SPace
Bath Spa University’s monthly magazine SEPTEMBER 2014
FEATURES 14
Spotlight on... Sarah Dawes, Chief Executive of the Students’ Union
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Talking Point
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My Student Experience... Ben Knight, third year BA Music
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Development and Alumni news
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The future of teaching by Dr Kate Reynolds, Dean of Education
Harry Browning returns to Bath Spa
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Sustainability and Environment National Lift Share Week 6-10 October
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18 8 12
contents 6
Update from the Vice-Chancellor
8 Vice-Chancellor visits nursery forest school 9
Widening Participation summer school
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Spotlight on… Sarah Dawes, Chief Exectutive, Students’ Union
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Library developments
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Student Information Desk
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Professor Joe Duddell teams up with Clean Bandit
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13 Graduate jobs – Rob Tidy and Rob Ballingall
Talking Point… The future of teaching by Dr Kate Reynolds, Dean of Education 18 My student experience… Ben Knight, Third Year BA Music
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SPACE magazine is published every month and is aimed at staff and students of Bath Spa University. SPACE welcomes contributions from all members of the Bath Spa community. Want to get involved? Contact Anya Clifton – a.clifton@bathspa.ac.uk Editor Anya Clifton
Features Writer Rob Breckon
Design and Layout Lorna Leigh Harrington
Contributors Abigail Herbert Ben Knight Bethan Reynolds
Front cover Emily Furnell
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In the News
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What’s On
- Vice-Chancellor’s book review
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International update
- National Student Survey results
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Students’ Union update
- Continuing The Conversation
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Staff News
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Development and Alumni Relations
- Harry Browning returns to Bath Spa
-The Creative Thinking Award
- The Gane Trust Award
- Porthleven Prize
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Sustainability and Environment SPACE SEPTEMBER 2014
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Professor Christina Slade, Vice-Chancellor
Update from the Vice-Chancellor A warm welcome to the autumn term. I’m sure you will all join me in welcoming the new students to the University.
September saw the first cohort of students moving into the new residences at Newton Park. Some of the external works will continue over the coming weeks but all of the bedrooms have been completed and are now occupied. This completes stages one and two of our campus masterplan, having invested £70m into the campus. It’s been a busy summer for the University. The Estates and Services department have been working on many projects, including: •
Refurbishing the Refectory at Newton Park to accommodate the new Santander branch
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Installing new energy efficient lighting as part of our carbon reduction plans
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Fit out of the new TV studios in Commons
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Refurbishment works in the Newton Park library
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Students’ Union refurbishment
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New footpaths at Sion Hill
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Upgrades to studios and internal decoration at Sion Hill
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Refurbishment work at Corsham Court as well as new external lighting along some pathways
In August this year we received the excellent news of our National Student Survey results. Bath Spa saw a rise of 2 per cent in overall satisfaction to 89 per cent. Many of our courses now feature in the top ten nationally for student satisfaction. I end this welcome with a message for all students. Take the opportunity to get involved in at least one activity with your Students’ Union. The new sabbatical team have great plans for this academic year with a wide-ranging programme to suit all tastes .
Professor Christina Slade Vice-Chancellor
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UNIVERSITY NEWS
Oak tree day nursery
The Vice-Chancellor and Kerry Edwards (Deputy Nursery Manager)
The Vice-Chancellor, Professor Slade, recently visited the Oak Tree Day Nursery Forest School at
Newton Park. The children were busy weaving long pieces of material through branches, working as a team to move large branches and looking for bugs under logs. The children were keen to show Professor Slade their balancing skills as they walked along the trunks of fallen trees and jumped off at the other end. Forest School is an educational approach to playing and learning outdoors. The schools were established in Denmark in the early 1980s, and are based on providing children with a nursery education that encourages them to appreciate and learn about the natural world. Forest School fosters children’s curiosity and motivation to learn and explore. Each session is planned to ensure children are making progress towards the Early Learning Goals. The nursery team and children really enjoyed the Vice-Chancellor’s visit and are looking forward to her forthcoming visit to the nursery in November.
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Playing with the branches
Widening Participation Summer School Summer school participants
The Widening Participation team hosted its first ever ‘Step into Teaching’ summer school with
Writhlington School from 18-22 July. Year 10 and Year 12 students who were interested in teaching as a potential career path took part. During the summer school, the Writhlington students worked with Bath Spa University students and learned about routes into teaching, lesson plans and presentation skills. They heard from Kristin Macdonald about her very inspirational start in teaching. Kristin is a former Bath Spa PGCE student who graduated in 2013 and now works at Beacon Rise primary school. They also saw a curriculum based workshop led by Explorer Dome in an inflatable planetarium. Finally they got some hands on experience of what being a teacher is like by researching, planning and delivering their very own ‘micro teach’ at the end of the summer school. This was observed by,and received feedback from Hilary Smith and Tor Foster, two very experienced lecturers from the University’s Education department. The summer school was a great success and all attendees agreed that it had given them confidence and valuable teaching experience. Stephanie Hoddinott from the Widening Participation team said; “It has been so lovely to see how the students have grown in confidence in just three days. They have gained some invaluable knowledge and skills which will contribute to making them fantastic teachers.” Bath Spa University’s Widening Participation team works with over 30 schools and colleges in the local area to deliver a variety of programmes and events to encourage participation in higher education and promote fair access. The programmes are aimed at people from groups who are currently under-represented in higher education and designed to raise awareness, aspirations and attainment and support progression to university. SPACE SEPTEMBER 2014 SPACE NOVEMBER 2013
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UNIVERSITY NEWS
Library developments Newton Park library
The work to Newton Park library over the summer marked the final stage in a phased approach
to update the University’s library facilities and learning areas which included a brand new library at the Sion Hill campus in 2009. The plans aimed to reflect changes to learning styles, including the provision of more group working spaces, increased sockets for the use of mobile devices, and the successful testing of bookable spaces as a dry-run for the Commons building. The improvements at Newton Park Library include completely refurbished toilets, and new carpet throughout the book halls. This was a huge undertaking requiring around 80,000 books and shelving to be removed and stored in Exeter, whilst minimising the disruption to students and staff. Access and borrowing facilities from other university libraries were negotiated and inter-library loans were arranged to assist with this. Finally, Newton Park Library has extended its opening hours to provide an additional ten hours access during term time. The new opening hours are: 8:00am to midnight Monday to Friday 9:00am to 8:00pm Saturday and Sunday The 24/7 learning access will be transferred from Newton Park Library to the Learning Commons in the new Commons building. Students will have access to group and quiet study areas, Wi-Fi access, copy and print facilities, vending Vice-Chancellor meets with Alison Baud (Director machines and toilets.
of Library Services), Bruce Galliver (Students’ Union President) and Ann Siswell (Deputy Director Library Services)
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Student Information Desk Located in the Commons Atrium, the Student Information Desk is the first point of contact for any questions or problems related to Student Services and your time at University. Whether it’s information about timetables, a mitigating circumstances form or a letter for council tax exemption, the Student Information Desk team is here to help. The opening hours for the Student Information Desk are: Term Time Monday, Tuesday and Thursday 8:30am – 5:00pm Wednesday 8:30am – 4:00pm Friday 8:30am – 4:30pm Out of Term Time Monday to Friday 10:00am – 4:00pm
Student Information Desk
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Composer Joe Duddell orchestrates brand new arrangement for Clean Bandit and BBC Philharmonic Professor of Music Joe Duddell recently teamed up with internationally renowned British electronic group Clean Bandit and the BBC Philharmonic Orchestra in a special live performance for The Zane Lowe show on BBC Radio One.
The concert launched this year’s BBC Philharmonic Presents… series, a celebration of orchestral music in its many different guises. The four-piece instrumental collective teamed together with guest singers, a choir and the orchestra to perform a brand-new arrangement, orchestrated by composer Joe Duddell, of their debut album New Eyes which features the hit tracks ‘Rather Be’ and ‘Extraordinary’. This special live concert can be watched again at http://www.bbc.co.uk/ programmes/b04h83tn Commenting on the concert, Professor Duddell said: “It was great to be part of the ‘BBC Philharmonic Presents…’ series again. It’s all about the orchestra trying to reach out to different audiences through broadcasting on each of the major BBC networks and this one with Clean Bandit for Radio One was fascinating to work on.”
Clean Bandit
Joe Duddell
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Graduate Success Grrrreeeat! work by Rob Ballingall
Rob has written the music and lyrics for the Kellogg’s Frosted Flakes commercial that has recently been broadcast nationwide across the USA. Rob worked on the commercial in Nylon Studios in Manhattan, New York where he has been Studio Manager since the end of 2012. The commercial has been viewed by millions of Americans and was shown during the Little League World Series and the baseball on ESPN. Commenting on the composition, Rob said: “It was an exciting, yet highly competitive, project to be a part of. My track faced a tough fight between thirty to forty other tracks, from US music production houses, freelancers over the world, and even high profile pop artists. “During my writing and production process I had an inkling the track would be a strong contender, but the advertisement industry is fickle and you never really know. The process only really began after they had picked my track; I subsequently made fifteen musical changes to fit the agency’s requirements for the commercial.” The Kellogg’s Frosties commercial can be viewed here After graduating in 2010, Rob worked as a freelance engineer and mixer before moving to New York. In 2012 he worked beside Grammy winning engineers Warren Russell-Smith, Steve Rosenthal, Brian Thorn and Ted Young and assisted during the recording of David Bowie’s 2013 album ‘The Next Day’. Dean of the School of Music and Performing Arts, Professor Joe Bennett said: “We’re always pleased to see our graduates’ composition work get this kind of international exposure. High-quality songwriting is one of the core principles of the Commercial Music course, and Rob’s commercial success demonstrates that excellent songwriters continue to be in great demand.”
Rob Tidy lands dream job at Electric Lady Studios in New York A second Commercial Music graduate, Rob Tidy, left the city of Bath to start his career in America working as a Studio Technician and Engineer in the Big Apple’s famous music studios, built by Jimi Hendrix in 1970.
Rob will be working with a host of the world’s biggest names in music with previous clients including Elvis Presley, John Lennon, Prince, Beyoncé, David Bowie, Led Zeppelin, The Rolling Stones, Madonna, Foo Fighters, Stevie Wonder, AC/DC, Radiohead, U2, Arcade Fire, Muse and Daft Punk. Commenting on the prospect of working with such famous artists, Rob said: “It’s such a crazy and out-of-the-blue opportunity, hopefully I can be a fly on the wall and absorb everything, no matter how surreal it might get. It’s one of those things that doesn’t come around every day so I just had to go for it and hop on the next plane.” Subject Leader: Commercial Music, Nigel Beaham-Powell added: “Rob was a brilliant Commercial Music student who left our University with a well-deserved first. He is a stunning example of what can be done.” SPACE SEPTEMBER 2014 SPACE NOVEMBER 2013
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spotlight ON...
Sarah Dawes, Students’ Union Chief Executive
Café/bar area
spotlight on...
It has been a very busy time across the University during the summer, not at least for the Students’ Union. The Students’ Union teamed up with the University and invested over £600,000 into renovating and improving the building and facilities at the Students’ Union.
The walls, floors and ceilings have been dramatically changed to give the place a more welcoming feel.
Returning students may have vivid memories of the old Students’ Union bar. The dark, old space has now been completely transformed to give Sarah Dawes, the Students’ Union Chief a more flexible, inviting space by removing the Executive explained: “We have completely stage and improving the décor. “We worked with gutted the inside of the Union building. Last year students to understand how they needed the we spent a lot of time speaking to our students space to function and the type of environment to find out exactly what they wanted from their they wanted to create,” said Sarah. ‘We then Students’ Union building and over the summer worked with a local furniture designer to create some unique furniture and a fabulous cosy, retro we have been working hard to deliver that. feel to the space with some quirky approaches “There have been a whole raft of improvements to upcycling throughout.’ but the thing that people will notice first is how Early on in the project we realised that the old much brighter the inside of the building is. 14
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bar was trying to be too many things at once – a bar, café, nightclub, social venue etc., and as a result was ultimately failing to be any of those things. Over the last 12 months we’ve been working with venues in town to develop nights out for Bath Spa students in established venues whilst we focus on showcasing student talent with open mic nights, comedy and live music. Key events, such as the Freshers’ and Summer balls will now be held in purpose built marquees. With brand new accommodation housing over 570 students at the top of Newton park campus, the demands on the Students’ Union building will increase significantly. Another central focus of the transformation has been increasing the size of the shop to create a mini supermarket, large enough to provide a greater range of everyday groceries and fresh produce. Sarah added “we recognised that we needed to ensure we were able to meet the changes on campus by creating spaces students wanted at the times they wanted. We have tried to create spaces which are different to anywhere else on campus which are now open seven days a week. “ “The Union Gym has also had a makeover. Despite the old gym being in good working order, it was a good opportunity for a refresh so alongside redecoration we have updated the equipment and changed the layout. This has increased the number of stations in the gym, enabling us to bring in a new Life Fitness Synergy station which will allow teams and groups to train together as a part of a programme or class.”
SU shop
Café/bar area
Gym
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talking point The Future of Teaching by Dr Kate Reynolds, Dean of Education
talking point
Dr Kate Reynolds
change. This is likely to be even more the case as we approach a General Election next year and political parties spar with each other over winning our votes.
So the launch of Bath Spa’s Institute for Education this year is very timely. Our Institute is here to support education professionals and to give them access to some of the most upto-date research and some of the latest policy debating points. To mark this, our launch at the Bath Children’s Literature Festival brought together key opinion formers (Sir David Carter, Regional Commissioner, Sam Freedman, former advisor to Michael Gove MP, Fiona Millar, educational journalist and Chris Keates, General Secretary of the NAS/UWT) to debate the future of teaching and teacher education. The discussion was wide ranging and controversial – as is often the case in education – with speakers and the audience keen to understand and debate the way teachers are educated and what might be the best way to make sure not only the best folks ne of many exciting things about working become teachers, but that they stay teachers. in the field of education is there’s always something new! Education, teaching, schools, Teacher education and the need to continue governance all evoke strong opinions from to support their professional development is a teachers, headteachers, policy makers and cause dear to our hearts at Bath Spa University, politicians, often on a daily basis, and this since the roots of the School of Education can means there’s always change and proposals for be traced back to Mary Dawkins’ heroic efforts
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to establish a teacher training college at Newton Park after the Second World War. Nowadays our partnerships with schools, multi academy trusts, diocesan boards, teaching school alliances and a range of other initiatives and groups are at the core of our work, building programmes that both support student teachers within the classroom and give them the space to reflect and learn from leading edge research and education theory. This sits alongside our work with other universities and schools to provide routes to teaching via the Troops to Teachers, Teach First and School Direct initiatives – all building a variety of different routes for entry to the teaching profession. The Institute will reflect this by bringing our academic work to the forefront of what we do and the difference we make. Our Diversity in Teacher Education (DiTE) research project examines the different new routes to teaching and what impact these may make to children and young people. As the ways of becoming a teacher broaden, this pertinent research will help us all to understand some of the things that contribute to making an outstanding teacher. The Institute will continue to support the education profession and student teachers with a wide range of activities planned throughout the year. Keynote lectures from some of the best education researchers in the world are complemented by hands on workshops showcasing the best of education technology and how it can be used in the classroom. Student teachers, newly qualified teachers, recently qualified teachers and those in senior management will have a chance to engage in topical debates alongside professional support. So come and join in! If you want to know more about the Institute follow us on twitter @ife or look at the web ife.ac.uk Primary teaching
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MY STUDENT EXPERIENCE Ben Knight, third year BA Music
my student experience
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started at BSU in 2012 Ben Knight and am just starting my third year of my BA in Music. I am a classical baritone, I have been singing classical music since I was 15 and my aim is to pursue this as a profession and become an opera singer. I was lucky enough to attend the Junior programme at the Guildhall School of Music and Drama from 2010-12 and during this time I was given the opportunity to attend the 2010 production of Don Giovanni at Glyndebourne Opera. It was this experience together with my recent success in the role of Count Almaviva in BSU’s production of The Marriage of Figaro which sparked my passion for opera. As part of my degree, I was required to complete a placement over the summer break as part of the Professional Musicianship module and I wanted to return to Glyndebourne to do this. With the help of Rob ArmstrongHaworth, I wrote a letter to the General Director at Glyndebourne, David Pickard, and I was invited to observe the rehearsals for the revival production of Rinaldo. With help from the Student Experience Fund I was able to stay in Lewes for a week, which proved to be of huge benefit to me. While attending rehearsals I was reminded 18
of the unparalleled effort that went into putting these productions on. I was introduced to a number of roles in the opera house from wig makers, costume and set designers to the director, conductor and cast as well as given a tour of back stage. I was also fortunate enough to also meet Steven Naylor who is the artistic director of Glyndebourne and get some invaluable advice from him. It was a dream to be surrounded by the cast and get advice from them as they have been through the process to become a professional opera singer. As well as this to just wonder around the beautiful venue and just listen to the incredible artists voices practicing, it was surreal. When sitting in the dress rehearsals I was blown away by the talent and professionalism of the cast and it really opened my eyes to what level you need to be at to become professional. This placement allowed me to really understand the scale of what it takes to put on an opera. Also, as one of the leading opera houses in the country my experience at Glyndebourne has been a vital networking tool. I have also been invited back to audition for Glyndebourne Academy this autumn!
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In the News Student satisfaction at all-time high at Bath Spa University
The National Student Survey (NSS) results were recently published and showed that Bath Spa is in
the top 20 UK universities for overall student satisfaction. The University scored 89 per cent, a two per cent increase from last year’s survey (87 per cent in 2013) and for the second year running, scored above the national average and the previous year’s survey. The University has seen improvements in a number of NSS key indicators including teaching (one per cent increase), assessment and feedback (four per cent increase), academic support (one per cent increase) and personal development (three per cent increase). There has also been significantly high overall satisfaction in a number of the University’s courses. Joint honours English Literature and Drama, single honours Biology and Theatre Production students recorded a 100 per cent satisfaction, whilst single honours Psychology (98 per cent), Commercial Music (97 per cent) and English Literature (97 per cent) all achieved impressively high satisfaction ratings. Additionally, the most notable improvements have been in single honours Drama Studies (94 per cent) and single honours History (96 per cent) with 23 per cent and 15 per cent increases respectively.
Book Review Vice-Chancellor Professor Slade’s new book Watching Arabic Television in Europe: From Diaspora to Hybrid Citizens was recently reviewed by Times Higher Education. The book, which was published in March, explores TV viewership patterns amongst Arabic speakers in six European countries, alongside ideas of identity, citizenship and belonging in these communities. Read the full review here
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Continuing The Conversation The University has contributed a number of recent articles to The Conversation, an independent source of news and views, sourced from the academic and research community and delivered direct to the public. Bath Spa is now a member of The Conversation and contributes articles and expert comment to the daily news agenda. Most recently Vice-Provost Professor Neil Sammells and Dean of the School of Music and Performing Arts Professor Joe Bennett have contributed articles. Professor Sammells wrote an article as part of a ‘literary guilty pleasure’ series where he revealed his enjoyment in reading work written by Elmore Leonard. The article ‘Guilty Pleasures: father of the modern western, king of crime’ can be read here Professor Bennett wrote an article discussing why pop music from the 1970s produces such good mixtapes. This article followed the news that, at the time of the article being published, the top- selling music album in the USA was Guardians Of The Galaxy: Awesome Mix Volume 1 – and had been for three weeks. The article ‘Guardians of the Galaxy: why 1970s pop produces awesome mixtapes’ can be read here
Professor Joe Bennett
The University’s Press and Communications team actively seek expert comment on the wide range of topics The Conversation covers and welcomes article submissions and proposals.
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Alumni news The Newton Park estate has a long
history dating back to the 14th century and the first manor house was built on the site by the Langton-Gore family in 1762. Since then the estate has primarily been used as a family home, although during WWI it was repurposed as a military hospital for troops brought home from the front line. In WWII the house was also used by the military, but this time as a vehicle training centre. Very few will remember Newton Park in WWII and our archives do not hold very much information about this period of time, so the Alumni team felt very privileged to meet Harry Browning, who was stationed at Newton Park from September 1944 to April 1945.
Harry visited Newton Park with his step-son Les and wife Hazel in July, and the Alumni team spent some time with the family reminiscing about his time on the estate. Harry told us how he felt very lucky to be stationed in Bath as it seemed a long way away from the war and that Newton Park is just as beautiful now as it was then. Harry was very pleased to discover that his dormitory is now the Alumni office and we took lots of photographs outside to remind him of his visit. The Globe pub was also a favourite of the soldiers stationed at Newton Park and Harry remembers walking up the mile long driveway to Main House in the pitch black on many occasions. During the war Harry was given a variety of different postings, including training soldiers to drive amphibious vehicles in North Wales and driving ambulances across the dessert in Egypt, Palestine and Jordan. However, despite travelling the world with the army he said that he was never happier than when he was at Newton Park. Harry now lives in Preston near his step-son Les.
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DEVELOPMENT & ALUMNI NEWS
Harry Browning outside Main House
FUNDING OPPORTUNITIES The Creative Thinking Award – supported by Ark Data Centres Creative Thinking is the ability to come up with new and unconventional ideas. In a world of digital technology, this skill is all-important. But all too often social conventions or educational pressures prevent us from thinking creatively. In universities, the divisions into subject disciplines, the distinctions between ‘arts’ and ‘sciences’, the demands of a particular type of study, can leave no place for the kind of thinking that crosses boundaries or happens ‘in between the cracks’. The award is designed to encourage Bath Spa students to think big and achieve great things through creative thinking. The judging panel will be looking for lateral thinking, originality and innovation, whatever the area or field within which they occur. The ideas should involve some kind of imaginary technological solution. The winner will be awarded a £1,500 prize sponsored by Ark Data Centres. For more information about the award, the terms and conditions and how to apply click here
The Gane Trust Award The Gane Trust is a charity based in Bristol whose aim is to support people engaged in any aspect of craft, design, and the arts. The Trust was created in memory of Crofton Gane the pioneering furniture designer (1877 - 1967). The Gane Trust has provided an Annual Travel Award of £1,000 for a student studying at Bath School of Art and Design for a number of years. The purpose is to encourage and support a student to travel abroad to study an aspect of design or craftsmanship. For more information about the award, the terms and conditions and how to apply click here
Porthleven Prize
Work by winner Sai Murai
Created through the generous support of the Trevor Osborne Charitable Trust, the Porthleven Prize creates the opportunity for interdisciplinary collaborative work during a ten-day residency in Porthleven, Cornwall. Students from different disciplines work to create an exhibition around the theme of “Provenance”, exploring different ways in which their talents can combine to create something spectacular and inspiring 22
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them to think differently. Trevor Osborne, the award donor explains: “The Bath Spa Porthleven Prize offers a unique opportunity for five second year students to spent 10 days in the Cornish fishing village of Porthleven working collaboratively and constructively in response to the combined experience in the maritime atmosphere of a fishing village established in 1811. Students have the use of the Lifeboat Studio on the Harbour edge and local accommodation in the village. Completed works are exhibited in Cornwall, Bath and Oxford. The collaborative experience of combining disparate talents and media is proving to be a formative experience which benefits the students and greatly satisfies my objectives as a sponsor.” The 2014 Porthleven Prize exhibition “Porthleven: A Peripatetic Encounter” opens in Oxford on 10 October and subsequently at the Bath School of Art and Design on 30 October.
Work by winner Lucinda Burgess
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Sustainability and Environment National Liftshare week 6-10 October Car2Spa is Bath Spa University’s lift-sharing scheme. Over the summer we’ve done some housekeeping to ensure that only active members are registered on the site. So why not join in with the National Liftshare week from 6 to 10 October? By lift-sharing just once a week, you will save money and help save the environment – you may well meet some fun and interesting people and decide to do it a bit more often too. Any member who sends a ‘request to share’ message between 29 September and 12 October will be entered into this year’s prize draw (draw will be from all members registered with the National Liftshare website, of which Car2Spa is a part). One lucky member will not only walk away with a potential car-sharer, but also £250 cash! Three Top Tips for Liftshare Success: 1) You get the most accurate details of people travelling the same way as you by inputting a postcode and/or selecting a BSU site (NP/SH) from the drop down list. 2) You can tailor your journey frequency – if undertaking a regular commute it’s good to put down the time when you leave home. You can use the +/- function if you have flexibility over your starting and end times. 3) You don’t need a car to use the service just register yourself as ‘seeking a lift’. Contact potential sharers through the website and then we advise that you meet any potential sharer in person, before you give each other a lift for the first time, in a public place such as the Refectory or Café Sion. You can use this tool to work out savings from lifts you share. As part of the new parking management scheme, car-sharing permits are now available, which can be shared between up to four people. There are preferential bays for car-sharing which will be reserved for car sharers until 11:00am.
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Student Move Out campaign
Thank you to all the students who participated in the Student Move Out campaign at the end of last academic year. We managed to divert a quarter of a tonne from landfill (Newton Park residences only) with Unite halls of residence and students living in the Oldfield Park area also playing their part in the scheme. Just over 50kg of food was donated to the Bath Food Bank to help families in need, with the other items being donated to the Genesis Trust, British Heart Foundation and unwanted bikes to Julian Houses’ Bath Bike Workshop.
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New Recycling Scheme We are introducing a new waste and recycling strategy across the University from October. Our target is to reach 80 per cent on-site recycling of residential and academic waste and to send nothing to landfill.
There will be three streams collected in all locations: • Mixed recycling • Food (including coffee, tea dregs and tissue paper)
New recycling station
• Non-recyclables (crisp packets, sweet wrappers, polystyrene, composite material such as laminates, and heavily contaminated materials e.g. with food)
Preventing the valuable resources in our waste streams from entering landfill and ensuring that they create value in a circular economy by recovery and re-manufacture is one of the key challenges facing society today. Our contribution to this process at Bath Spa has been one of our greatest environmental achievements, having reduced waste-to-landfill by over 60 per cent. However, after peaking at 65 per cent during 2010/11, recycling rates have declined. During 2013, a detailed audit of our landfill waste showed that almost 90 per cent of our waste-to-landfill was actually recyclable. Clearly, we can do much better so make sure you put your waste in the right place! Full details of the scheme and what happens to the waste we produce is available on The Hub. If you have any questions, please email recycling@bathspa.ac.uk
New bins outside Commons
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Outdoor recycling station
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What’s on Professorial lecture series Getting out More: what is ‘real world’ research? Professor Maggie Gee and Visiting Professor Cedric Christie, Wednesday 8 October, 5:00pm, Commons G23/24, Newton Park
Global Citizenship in an Entrepreneur Era-Necessity or Encumbrance? Professor William Durden, Mon 13 October, 5:00pm, Commons G23/24, Newton Park
The Modern Flâneur: how to stave off boredom and lead a literary life Professor James Runcie, Wednesday 5 November, 6:00pm, Commons G23/24, Newton Park
What did your summer look like? Welcome to Bath Spa University 2014/15! Before we wish goodbye to the sunshine and start to
think about Christmas, we want to reminisce about summer. We want to hear about the amazing things you got up to. Did you volunteer in a different country, did you raise loads of money for a great cause or did you do a placement at an amazing company? Whatever you did, let us know by emailing Rob Breckon in the communications team on r.breckon@bathspa.ac.uk
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Bath Spa Live Bath Spa Live upcoming events MMus Music Showcase Wednesday 8 October, 8:00pm, Burdall’s Yard Songwriters unplugged: students on the MMus Songwriting course perform their own songs from their final portfolios. Tickets: Full price £3; BSU students free
Best of BE Festival Wednesday 15 October, 8:00pm, University Theatre, Newton Park E FESTIVAL is Birmingham’s boundary-smashing festival of international performance. Sample three festival favourites in one night of daring and unforgettable theatre. With an emphasis on the visual and physical, Best of BE is the essential dispatch from the front lines of Europe’s theatre scene. Tickets: Full price £10; concessions £8; BSU students £5; Free to Bath Spa Live members
Küsse {Kiss} Thursday 16 to Saturday 18 October, 7:30pm, University Theatre, Newton Park Küsse {Kiss} was conceived after reading the letters of Franz Kafka to Felice Bauer, an impossible love affair! And although the performance takes this as its narrative base, it is a visual/ physical exploration of these themes that the performance seeks to express. Tickets: Full price £8; concessions £6; BSU students £5; Free to Bath Spa Live members For more information, or to book your ticket, click here
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International Update To help our international students settle into University life the International Relations office has
put together a series of workshops which we encourage you to attend. These will not only provide you with useful information but will allow you to meet with other students and ask questions to experts in their field. We want to ensure you make the most of your time here at Bath Spa University and take advantage of all the opportunities available to you. Tuesday 7 October 2014 Academic Success 12:00pm -1:00pm Commons 108 Friday 24 October 2014 - Opportunities and Benefits of Studying Abroad 1:00pm-2:00pm Commons 133 Friday 31 October 2014 - Understanding Cultures and Festivals, Case Study: Halloween 4:00pm5:00pm Commons 107/108 Wednesday 12 November 2014 - Bath and Beyond 11:00am-12:00pm Commons 105 Thursday 27 November 2014 - Student Wellbeing 1:00pm-2:00pm Twiverton 101 Tuesday 9 December 2014 - Christmas Party! 3:00pm-4:00pm Twiverton G17 Should you wish to attend one of the sessions above, please email Missy White m.white1@bathspa. ac.uk
Erasmus exchange English Literature and History student Bethan Reynolds joined BSU’s Erasmus exchange scheme and spent a year at the University of Southern Denmark. Here Bethan tells us about her experience:
“I first arrived in Denmark in late August 2013, and intended to stay for one semester. I wasn’t really sure what Denmark had in store for me. I was excited for the challenge, new experiences, meeting new people and living in a different environment – but a small part of me was scared too. When I sat down in my room on the very first evening, exhausted from travelling, I found a card in my luggage from my Mum. I opened it and the quote on the front said, ‘Life is either a daring adventure, or nothing’. I don’t think any quote could be so apt for this year of my life. “If I hadn’t dared to dream about this experience, dared to organise going abroad, dared to get on the plane and go somewhere I had never been before then I would have sacrificed all of these wonderful
Bethan Reynolds
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experiences. I ended up extending my stay to a full year, which speaks volumes in itself. I lived with a great host family who have been kind, helpful and given me an insight into Danish life. I have sat some really interesting classes and through hard work achieved grades that I never thought I could possibly achieve. “When people ask me about my experience in Denmark, I tell them that it has been the best year of my life. There is so much to gain from an experience like this, and the only thing you need to lose before boarding the plane are your fears of doing something daring. Although it is hard saying goodbye to this place and all of the people I have met along the way, it is much better to finish this chapter than never to have opened the book.�
Do you want to study in a different country for one semester during your second year? International opportunities are becoming more readily available to students and with our Exchange and Erasmus partners, you could find yourself spending one semester in Germany, Spain, Japan, Mexico, China, Taiwan... the list goes on. An asset to your CV, the University has over 40 destinations to choose from, but there is limited availability. Erasmus opportunities include semesters abroad within Europe, while exchange opportunities include countries outside of Europe. For more information, please join us on 24 October in Commons 133, 1:00pm-2:00pm to find out more. You can also email us for an application form at international@bathspa.ac.uk for exchange enquiries, or erasmus@bathspa.ac.uk for Erasmus enquiries. Deadline for Exchange Applications is 30 November 2014. Deadline for outgoing Erasmus students to submit their application is 27 Feb 2015.
International Staff Forums These forums were introduced last academic year to inform staff about the International Relations Office and what they were working towards and had achieved since the office was established in July 2012. Following their introduction and interest from staff, a further four forums have been arranged for the new academic year: Thursday 30 October 2014 - Supporting students in oversees travels 2:00pm-3:00pm Commons 132 Monday 8 December 2014 - Raising awareness of cultural issues 3:00pm-4:00pm - Twiverton G17 Tuesday 3 March 2015 Cross Culture learning and development experiences 11:00pm-12:00pm Commons 122 Wednesday 10 June 2105 International Plans for 2015/2016 1:00pm-2:00pm Commons 105 All staff that has an interest or involvement in International Relations are encouraged to attend. To express your interest please email Missy White m.white1@bathspa.ac.uk
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Update from the Sabbatical Officers This summer has been... busy indeed! We’ve all spent a lot of time away at training courses and learning from people with a great deal of experience in representation, democracy and students in general. The new parking proposals have been of particular interest to many students and I’ve been working with lots of different people from around the University to ensure students are fairly represented and have their voice heard. I hope they like the videos! I’ve also been working on a way to create better online networks for the University and the students, as I feel there’s a great deal of potential in making collaboration easier across courses, campuses and, due to the increasingly global nature of higher education, possibly countries. It’s also been interesting working as a student representative with next to no students around.
Robert Gould – Vice-President Welfare Over the summer, in amongst training and graduations and office moves and refurbishments, I’ve been cracking on with two key areas of work: community and equality. Integrating the students more comfortably into Bath’s ecosystem has long been a goal and this year the efforts are stepping up to showcase the myriad ways students bring creativity and culture to our city. Alongside this, a more campus-focused aim is to ensure everyone is more mindful of the language they use and to encourage students to respectfully challenge any instances of discrimination they see occurring on campus. Throughout the year these will unfold, alongside other endeavours that will ensure the student experience is less hampered by barriers both on and off campus.
SPACE SEPTEMBER 2014
Bruce Galliver
Robert Gould
STUDENtS’ UNION
Bruce Galliver - President
Nick Cox- Vice-President Events Summer has been hectic and I really have enjoyed it thoroughly. Campus has been dead which has been odd, but this has meant that we’ve had more time to focus on what we intend to offer students and how we are going to make this year exceptional. Personally I’ve spent a lot of time on the Wednesday Afternoons Free campaign, ensuring that there are diverse range of opportunities available which will appeal to a wide range of students. Two trips have been organised - Berlin in December and Amsterdam in March. Between the new accommodation build and the improved SU layout, I have a feeling that this year it’s going to be on another level. All in all it’s been a hectic and productive summer, which I have very much enjoyed.
Nick Cox
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Starters and Leavers In September we welcomed‌ Paul Lortal, Course Leader: PGCE Secondary Science, School of Education Jenny Dunseath, Senior Lecturer in Fine Art, Bath School of Art and Design Dayna Gabell-Jopson, Technical Support Assistant, School of Society, Enterprise and Environment Annabelle Hoyle, Administrative Assistant, School of Education Darren Hoad, Senior Lecturer in Business and Management, School of Society, Enterprise and Environment Luke Rawlings, Technology Specialist, Computing Services Rebecca McGuire-Sniekus, Subject Leader in Undergraduate Psychology Programmes, School of Society, Enterprise and Environment Helena Dingle, Student Housing Services Advisor, Student Services Steven Osborne, Senior Lecturer in Primary Mathematics, School of Education Caroline Whiting, Senior Lecturer in Primary English, School of Education Siobhan Hawke, Digital Literacy Librarian, Library and Learning Services Neil Latham, Chief Operating Officer, Chancelry Debra Turner, Account Administrator, Finance Aaron Wolf, Network Engineer, Computing Services Nick Parish, Events Assistant, Bath Spa Live Sian Blunos, Technical Support Assistant, School of Society, Enterprise and Environment Joanne Hatt, Quality Assurance Officer, Academic Services Rosie Moore, Resident Tutor, Student Services Danielle Smith, Resident Tutor, Student Services Andrea LaRosa, Resident Tutor, Student Services Jennifer Tennant, Resident Tutor, Student Services Victoria Walters, Resident Tutor, Student Services
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Kelsey Ford, Resident Tutor, Student Services Caroline Follett, HR Admin Team Leader/HR Advisor, Human Resources Scott Rogers, Marketing and Development Manager, Bath Spa Live Estela Lima, Cleaner, Domestic and Portering Services Hathairat Dawidowicz, Cleaner, Domestic and Portering Services Debbie Smith, Cleaner, Domestic and Portering Services Thomas Pierce, General Cafe and Kitchen Assistant, Catering Paola Bassindale, Alumni Relations Officer, Chancelry Seonghye Moon, Post Doctoral Research Fellow, School of Education Nariman Massoumi, Senior Lecturer in Film and TV, School of Humanities and Cultural Industries Thomas Read, Receptionist, School of Humanities and Cultural Industries Pawel Baranowski, Server Analyst, Computing Services Helena Enright, Lecturer in Drama, School of Music and Performing Arts Liz Johnson, Mental Health Advisor, Student Services
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We also said farewell to‌ Helen Barnes, Enterprise Officer, Enterprise and Local Partnerships Yaling Lin, General Cafe and Kitchen Assistant, Catering Karolina Lenda, Cleaner, Domestic and Portering Services John Middleton, Senior Lecturer: Creativity and Innovation, School of Society, Enterprise and Environment Paulo Costa, Cleaner, Domestic and Portering Services Cathryn Crane, Administrator, School of Education Ralf Dorrell, Lecturer in Music, School of Music and Performing Arts Mariana Lopes Abrantes, Cleaner, Domestic and Portering Services
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Students’ Union café/bar area
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