At the University of Lincoln, we are proud to be One Community of staff and students together.
From the Coronavirus pandemic to the Black Lives Matter movement, the last year has reminded us of the need to value our differences, educate and learn from each other and see our diversity as a strength. At this time we especially need to look out for each other, and to speak up in solidarity when necessary.
Today we are launching the new One Community Values as the new teaching year begins.
These five principles, which were chosen by students and staff as part of a joint exercise by the University and the Students’ Union to refresh the former Respect Charter, aim to articulate what our One Community ethos means for how we interact with each other, and with people in the wider community. They are an important element of the Community Living Pledge which all students are asked to commit to this year as we seek to protect our community from the risks of Coronavirus.
Many students and staff already demonstrate the One Community Values every day. They are not a set of instructions, they are intended as a living framework to help us reflect on what makes Lincoln the special place it is to live, learn and work.
One Community Values
Equality
We respect and value all members of our community and actively reject discrimination, seeking to promote equality for all. We value diversity and believe that while we are all different, each of us deserves equality of opportunity and the right to transparency in how we are treated.
Understanding
We are all individuals, together as one community. As part of this, we recognise we have different opinions, outlooks and philosophies. We try to understand other points of view, even if we disagree with them.
Listening
We give others our attention and respect and allow people the space to contribute to conversations. We listen to the quiet voices as well as the loud ones and speak up with them when we need to.
Kindness
We are kind to other people in the words we choose and the actions we take, especially when nobody else is looking or we will not benefit personally.
Acceptance
We accept people for who they are, and respect each person’s background, identity, beliefs and differences. We appreciate the diverse range of experiences and perspectives in our community which strengthens it.
“Together we are stronger. Together we are One Community”
I hope you were able to have some rest and to recharge during the Easter break and I would like to welcome you back for the summer term with the University of Lincoln.
Teaching, learning and revision continues online, in line with government advice, and after a welcome break for the holidays, now is the time to reconnect virtually with your studies, tutors and coursemates.
You should find your scheduled activities and learning resources on Blackboard. You might also want to check in this week with your personal tutor to let them know you are back online and to update them on how you are doing.
Supporting your studies
Alongside your academic work, the University’s support services remain open and available online to help all our students, whether that is adapting to the immediate challenges posed by COVID-19 or planning for your future.
Staff from our Student Support Centre, Student Wellbeing Centre, English Language Centre, Library, and Careers & Employability Service are all here to help you, whether by email, over the phone, or via online workshops. For instance, our Careers Service is running a suite of online events on CV writing, graduate jobs and interview skills. Visit the Careers website to see what’s on. Our Postgraduate Team is also running various online events for undergraduates interested in progressing onto Master’s level study.
Please don’t forget that your tutors are also available to support you – many programmes are running online revision and drop-in sessions at this time of year – or you can arrange a one-to-one online appointment if you have questions or just want to see a friendly face.
End-of-year assessments
We know one of the most important questions students have is about how they will be assessed this summer. A great deal of work has been happening behind the scenes since the Government confirmed that no face-to-face assessments should take place in universities this academic year because of COVID-19.
Before Easter, you will have had details through from your academic School about assessment methods for your subject and year group. For students undertaking ‘time constrained assessments’, the timetable is now available. For other deadlines relating to short format assignments and other types of coursework, your academic School will have provided this information and will be happy to answer any questions.
Revising and preparing for assessments is always challenging, and the University’s Digital Student Life team will be publishing some top tips from later this week, helping you adapt to the current situation and preparing you for the new formats if these are part of your programme.
Safety Net
We also announced before Easter, following a meeting of the University’s Academic Board, the University was developing a ‘Safety Net’ policy for students to mitigate potential impacts on student outcomes caused by the COVID-19 pandemic. This policy will apply to undergraduate students at Level/Year 2 and above and postgraduate taught students where accrediting bodies allow. This is in line with other universities across the country and in line with national standards agencies.
Developing the Safety Net is a complex process involving multiple stakeholders including meeting all the requirements of national and professional regulatory bodies. Our Students Union Sabbatical Officers have been an important part of these discussions. Your School will be communicating with you with the details of the Safety Net, and all students should be aware of the process for their programme and cohort from Monday 27th April. For the latest on this, please check your University email regularly and see the University’s online FAQs and Information for Students at www.lincoln.ac.uk/coronavirus
Finally, I would like to take this opportunity to thank you all for your patience and positive attitudes while we navigate this challenging time. All staff at the University are working hard, with your interests always placed first, to do our best for you and to help you succeed in your studies. I am extremely grateful to all staff and students who have shown such dedication, commitment and ingenuity in difficult circumstances.
I want to start by thanking you all for your engagement and “can do” approach in the move to online learning. We are all doing this together in response to unexpected and unprecedented circumstances we are all facing, and I really appreciate everyone embracing this change so positively.
I have been pleased and grateful to receive supportive comments from students. We really welcome your feedback – please do speak to your School directly or complete the survey which the Student Union is circulating. Online will remain our method of delivery until the end of the academic year and we are keen to hear about your experiences – good and bad.
I also wanted to update you on your examinations and assessments going forward.
There has been a huge amount of activity in your schools with your programme teams and programme leaders around the organisation of examinations and assessments over the last few days.
I know that you are all keen to understand what the plans for your course are. I am sure you appreciate that these are complex decisions with many factors involved, which need to be considered carefully to ensure fairness and the best opportunities for you all in the circumstances we find ourselves in nationally.
Programmes, naturally, as subjects are different and have different needs, vary across the University, and many are regulated by professional bodies which is outside of the University’s control. This means we cannot make blanket, one-size-fits-all decisions across all courses. We need to ensure that approaches are tailored appropriately for each specific academic area and academic discipline.
Currently all universities understand that global circumstances mean that we are unlikely to be able to provide any face-to-face examinations or assessments and staff are currently developing alternatives.
In some cases, where marks do not contribute to degree classifications, you may not be required to undertake examinations or assessments at the end of the year as your programme teams can use assessment already undertaken. However, this will not be the case for all programmes, so please watch out for communications from your School, which will clearly set out the approach for your course. Please regularly check your University email or look on Blackboard for information as it comes through.
You may find that friends on different courses have different approaches or requirements in terms of examinations and assessments; so, any changes for them may well not be the same for you. This is to be expected as different disciplines have different needs and requirements. This would always have been the case. Please do not worry, we are working to be as measured and fair as possible to all of our students, and to adhere to regulatory requirements as well as working within the logistical challenges of this situation. Please do understand that academics and support staff are doing all they can to respond as rapidly as possible to this changing environment but we need to get this right for you and ensure standards across the institution, so we are considering carefully the best ways forward.
We are working to ensure assignments and coursework continue to be assessed fairly. In some cases, this will mean changes to deadlines as we adjust to the new ways of working. Please keep an eye out for communications on deadlines from your School, which for many students will remain the same. Please check your University email account and Blackboard for information as it comes out.
All of us, your staff and tutors, understand that this is a worrying time and that you may be impacted by the current situation. Extension requests should be made as usual through your School, and these will be treated flexibly and sympathetically with your interests at heart. Equally, once we enter the Extenuating Circumstances period, we will be flexible around evidence requirements.
I am aware that some of our international students have chosen to return home and we are considering how we ensure that everyone, no matter where they are located in the world, or what time zone they are in, can access assessments fairly.
For students with learning support plans we will be making sure you are not disadvantaged through any changes to assessment.
Finally, let me thank you for your patience and understanding at this time as we strive to solve these issues as quickly as we can. Teams here at the University have been working long and hard to try and give prompt reassurance and develop solutions. Our immediate aim was to ensure that your learning was not disrupted, and I have been heartened by the really positive messages that I have received from students and their families.
Please do watch out for School communications regarding your assessments in the next few days, if you have not already received them. These should come through your University email address and/or Blackboard and you should check your inbox regularly and go onto your Blackboard site to see information.
Above all, please remember your academic and professional services teams remain here to support you and, if you have any concerns, there is help on hand and do always feel free to get in touch with your tutors and School.
Can I end by sending my very best wishes for you as you move through and complete your year of study with us. Stay strong and safe, you are such great ambassadors for the University at the very difficult time for us all. I am very proud of you all.
The University is piloting a new Q&A chatbot designed to offer staff and students support with out-of-hours ICT queries – and needs your help to test and train the system.
Developed by a ICT and a team of computer science students using Microsoft’s AI (artificial intelligence) and language processing technology, the bot has already been primed with a series of frequently asked questions to build its knowledge base ready to answer common ICT queries. It now needs to be launched “into the wild” to field genuine questions to further develop its ability to understand and respond coherently to ICT service desk requests. More University services will be added to the bot’s knowledge base after the pilot phase.
Staff and students can help in piloting the fledgling bot with their ICT questions and queries on the pilot platform: https://lncn.ac/chatbot
Currently known simply as Ask the Bot, the bot also needs a suitable name. Staff and students can enter their suggestions for a name for the bot using the Submission Form by clicking here (opens in Microsoft Forms).
A panel of staff and students will select their preferred name from those submitted. The person who submits the chosen name will win a prize of a £50 Amazon voucher. Terms and conditions apply (see more below).
Name the Bot Staff and Student Competition 2019 – Terms & Conditions
The promoter is: the University of Lincoln (known as ‘the University’).
These terms and conditions apply to “Name the Bot Staff and Student Competition 2019” known as ‘the Competition’.
There is no entry fee to enter the Competition.
To enter you must be a currently enrolled student at the University of Lincoln or a member of University staff.
By entering the Competition, an entrant is indicating his/her agreement to be bound by these terms and conditions.
To enter the Competition eligible entrants must submit their suggested name using the Submission Form before the deadline of 30th November 2019.
No responsibility can be accepted for entries not received for whatever reason.
Entrants accept that by submitting the Form their name will be made known to the Promoter.
Any prize for winning this competition will be detailed in an email to the winner.
The prize consists of a £50 Amazon voucher.
No alternative to the prize will be offered.
Prizes are subject to availability and we reserve the right to substitute any prize with another of equivalent value without giving notice.
The winning submission will be chosen by a panel appointed by the Promoter. The panel’s decision is final and no correspondence will be entered into.
The winner will be notified by email before 13th December. If the winner cannot be contacted or does not claim the prize by 20th December they will forfeit the prize.
The promoter’s decision in respect of all matters to do with the competition will be final and no correspondence will be entered into.
The entrant agrees to the use of his/her entry in any publicity material associated with the Competition.
Any personal data relating to the winner or any other entrants will be used solely in accordance with current UK data protection legislation.
The promoter reserves the right to cancel or amend the competition and these terms and conditions without notice at any time. Any changes to the competition will be notified to entrants as soon as possible by the promoter.
The competition and these terms and conditions will be governed by English law and any disputes will be subject to the exclusive jurisdiction of the courts of England.
The University of Lincoln has tickets for this month’s Lincoln Book Festival to give away to staff and student competition winners.
The tickets are for one of the week-long literary festival’s headline author events, in which county-born historian Tracy Borman will discuss her debut novel, ‘The King’s Witch’, at Lincoln’s Drill Hall theatre on the evening of Saturday 29th September.
Tracy is Joint Chief Curator of Historic Royal Palaces, the charity that manages heritage sites including Hampton Court Palace, Kew Palace and the Tower of London. Her non-fiction books include ‘The Private Lives of the Tudors: Uncovering the Secrets of Britain’s Greatest Dynasty’, ‘Thomas Cromwell: The Untold Story of Henry VIII’s Most Faithful Servant’, and ‘Witches: A Tale of Sorcery, Scandal and Seduction’.
Described as “a compelling tale of corruption, danger and coruscating suspicion”, ‘The King’s Witch’ is her debut novel and is set around the infamous Gunpowder Plot of 1605.
To enter the Lincoln Book Festival 2018 ticket competition, answer the following question:
The 1605 Gunpowder Plot was an attempt to assassinate which English monarch?
Winners will be chosen at random from entrants submitting the correct answer and will receive a pair of tickets to the event, which takes place on Saturday 29th September, starting 6.15pm at Lincoln Drill Hall.
Send your answer to competitions@lincoln.ac.uk by 5pm on Wednesday 26th September with your contact information (email and phone number) for a chance to win. Winners will be notified the day after the closing date and will need to collect their prize from the Communications, Development and Marketing Department, 2nd Floor Minerva Building, Brayford Campus, by close of business on Friday 28th September. Terms and conditions apply (see below).
Lincoln Book Festival runs 22nd – 29th September and brings acclaimed novelists, historians, journalists and broadcasters to the city for a celebration of the finest history writing and historical fiction. This year’s festival has the theme revolution as tribute to the centenary of The Representation of The People Act which first gave some British women the right to vote. Guest authors include Michael Morpurgo, Marcus Chown, Sally Nicholls, Rebecca Fraser, Jane Robinson, Maggie Andrews, Jan Lomas, John Robb, Marc Mulholland, and Tracy Borman. There are also writers workshops, fringe theatre events and an open mic poetry evening. See: www.lincolnbookfestival.org
University staff and students can support a new grassroots community project which works directly with homeless people in Lincoln.
The University of Lincoln UNISON Branch is supporting the local ‘Let Them Eat Cake’ initiative, a project staffed entirely by volunteers, which each Saturday night provides a menu of freshly prepared food and other essentials for people living on the streets from a base at the Mint Lane Cafe.
University staff and students can support the project through donations of long shelf-life food and other items. The project’s current “most needed” list includes:
Sleeping bags
Drawstring bags (of the ‘PE kit’ variety – these can be filled with essential items such as toiletries)
Bottled water
Squash
Coffee
Tea
Hot Chocolate
Sugar
Disposable cups/plates/bowls/cutlery
Takeaway trays
Antibac wipes
Snack items such as bags of crisps, chocolate bars etc
Cakes/brioche (with a long use by date)
Instant beverage cups (the kind you just add hot water to)
Toiletries (men’s and women’s) including shower gel, shampoo, toothpaste and toothbrushes
Suncream
Donations can be dropped off at the UNISON branch office in Room MB0407, Ground Floor, Minerva Building, Brayford Campus. For more information about the project and the UNISON branch’s local support for it, please contact Sue Partridge, UNISON Branch Administrator, on email spartridge@lincoln.ac.uk or telephone 01522 886883.
Professor Carenza Lewis from the University of Lincoln writes in today’s Daily Telegraph on the ancient laws governing treasure finds in Britain.
Carenza, one of the country’s best-known archaeologists and Professor for the Public Understanding of Research at Lincoln, leads the new RCUK-funded project Public Engagement for All with Research at Lincoln (PEARL), which is investigating how the University can improve its public engagement with research.
Dr Anna Marie Roos from the University of Lincoln has been appointed editor of a prestigious journal of the Royal Society.
Anna Marie, a Reader in Lincoln’s School and History & Heritage, is the new Editor of ‘Notes and Records of the Royal Society’, an international journal which publishes original research in the history of science, technology and medicine.
The Royal Society is a Fellowship of many of the world’s most eminent scientists and is the oldest scientific academy in continuous existence. Its past presidents include Lincolnshire’s Sir Isaac Newton and Sir Joseph Banks.
Get your cameras or smartphones ready! From our urban architecture, allotments, parks and commons, out into the woodlands, fields, riverbanks and beaches, there’s an abundance of wildlife out there. It could be a fox, a falcon, a beetle or a badger – we want to see your best photographs that represent the wild creatures, large or small, living around us.
The prize
Shortlisted images will be presented to Visiting Professor Chris Packham via a pop-up exhibition held at the University of Lincoln at the end of October. Four winning photographers will each receive a prize of a £25 Amazon voucher and be invited to join Chris on a visit to the set of a television wildlife production in 2018.
Chris Packham
How to enter
Upload your photographs to Instagram using #ULWildlifeComp17 or email them to competitions@lincoln.ac.uk (Max 4MB as JPEG or JPG). You can enter up to four photographs in your submission.
Deadline for entries is midday on Thursday 26th October. Shortlisted entrants will be notified on Monday 30th October and invited to the pop-up exhibition the following day, where winners will be announced by Chris Packham.
Full terms and conditions can be found below.
Chris Packham Wildlife Photography Competition 2017 Terms & Conditions
PROMOTER
The Promoter of this Competition is: the University of Lincoln, Brayford Pool, Lincoln, LN6 7TS, United Kingdom.
ELIGIBILITY
There is no entry fee to enter this Competition but to be eligible you must be a student currently enrolled at the University of Lincoln (as at 1st October 2017). University staff, alumni and members of the public are not eligible to enter the competition.
HOW TO ENTER
The Competition is open from 00:01hrs BST (one minute past midnight) on Monday 9th October 2017 and the deadline for entries is 12:00hrs (midday) on Thursday 26th October 2017. After this date no further entries to the competition will be permitted. No responsibility can be accepted for entries not received for whatever reason.
Entries should be submitted by email in JPEG or JPG format of between 100KB and 4MB in file size. Please ensure your image is a minimum of 800 pixels on its shortest side. Send your image by email to: competitions@lincoln.ac.uk and / or upload them to Instagram using the hashtag #ULWildlifeComp17.
If sending via email please include the phrase “Wildlife Photography Competition” in the subject line. Entries should be accompanied by a short caption (up to 100 words in length) describing the image(s), including the subject, location, and date taken.
SUBMISSIONS
All entries must be original photographs taken by the named entrant. They must not have been published elsewhere or have won a prize in any other photographic competition.
It is the responsibility of entrants to ensure their submission does not infringe the copyright of any third party or any laws. Joint entries are not permitted. Reproduction or digital manipulation of any pre-existing image by another photographer is not acceptable.
Submitted photographs should be authentic representations of a natural scene featuring wildlife in the UK. Composites, double exposures and CGI imagery should not be used. Minor enhancements of raw images using photo editing software (eg. cropping, adjustment of colour levels) are permitted but please avoid heavy use of pre-programmed filters.
JUDGING
Shortlisted entrants and winners will be chosen by a panel of judges appointed by the University. The University’s decision in respect of all matters to do with the Competition will be final and no correspondence will be entered into.
Multiple entries are not permitted by the same individual but entrants may supply up to four images within a single submission. These could be a series of images from a single shoot or a small portfolio / collection.
The Prize may be withdrawn or replaced at any time. The Prize is not transferable and no financial alternative will be offered.
Shortlisted entrants will be notified by email on Monday 30th October and invited to an exhibition at the University on Tuesday 31st October, where four winners will be announced. If a winner cannot be contacted or does not claim the prize within 14 days of notification, we reserve the right to withdraw the prize from the winner and pick a replacement winner.
PERMISSIONS AND COPYRIGHT
If your photograph features any person or people, they should be aware that they are being photographed and written permission (model release) should be obtained by the photographer from all involved (or their parent’s/guardian’s permission if under 18). The University reserves the right to disqualify any entry where such permissions are unclear.
Copyright in all images submitted for this competition remains with the respective photographer. However, each photographer grants a worldwide, irrevocable, perpetual licence to the University of Lincoln to feature their submitted image in any of their publications, websites and/or in any promotional material connected to this competition, including licensing for (non-commercial) editorial use by third party media. The Promoter will always ask third party media to credit photographers where images are used but cannot be held responsible for errors or omissions.
Winners agree to the use of his/her name and image in any publicity material associated with the Competition. Any personal data relating to the winner or any other entrants will be used solely in accordance with current data protection legislation and will not be disclosed to a third party without the entrant’s prior consent.
INDEMNITY
To the maximum extent permitted by law, the University of Lincoln excludes its liability for any loss, damage, injury, cost or expense suffered by entrants, whether directly or indirectly and howsoever caused, in connection with the Competition and use of any prize. Nothing in these Terms and Conditions shall exclude the University’s liability for death or personal injury arising from its own negligence or any other liability that cannot, as a matter of law, be excluded.
By entering this competition you agree to indemnify the University of Lincoln and keep the University of Lincoln indemnified against any loss, damage, injury, cost or expense suffered by the University as a result of your entry in the Competition, including (but not limited to) any claim of infringement of intellectual property rights made by any third party.
The University of Lincoln reserves the right to cancel or amend this Competition and these terms and conditions without notice in the event of a catastrophe, war, civil or military disturbance, act of God or any actual or anticipated breach of any applicable law or regulation or any other event outside of the Promoter’s control. Any changes to the Competition will be notified to entrants as soon as possible.
ACCEPTANCE OF TERMS
The Competition and these Terms and Conditions will be governed by English law and any disputes will be subject to the exclusive jurisdiction of the courts of England. Entry into the Competition will be deemed as acceptance of these Terms and Conditions.
A profile of Vice Chancellor Professor Mary Stuart appears in the Guardian this week, focussed on the “remarkable success” of the University in recent years.
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