Kate O'Riordan, Pro-Vice-Chancellor for Education and Students

Pro-Vice-Chancellor (Education and Students), Professor Kate O'Riordan, wrote to all taught students earlier today. You can read the full message below:

Hello,

I want to wish a very happy Diwali to all those of you celebrating the festival of the lights this weekend. See below for the activity the Sussex Indian Society is organising on campus.

As we head towards British winter time, it’s a good moment to be reminded of the positive impact that kindness can have. Below, find out what’s going on for World Kindness Day and how you can get involved.

I always enjoy hearing about the different career paths that our students go on to take. You might like to read this interview with Sussex graduate Louisa Dodd about her role as Sustainability Manager at Little Moons. Louisa speaks about her choice to study Geography and how her undergraduate degree led her to take a sustainability role in the food and drink industry. You can register for free to read the full article.

Please read on for your regular update, including:

• What do you want from your spaces on campus?
• Support if you experience antisemitism or Islamophobia
• Celebrating World Kindness Day
• Got a big idea for a better world? Win a trip to the USA and the chance to pitch for £10k
• How to run a festival: masterclass from leaders of the Brighton Festival
• Join Turner Prize-winning Sussex alumna at the ACCA
• ‘Freedom of speech – can you draw a line?’ lecture
• Society Taster Fair with the Spirit of Sussex Award
• New creative projects explore legacies of the transatlantic slave trade in Brighton

What do you want from your spaces on campus?

Take our survey and tell us what you want from your spaces on campus for the chance to win one of 110 prizes. Whether it’s space to study, space to do sport and try activities, space to live, or space to meet friends and relax, we’d like to hear your views.

Tell us what you need, what you want, and what could be done differently, and you could win one of 110 vouchers to spend on food and drink on campus. Find more information on the Student Hub.

Support if you experience antisemitism or Islamophobia

I am aware that the Community Security Trust (CST) has reported an increase in incidents of antisemitism on UK campuses. Antisemitic incidents can be reported to the CST via their website. Jewish students can contact the Union of Jewish Students (UJS) for support via their welfare hotline on 02074 243288.

Tell MAMA has also reported an increase in anti-Muslim harassment and hate crime. You can report Islamophobic incidents to Tell MAMA, which offers a free counselling service that can be accessed via counselling@tellmamauk.org.

The University’s services offer advice and support on any issue that may be affecting you. You can contact the Student Centre in person at the Welcome Desk, on the phone (01273 075700), or online via the My Sussex portal. You can now also use My Sussex to book an appointment to visit our friendly advisors.

If you've experienced a hate incident, discrimination, bullying or sexual violence, please let us know using the Report and Support tool, and an advisor will get in contact with you if you have indicated that you would like to speak with someone.

Remember, the Student Hub is your first point of information, including details of group sessions and workshops run by our Therapeutic Services.

You may also find the Chaplaincy to be a useful resource, both as a welcoming space and in relation to specific services and staff. 

Celebrating World Kindness Day

This Friday (10 November), we’re once again taking part in KindFest, the virtual festival of kindness. As a Sussex student, you can book your free ticket via Eventbrite using the code SUSSUNI01.

Throughout next week, the Sussex Centre for Research on Kindness (ROK) is hosting a series of interactive activities to inspire positivity and encourage us to be kinder. ROK placement students, Freya and Ray, will be in Library Square from Monday 13 November until Friday 17 November, between 11am and 2pm. Check out their video in Flint magazine to find out more.

You might have also seen the online kindness corner in Monday’s edition of Flint, where you can add your own contributions. Whether big or small, we’d love to hear your stories of kindness.

Got a big idea for a better world? Win a trip to the USA and the chance to pitch for £10k

The annual Big Ideas Contest, which offers the opportunity to win a trip to California and the chance to pitch for up to £10,000 funding for your innovation ideas, is now open. The contest invites students to develop and propose ideas to help create positive social, environmental or health impact. The contest is open to all Sussex students and all applicants will receive feedback from a pool of external judges, which has proven invaluable to previous years’ applicants.

Applications are now open and will close on 13 December. For further information, or to discuss your big idea, get in touch with the Entrepreneurship team (entrepreneurship@sussex.ac.uk). Find out more about Entrepreneurship support.

How to run a festival: masterclass from leaders of the Brighton Festival

The School of Media, Arts and Humanities and the University of Sussex Business School have organised a masterclass on how to run a festival, taking place on Wednesday 15 November, in Arts A01. At this free event you’ll have the opportunity to learn from the directors of the Brighton Festival, the biggest curated cross-arts festival in England. If you’re interested in event management and the creative industries, book your place using Eventbrite.

Join Turner Prize-winning Sussex alumna at the ACCA

On Monday 20 November at 6:30pm, artist Helen Cammock (joint winner of the 2019 Turner Prize and University of Sussex alumna) will be at the Attenborough Centre for the Creative Arts, discussing her work with Dr Malcom James (Co-Director of the Centre for Cultural Studies, University of Sussex). Students and staff can book concession tickets for £3.

This event was originally scheduled for Thursday 2 November.

‘Freedom of speech – can you draw a line?’ lecture

From 5pm-6pm on Wednesday 15 November, ⁠Professor David Ruebain, Pro-Vice-Chancellor (Culture, Equality and Inclusion), will be exploring issues and complexities around freedom of speech and its boundaries. The free event is open to all students and staff, but spaces are limited so please ⁠book via Eventbrite.

Society Taster Fair with the Spirit of Sussex Award

The Spirit of Sussex Award is hosting a Society Taster Fair on Friday 17 November, 5pm-7pm in the Student Centre. Try out different societies and log five Spirit of Sussex Award points for each one you participate in!

New creative projects explore the legacies of the transatlantic slave trade in Brighton

Three new creative projects reflecting on the legacies of the transatlantic slave trade are being unveiled across Brighton & Hove, supported through the Exhale Creative Grant from the Brighton & Hove Culture Alliance, which the University is part of. It's an important moment in Brighton & Hove's Black history as a new landmark mural, a series of talks and performances, and an augmented reality walking tour all launch this November. Find out more about the projects.

Celebrating Diwali on campus

The Indian Society, the Art Society and the BAME Society are organising a Diya painting in celebration of Diwali at 8pm today (Thursday 9 November) in Falmer House. Make sure to bring £2 cash with you. Follow @sussexindiansoc  on Instagram for more details.

With best wishes,
  
Kate

Professor Kate O’Riordan, Pro-Vice-Chancellor (Education and Students)