Today (Friday 7 May), the Vice-Chancellor Adam Tickell updated all staff in his regular View from the VC email. You can read the full View from the VC below.

Thank you to everybody who took part in an engagement session last week as we continue to develop our thinking around the future shape and size of the University.

Around half of our staff – some 1,350 people – attended one of many sessions held across the University last week on the fundamental questions we, collectively, are facing as a University. This work is being led by the Sussex Engagement Group, which consists of a cross-section of staff from across the institution. Whilst the Group is chaired by PVC Keith Jones, the decisions and direction that the group takes is independent of the University Executive Group (UEG).

I know that many of you are eager to engage in discussions about potential ideas about your own areas of the University. While it has been important for us to take your temperature about the University-wide challenges we must address, I completely understand that your enthusiasm may be more localised. In our second engagement week, there will be a closer focus on individual schools and divisions, so please do continue to take part in this important process.

If you are eligible to be in the USS pension scheme, I’d also encourage you to come along to an open staff forum we are holding next week about the 2020 valuation. This is in addition to the sessions we have held recently for staff to find out about USS and the valuation from an independent expert. You can watch recordings of those online. Next week’s session is an opportunity to hear the University’s perspective and to ask questions of myself and Allan Spencer, Director of Finance. You can book your place now via Eventbrite.

While we undoubtedly will have some difficult decisions to make in the coming months, I am thankful that we are again able to have conversations about our future. With the pandemic situation continuing to improve, we are very much moving into a phase – here at the University and in wider society – of longer term management, rather than daily turbulence. We are continuing to plan for a more widespread return of students from 17 May, although it will probably be the next academic year before the campus returns to busy normality. We will also be back in touch with you in the coming weeks about our new remote working policy, as we look to welcome staff back onto campus, while holding onto the benefits that many have said they can experience by having home working as more of a permanent fixture.
 
We will also be seeing a wider return of sports to our campus. This week, we have handed back the Sport Centre to Sussexsport, after nearly six months of it being commandeered so that we could supply lateral flow tests to our students and staff. That operation has now moved to Bramber House and classes and activities are resuming in the Sport Centre, in line with Government guidelines. I would like to thank everyone at Sussexsport for their enthusiasm and effectiveness in supporting our testing centre and for the incredible range of virtual sessions held during this challenging year. I’m sure there are many people who can’t wait to get back to whatever it is they enjoy.

Those of us who will be on campus this month may notice that – other than on the sports pitches – the grass will not be cut at all during May. This is in support of an initiative by Plantlife to encourage pollinators and promote biodiversity. However, our longer term plans are to reduce our cut grassed areas and promote the rewilding of some of them. These will not only support pollinators, but a much wider range of invertebrates and support a food chain for birds and small mammals.

With best wishes,

Adam