Email sent to all FD staff from Ann Allen, Director of Campus Innovation and Development, on Wednesday 27 March.

It’s been a lively month and as ever we’ve worked together for the benefit of students and colleagues to keep our campus safe and welcoming. We’ve made great progress with some key initiatives from the business plan too.

People & Culture

Following the launch of Our People, Our Culture, I really enjoyed this Inside Track piece by Jane Clayton, published on the University intranet last week. In it Jane talks about how Staff Voice and the People & Culture strategy have been guided by colleagues at all levels and across all FD services. I’ve been clear since I started that I want us to become ‘One FD’ – working together for the benefit of students and staff. These groups are helping to make this change happen.

It’s great to see the University intranet up and running. I was sorry to miss the Staff Social earlier this month – though very pleased that Jen Wilson provided the senior team update so that you got a chance to say hello – and I believe FD colleagues had lots of questions for Communications team colleagues at the intranet stall.

Campus updates

The geothermal drilling project is making great progress. The recent work has been at sites near Henry Price residences, Leeds University Business School and Storm Jameson. By the summer, eight boreholes will have been drilled to depths between 150-250 metres and samples will be collected to understand if there is heat below ground that could be used to supply our heating systems. This is a key part of our Net Zero strategy.

Also on campus, the refurbishment of the prayer space at Cemetery Lodge on St George’s Field is underway. This new space will be twice the size of the previous facility, better-equipped and more welcoming. It will also be fully accessible and have its own courtyard for quiet contemplation. It’s been developed in collaboration with the University’s Muslim Chaplain and I hope it will be enjoyed by our Muslim community.

Business update

At this time of year, the University is setting the budget for the year ahead through a process called the Integrated Planning Exercise (IPE.) Thank you to everyone who has contributed to discussions on this and with PA Consulting to understand our current position.

Thank you too to everyone who has been involved in work around the student-led protest activity on campus over the last few weeks.

Finally, it’s wonderful to hear that the Parkinson Tower peregrine has laid her first egg of the year in time for the Spring break! If you are taking time off, enjoy the rest, and as ever, my thanks to those who are working to keep our campus flourishing.

Regards,

Ann Allen,
Director of Campus Innovation and Development