at Lund University (Sweden), and a personal chair at Huddersfield University. She will take up the Lise Meitner chair in 2012 and the chair at Huddersfield in December this year.

The second edition of an edited book ‘Death, Dying and Social Difference’ published by Oxford University Press was launched at a special symposium at the Help the Hospices conference in Bournemouth on Wednesday 28th September. The book is edited by Dame Barbara Monroe, holds an honorary Chair at the International Observatory on End of Life Care and Professor Sheila Payne, Director of the International Observatory on End of Life Care and David Oliviere. Other members of the Faculty of Health and Medicine have contributed chapters including Professor Tony Gatrell, Professor Carol Thomas and Dr Mary Turner.

Wanted - A person with interest in further and higher education and/or governance, to represent Lancaster University on the Board of Governors of one of our Associated Institutions – Blackpool and the Fylde College. If you might be interested, please contact Fiona Aiken or tel 92021 to find out more.

Lancaster in the news

Professor Stephen Wildman and the Ruskin Library are mentioned on BBC news online following a visit by film actor Greg Wise, while research led by Professor Nick Hewitt is featured on the website of the Australian Broadcasting Corporation.

Notices

Reintroducing the Staff Purple card

All staff members at Lancaster University are able to get a Purple card, allowing you access to many of the same discounts available to students. Whether you’re going out for a meal, having your hair cut or even learning how to drive – the Purple card is the little piece of plastic you don’t want to be without. From 20% off at the Plough to 10% off at Matthew Paul Hair – a wide variety of fantastic discounts are available to all Purple card holders.

The card costs just £12.99 per year and is available at http://card.lusu.co.uk/. Please contact Louise Mason should you have any queries.

History Department relocation

The History Department relocated from Furness College to Bowland Main on 26 September. All telephone numbers and email addresses remain the same for all staff.

Friends Programme Funding available

See details and application form here. Please ensure that applications have been submitted for authorisation by 5pm Friday 11th November 2011. Deadline for all applications to be submitted to the Alumni & Development Office: 5pm Friday 18th November 2011. Enquiries to Rachel Newbury in the Alumni & Development Office on ext 92904 / email.

Organisation and Educational Development

ESOL English for Speakers of Other Languages - English courses for Staff and their spouses academic year 2011/12
Introductory English - Monday mornings (Term time only), 9.15 to 10.45
Improving English - Monday mornings (Term time only), 11.00 to 12.30

Stonefish e-Recruitment (demonstration and refresher)
Is this course for me?
If you are a recruiting manager, or admin staff member involved in the recruitment process, you should attend. The session is designed for those new to Stonefish but equally suited as a refresher or problem solving session.

To enrol on any of the above, or, for further details, please contact : www.lancs.ac.uk/mailto/oed

Places for the Survival skills workshops are filling up fast.
This one-day induction course is designed to help postgraduates, researchers and others involved in modest amounts of demonstrating or seminar teaching to address some of the basic skills and understanding they will need for their work. It assumes that participants have little or no previous teaching experience. Workshop bookings are being taken at www.lancs.ac.uk/celt/celtweb/booking.

Extra-curricular language courses on campus this term

Lancashire Adult Learning (The Adult College) in association with Lancaster University, are offering a range of language courses on campus starting week commencing 31st October*. Courses include Chinese, French, German, Greek, Japanese, Italian, Russian, Spanish and British Sign Language. All courses are 10 weeks (apart from British Sign Language). The fee is £75.00 (£91.50 for non EU residents). Concessions are available on all these courses for those in receipt of certain income-related benefits. You must be aged 19yrs or over to take part. Come along to our advice and enrolment event on Monday 3rd and Wednesday 5th October 11.30am – 3pm - ground floor reception area of FASS (North Spine)

Improvements to the University Wireless Network Service (WiNet)

With the increase in smart phones, tablet devices and laptops being used on campus, ISS has been working to improve the coverage and utility of WiNet. The eduroam network’s security model has been adjusted to provide access to a wider range of online services over the wireless network, while still providing a safe, secure connection. Eduroam is the standard encrypted connection method for the University's wireless network and should be used whenever possible. It allows connection to your H: Drive, departmental filestore and other University resources. Under the adjusted security model, online sites, services and resources will only be blocked if they pose a security threat to the University or affect the performance of the network.

ISS is also rolling out a pilot wireless network service into a number of student residences, expanding the availability of wireless networking across campus. In these residences, the eduroam network will be provided initially. The new wireless network service will be available in Slaidburn House, Chancellor's Wharf, Furness Perimeter and part of Bowland Main residences. There are plans to expand the wireless network to other student residences if the pilot service is successful. For more information about the University's wireless network, go to www.lancs.ac.uk/iss/network/winet.

Online bookings are now open for Staff IT Training ISS offer a variety of staff development training sessions throughout the academic year. These courses are free of charge, except the Microsoft Office Specialist (MOS) Certificate where fees apply. Details of the sessions available, dates and times are on the ISS Training web pages.

To book an ISS IT Training session, please visit. You will need the approval of your line manager prior to booking. Please contact iss-training@lancaster.ac.uk for further IT training information.

Furness refurbishment

Work to refurbish Furness College to provide office space for the Faculty of Health & Medicine will begin on Monday 10 October. The work will involve the bar, all college space (offices, TV room & JCR) and landscaping. The contractor will begin setting up site cabins on Monday 3 October at the rear service yard at the bottom of Tower Avenue. The work is due to be completed by September 2012. Deliveries to the retail units and refuse collections will continue throughout the work. Facilities apologise for any disruption caused.

Car parking

The Flexible Benefits enrolment period has closed and the process for collecting your passes is as follows:



• Annual Staff Permit – If you have chosen the salary sacrifice option, your application is being processed. Your permit will be sent to your home address in time for 3 October. If you have changed address in the last four weeks and have not already changed it by using employee self service, please contact Catherine Hadwin, HR on 01524 592157, otherwise your pass will be sent to your old address. If you have chosen the non-salary sacrifice option or you are unable to salary sacrifice (and you have already been in contact with the Flexible Benefits helpdesk), you will be contacted by email by HR with information about how to receive your pass.
• Staff Car Share Permit – You now need to visit the Car Parking Office in Security (open 09:00 – 12:45 daily) with all vehicle details and payment to collect your Car Share permit and allocation of free Staff Scratchcards (pro rata for part-time staff).
• 15 free Staff Scratchcards for walking, cycling or motorcycling commuters – You now then need to visit the Car Parking Office in Security (open 09:00 – 12:45 daily) with vehicle details to collect your free scratchcards (pro rata for part-time staff).
• SN Permit – You now need to present satisfactory medical evidence at the Car Parking Office, Security. Emeritus staff and those holding honorary/visiting contracts should now contact the Parking Office in Security in person or by telephone (X92179) between 09:00 and 12:45 to apply for a permit or choose one of the other parking options such as the Staff Car Share Permit for free scratchcards for regular walking, cycling or motorcycling commuters.
• Termly Parking Permits – available all year round (not part of Flexible Benefits) for £57 per term. Click here for more information.

Important information on changes to car parking for the new Sports Centre

Lancaster City Council have limited the car parking provision outside the new Sports Centre. The current provision is not adequate to meet peak time demands. In order to ensure that only short stay users occupy spaces immediately outside the Sports Centre the following system will be implemented from 7.00am on Monday 3 October. Up to 1 hour free (ticket still required), 1-1.5 hours £1, 1-2 hours £2, maximum stay 2 hours. Parking charges apply during all centre opening hours including weekends and evenings. Tickets should be obtained from the machine located on the car park. All Staff and Student permits / staff scratchcards do not apply on the Sports Centre or Sports Field car parks. Pay and display facilities must be used at all times. No refunds will be given for car parking. This is Visitor Car Park L. Vehicles failing to comply with these rules or parked in a dangerous or restricted area will be clamped with a £75 recovery charge. Clamping will continue on this car park next week.

Buses

Subsidised Unirider Bus Passes – Applications for subsidised staff bus passes have now closed for 2011/12. From Friday 30 September all Staff Uniriders applied for through flexible benefits are to be collected from the LUSU Finance Office. Staff must take a valid Lancaster University library card with them to collect their bus pass. Subsidised route-specific passes have been prepared in advance showing the home location area according to HR records. LUSU will also be selling termly and annual bus passes for the full price as normal to both staff and students with a valid Lancaster University Library card. Note that the passes are not valid until 3 October.

WHAT'S ON

For a full list of all events, please see Events.

Archbishop of York to Visit Lancaster University

The Archbishop of York, the Most Reverend Dr John Sentamu will be visiting the Chaplaincy Centre and Lancaster University on Thursday 6th October. At 3.30pm there will be an open question and answer session with the Archbishop in the Chaplaincy Centre, followed by refreshments. If you would like to attend please email admin@chaplancs.org.uk.

Cesagen lecture on genetic fingerprinting

The inventor of DNA fingerprinting Sir Alec Jeffreys FRS is to give a public lecture on Wednesday 12 October at Lancaster Town Hall. The lecture `Genetic Fingerprinting: past, present and future` will look at the origin and latest developments of the technique. Sir Alec, Professor of Genetics at the University of Leicester, will also look at the social impact of the technique, criticising some aspects of the UK National DNA database which holds the DNA profiles of five million people. The lecture is organised by Cesagen, (the Centre for the Economic and Social Aspects of Genomics), a collaborative research centre based at Lancaster and Cardiff Universities. The lecture at 6pm is free but prior registration is requested at www.lancs.ac.uk/geneticfingerprinting.

DClinPsy Autumn Research Seminar – Thursday 20th October

The first seminar within the 2011/12 Doctorate in Clinical Psychology series will be given by David Harper, Reader in Clinical Psychology – University of East London on ‘The Social Construction of Delusions and Unusual Beliefs’. The seminar will take place between 12 and 1pm on Thursday 20th October in LT4 in the Management School. If you would like to attend, or would like further information, please email Sarah Heard.

The making of higher education international partnerships: Evaluating the nation to nation approach

Presented by John McGovern, Tenterfell Consulting. Wednesday 26th October 2011, 12.30- 2.00 p.m., FASS Building, MR1 (formerly IAS Building). Department of Educational Research Seminar Series. Everyone welcome. For more information contact Dee Daglish, or go to the forthcoming events section on the Department of Educational Research website.

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