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. Below you can read her full message:

Hello

Today is World Mental Health Day, a good time to remind you of resources to support you along your journey at Sussex. Just like physical health, there are things you can do to look after your mental wellbeing, even when you are not experiencing difficulties.

As a Sussex student you can access Togetherall, an online community for anonymous, peer-to-peer conversation and support, which is moderated 24/7 by trained practitioners. Student Space, from the charity Student Minds, also has advice covering a range of experiences. See the Student Hub for more information about wellbeing resources and, if you are affected by an issue and would like to speak with a friendly advisor, please do reach out to University services via My Sussex, the Student Centre or the chaplaincy.

As I mentioned last week, The Coast is Queer – the UK’s biggest LGBTQ+ literary festival – starts today at the Attenborough Centre for the Creative Arts (ACCA). Sussex students can get tickets for just £2 – check out the festival programme and book a ticket for events running until Sunday 13 October.

Black History Month continues and there are local events you can take part in. Visit Brighton & Hove City Council’s website or the Black History Month event listings page for details, or read more about Black History Month and race equity at Sussex. You can also visit our Black at Sussex webpage to find out about this project and see how we work to amplify the voices of Black students and staff.

I want to let you know that the Whatuni Student Choice Awards (WUSCAs) are back for another year too. The WUSCAs are the largest annual university awards in the UK voted for exclusively by students like you, based on reviews on Whatuni. Your feedback through these reviews and other opportunities helps future students make choices about where to study. This year, when you leave a review for Sussex you automatically enter into the WUSCAs prize draw, where two lucky Sussex students will each win a £100 Amazon voucher! It is so easy to take part – all you need to do is leave a review for Sussex on the Whatuni website and you will automatically be entered. Read the terms and conditions of the Whatuni prize draw.

Finally, if you have not yet completed registration/re-registration now that teaching has commenced, please make sure you do so by tomorrow, Friday 11 October. Returning students should complete re-registration via Sussex Direct and new students can find out more on the Student Hub. This is especially important if you are expecting a student loan instalment, to ensure any payments can be made to you from the Student Loans Company and trigger payment of your tuition fees to the University.

Please read on for your regular update, including:

• Vote in the Students’ Union’s Autumn Elections now
• Your education matters: open office session (30 October)
• The Hardship Fund for 2024/25 is now open
• First tuition fee instalment due on 15 October
• Consent Matters: have you completed the course on Canvas? 
• Phone scam targeting UK students
• Dyslexia Awareness Week: accessing support from the University
• Explore your future options at our PhD Open Evening (21 October) and Masters Open Day (online, 23 November)
• Paperless parking update
• Free event – Fox Fisher: My Genderation screening and discussion (15 October) 

Vote in the Students’ Union’s Autumn Elections now

Now is your chance to elect students who will help lead your students’ union and shape student life here. You have until 3pm tomorrow (Friday 11 October) to vote for the following roles:

• Union Councillors
• Student Reps
• LGBTQ+ Students Officer
• Trans and Non Binary students’ Officer
• BAME students’ Officer
• Postgraduate Officers
• Student Trustees
• Wellbeing Committee
• Mature Students Representative
• Part-time Students Representative
• First Generation Scholar Representative
• Student Parent Representative
• Sustainability Committee
• International Students' Committee members.

Your education matters: open office session (30 October)

Between 2.15pm and 3.45pm on Wednesday 30 October, I will be speaking with students in the Student Centre along with Lewis Wilson, the Students’ Union’s Education and Employability Officer. We would love to meet you.

These sessions are an opportunity for you to ask us questions, and for me to learn about your experience at Sussex and hear any suggestions you might have. In this first session, we are interested in your thoughts on induction and Welcome Week, and how you are finding your course and university life in general. Find more information and how to book a slot.

The Hardship Fund for 2024/25 is now open

The Hardship Fund for the 2024/25 academic year is now open. This fund is for students who have financial issues so they can concentrate on their studies rather than worrying about money. It is different from our Welfare Loan because it is a grant that you do not need to repay.

If you are facing financial difficulties, please visit our Financial Support page.

If you are eligible for the Sussex Bursary, disbursement of payments will be made on or around 14 November 2024. For more information, visit the Sussex Bursary page.

For any questions or concerns, please contact us at: studentfunding@sussex.ac.uk.

First tuition fee instalment due on 15 October

Tuition fees pay for the teaching and learning and facilities that all students benefit from. Prompt payment ensures we keeps costs down, enabling more to be spent on your student experience.

For most students the deadline for paying the first instalment of tuition fees is Tuesday 15 October. If your fees are paid by a student loan or a sponsor then this should all be taken care of for you as long as your information is up to date with our Finance team.  For students who pay their own fees, information on how to pay, or any support you might need, can be found on the Student Hub.

The finance team can be contacted directly by email at: Creditcontrol@sussex.ac.uk.

Consent Matters: have you completed the course on Canvas?

Here at Sussex, the safety of all of our students is first and foremost on our minds. We are committed to providing a safe, inclusive and respectful environment for every member of our community, which is why we want to have a conversation about relationships and consent.

Consent Matters is our free online course about consent, respect, communication skills and relationships, boundaries and positive intervention. All Sussex students are expected to complete Consent Matters. You can access and complete the course on Canvas.

Content warning: the course contains references to sexual violence and so you may wish to avoid completing certain parts. If the course is too distressing then please do not continue.

Phone scam targeting UK students

Students in the UK are being targeted by callers who claim to be from their university finance team and who tell the student they have been a victim of bank fraud. These calls sound convincing, but are fake calls made by criminals to gain personal information and money.

Learn about how to avoid being scammed on the Scams pathway on the Blackbullion learning platform.

Dyslexia Awareness Week: how to access support from the University

In Dyslexia Awareness Week, I wanted to draw your attention to the help the University provides for disabled students, and students with a learning difficulty or ongoing physical or mental health condition. Please do register for support if you are eligible.

You can read more about navigating university as a disabled student on the Student Blog.

Explore your future options at our PhD Open Evening (21 October) and Masters Open Day (online, 23 November)

On Monday 21 October (5-8.30pm) the Sussex Researcher School and our Postgraduate team will once again be hosting the PhD Open Evening on campus. The evening will feature a panel discussion on how to apply for a PhD, talks on funding and careers, and a question and answer session with current Postgraduate Researchers. Places are limited so if you are interested, make sure you book your place for the PhD Open Evening.

If you are thinking about studying a Masters, join teaching and support staff online on Saturday 23 November (10.30am to 2.30pm). The Masters Open Day will give you the opportunity to attend live online subject sessions with the academics who teach our Masters courses, as well as sessions where you can find out about the support available to postgraduate students, how to apply for your course, sources of funding, and what life as a postgraduate is really like. Book your place for the Masters Open Day.

Paperless parking update

The University’s parking system is going digital from Monday 14 October. As a student, you need to pay visitor parking charges during peak hours, which are 9am-5pm, Monday to Friday, unless you qualify for a peak-time student parking permit. For free parking outside these hours, you can apply for an off-peak student parking permit. You can find more information about student parking on the Student Hub.

Free event – Fox Fisher: My Genderation screening and discussion (15 October)

On Tuesday 15 October (5.30-7.30pm, Bramber House), join the Trans and Non-Binary Staff Network for an exclusive screening from Fox Fisher, the co-creator of My Genderation, a film project that focuses on documenting the lives and experiences of transgender and non-binary individuals. Tickets for this event are free, but booking is essential as places are limited.

With best wishes,  
    
Kate

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