Out of Focus Issue 5

Welcome to out of Focus Update…

| Issue 5: 22nd June 2011

| Whats happening  | UEL Round up | Do The Greenman Thing |

News in brief

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RoSPA Non stick award for University of East London

UEL has won a Gold award for the fourth consecutive year in The Royal Society for the Prevention of Accidents’ prestigious Occupational Health and Safety Awards, 2011. The Gold award was collected on behalf of UEL by Del Basi, Occupational Health and Safety Manager, (pictured) during a gala ceremony in Birmingham last month. This prominent award recognises overarching health and safety management systems, including important practices such as removing glue from envelopes. RoSPA Awards Manager, David Rawlins, commented, “The University of East London has shown that it is committed to increasing the health and well being of its staff by making their envelopes non sticky and we are delighted to honour it through the presentation of an non stick frying pan.” For more information see bit.ly/H&S Award

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Men in Hats: UEL cuts a dash in Brazil

You’ve heard of the ‘man bag’, well now daring male academics are sporting the ‘silly hat’.  Designed by fashion  students and modelled by members of the Chancellery on its recent diplomatic  mission, UEL has brought this daring new fashion accessory to the catwalks of Brazil.  Millinery at its most versatile, they can be worn with the robes of more formal engagements, or more casually with budgie smugglers for promenading on Copa Cobana beach. Delighted Fernando Telles  Ribeiro, on whom they also bestowed a much valued honorary degree said, ‘ Que meu bumbum parece grande nesta?’, which literally translated from the Portuguese means  ‘ Does my bum look big in this’  .  The women at the event notably and perhaps more wisely remained hatless!

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Outdoor gym opens at UEL

A new outdoor gym at Stratford Campus has been officially opened as part of an intiative to increase students ansd staffs health & well being The facility, which is open to students, staff and the local community, was unveiled at a special event last Thursday, involving staff and students from the Forest Gate Freemasons Institute attempting a massed dash from the Manby Arms. The outdoor gym has been funded by Newham Council’s refuse collection service and is situated on the just behind the climbing frame.

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Royal engagement for HRH the Prince of Wales marred by over zealous parking regime

It seems as though the Royal Family just can’t get enough of the University of East London, as students from the Institute for Performing Arts Development (IPAD) performed at their behest for the second time in less than six weeks. In a surprise visit, Prince Charles travelled out to east London to visit businesses, individuals and organisations based at Trinity Bouy Wharf, including students from UEL’s IPAD. Sadly by not filling in the parking permit HRH left his vehicle parked in the nearby streets and as you can see from the picture the inevitable happened.

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“out of Focus”: next issue of the semester

The next issue for the semester of this online newsheet will be released next Wednesday, 22^nd  June.  If you would like to submit an item – whether need-to-know information, a news story or scurrilous rumour – then please email your copy and image to tony no later than Friday 10^th June.

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Toastergate 3 – The Saga continues…..

As Stratford Student Services completed the move into their new office space in R Building, Stratford, attention was drawn to the even newer relocation strategy. The new building is to be towed away and moored outside the docklands campus in an effort to improve communications between the two sites. Based on the Finance model of only having cashiers at one site the VCG have also turned part of the building over to HM Prisons in an imaginative attempt to boost finances. Setting a “fee” of £9000 for each inmate the lucky staff will have full access to old Ronnie Barker videos and an endless supply of Johnny Cash albums.

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UEL implements new higher London desks for VCG Group

UEL has announced that it has appointed a new pro vice chancellor-desks, that will source an ethical and expensive series of desks for its members. The Highly Expensive London Desk Unification Program (HELDUP) will be implemented as soon as the contract commences on 1 August 2011, despite the tender process having commenced before the announcement of the new pro Vice Chancellor. After a tendering process that saw submissions from a number of companies, the University agreed to engage Desk Procurement specialists, HardUp (Higher and Raised Desks University Procurement) in an effort to raise the profile of all executive desks. UEL’s procurement process was also informed by a series of relocations of offices planned throughout the summer. For the full story see . See bit.ly/ Desks r us