News
Acting VC in action
Professor Alasdair Smith has been Acting Vice-Chancellor since the beginning of April when Professor Gordon Conway left the University to become President of the Rockefeller Foundation. Alasdair came to Sussex from the LSE in 1981. He was appointed to a Chair in Economics and has, during his time at Sussex, held a number of officerships within the University including that of Dean of EURO. Immediately after relinquishing the Deanship in 1994, he held an ESRC Senior Research Fellowship for a year, and, prior to becoming Senior Pro-Vice-Chancellor in l997, was working in the Sussex European Institute on the labour market effects of international trade.
The length of tenure of the role of Acting Vice-Chancellor is uncertain: Alasdair has agreed to continue until such a time as the new Vice-Chancellor takes up his or her post. But despite this uncertainty, the office of Acting Vice Chancellor does not lack clarity or purpose, nor is it in any sense a "holding operation". According to Alasdair, "There is no problem in defining the role at the moment because of the number of very important issues facing us which have to be pressed forward immediately and which cannot wait for a new VC. Amongst these are preparing for the next research assessment exercise, preparing for the institutional audit by the Quality Assurance Agency and making progress with the University budget."
Typecasting by design
TYPEFACES used to indicate other nationalities, such as 'Chinese' or 'Indian' lettering on ethnic foods could potentially perpetuate racial stereotyping, says a research student in the Graduate Research Centre in the Social Sciences.
Fonts which are used in the West to depict other nationalities conjure up images of cultural stereotypes, says Tim Reed. These fonts do not reflect 'Chinese-ness' (for example) but are the product of graphic design conventions. Designers interviewed for the study generally shared the opinion that using these fonts was 'harmless, appropriate and fun', in contrast to members of the ethnic groups, who found the practice 'patronising' and 'isolating' and a source of resentment.
"These arguments are reminiscent of the debates concerning the removal of the 'golliwog' logo from the labelling of a well-known jam, the disbanding of the Black and White Minstrels, and the banning of Little Black Sambo books," says Tim. "The representation of steroetypes through typeface design does matter, because culture-specific fonts are objected to by members of the signified culture."
Tim's work was submitted as his final year project as a sociology undergraduate, and has won an $800 prize from Alpha Kappa Delta, the international sociological honour society, to present his work at the prestigious International Sociological Association World Congress in Montreal this July.
Changing face of campus
The Estates Division is undertaking the following work. Please take care in the vicinity of the work, and stay outside any safety barriers.
WORK IN PROGRESS
- Bicycle racks: upgrade of existing and installation of new racks continues.
- Campus Signposting: removal of redundant signs and improvement of building name signs.
- Pevensey I: Level 1. Alterations and some upgrading to provide new open access computing, due for completion at the end of June.
- CRPC: upgrading ventilation and cold water services, due for completion in August.
- Playing Fields Pavilion: new artificial grass pitch, completion ready for September. Extension and alterations to provide a fitness suite, and refurbishment of changing rooms and showers, due to start soon, to open in the Autumn term.
PLANNING APPLICATIONS
The following applications for listed building consent (LB) and planning permission (FP) are being submitted. A copy of applications made by the University may be seen at the Estates Building:
- Gardner Arts Centre: installation of a satellite dish. (LB and FP)
- ENGG I: installation of service equipment to the north of the building, to be screened by planting hedge and shrubs. (LB and FP)