Hardship Funds Reminder

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Hardship Funds | Advice Service

UK/Home students – Hardship Funds are available in the form of the University of Lincoln Financial Assistance Fund

These funds have been provided by the University of Lincoln as part of the Access Agreement approved by the Office of Fair Access (OFFA). The funds are applied for via an application process and an assessment is carried out using the evidence supplied.

For more information, please visit http://adviceguidancefunding.blogs.lincoln.ac.uk/hardship-funds/

Up to 70% off in LPAC January Flash Sale!

2015-02-05-Major-Tom

It’s the first day of our January 2015 Flash Sale! Remember, you can only take advantage of these extraordinary offers on the day of the Flash Sale, so if you don’t want to miss out on the great theatre ticket deals below then make sure you book your tickets today. Use promo code FLASHJAN at the checkout. Hurry! Offer ends at midnight!

BOX OFFICE: MONDAY – SATURDAY 10AM-6PM
TELEPHONE: 01522 837600 or visit WWW.LPAC.CO.UK

Offer includes:

70% OFF
MAJOR TOM – Thursday 5 February 7.30pmAn award-winning true story. “Startlingly bonkers… deceptively thoughtful fun.” THE GUARDIAN

20% OFF
OUTINGS – Friday 6 February 7.30pmPowerful, funny and confessional stories inspired by recent high-profile ‘comings out’. Celebrating LGBT History Month.

20% OFF
SID’S SHOW – Saturday 14 February 2.30pmSid from CBeebies brings you and your family a fantastic treat! An exciting and colourful underwater adventures.

Take a Break, Take a Cake – NSS launched for final year students!

NSS Social Media V2

The National Student Survey (NSS) 2015 has now launched and we are encouraging all final year students to take part.

The NSS is your opportunity to give your opinions on what you liked about your time at Lincoln as well as things that you felt could have been improved.

Your feedback is used to compile year on year comparative data. Results are publicly available to prospective students, their families and advisors to help make informed choices of where and what to study.

You can take part in the survey by visiting http://www.thestudentsurvey.com/. All responses to the survey are strictly confidential and are anonymised to ensure individuals cannot be identified.

This year, to help you reflect on your academic career with us, we are offering you a free coffee/tea and cake. Visit the NSS Central at the University Library or the Atrium in the Minerva Building (previously called the Main Administration Building) between Monday 19 January and Friday 13 February to claim (9am-4pm). You can also fill in the survey at these points. 

If you would like more information about the NSS, please speak to you tutor or SU Subject Rep or visit NSS Central.

Strategic Competitor Analysis Project – Boost your CV!

SCA poster 3

The Finance Department has now launched its Strategic Competitor Analysis project for 2015, with registration open from now up until January 31st. The project is open to all students so whether you’re interested in designing/staging the presentation or want to research and analyse trends, there’s a place for you.

This project is PROVEN to enhance job opportunities so it’s really worth considering!

Brief background of the project

This competition was first run last year, proving successful enough for us to host it again. The premise is to form small groups and, with mentoring from a Senior Finance Manager, produce a presentation on the University in comparison to our strategic competitor set.

All groups will present their analysis to the Chief Finance Officer, Deborah Harry, and after evaluation, the successful group will deliver their presentation to the University Board of Governors in May.

Beyond the experience of data handling, analysis and presentation, the key benefits of this competition are:

  • A real world piece of work to reference in job applications, on your LinkedIn profile or on your CV.
  • Mentoring from a senior member of the University Finance Department.
  • Potentially gaining a job reference from a Senior Finance Manager.
  • Exposure to the University Board of Governors who are senior business leaders from both public and private sectors.
  • Work in a cross-functional team.
  • £100 in Amazon vouchers for each member of the winning team.

Further information

A briefing event will take place on: 21 January, 13:00, BL0102 (David Chiddick Building)

*If the briefing has passed, you can still find out more and register by following the instructions below.

For more information please visit: http://lncn.eu/SCAWEB15

Alternatively, email Alexandra Lister (alister@lincoln.ac.uk).

Thin Ice – Free Film Screening today

thin-ice-helen-ashcroft

A free film screening as part of the Environmental film season.

On Wednesday 14 January, the Environmental Sustainability team will be showing ‘Thin Ice’ – a film about the science of climate change.

The screening starts at 6:30pm and will be held in Cargill Lecture Theatre. All are welcome and there will be a discussion after the film with Stephen Turner, Senior Lecturer from the College of Social Science.

All are welcome!

Summary from the Board of Governors’ meetings

General Black Portrait

Summary from the Board of Governors’ meetings in September, October and November 2014.

Summary of the business and decisions from the Board of Governors’ meetings on 24 September, 23 October and 26 November 2014

 

The Board of Governors met on 24 September, 23 October and 26 November 2014. The following is a summary of business considered and decisions made at the meetings:

 

  • The Board welcomed newly appointed Independent Members Mr Neil Herbert, Mr Neil Gray,
    Ms Diane Lees, Ms Jane Reeves and Mr Chris Swinson, and Staff Member Dr Sarah Barrow. Mr Bob Whetton was reappointed as an Independent Member for a further four-year term.
  • The Vice Chancellor briefed the Board on the latest changes in the HE sector including developments in Government policy.
  • Professor Stuart had been invited to the annual HEFCE staff conference to talk about Lincoln as an exemplar ‘anchor institution’. The VC also noted that the University was well placed to benefit from funding focused on ‘localism’.
  • The VC reported that the University was working closely with the Cathedral, the City and the County to deliver a strong programme of activities for the 2015 Magna Carta Celebrations.
  • Governors had attended the launch of the University’s Institute of Health at the House of Lords in October, which had gone very well.  Lincoln had now developed considerable expertise in a number of areas including diabetes and social science, and was recruiting first-rate staff.
  • The Board considered regular updates on student application and intake numbers. The University was holding to its strategy of not compromising admission requirements. International student recruitment and conversions had remained challenging, and significant resource had been invested into the International Office. The Director had restructured the Office and its recruitment strategy to include additional staff and the targeting of different overseas markets.
  • The VC briefed Governors on the creation by the University of a multi-academy trust called The Lincolnshire Educational Trust Ltd to accommodate both the University Academy Holbeach and Holbeach Primary School.
  • Professor Stuart confirmed that the Educational Development and Enhancement Unit (EDEU) had become fully operational at the start of September 2014, bringing a coordinated and proactive approach to the enhancement of student education and engagement in furtherance of the University’s strategic policies. The thread running through all of EDEU’s work was the enhancement of teaching and learning across the institution, with a top priority being to increase the numbers of academic staff with teaching qualifications or Higher Education Academy (HEA) recognition.
  • Governors received presentations from the Heads of the Colleges of Science and Social Science on their colleges’ activities and aspirations. They welcomed the appointment of Professor Matthew Cragoe as Head of the College of Arts and looked forward to a briefing from him on the College following the reconfiguration of its Schools.
  • The Chief Finance Officer provided monthly summaries of the University’s financial position. Governors noted the Treasury Management Review and approved the Annual Sustainability Statement for 2013/14. In November, the Board noted the end-of-year out-turn for 2013/14 and the External Auditors’ report; signed off the consolidated Financial Statements for the year; and approved the submission to HEFCE of the updated one year forecast.
  • The Chair of the Audit Committee presented the Audit Committee Annual Report to the Board, which confirmed that there were satisfactory and effective arrangements in place in key areas of risk management, value for money and data quality. The Board approved the report for submission to HEFCE, together with the Annual Assurance Return for 2013/14.
  • HEFCE had visited the University during October to undertake the quinquennial assurance review, focused on the accountability returns submitted by HE institutions and on governance processes. The Assurance Officer had been complimentary about the Board’s practices of frequent meetings and few sub-committees; and had indicated that the University would receive a favourable conclusion, indicating HEFCE’s confidence in the University of Lincoln’s accountability information.
  • The Board received a briefing from the Governor acting as sponsor of the University’s KPI “Promoting an internationalised culture of enterprise and innovation across our communities”. The Governor had spoken with a number of staff about their approach to the KPI. It was clear that staff believed that the KPI was critical to the University’s top 40 ambitions and for its overall reputation and league table positioning. Reputation was key to attracting good staff and research students.  Research was also fundamental in developing partnerships with large companies.
  • The Board received a report by the DVC (Teaching, Quality and the Student Experience) which noted that the 2014 National Student Survey (NSS) results had seen an overall improvement and had increased the University’s ranking from 70th in 2013 to 49th. There were, nonetheless, a number of areas requiring improvement and the EDEU was providing assistance to heads of schools in those areas where there were elements of underperformance, and where some immediate gains were achievable for NSS 2015.
  • The Governors received a presentation from the Students’ Union President/Student Governor, covering the key SU achievements during 2013/14, work planned to take forward the Union’s strategy, and the portfolios and aims of the new sabbatical officers. The Union had attained a 74% positive response to the question in NSS 2014 about students’ satisfaction with their SU, up from 69% in 2013 and against a national average of 68%. Governors noted this as a pleasing outcome which complemented ULSU’s distinction of being awarded HE Students’ Union of the Year by the NUS.
  • The Board discussed reports from the Director of Estates and Commercial Facilities about major capital projects, including measures to ensure the availability of quality student accommodation. The Board’s Financing The Future Working Group had met frequently to consider the development of the estate to enable delivery of the University’s strategic ambitions.
  • Governors agreed that the University’s charitable objectives and those of Macmillan Cancer Support were mutually consistent, thereby enabling a proposed new academic partnership with Macmillan Cancer Support whereby the University would deliver short CPD courses. It had also been proposed that Macmillan would become the ‘Vice Chancellor’s Charity of the Year’ through which staff and students could engage in fundraising.
  • The Governors received and noted the Annual Health & Safety Report; the Student Complaints Annual Report; and an updated Code of Practice demonstrating how the various requirements of the Education Act 1994 were implemented in respect of oversight of certain activities of the Students’ Union.
  • The Chair briefed Members on the business discussed at meetings of the Committee of University Chairs. A new Code of Governance would be published shortly, and it appeared that the University of Lincoln could be confident of demonstrating overall compliance with the different elements.

Paul Walsh  Clerk to the Board of Governors

New activities at the Sports Centre for students this week

meditation-chakras

This week the Sports Centre are launching a number of new/ improved initiatives for students, they are as follows:

Play for Fun activities

These activities are designed to be non-commitment for people to just turn up and play. Turn up with or without friends because you’ll be bound to make new ones. We provide all the equipment you may need for the activity; all you need to do is turn up in appropriate clothing and shoes. These sessions are just £2, gym membership or induction is not required to take part in these activities.
Volleyball – 5pm – 6pm every Tuesday
Racquet night  – 6pm – 7pm every Tuesday (A mixture of badminton, tennis, squash & table tennis to suit your demand)

Basketball – 5pm – 6pm every Wednesday

Badminton – 5pm – 6pm every Thursday

Football – 6pm – 7pm every Tuesday

Badminton – 11am – 12pm every Saturday (An open session where you can bring non-university staff members along too)

 

2015 class timetable

Please see attached a copy of the new class timetable.
You are not required to be a gym member or have an induction to attend these classes, we do however, recommend that you book onto these classes up to one week in advance.
All classes are individually priced on the class  timetable.

 

Couch to 10K programme

Building upon the success of the University’s presence in the 2014 Lincoln 10K the Sports Centre are building on what they offer its customers to inspire them to take part in the 2015 Lincoln 10K.

Why not be part of the ‘Sport at Lincoln’ running group and embark on the couch to 10k programme that is due to start on Wednesday 14th January.

Join in every Wednesday from 5.30pm as the leader helps to motivate and guide you towards building up your confidence to running 10K; each session costs £1.

The programme is designed for absolute beginners but is flexible and open to runners of all experiences.

 

Lincoln 10K 2015

This year the city’s annual 10K event is due to take place on Sunday 22nd March. As last year any member of staff that signs themselves up to the Lincoln 10K and lets Rosie Damarell (RDamarell@lincoln.ac.uk) know of their participation will receive a free pre-race bag!

 

If you have any questions regarding any of the above information please do not hesitate to contact myself or the sports centre either via email or via telephone 88 6688