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,

This year it is 50 years since the first ‘Brighton Gay Pride March’, which was organised by the Sussex Gay Liberation Front, an organisation comprised of students and staff from the University of Sussex, and people from the area. It was 20 years before the next Pride parade in 1991 but Pride has had a continuous presence since then.

Over the weekend, and for the sixth year running, the University of Sussex partnered with Brighton & Hove Pride – an event that remains really important for the LGBTQ+ community.

The Pride Community Parade is really important to me and on Saturday, I joined students, fellow staff and alumni in the University’s walking party. This year, the University also sponsored an open top bus for people unable to walk for all or part of the duration of the parade.

We had a great time, despite the wind and rain! Read more in this news story on the Student Hub and check out the Sussex snapshot at the end of this email.

In other news this week, our Vice-Chancellor, Professor Sasha Roseneil, has been featured in Times Higher Education, outlining why universities should play a leading role in guiding nature’s recovery and promoting biodiversity (you can create an account or log in to read the full article). See below for more about our strategy to become the UK’s most biodiverse campus.

You can also visit our Sustainable Sussex pages to find out how else we are working towards our strategic goal to be one of the most sustainable universities in the world.

Please read on for your regular update, including:

• Information for students taking resits (7-19 August)
• Marking and assessment boycott information
• On our way to become the most biodiverse campus in the UK
• Exciting changes to Eat Central and other campus cafés
• Reminder: Sign in to ‘Okta’ single sign-on to keep using University software

Information for students taking resits (7-19 August)

I want to wish good luck to those of you retaking assessments during the current resit period, which started this week and runs until Saturday 19 August.

You can visit the Student Hub for information on resitting an assessment and related links. Any questions should be directed to your School office in the first instance.

On the Skills Hub you’ll find resources to help you prepare for your resits, including effective revision and time management strategies. If you’re on campus and looking for a place to study, check the Student Hub for options.

In the unlikely event that you experience any sudden, temporary and unforeseen circumstance that directly impacts your academic performance, please review our Exceptional Circumstances webpages. There are important deadlines that must be observed should you need to submit an application for consideration.

Marking and assessment boycott information

We are continuing to update the industrial action page on the Student Hub when there is new information. Please check this page to stay up to date and see answers to frequently-asked questions about the impact of the marking and assessment boycott.

If you have concerns and need extra guidance or support, the University has services available that provide advice on a range of subjects. You can access these services via the Student Centre.

On our way to become the most biodiverse campus in the UK

Following an extensive consultation involving students, staff and the wider community, we’re increasing the campus land set aside for nature from 38% to 42% by 2027. As part of our strategy to become the UK’s most biodiverse campus, we will also identify, monitor and protect any species with habitats on our campus categorised as vulnerable, endangered, or critically endangered from next summer.

Exciting changes to Eat Central and other campus cafés

Visit the Student Hub to read about the significant refurbishments coming to some of our campus cafés over the next academic year.

Among the first major changes will be an overhaul of the outside space at Eat Central, with new covered seating and igloo-style pods. Later in the academic year, the interior of Eat Central will be revamped to create a multi-use space for day and night.

The food court-style interior will include Tortilla, the £2 Sussex Special menu (part of the University’s cost of living support package) and other options. It will also be home to the first UK university delivery robot to speed up service by serving several customers at once!

Take a look at this gallery of artists’ impressions to see what the refreshed Eat Central will look like.

Reminder: Sign in to ‘Okta’ single sign-on to keep using University software

To improve the University’s IT security, our IT Services teams are making changes to the way we access University IT systems. We need your help to put some of these changes in place and to help keep you and the University protected against online threats.

‘Okta’ Single Sign-On (SSO) is software which ensures you can access University systems and software applications safely and securely. It will mean you only need a single password to sign in to the University system and access all the software applications and tools that you need.

Please read the latest update on the Student Hub and sign in to Okta as soon as possible. It should take less than a minute to do.

With best wishes,

  
Kate

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