SPace
FEB 2013
Bath Spa University’s monthly magazine
Monastic relationships
cherry kites
ADApt to exist
Print on demand
Front cover: Olivetti Valentine typewriter
In FEb’s issue of space... Update from the Vice-Chancellor 4 Newton Park campus development update 5 Adapt to Exist 6 JISC course data project 7 Time to get on your bike 7 Spotlight on...Acting Head of Creative Writing & Publishing Katharine Reeve
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Helping our troops’ children 11 Mary Berry and Bath Spa on TV 12 Bath Spa Live 13 From the desk of the Vice-Chancellor: ‘What is the value of Higher Education?’ 14 Sharing knowledge and influencing research 16 Cherry Kites 17 Prestigious art lecture in Munich 18 Mayor’s multi-faith gathering 19 Exploring monastic relationships in the eighteenth century
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Master’s courses receive funding from Arts and Humanities Research Council
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BSU Progression Bursaries – good news for BSU students
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Creation of a perfect man 22 Academic on academic 23 Print on Demand 24 BSU events 25 BSU in the news 26 Students’ Union 28 Staff news 29 SPACE FEB 2013
Update from the Vice-Chancellor
Pic: Professor Christina Slade Vice-Chancellor
February has flown by for us all and I am pleased to see the first signs of spring showing at the Newton Park campus.
Externally we have seen the Government U-turn on GCSE reforms, something we should all be pleased about, however higher education continues to throw many challenges our way. I have had the opportunity to tour the academic development site at Newton Park with Governors in recent weeks. The project is progressing with speed and I hope you are looking forward to the end result as much as I am. It has been a pleasure interacting with students from a variety of subjects this month including an enjoyable dance performance in the University Theatre. I would also like to offer my congratulations to Stephanie Kitchen, BA Fashion, who won the Fashion Awareness Direct competition at London Fashion Week. March is already looking to be as busy with the signing of the contract for the residential development for Newton Park, attendance at the Bath Spa sponsored literary event in Boston and more exciting student events.
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Newton park campus development update The new academic building is rapidly making its presence on campus felt.
During February windows began to be inserted and the steel frame of the large studio space on the right hand side of the building was completed. The exterior of the building should be complete in the coming months when work will begin on the interior fit out. This is the phase of the project where input from staff and students will be vital. It is important that those who will use it have a say in the internal design of the building. To that end all staff and students are invited to give their opinion by completing a short survey about what furniture you would like to see in the new building. You may remember through last summer as part of ‘Project Spruce’ chairs and tables were changed in 10 classrooms. The reason for this was not only to replace old furniture, but to trial different styles of chairs and tables that could be used in the new building. It only takes two minutes to complete the survey which is available here The tender process to appoint a contractor for the new residential accommodation development is still on-going and will be finalised in March. Through the tender process it has become clear that to allow the contractor to prepare the development site, make as much progress as possible during the summer months and have the hoardings in place before the start of the academic term, the hockey pitch car park will need to be closed during the summer from 3 June to 9 September. The number of staff and students travelling to the campus is usually reduced during the summer months; however a number of solutions are currently being developed that will help ease the burden on those that will be travelling to the campus regularly during this period. If you have any questions about the campus developments, please let us know by emailing: npdevelopment@bathspa.ac.uk
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ADAPT TO EXIST A group of Bath Spa University graduates presented an exhibition exploring how the natural process of evolution can be applied to design the objects around us.
‘Adapt to Exist’ featured finished works alongside models and prototypes, which form the evolutionary steps of the projects. Designs included an intuitive table lamp where the electricity travels along the structure to eliminate wires and a modular outdoor furniture collection for encouraging conversation and collaboration. The project was led by French, London based designer Fabien Cappello with six students; Dan Clements, Daniel Rous, Emily Cropton, Shane Toomey, Sula Bailie and Rosalind Bryan, who each brought a unique response. The final year students will be the first graduates from Bath Spa University’s BA Hons Three Dimensional Design (Idea Material Object) course at Bath School of Art and Design which was introduced in 2010. The interdisciplinary course involves creating objects using hand and digital techniques and a range of media including ceramic, textile, wood, resin, glass, metal and plastic. It helps students develop their own individual area of practice and develop a career path as designer-maker, artist, gallerist, curator or entrepreneur. The exhibition was held at the Bath Royal Literary and Scientific Institute, an educational charity with the purpose of promoting literary, scientific and artistic developments and ran from Thursday 21 to Monday 25 February. More information about the exhibition is available at http://imostudio.wordpress.com/
Pic (Top to bottom): Sula Bailie, Daniel Clements, Daniel Rous, Emily Cropton, Rosalind Bryan, Shane Toomey 6
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JISC Course Data project Funding secured for new data project
In 2011/12, Bath Spa was one of 63 institutions that secured funding from JISC for a project to investigate the wide range of course information available electronically and how this could be fed, via a common format (XCRI-CAP), to external users of that information. We are on target to deliver this outcome by the end of March, and longer term it is hoped that organisations including UCAS and Prospects will use this feed to update their website information. The JISC Course Data @ BSU project is sponsored by Tessa Griffiths, Head of Marketing and is a collaboration between Student Services and Planning Support. The timing was fortuitous as it coincided with the project to implement the Key Information Set (KIS), and allowed us to explore and make links between our student records system (SITS), the website content management system, statutory reporting and our external links to UCAS, Student Loans Company and others. We have been implementing ways to collect information only once and then reuse across a range of systems and reporting. At a recent ‘Show and Tell’ event for the JISC Programme, our poster won third place in a competition between institutions involved in this project. There was tough competition, but the imaginative use of Lego demonstrated how course data could be realigned to provide a robust base whilst also allowing flexibility, and the required segmentation for reporting and other purposes.
The project is formally due to complete in the next few weeks, but we will continue to work with colleagues to improve the way we use and reuse course information in the most efficient and effective way. If you have any queries, please contact one of the project team members, Simon Boyce, Chris Stedham or Esther Williams. More information is also available on the website here
Time to get on your bike! During the summer, the toilets in Compton and Ashton were refurbished and now include showers and changing facilities which are intended for all staff and student cyclists. Additionally, a range of lockers have recently been installed in both the male and female Compton/Ashton changing facilities and also in the foyer of the University Theatre. These lockers are available on a day basis for storing cycling kit. A £1 coin releases the key and is refunded when the key is returned at the end of the day. So good news for cyclists! If you haven’t yet checked out the new facilities then head along to Compton/Ashton and take a look. If you have any views or comments we value your feedback, please email projectspruce@bathspa.ac.uk
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spotlight on... Acting Head of Creative Writing and Publishing Katharine Reeve With all the doom and gloom around traditional newspaper and magazine sales being in decline, what is going to happen to the book publishing industry? Well, if it has anything to do with Katharine Reeve and her students, publishing will be revolutionised and become even more creative in the fast growing digital sector.
It has been six years since Katharine Reeve first joined Bath Spa University. Currently Acting Head of Department in Creative Writing and Publishing, she explained what she loved so much about working at this University. “I enjoy working here,” she said. “The opportunity to develop new courses, especially in publishing and digital creativity, for me, makes coming to work really exciting.” Designing up to date, industry specific courses that aim to get students the jobs they want after graduation is not something that happens overnight. What makes this effort worthwhile? She explained: “Our students 8
aren’t like any other university students. They know how to use digital tools, are creative and willing to learn in different and challenging ways. As graduates they are ready to hit the ground running when they get a job.
connections they need to be successful in such a competitive job market. Katharine is very supportive of the direction the Vice-Chancellor Professor Christina Slade is taking the University in.
“On many of the courses I’ve designed students are required to work on collaborative live projects with external organisations. This helps develop their understanding early on about what is required to work in a team and how to be part of a real-life business.”
“It has been really exciting since Professor Slade arrived. To have a clear brand identity and be able to really focus on our core strengths of culture, creativity and enterprise, enables us to build upon and develop new partnerships and collaborations with leading industry companies.”
Katharine would be the first to agree that she is a strong advocate for forward thinking degree courses that help students gain the skills and
Reflective of this proactive and expansive philosophy is the current construction of our new academic building which in Katharine’s opinion, is vital
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Pic: Katharine Reeve - helping publishing piggyback into the digital age
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in meeting the needs of current and prospective students. “Our new academic building, as well as the new student accommodation, are important investments for the University. The academic building will enable our creative courses to teach using a wider range of digital tools and the new studio space will offer all sorts of possibilities. Students expect the best and they like their teaching rooms to be spacious, well kitted out and visually appealing, especially when having to pay increased course fees,” During the year there are numerous large scale opportunities for students to apply the skills and understanding they have learnt on their degree courses in a real life industry setting. Of these, the Bath Literature Festival and Bath Digital Festival are two key events that the University is heavily involved with. As Katharine explained: “It is important that we are part of the life of our city and that we work with the many leading festivals that Bath hosts. In Creative Writing and Publishing our students and staff take part in many ways - organising public events, giving talks, and creating real-time and legacy content through the Social Media Experiment. One of our new professors, David Almond, is the Artistic Director of the Children’s Literature Festival.” As a mother herself and currently helping her son decide which university he wishes to study at, Katharine looked back on her own university life and how things were then.
Pic: Katharine with her dog Flossie
here at Bath Spa, the students are far more focussed then when I was a student and at Open Days, parents come along with their children. That didn’t happen when I was looking around as a student! “I loved being a student in Manchester. It was the perfect time to be there: at the height of the music revolution in the city so I spent most of my nights dancing at the Hacienda. For students who were not even born when this was all going on - this was the most famous club in the world, owned by Factory Records, the Happy Mondays and New Order’s label. I might be wrong, but surely this sort of thing still goes on, doesn’t it?”
If you would like to recommend a fellow student or colleague to be interviewed for ‘Spotlight on’ please let us know by emailing Rob Breckon r.breckon@bathspa.ac.uk
“I don’t think the university experience and students have changed that drastically. Definitely 10
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helping our troops’ children Bath Spa has recently announced a new partnership project with the Service Children Support Network (SCSN).
The University’s Widening Participation Team has joined forces with the SCSN in an initiative which will trial an educational enrichment and support project for primary and secondary aged Service children in schools across Wiltshire and Somerset in 2013. This programme will geographically extend the current project in place with the University of Oxford in Buckinghamshire and Oxfordshire. The aims of the project are to: • • • •
inspire intellectual, global and personal curiosity in pupils, enrich and enhance students’ self-esteem, aspirations and hopes for the future, introduce the language and context of further and higher education and dispel any miscon- ceptions about university study and life and, give students a greater understanding of their progression through school.
These aims will be achieved through delivering interesting, informative and relevant programmes to learners between the ages of 10 and 18 both in schools and in universities. Dr Sally Griffin, Bath Spa Widening Participation and Access Manager, has been spearheading Bath Spa’s involvement, working closely with Joy O’Neill, founder of the SCSN and Dr Mel Macer from the University’s School of Education. Dr Griffin and Dr Macer already work together on the Education Policy into Practice (EPIP) group and Dr Macer’s involvement with the programme provides additional understanding and experience as she previously worked SPACE FEB 2013
“Service School children move around a considerable amount during their schooling and can also be under a lot of strain if their mother or father is deployed away from home on a detachment or active service.”
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the children of service families in thisway. We believe that everyone with the potential to benefit from higher education should have the opportunity to do so, and through this programme we hope to inspire these young people to consider university as an option for their future.” Pic: Toy bear
supporting Service schools in Wiltshire. Service School children move around a considerable amount during their schooling and can also be under a lot of strain if their mother or father is deployed away from home on a detachment or active service. The project has already received expressions of interest from a number of schools in Wiltshire and Somerset to deliver Higher Education awareness and aspiration-raising activities for their Service children, with events planned for a number of schools this summer. Dr Griffin said: “Dr Macer and I are delighted to work with Joy O’Neill on this project and to be able to support 12
A recent Ofsted report highlighted that the impact of mobility and deployment on the lives of children and young people from armed service families, is an area of concern for a wide range of providers of services to children, young people and their parents.
‘The Mary Berry Story’ was atwo-part documentary in which Mary shared personal milestones in her life and talked about the highs and lows of a lifetime spent teaching the nation to cook. The first programme, which aired on Tuesday 29 January, included Mary visiting Newton Park to meet with the Vice-Chancellor Professor Slade to talk about her days as a student at Bath College of Domestic Science and look through her old academic records.
Wanted:
Mary Berry and Bath Spa on TV
Photographer for SPACE
We are looking for a keen
Pic: Still from ‘The Mary Berry Story’
President of our Alumni Association and honorary graduate Mary Berry was recently the feature of a documentary on BBC2. SPACE FEB 2013
volunteer photographer to join our team at Space magazine. If you would like to contribute to the magazine by taking on commissions, then we would love to hear from you. For more information contact Jane Wakefield. j.wakefield@bathspa.ac.uk
Coming up in mar... Honk! Thurs 7, Fri 8, Sat 9 Mar, 7:30pm, University Theatre Based on Hans Christian Andersen’s tale ‘The Ugly Duckling’, HONK! is a witty, British musical exploration of family, otherness and acceptance. Tickets: Full Price £12; Concessions £10; BSU Students & U16s £6. Free for Bath Spa Live members.
BSU Orchestra, Wind Band & Brass Ensemble Wed 13 Mar, 7:30pm, Michael Tippett Centre Students from Bath Spa University’s Department of Music perform a programme featuring Professor Joe Duddell’s The Redwood Tree and Saint-Saëns Danse Macabre and Le Carnaval des Animaux. Tickets: Full Price £10; Concessions £8; BSU Students & U16s £5. Free for Bath Spa Live members.
Jazz Night Thurs 14 Mar, 7:30pm, Burdall’s Yard A celebration of small band jazz. Hear new jazz groups and young musicians from Bath Spa University’s Department of Music. Tickets: £3 on the door. Free for Bath Spa students.
Handel’s Messiah Fri 22 Mar, 7:30pm, St Swithin’s Church The Choir, Chamber Choir and Georgian Band from Bath Spa University’s Department of Music perform Handel’s famous oratorio – one of the most popular works in the choral music repertoire. This Easter-time performance, taking place in a beautiful Georgian church, promises to be both emotive and uplifting. Tickets: Full Price £10; Concessions £8; BSU Students & U16s £5. Free for Bath Spa Live members. SPACE FEB 2013
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From the desk of the Vic ‘What is the value of high Everyone, it seems, is talking about it. What is the value of higher education? What is the economic impact on students? What about on the economy in general? This month saw a bumper crop of stories and debates on the topic.
In the Times Higher Education Supplement on 21 February, a story entitled ‘Alternative Universes to Explore’ cited the growing trend among English school leavers who had expected to go to university to take other paths. The cost of a degree is simply too high, with the introduction this academic year of fees up to £9,000 per annum. Even though all students pay the fees through an income dependent loan, in effect a graduate tax, there is ‘growing scepticism’ about the value of higher education, according to the new website Unisnotforme.com. A story in the New York Times the previous day took a different angle: ‘The college degree is becoming the new high school diploma: the new minimum requirement, albeit an expensive one, for getting even the lowest-level job.’ It finished with the tale of a young graduate working,happily, in retail to pay off a $100,000 student debt. Recently in the House of Commons, the Higher Education Policy Institute (HEPI) convened a discussion of ‘Who is higher education for?’ Does it benefit students, or the state? The English model of income dependent loans is, many have commented, a very good bet. Repayments on a sliding scale begin for graduates with an income of £21,000 p.a. or above, and the debt is annulled after 35 years. It looks even better for students if, as London Economics and the University lobby group Million+ argue in their ‘What’s the value of a UK degree?’, the graduate premium (the difference of lifetime pay associated with the degree) is roughly £128,000 for men and £87,000 for women. Last week their second report, ‘Are the changes to Higher Education in the England cost-effective?’ used those estimates to calculate the loss of tax revenue to the Treasury of those who decide not to attend university because of the cost. The new fee regime, they argue, will cost the state roughly six and half times, in present value terms, more than the former £3,000 fee combined with government subsidy for universities. The difficulty with their argument is that as more school students go on to complete undergraduate degrees, the graduate premium will reduce, to zero, if all choose higher education. Worse, in terms 14
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ce-Chancellor: her education?’
of the financial benefits of higher education to the state, many students will never have a full time continuing professional role; women will take time out to have children; others may leave the country. On present modelling, 40 per cent of English student loans will not be repaid. The elaborate mechanism of student loans has moved costs from the present to the future, but many argue, is not sustainable. Lord Adonis recently addressed the assembled Vice-Chancellors of the UK and asked whether the government should encourage more school students go to university. He noted the financial costs, the likelihood that few would repay their loans, the failure of the top universities to widen access and the fact that universities did not equip students for the world of work. English universities are among the best in the world, he said. How can we maintain that sustainably? ‘More apprenticeships’ was his suggestion. Vice-Chancellors were on the whole, not convinced. If an undergraduate degree is the new high school diploma, should all students have the right to attempt one at the expense of the state? As Vice-Chancellors from Scotland pointed out forcibly, Scotland, like much of continental Europe, continues to offer higher education free to its young in a very fine Higher Education system. (They are able to charge English and Welsh students, but, in a curious twist, cannot charge those from other European Union nations under EU law). In fact,it is a Master’s qualification that now makes a difference, both for employment and earnings. (London Economics estimates an average 9.5 per cent earnings premium). Both the individual and the state should benefit from Master’s, but the burden for undergraduate loans means that the Treasury cannot offer loans for postgraduate study in England. The entire debate about the value of higher education can be read as an elaborate reductio ad absurdam of the assumption that we can spell out the value of higher education in monetary terms, either for the individual student or for the state. It is the assumption we should question. SPACE FEB 2013
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Sharing knowledge and influencing research Staff from Bath Spa can often be found speaking at international conferences, publishing books and papers and attending academic forums to inform their own practice and advance understanding of certain topics in the wider world. This month was no exception. Professor James Newman, Director of the Media Futures Research Centre delivered the keynote presentation at the Preserving Video Games as a Cultural Inheritance conference in Shigureden, Kyoto. Speaking alongside Professor Henry Lowood, Curator for History of Science & Technology Collections at Stanford University, Professor Koichi Hosoi, Chair of the Games Archive Project at Ritsumeikan University, and Professor Masayuki Uemura, former head of Nintendo’s hardware research and development division, James outlined the experience of working with UK cultural heritage institutions in the formation of the National Videogame Archive. In particular, the conference focused on the ideas of gameplay and performance preservation as outlined in James’ recent book Best Before: Videogames, Supersession and Obsolescence. After the conference, Lowood and Newman were invited to advise colleagues from the Ministry for Cultural Affairs on best practice in digital game preservation and archiving practice. James is now working with colleagues in the UK, US and Japan to develop an international games preservation research network.
Dr Bobby Anderson, Senior Lecturer in History recently attended the first meeting of the Pre-modern Diplomats Network, which is jointly organised by the Bath Spa history department and the Institute of History, Polish Academy of Sciences, Warsaw. At this meeting the first international conference, Splendid Encounters: diplomats and diplomacy in Europe, 1550 – 1750, was finalised. The conference has attracted 57 speakers from across the world – from Hong Kong and Alabama to Uzbekistan and Azerbeijan - and will be held in Warsaw in September 2013. The second conference will be held in Bath in March 2014.
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Pic: Nintendo’s Game & Watch series included Mario Bros. released in 1983
cherry kites The headline might make you wonder what this article is about, so read on!
Cherry Kites is a new magazine for young women in the creative industries. It is the creation of third year English Literature and Creative Writing student Jenny Baker as part of her third year independent project. According to Editor-in-Chief Jenny, the magazine is: “here for the quirky girl – the 21st century miss that has more layers than simply her coat, her tee and her polka-dot bra. Our aim is to fill the void between magazines like Vogue and Empire, ELLE and The Escapist, Harper’s Bazaar and ImagineFX, to produce an online publication that is feminine yet brave.” The magazine is now available online here Freelance contributions are very welcome, so if you would like to know more, please get in touch by emailing cherrykites@gmail.com
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Prestigious art lecture in Munich Professor Maria Lalic gave a lecture at the Fine Arts Academy in Munich on Thursday 7 February.
Professor Lalic is Principal Lecturer in Fine Art at Bath Spa and an artist of international repute. She was invited to give a lecture as part of the Academy’s ‘Jour Fixe’ series. Jour Fixe is an annual lecture series organised by students of the Academy who invite selected artists to speak on a particular topic.
Pic: Maria Lalic
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Mayor’s Multi-faith Gathering
Professor Lalic’s talk was held on the centenary of the first ever lecture at the Academy and discussed ‘The Material of Colour. The Colour of Material’ in relation to her paintings. These can be broken down into three groups: • • •
The ‘Colour and Metal Paintings’ in which certain paints are used with the metals from which they derive; The ‘History Paintings’, in which a Winsor and Newton paint chart is used readymade for the catego- risation of colour by era, and The ‘Landscape Paintings’ which link the name of a paint and particular landscape by paintings and places.
Study of Religions students and staff attended
Speaking about her lecture Professor Lalic said: “It was a tremendous honour to be asked to give this lecture, and significantly for me, in relation to Max Doerner. His seminal text, ‘The Materials of the Artist and their Use in Painting’, was hugely influential to me as a student and remains a valuable source of information.”
the Mayor’s Multi-faith Gathering at the Guildhall on Sunday 3 February.
The event was open to both students and members of the public with a workshop for students being held the following day. The lecture and related workshop was fully funded by the Akademieverein (a circle of friends and supporters of the Munich Academy of Fine Arts) and the Studentenvertretung (Student Council). The Academy of Fine Arts in Munich was established in 1770. Notable Alumni include Giorgio de Chirico, Vasily Kandinsky, Josef Albers and Paul Klee.
Pic: Display from Jewish community
A number of presentations were given based on the Mayor’s theme of ‘young people not in education, employment or training’ and discussed the various faith-based initiatives for young people in the area. These included the Hindu, Buddhist, Jewish, Christian, Sikh, Muslim, Sai Baba and Bahá’í communities in and around the city of Bath. A networking lunch enabled people from different backgrounds to get to know each other. Local MP Don Foster also attended the event as his brief as Under-Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government now includes integration and interfaith relations. A display from the Jewish community was also shown at the event.
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Exploring Monastic relationships in the eighteenth century Senior Lecturer in History Dr Elaine Chalus will feature in a three-part historical programme documenting the relationships, deaths and illnesses of British monarchs in the eighteenth century.
Dr Chalus was recently at Hampton Court Palace to film the second programme of this three-part series. Entitled ‘Fit to Rule’ and hosted by historical writer and curator Dr Lucy Worsley, the series will be first aired on Friday 26 April on BBC2. As part of the filming, Elaine specifically spoke about the events that came to poison the relationship between King George II and Queen Caroline with their son Frederick, Prince of Wales, in the 1730s. Commenting on the filming, Elaine said: “The family relations between the HanoverPic: Dr. Chalus during filming ian monarchs and their sons were always difficult, but this relationship was played out in the full glare of the press. Viewers may well be surprised to see just how public this row was.” More information about ‘Fit to Rule’ is available at http://www.silverriver.tv/in-production/fit-torule/
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Master’s courses receive funding from Arts and Humanities Research Council The University has been awarded a number of Arts and Humanities Research Council (AHRC) studentships reflecting the high quality and prestige of our creative Master’s awards
Students looking to study certain creative Master’s courses at the University can now apply to receive a financial boost. The AHRC funding has been made available under the AHRC Block Grant: Capacity Building Scheme and a number of Bath Spa Master’s courses have benefitted.
Pic: Students
Courses that have studentships available are MA Creative Writing, MA Writing for Young People, MA Scriptwriting, Master of Fine Art (MFA), MA in Design as well as a PhD in Creative Writing. The Creative Writing course at Bath Spa is now in its twenty-first year and is one of the most successful and popular in the UK. Many graduates secure book publishing deals within a year or two of completing the course. Awards and nominations received by graduates include the Man Booker Prize long-list, Orange Prize, Costa Prize and The Guardian First Book Award, the Betty Trask Prize, the Manchester Book Award, and also a W.H. Smith New Talent Award. Dean of the School of Humanities & Cultural Industries at Bath Spa, Dr Steve May, said: “It is a mark of the quality of our programmes, tutors and students that the AHRC has supplied this funding. Our students are very high calibre - for example, the recipient of the AHRC PhD Studentship last year was T S Eliot prize shortlisted poet Sean Borodale. We’ll be looking for equally strong candidates in 2013.” To ensure student learning is closely linked to industry practice, certain courses work collaboratively with museums and galleries of national and international significance, notably local institutions such as the Holburne Museum, Bath; Arnolfini, Bristol; Spike Island, Bristol; and Bristol City SPACE FEB 2013
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Professor Mike Tooby, Acting Dean of Bath School of Art and Design, said: “The studentships provide a valuable opportunity for students to participate in outstanding MA programmes. The courses reflect the best of current work in art and design and are closely linked to the highest level of professional practice.” More information on how to apply for an AHRC Studentship is available here
BSU Progression Bursaries – good news for BSU students
Progression bursaries of £1,200 are now available for BSU students progressing directly from an undergraduate degree to a postgraduate programme starting in October 2013. Part-time students also receive the reduction which is pro-rata according to module weighting (£200 reduction per 30 credits taken) . Please note that the fee reduction is not available for the PGCE, MA Professional Practice in Higher Education and the awards within the Professional Master’s Programme.
Creation of a perfect man Lecturer in Creative Writing, Claire Skuse’s new novel Dead Romantic published by Chicken House on 7 February.
Dead Romantic, a new take on Mary Shelley’s Frankenstein for young readers aged 14 and over, tells the story of a girl called Camille looking for the perfect boy. Having been rejected at a college party, Camille has given up, believing there isn’t a boy alive that can measure up to her expectations. However, her brilliant, but strange friend Zoe enters the equation and takes biology homework to the next level. She can create Camille’s dream boy, but can she make him love her? Speaking about the book, Claire said: “I wanted to write something that was sickly romantic in every way, but doesn’t do what you expect. In Dead Romantic, the main character Camille realises you don’t have to go to such extreme lengths to find your perfect boy, and also that if you play with electricity, you have to expect shocks.” More information is available here Pic: ‘Dead Romantic’ by Claire Skuse
Museum and Art Gallery.
Please spread the word among final year students of this good news, and encourage students considering postgraduate study to book onto the Postgraduate Open Day on 23 March – the booking form is here. 22
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Pic: Joe Robert’s ‘Bengal, The Cold Weather, 1873’
ACADemic on academic
Senior Lecturer in History, Professor Iftikhar Malik’s review of Joe Robert’s novel Bengal, The Cold Weather, 1873 featured in London-based magazine,
Confluence.
Bengal, The Cold Weather, 1873 is the debut novel by Joe Robert Lecturer in Creative Writing. Set in 1873, it reconstructs the visit by Victorian Edward Lear and his servant Giorgio to Bengal to complete some landscape and commissioned paintings. Along their journey to meet with the Viceroy, Lord Northbrook, they meet a variety of people, often strange and unfamiliar. Professor Malik’s review stated: “Robert is certainly keen on discovering India’s intricate socio-cultural mosaic through a complex figure such as Lear, and in the process applies humour, history and a bit of anthropology. The result is neither patronizing nor a dull reportage; instead an engaging discourse on a vibrant and plural Bengal.” Joe has travelled widely and written about his travels in three books Three-Quarters Of A Footprint, The House of Blue Lights and Abdul s Taxi to Kalighat and countless newspaper and magazine articles in the United Kingdom, India and the United States. He first visited India in 1990 and has already published several books on India. It is available to buy here
“an engaging discourse on a vibrant and plural Bengal.” SPACE FEB 2013
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COVER STORY:
Print On Demand Recent exhibition at Bath School of Art and Design showcased a collection of typewriters, related works and Artist’s Books.
Angie and Simon Butler have a passion
to the past. It’s this connection with the past however, that Simon enjoys discovering with every typewriter he collects.
for typewriters. It all started when artist Angie wanted to incorporate typed elements into her work and discovered the only way to do this authentically was by procuring a manual typewriter.
“Sometimes, especially on the office machines, there’s a residue of make-up embedded in the keys and the rollers, and you also get marks where the typist’s nails have struck the keys.
Angie’s husband Simon was as intrigued as her by the machines, but perhaps more by their operating mechanics, as well as their beauty. What started as a one off purchase for a particular project grew into a passion for typewriters that has seen their collection grow dramatically over the years.
Sometimes there are little bits of envelope caught in the mechanics and you can often find past attempts at repair. I love that on some of the big office machines, there’s a dent worn into the space bar where the typist’s thumb has hit it thousands of times.”
The exhibition at Bath School of Art and Design featured typewriters from Angie and Simon’s personal collection and included favourite design classics by Ettore Sottsass, Marcello Nizzoli and Mario Bellini. Many of the models on display by Olivetti, Imperial, Alder and Smith Corona were used by famous writers and celebrities from the 1950s to the 1970s.
Visitors were also able to view a collection of Artist’s Books from practitioners across the UK who use the typewriter as inspiration, aesthetic and creative partner. Angie is one such artist and describes the impact this has had on her: “Using a manual typewriter has unlocked a hidden part of me. It’s given me permis-sion to be okay with, even celebrate,
Something that was once so commonplace in offices and often at home is now resigned 24
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BSU EVENTS
d and appreciate, mistakes. The subtle imperfections and variations of print on paper provide a typewriter’s own signature: each has its own font, appearance and ‘personality’, and needs to be handled and used differently.” The exhibition was an opportunity to not only consider the beauty of these machines, but also interact with them. Visitors were invited to take part in a ‘typing pool’ and use the typewriters first hand. The aim was to transport people back in time as they experienced the sound, smell and feel of a previous age before computers. As Angie explains: “That distinctive sound of a typewriter’s keys being struck immediately engages you. It has a sense of rhythm and fun, but can also have a serious air of authority. The sense of history imbued in a typewriter that you own is a marvellous feeling.”
Social Media Policy Development Conference in association with INEQE Safe and Secure Academy (ISAS) Thurs 18 Apr, Ashton Court Mansion, Bristol Social Media is the fastest growing communication method on the planet. It brings enormous benefits and considerable risks. This conference will look at both. Whether your organisation has a policy already or you are currently forming one – this is the place to be. Conservative Christian Lobbyist Groups and the Negotiation of Sexual Rights in the UK Thurs 7 Mar, NE G.02, Newton Park Associate Professor Stephen Hunt will give a talk focused on conservative Christian opposition to minority sexual rights and the way in which this opposition is presented to the public, making use of a survey of documentation and other materials produced by such lobbyist groups for public consumption.
Pic on previous page: Hermes 3000 typewriter SPACE FEB 2013
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BSU: in the Professor Iftikhar Malik on Afghanistan
On 3 February Professor Iftikhar Malik was interviewed by Radio Pakistan Overseas Service about the on-going London summit on Afghanistan hosted by Prime Minister David Cameron and attended by President Hamid Karzai of Afghanistan and President Asif Ali Zardari of Pakistan. The three-day summit aimed to find ways and mechanisms for ensuring political stability in post-2014 Afghanistan and senior political and military officials from all the three countries were in attendance. It is the third in a series of summits on this issue convened by the British Government since 2012.
Jack Wolf’s novel reviewed in The Guardian
MA Creative Writing student Jack Wolf’s first novel
received an excellent review in The Guardian. The Tale of Raw Head & Bloody Bones was described by the newspaper as: “Quite startling, and beautifully, bloody.” It is set in 1750 and tells the tale of talented medical student Tristan Hunt and his obsession with the nature of pain and preventing it; the relationship between mind and matter and the existence of God. The full review is available to read here
Pic: ‘The Tale of Raw Head & Bloody Bones’ by Jack Wolf
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SPACE FEB 2013
e news Professor Dexter Dalwood appears on radar of The Observer
Professor of Art and Design Dexter Dalwood was the feature of The Observer’s ‘On My Radar’ column on 10 February. In it he gave his pick of film, book, internet, music, television and exhibition which was Carl Andre -Mass & Matter, which is due to open shortly at the Turner Contemporary gallery in Margate. Professor Dalwood studied at Central St Martins and the Royal College of Art. He was shortlisted for the Turner Prize in 2010 and his next solo exhibition opens at the Kunsthaus Centre PasquArt, Biel, Switzerland in April.
Pic: Prof. Dexter Dalwood
Dr Catherine Robinson discusses gay marriage on BBC radio
Dr Catherine Robinson, Senior Lecturer in Study of Religions was interviewed by BBC Radio Wiltshire about views on gay marriage from various religions on 5 February. She highlighted the diversity of views within each religion and gave examples from Sikh, Hindu, Muslim and Jewish traditions as well as talking about Buddhist and Christian attitudes. She also pointed out how the image of religious traditions can be very different from the grassroots realities. Catherine is an expert on gender and sexuality within religious traditions, and is also the University Equality and Diversity Champion for Sexual Orientation.
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Students’ Union Elections 2013
Nominations for candidates to run for the three sabbatical officer posts at the Students’ Union are now closed. Each candidate has prepared a manifesto and campaigning will run for a week. Candidates are running for the posts of President, Vice-President Welfare and Vice-President Activities. Voting takes place from 6 to 8 March and the results will be announced on 11 March. Good luck to everyone running! More information about the elections is available on the SU website here
SABS running in the Bath Half Marathon
If you were out watching the Bath Half Marathon on Sunday you may have spotted a rather fancy cow running – or should that be trotting along?! SU President Amy Dawson and Vice-President Welfare Emma Weskin were the head and tail and aptly dressed to be running to help raise money for the Students’ Union’s nominated charity ‘Send a Cow’. Send a Cow works hand in hand with poor families, teaching them the skills they need to build new lives free from poverty and hunger. By providing training, livestock, seeds and support, they restore hope and create stronger communities for the future. In turn, these families then pass on young livestock, seeds or training to others. And so on. And so on. This ‘Pass it On’ principle not only builds stronger communities, it helps even more people to develop skills, confidence and self-respect. If you would like to make a donation please visit the website www.justgiving.com/WeskinandDawson 28
SPACE FEB 2013
staff news Starters and Leavers
In February we welcomed‌ James Pymm - Technical Support Assistant - Science, School of Society, Enterprise and Environment Olivette Otele - Lecturer/Senior Lecturer in History (Eighteenth/ Nineteenth-century British/ European History) Jonathan Tammam - Senior Lecturer in Nutrition, School of Society, Enterprise and Environment Sarah Bernard - Lecturer in Food Enterprise, School of Society, Enterprise and Environment Claire Lister - Course Administrator - Dept of Art, Bath School of Art and Design Nadia Grys - Marketing Officer, Marketing and Communications Swagata Ghosh - Technical Demonstrator (Publishing Lab), School of Humanities and Cultural Industries Lauren Lucas - Partnerships, Placements and Projects Administrator Lee Laurie - Cleaner Caretaker, Domestic Services Zoe Miller - Lecturer in Textile Design, Bath School of Art and Design
We also said farewell to‌ Mateusz Kolasinski - Cleaner, Domestic Services Hannah Buswell - Technical Demonstrator, Bath School of Art and Design Allan Cheeseman - Cleaner, Domestic Services
Please let us know if you have any interesting news for the next issue by sending your stories to
j.wakefield@bathspa.ac.uk Deadline: Friday 15 March 2013. SPACE FEB 2013
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