Wednesday 25 October 2017

Staff Newsletter Issue 55

Contents

• Announcements
• News
• What's on
• Blogs
• From the editors

Staff survey 2017

The University’s Staff Survey will open next week (Mon 30 Oct) and will run until Thu 30 Nov.  Please take the time to complete the questionnaire.  You will be able to do this in work time.  It allows us to see how we are doing and what areas we need to improve on.

A number of actions took place at both University and local levels after the last survey in 2015 and we are committed to responding to your feedback again this year.

CAPITA, an independent survey provider, will be running the survey again on behalf of the University.  One of the key reasons that we use CAPITA is that they have a range of processes designed to ensure confidentiality and anonymity, including complying with the Data Protection Act and Market Research Code of Conduct.

Once the survey is open you will receive an email from CAPITA with a unique password and a link to complete the survey online.  Staff who do not have access to an email will receive a paper copy (or you can request one if you prefer from CAPITA).  The survey can also be completed via a phone call with CAPITA by calling the Freephone helpline 0800 587 3115.  The survey will take around 20-25 minutes to complete.

You can find out more information about previous surveys at https://www.dundee.ac.uk/hr/policiesprocedures/staffsurvey/

OneUniversity Finance and Procurement

Training for OneUniversity Finance and Procurement workstream has begun in earnest, with a number of sessions around the financial ledgers and the new coding string.

School and Directorate managers have been asked for four or five nominations to take part in a number of core training sessions:

• an introduction to One University (navigation and the basics including expenses)
• requisitioning
• invoice to cash
• chart of accounts and new coding string

The idea is that these people, ‘key specialists’, will then cascade the training down to their teams.

By doing it this way, the focus is on the activity that needs to continue regardless of the system being used, requisitioning and associated tasks around that, whilst giving Schools and Professional Services control over when this is rolled out in each area.

In addition to this training, in the weeks after go live, there will be regular ‘drop in surgeries’ for expenses where you can bring along an expense claims and get help to complete and submit it.

Sessions on Financial Management, Accounts Payable, Accounts Receivable, Stores Management, Research Finance and other topics will be scheduled shortly and dates will be shared 

If you have any questions about training, speak to your change champion, or email business-transformation@dundee.ac.uk.

Update: Wifi everywhere, even outside

Blanket wifi coverage is now even closer. The final migration for Oct will be Dalhousie on Sat 28 & Sun 29, and there will be no internet access in the building.

For full details of the implications read the IT status blog.

Scheduled network maintenance

The University network will be at risk 7am-8am on Sat 28 and Sun 29 Oct. Read more on the IT status blog.

University of Dundee Korean society

The University of Dundee Korean society is now up and running and would love to welcome new members. The society was created this semester, and is hoping to expand over the coming year.

K-soc is planning to hold some great events, including film nights, cooking evenings, culture talks, Korean lessons and much more!

If you are Korean, or simply interested in any aspect of Korean culture or language, then please contact pwild@dundee.ac.uk for more information about this great new society.

Save the date - Discovery Days 2018

Thursday 11th and Friday 12th January

Discovery Days are short, general presentations from our new professors and our award-winning teachers & communicators.

Everyone is welcome to hear them share the ideas that inspire them, including school pupils, members of the public and our staff & students.

Dalhousie Building, refreshments and lunch available. 

www.dundee.ac.uk/discoverydays

Learning X – The Digital Scholar

Some of the CTIL team are participating in an Open Learn Course – The Digital Scholar, which explores the impact of digital technologies on scholarly practice. They would like to invite staff and students to join them over the next few weeks.

Follow the Digital Scholar link on the homepage of My Dundee, or go to http://learningspaces.dundee.ac.uk/ctil/category/learning/

Learning X – Live Session: Are you a digital visitor or a digital resident?

As part of the Learning X series, CTIL are also running a number of live sessions. The first workshop, “Digital Resident or Digital Visitor”, is designed to complement both the current Learning X (Digital Scholar), and the previous one, Digital Footprint.  You don’t need to have participated in Learning X online to attend.

The workshop will run twice: Thu 26 Oct and Tue 31 Oct 2.30-4.30pm (Strawberry Lane Ideas Lab, first floor main library), come along to whichever session is most convenient. 

More information visit http://learningspaces.dundee.ac.uk/ctil/2017/10/20/are-you-a-digital-resident-or-a-digital-visitor/

Celebrate Dundee 2023 (Thu 26 Oct)

The City of Dundee is ready to submit its European Capital of Culture 2023 bid.

Come and wave off the bid in City Square on Thu 26 Oct from 12.45pm.

With flags, music, dance and food this is a great chance to show your support for #Dundee2023.

Check the Facebook event.

OPD: Academic Context: Effective Delegation (Fri 10 Nov)

Understanding that enabling people to flourish means appreciating the specific requirements of a diverse range of roles. Come along to Managing Staff in an Academic Context: Effective Delegation.

Graduation Stories (16 & 17 Nov)

Winter graduation is fast approaching and we’re looking for graduation stories once again. Of course all of our graduating students are interesting, but some are of more interest to the press, or on social media. Others are great examples to allow us to promote our courses to the next generation.

Do you know a graduating student who:

• has got a great job or scholarship
• did a particularly newsworthy or interesting dissertation or project
• is graduating despite particular adversity or unusual circumstances
• fits the "mum & daughter graduating on same day" type story
• is travelling to Dundee for the first time, having studied a distance learning course?

Or do you have the first students graduating from a new course?

Please contact internal-comms@dundee.ac.uk in the first instance with details.

Athena SWAN Annual Lecture - Unlimited By Gender. Disadvantage can work both ways (Mon 27 Nov)

Jenny Garrett will discuss what may need to change both personally and professionally for all of us if gender equality is to be successful.

This one hour talk will be followed by Q&A, then refreshments in the Dalhousie foyer.

Mon 27 Nov 12noon-2pm, Dalhousie LT3.

Book your tickets now.

If you wish to communicate around the University, this fortnightly newsletter is just one way to do that. Please check our Methods of Internal Communication webpage, and feel free to get in touch if you have any questions.

The next newsletter will be distributed on Wednesday 8 November - the deadline is 4pm on Friday 3 November.