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Welcome to our weekly in Focus update...... |
Past Issues << | Issue 38: Monday 5 February 2007
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Broadcaster, Sonia Deol presented a live radio programme from our Docklands campus last Monday which debated Channel 4’s recent reality TV show - Celebrity Big Brother and the incidents of alleged racism which took place. The invited audience made up of actors and activists from across the spectrum of British society were also joined by former Home Secretary David Blunkett MP, and may of our staff and students.
As to whether the remarks were a clash of cultures or overt racism, opinion remained divided with some speakers opting to describe the comments as ‘bullying tinged with an undercurrent of racism’ and others finding the remarks ‘deeply offensive’. The mood of most speakers seemed united however in agreeing that the controversy was in part manufactured and aired by Channel 4 in a cynical attempt to boost flagging ratings and should never have seen the light of day.
One speaker Sam Sharma who had organised protest marches at the time, raised her objection that night after night viewers were subjected to this abuse beamed right into their living rooms and despite 40,000 complaints and protests on the streets nothing has actually been done.
Our annual dinner for honorary degree award holders took place at the House of Lords last Tuesday. As well as giving us a chance to thank our new honorary award holders for the excellent work they do on our behalf we were also joined by some of our more longstanding ones as well. While regrettably our Chancellor Lord Rix was unable to attend due to ill-health, honorary award holder Baroness Cathy Ashton and close colleague of Lord Rix, kindly welcomed everyone and introduced Acting Vice-Chancellor, Professor Susan Price to speak about many of our key developments.
At Freshers’ Fayre last Tuesday Charter Mark assessor Paul Harrington officially presented Alan Ingle with our Charter Mark award for excellence in customer service.
In receiving the award Alan noted that we are one of only three UK universities to have received the award for the whole of its provision. Alan said: “Relatively few universities have met the Standard at all and those that do tend to seek the award for one aspect of their provision, such as their Library or IT Services. “
Paul Harrington explained: “It’s a brave move for such a large organisation to go for the Charter Mark award for the whole of its provision. So I congratulate UEL for their total commitment to customer service and for their strong sense of self-belief in having the confidence to submit all schools and services for assessment against the national standard."
Over thirty students completed the National Student Survey 2007 online at the Employability Works! Event last Wednesday. The survey which targets final year undergraduates is one of the indices used by the Times and Guardian to create university league tables. The data is also published as a source of information about student satisfaction with their university and programme of study.
For our data to be published we need 50% of respondents (1,200 students) to complete the survey and thirty students for each subject area.
Please encourage final year students to complete the five minute 20 question online survey which can be downloaded from
www.the studentsurvey.com
Jon Halfide held a free personal training session at our outdoor gym last Thursday and he’s created a series of beginners, intermediate and advanced workouts for us which you can download from http://evision.uel.ac.uk/notices/gym07.htm
Michele Farmer has organised an art show of a small group of local artists which includes some of our staff. The exhibition which began on 29January and continues until 9 February is situatedin the lower corridor of University House, Stratford Campus.
The group of artists are:
Dina Bavisi - a local practising artist who works in IT Services.
Kim Bennett - a practising artist studying Fine Art MA with our School of Arts and Digital Industries and also an adult education lecturer inEast London.
Jon Delmage - a photographer who works in IT Services.
Michele Farmer - a local practising artist who works in Student Services and is studying on the Fine Art MA
Sean Freeman – a local photographer and former student of Kim’s.
Steve Latner – who has worked as a photojournalist for East London News, taught photography for the last 17 years, both silver based and digital, in colleges and schools throughout London and in the USA and is a member of the Teesdale Photographic Collective based in Bethnal Green. Photographers who wish to know more about the collective can contact Steve onEmail: stevelatner@hotmail.com Mob: 07866 914 681
Some works in the exhibition are for sale. Please contact Michele Farmer Tel: 020 8223 2546 for details.
Mon 5 Feb Film screening: 9/11 Press for Truth
Business School Lecture Theatre, Docklands 6 pm
Five families tell their story, providing powerful arguments for why 9/11 needs further investigation.
Tues 6 Feb William Rodriguez - 9/11 hero and victims group leader
Business School Lecture Theatre, Docklands 7 pm
William Rodriguez was the last man to get out of the Twin Towers alive on 9/11. He worked for 20 years in the North Tower taking care of the stairwells. He was a holder of a master key, with which he opened all the locks for the rescue workers to go up and the survivors to get down, the shortest and safest routes. He became a national hero having saved hundreds of lives on that day and he has been honoured five times at the White House.Currently he is a leader and representative of the 9/11 Victims Group. He is only giving one talk in London and that is here at UEL
Thur 8 Feb David Shayler on 7/7 and UK security
Business School Lecture Theatre, Docklands 6.30 pm
MI5 whistleblower David Shayler on the workings of the secret services, 'false flag' terror operations and how the 7/7 attakes relate to 9/11.
Fri 9 Feb Where do we go from here? Open Q& A and discussion.
Business School Lecture Theatre, Docklands 6.30 pm
Organised by UEL Students' Union - for more information email: uelsu911truth@gmial.net
Tuesday 13 February 2007, 12.30 - 2.00pm,Stratford UH136
Wednesday 14 February 2007, 12.30 - 2.00pm,Docklands EBG08
UEL Plus is the upgraded version of WebCT. By September 2008 WebCT is being phased out andour staff and students will be using UEL Plus instead. The School of Distance & E-Learning are hosting two lunch time presentations and Q&A sessions to:
Lunch will be provided. To reserve your place please emailelearning@uel.ac.ukby Thursday 8February 2007 stating which presentation you would like to attend.
To find out more about UEL Plus please visit: www.uel.ac.uk/uelplus
Brian Shaw from Columbia College, Chicago is intending to come to work with us for Semester A of this year (August to end of December 2007) to carry out a research project. He is looking for a house to rent for his family, ideally not too far from our campuses.
If anyone knows of any house rental opportunities, please email Mark O’Thomas m.othomas@uel.ac.uk. Mark will forward the information on to Brian, who visits us shortly.
To conduct your own search of current funding opportunities, or to set up email alerts specific to your interests, visit www.researchresearch.com. If you intend to submit an application for funding please contact Becky Whitham in the Graduate School.
To find a listing of all the major competitions visit:http://www.uel.ac.uk/gradschool/events/deadlines/deadlines.htm
Duncan House Stratford Thursday 8 February, 6.30pm
Room: 001, Duncan House, Stratford
Hear speakers:
Martin Scheinin, United Nations Special Rapporteur on Human Rights While Countering Terrorism; John Kissane, Head of Human Rights Compliance and Delivery at the UK Department for Constitutional Affairs; Tom Porteous, London Director, Human Rights Watch.
For more information visit www.uel.ac.uk/lectureseries
Professor Chandra Lekha Sriram Chair in Human Rights and Director, Centre on Human Rights in Conflict recently had an opinion piece published entitled ·The ‘Pinochet Precedent’: A Mixed Legacy for Human Rights,” (11 December 2006) at http://jurist.law.pitt.edu/forumy/2006/12/pinochet-precedent-mixed-legacy-for.php
Business School Lecture Theatre, Docklands Campus Tuesday 13 February 6.30pm
Our popular public lecture series is hotting up for Valentine’s Eve!
Dr Erika Calvo of our School of Social Sciences, Media and Cultural Studies, will give a talk entitled The recipe for love: gender, nature and the politics of food.
All welcome, admission free and chocolate provided!
A new website called newham.com has been launched to provide people who live and work in the borough:
* Information about special offers and discounts on products and services
* Invitations to shape the site so that it is tailored to meet their needs
* Easy access to people in the area who share their leisure, work or study interests
* Details about local businesses and services that help make daily life easier
* Updates about what is on and fun things to do near them
* Personalised news and alerts sent by email or text
Visit www.newham.com today to find out more.
Grab your chance before the ice melts to skate under open skies. Ice rink by Stratford Station Saturday 3 February to Sunday 4 March.Newham residents get discounts and if you'realso one of our students you can get even greater discounts! Visit www.newham.com/2012Games for details of sessions times, prices and to buy tickets on line or buy tickets at the on site box office.
The winner to Stratford Picturehouse Arthur and the Invisibles competition, chosen at random by Stratford Picturehouse, is Penny Bernstock.
Penny has won a family ticket, a mini poster, candyfloss, a keyring, a notebook and a purse!
Brush up your IT skills and get an internationally recognised qualification online. Contact Greg Price, Organisational Development Manager on ext 4361 or email g.price@uel.ac.uk
Congratulations go to son (pictured right) and nephew (left) of our Timetabling Unit’s Dil Badshah, both of whom have got places to study medicine at St George’s Medical School. A Level students Irbaz Isaac Badshah and Maeez Mohammed Carney recently had work placements with Rui Goncalves, our Head of Student Health.
While working with Rui the two completed a report entitled: A report on work experience at the Health Centres at University of East London. An investigation into the role of Registered Nurses: Head of Student Health Rui Goncalves and Student Health Clinical Advisor Rute Soares at the Student Health Centres under the umbrella department Student Services at the University of East London
Roshini Kempadoo, a colleague in our School of Social Science Media and Cultural Studies has been awarded an AHRC Small Grant in the Creative and Performing Arts, worth £16,000. Her grant will last for nine months.
THESE ARE SOME MORE ACTUAL EXCERPTS FROM STUDENT SCIENCE EXAM PAPERS – DUE TO POPULAR REQUEST FOLLOWING THOSE PRINTED LAST WEEK:
Dew is formed on leaves when the sun shines down on them and makes them perspire.
A super-saturated solution is one that holds more than it can hold.
A triangle which has an angle of 135 degrees is called an obscene triangle.
When you haven't got enough iodine in your blood you get a glacier.
For fractures: to see if the limb is broken, wiggle it gently back and forth.
To remove dust from the eye, pull the eye down over the nose.
For asphyxiation: apply artificial respiration until the patient is dead.
.Please send in your contributions to joke of the week all of which will be both gratefully and anonymously received.
For a round-up of events see www.uel.ac.uk/events.
In Focus Update is issued each Monday morning. If you would like items included in In Focus Update please send them to me by Wednesday of the preceding week at infocus@uel.ac.uk
Please print off a copy of In Focus Update for those of your colleagues who may not have easy access to email.
© 2006
