eNews 23 March
University systems update, Living with Covid, Ukraine fundraising appeal, Leeds Conversations event, industrial action, student welcome programme, staff benefits, events and more.
University systems
Update on University systems
In response to last week’s cyber-security incident, we temporarily shut down a number of services so they could be updated – no systems were compromised or taken offline by third parties. We’re prioritising action on these systems with the service owners and are working to restore them as quickly as possible. Please check the latest news on services before reporting an issue to the Service Desk. If you need to share this information with external collaborators, please direct them to the IT update webpage on the Knowledge Base. Thank you for your patience and support while we restore these systems.
Coronavirus
Living with Covid | Arrangements at the University
Dennis Hopper, Interim Chief Operating Officer, wrote to all staff on Thursday 17 March to outline our approach to the Government announcement of its ‘Living with Covid plans’, including information about lateral flow testing, self-isolation, reporting, face coverings, distancing and room capacities, ventilation, cleaning, travel, risk assessments, the coronavirus website and more.
Ukraine
Appeal | Leeds Together For Ukraine
Leeds City Council has launched a major fundraising appeal to help those affected by Russia’s invasion of Ukraine. Money raised through the ‘Leeds Together For Ukraine’ appeal will be used to provide accommodation support and other forms of assistance to Ukrainian refugees as they build new lives in Leeds.
Related link
Ukraine | Response from the Vice-Chancellor
Industrial action
Leeds Conversations: Let’s talk
Book your place at the next Leeds Conversations event and hear from Vice-Chancellor, Professor Simone Buitendijk, as she outlines why the University supports the UUK proposals for the USS pension scheme, gives details on the University’s financial position and updates on progress in our Fairer future for all initiative. Sessions are open to all colleagues and the first event takes place online at 11.30am on Thursday 31 March. Read the email to all colleagues from the Vice-Chancellor outlining what to expect at the sessions.
Strike action
University and College Union (UCU) is undertaking strike action at Leeds until Friday 25 March. Our industrial action questions and answers have been updated, including the deadline for reporting your participation.
UNISON has also announced further strike dates of Thursday 24 and Friday 25 March. See our updated questions and answers about UNISON action for further information.
Coming soon | USS pension information events
All members of the USS pension scheme, and colleagues who are eligible to join but have not done so, will shortly be invited to attend information sessions developed specifically for staff at Leeds, hosted by pensions experts, Mercer. Both virtual and in-person sessions will be available to book and a recording will be posted on the For Staff website. Further information to follow.
Students
New year-round student welcome programme
Find out more about our new year-round student welcome programme. We will take learnings from the pandemic forward with a dedicated team and programme of work to support students all year round.
Meet the 2022/23 Student Executive team
Read about the new Leeds University Union (LUU) Student Executive team. More than 5,200 students voted in this year’s elections, with results announced earlier this month.
Digital developments
Making changes to your identity information
There’s a new and simpler way to request changes to your name, gender or title details held within University systems. Find out more about making changes to your identity information
Feedback
Help shape digital teaching and learning
There’s still time to share your feedback about digital teaching and learning at Leeds. Last year’s Jisc Digital Experience surveys inspired a raft of improvements in how we deliver online education. This year’s versions should take no more than 10 minutes to complete, and we’ve extended the deadline for the staff survey until midnight on Friday 25 March to gain as much feedback as possible.
Balancing Life Survey 2022 | Win Love2shop vouchers
Take part in the Balancing Life Survey 2022 for your chance to win a Love2shop voucher. Run annually by the Sport and Physical Activity Service, the short survey provides vital insight into the health and wellbeing levels among our University community. Have your say about what else the University could do to support you to become more physically active, helping shape future initiatives. All responses are anonymous and confidential. Complete the survey by Sunday 27 March to enter our free prize draw, with two £100 and two £50 Love2shop vouchers up for grabs.
Celebrate
Annual report highlights staff success
Achievements, successes and challenges of the Library during the 2020-21 academic year are celebrated in a new Library Annual Report-o-graphic. The report demonstrates the commitment of all Library staff to put users first, and to develop meaningful partnerships with colleagues across the University to support research and learning.
Learning and development
Register | Management Essentials Programme
New and existing managers can now book on to the next block of OD&PL’s Management Essentials programme. Sessions cover a variety of topics designed to equip you with the tools needed to effectively manage your team, as well as understand the processes and responsibilities you have at the University. The next set of sessions start on Monday 28 March and run until early May.
Staff benefits
Enter now | Bike competition
Cyclescheme, which administers our Cycle to Work Scheme, has teamed up with retailer Tredz to give away a Boardman SLR 8.9 Carbon bike, worth £1,100. All colleagues, whether they’re scheme members or not, can enter the competition before midnight on Thursday 31 March. Good luck!
Register | E-bikes webinar
Register to attend a free E-bikes webinar being hosted by Cyclescheme, which administers our Cycle to Work Scheme, and leading bike manufacturer Raleigh. The event, which takes place at 11.30am on Thursday 7 April, includes the opportunity to ask questions about E-bikes and to learn more about the Cycle to Work Scheme, which offers exclusive savings on new bikes through a salary sacrifice arrangement.
Events
Book | Astbury Conversation with Nobel Prize winner
Hear the remarkable story of Nobel Prize winner, Richard Henderson, during the Astbury Conversation public lecture ‘Zooming in on the Molecules of Life’. Taking place from 5-6pm on Tuesday 26 April, you can register to attend the in-person event at the Esther Simpson Building or sign-up to watch it online. Tickets are free.
Register | Be Curious LATES: Cotton – unpicking the stories woven into our clothes
Sign up for the first in a new series of Be Curious LATES. Taking place from 8-9pm on Wednesday 30 March, the online event explores the complex history, production and consumption of cotton, from the UK and Indian perspective. Discover the global importance of cotton, learn about its history and influence on fashion and take an exclusive peek into the rich textile collections of Leeds Museums and Galleries. LATES events are free to attend and designed exclusively for adult audiences.
Watch back | Be Curious LATES: World Changers
With contributions from four speakers involved in the World Changers essay collection, Be Curious LATES: World Changers is available to watch back now. From helping to address climate change to empowering young women through creativity, the online event shone a light on some of the brilliant Leeds research helping reduce inequalities and improve the lives of people in our city, the UK and across the globe.
Sign up | Language@Leeds Triennial Showcase 2022
Register to attend the Triennal Language@Leeds showcase, which runs from 4-6.30pm on Wednesday 30 March. Language@Leeds is an interdisciplinary centre for language research and scholarship at Leeds. Held at Clothworkers Centenary Concert Hall, the showcase includes an extensive programme of talks and posters, finishing with a drinks and canapés reception.
Register | Pedagogic Research in the Arts Slow Conference 2022
Sign up for the inaugural Pedagogical Research in the Arts Slow Conference, which takes place from Monday 28 March to Friday 1 April. The online event will explore pedagogical innovation in the arts after the mass move to online teaching and learning with the advent of the COVID-19 pandemic in March 2020.
In case you missed it
Action required | Complete the macOS devices survey
Submit | World Changers essay collection
Listen | World Changers podcast
Undergraduate Programme Survey
Graduation celebrations and watch the ceremonies online
Updated | Deli(very) delivered catering service webpage
Order your University of Leeds ID badge
Inspired by Bragg | Public Cheney Lecture
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Keeping up to date
This eNews is brought to you by the Communications and Engagement team. You can:
- keep up to date with our latest news on the For Staff website and by following the staff Twitter account
- access our previous staff email communications on our dedicated In depth webpage
- check for the latest information and advice on our coronavirus website; including updated data for the number of coronavirus cases among staff and students; and
- access key University systems and information, such as HR self-service, IT, the Office365 web app, year planner, Minerva and purchasing, via the staff systems and quick links sections towards the top of the For Staff homepage. Even more handy links have been added, including OD&PL, the 2020-2030 Strategy, Wellbeing and Safety, the Sustainability hub, Research and Innovation Service (RIS), USS pension, ResearchFish and MyGrants.