Broadcast: News items

PS Essentials: December 2022

Posted on behalf of: Internal Communications

Last updated: Friday, 3 February 2023

PS Essentials highlights the key priorities for Professional Services colleagues and recent news and updates which you and your teams may find useful.

If there is information you would like included in future PS Essentials, please submit your request to the Internal Comms mailbox.

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About you

Additional minimum service day for staff on Thursday 22 December

Thursday 22 December will be an additional minimum service day in recognition of your hard work in helping the University to recover from the disruptions of Covid-19.

Staff who were not going to work that day due to their normal working pattern are asked to arrange an alternative day off with their line manager. Staff who are unable to take it on that day due to work requirements will need to either tack it on to the end of the Christmas period (preferred) or arrange a convenient time with their management team. No staff (regardless of their working pattern) will be required to book this using MyView. Read more including guidance for part-time staff.

Payroll is not affected so the pay date will not change, and will still be 22 December. You can see the full list of minimum service days on our term dates webpage.

Financial Detox webinar offers support and advice

As part of our cost of living support for staff, we recently provided a one-hour Financial Detox webinar to help support colleagues during this period of financial turbulence and inflation. Offering useful guidance to help manage your finances, the webinar highlights tips and suggestions for making your money go further. The replay will be available shortly on the Staff Hub where you can also view further cost of living advice, services and support.

Winter wellness guidelines

As we head into winter, staff are encouraged to think about how to prevent the spread of winter infections such as colds, flu and Covid-19. Read the guidance on how to help protect yourself and others from infections, what to do if you feel unwell and Covid-19 mitigation measures in place at the University.

Free flu vaccinations available for staff

The University is paying for staff flu jabs for those who want them this winter, encouraging those who are not eligible for a free vaccine to protect themselves and others. Staff are asked to pay for their vaccine privately and then reclaim the cost from the University through expenses. Please submit your expense claim as soon as possible and ensure it has been authorised by close of business on Friday 16 December for payment before the Christmas break.

University PCARD holders can pay for the vaccination using their PCARD, and are also allowed to purchase it on behalf of other staff members, retaining a receipt or proof of purchase.

New Maternity and Adoption Policies and further support for carers

New Maternity and Adoption policies have been developed following collaboration between University staff, the University and College Union, Unison and Unite. Designed to help benefit staff and enable progress for all, the policies support our aim to become an employer of choice. We have also provided guidance to support carers which underpins our commitment to enabling all staff to be successful in their careers and to manage their work and life balance. We will continue to review our HR policies to make sure the right processes and support are in place for our people to do their best work, as outlined in our People Strategy.

About Professional Services

Autumn Senate Report now available to view

The autumn term Senate meeting on 16 November was the first of the academic year, and also the first chaired by Vice-Chancellor Sasha Roseneil. You can now read the report summarising the business and decisions of the meeting.

During the session, Senate heard about key education and research business such as Curriculum Reimagined, a new Reputation Management Group and adjustments to the Research and Knowledge Exchange Committee Terms of Reference. The social media policy will be discussed by Senate at a later date. There was robust discussion around the future membership of Council and the views of Senate will be considered when Council make their final decision.

Future meetings are planned for 8 March and 14 June 2023, and minutes and papers are published a week in advance. Two elected senators, Gemma Harman and Kit Eves, act as spokespeople for PS staff. Please contact Gemma or Kit in confidence, or via their shared email address, if there is a matter you would like them to raise at Senate.

Investing in a Better Sussex: December highlights

Projects across campus are beginning to gather pace and recent highlights include:

Network Replacement Programme (NRP): Council has approved the full business case for the NRP, one of the University's biggest investments in IT infrastructure, to deliver a modern, secure, high-speed wired and wireless network across the entire Falmer campus. The programme, to be delivered by 2025, will ensure the University has a responsive, reliable, resilient and flexible network capable of adapting to changing student and staff needs as technology develops over the next 10-15 years.
Student Information System (SIS): Planning and configuration has begun around the first three capability workstreams – General Person Record Management, Admissions and Curriculum Record Management. Colleagues working in these areas took part in workshops recently to see the new system and contribute to the work to align our processes.
Professional Services (PS) Places: A survey will be launched in the new year to help us understand how PS staff currently work and how existing PS office spaces help you do your job. This is your opportunity to tell us what you think of the current campus facilities and really help shape the PS Places programme. We will also be setting up a Change Network to act as a forum for feedback - more information to come.
West Slope: Our smart new Laundrette next to Swanborough residences is now open to students and staff. There is also lots of utilities work underway across campus with sewage pipes being updated along the Arts Path, and enhanced water, gas and electricity services being installed to the north of campus.

Read more about the latest updates on these projects.

Coming up

VC Open Forum: Tuesday 7 February 2023

You are invited to the next Open Forum with Vice-Chancellor Sasha Roseneil at the Attenborough Centre from 1.30pm-3pm. Open to all staff, the forum is an opportunity to catch up on the latest developments at the University and allow the VC to hear about issues which are important to you. You can book your place to attend in person if you can, or alternatively you can join online.

A reminder

Discounts and offers available for staff with Reward Gateway

With the festive season coming up, it’s the perfect time to make the most of our staff discounts platform Reward Gateway. Not only can you save money on gift purchases with discounts at dozens of high street retailers, you can also reduce your food bill at major supermarkets including Sainsburys, Tesco and Asda. Download the app to make it even easier to get discounts on the go. Find out more and take a look at handy hints and tips to make the most of Reward Gateway discounts and offers.

Organisational Development spring workshop calendar coming soon

The Organisational Development (OD) team are currently planning their spring term calendar and you can be the first to know about learning and development opportunities on offer next term by subscribing to the OD newsletter or following them on Linkedin.

You can also take a look at their recently updated Linkedin Learning page which offers a range of personal and professional development courses recommended for Sussex staff.

Final expenses and supplier payment dates for 2022

As we approach the Christmas break, the last payment date for out-of-pocket expense claims will be Wednesday 21 December. This means that:

expense claims need to be submitted and authorised by close of business on Friday 16 December to be settled this year. Funds should reach your bank account by Friday 23 December depending on your personal banking arrangements.
staff with purchasing responsibility should note that they need to ‘goods receipt’ goods and services received by Wednesday 21 December to make sure that suppliers who have correctly invoiced the University will be paid before January. This is particularly important for our suppliers who are small businesses and who rely on timely payment, especially at this time of year.

If you have any questions, please contact the Finance Service Desk.

The next edition of PS Essentials will be published in February 2023.