Issue 4 January 2007

Welcome back! Best wishes to everyone for 2007, our 60th Anniversary year.

You will have noticed, as you arrived in college this morning, a number of areas branded with the College 60th Anniversary logo. This image will be used throughout 2007 on headed notepaper, adverts etc. A number of special anniversary events are planned for 2007 – some details below. There is still time to influence the programme, all ideas to any of the anniversary committee.

Draft Programme of events
February – Official birthday : commemorative pin distributed to all staff.
June – Official Birthday Party – all staff invited. Party has a ‘twist’ – everyone invited gets a gift, as opposed to bringing a present to the event!

Throughout the year (dates to be confirmed)
Competitions
Student showcase
External partner event
‘Piggy back’ events such as, Art Exhibition, Drama students graduate show, open days, Award Ceremony, Graduation etc.
On website – link to Friends Reunited to link former students.

Remember if you have any ideas, we want to hear them!

Memories
Do you have any memories, amusing or otherwise, of staff members and/or students past or present that we could publish in the Blog. Please let us have your stories.

Short history of Langside College
Please click here for a short history of the College. Chris Thomson believes this was prepared by a business studies Lecturer some time in the past, possibly even fifteen years ago! As this is the only known attempt at chronicling the College history we felt it appropriate to publish it. We do recognise we should update the work – any volunteers?

Disability Symbol 10th Anniversary Awards
At a ceremony in the Glasgow Marriott Hotel on 27th November 2006 Graeme accepted an award presented to employers who have demonstrated best employment policies and practices with regard to disability.

Careers Scotland
Careers Scotland provide a drop-in session for all students on a Thursday afternoon from 11.45 am to 1.30 pm weekly. The Careers Adviser is based in Student Services and the service is available to all Langside students and applicants. No appointment is necessary. Could all staff please encourage students to avail of the services.
Arrangements can also be made to invite Advisers from Careers Scotland to come and talk to class groups about such issues as Career Planning, Employability Services, CV Preparation and Interview Skills to name but a few. If interested in any of these additional services, please contact Declan Fallon in Student Services in the first instance.

60th Anniversary Trivia
In 1947 ………… In January one of the most severe winters was recorded in the UK
………………. British mines were nationalised AND
………………. A seaman named Harold Dahl claims to have seen six UFOs near Maury Island. The next morning Dahl reports the first modern Men in Black encounter.
Born in 1947 ……………

January 8 – David Bowie, musician

April 12 - David Letterman, American entertainer

September 21 – Stephen King, American author

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HAVE A GREAT YEAR
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Any ideas, thoughts, scribbles to the Blog – please contact Robert Paterson or the Secretariat

Issue 3

NOT THE LANGSIDE BLOG

( or it is at langsidecollege.blogspot.com )

Issue 3

December 2006

Engineering Corridor low cost refurbishment – Invitation
The refurbishment of the engineering corridor is now complete and we will begin, during week commencing 18 December, the movement of staff and students from the Valeview building. For any member of staff who would like to have a quick look at the refurbished accommodation all rooms will be open on Tuesday 19 December between 10.00 am and noon, and again between 1.00 pm and 3.00 pm. The new area will serve as a main teaching area for Arts, Languages and Social Sciences and will eventually house the Drama, Music and Nurseries areas when Phase 1 of the new building project is complete and A,L&SS move into the new premises.

Snow Far, Snow Good
Congratulations to Roger McKillop of the Sports Studies Section who recently passed his Snow Board Instructors Award. This qualification will allow flexibility and choice in delivery of the Outdoor Pursuits programme. Roger’s success was achieved after many hours of training, numerous bruises and a desire to look cool in the “half pipe”.

Congratulations to Emma Aeppli MSc
The SIRCC team at Langside is delighted that Emma completed her MSc in Adult and Continuing Education in November. Well done, Emma, we’re proud of you!

Christmas Cracker groans!!
a) Why did the man get the sack from the orange juice factory?
b)What’s ET short for?
c)What did the grape say when the elephant stepped on it?
(Answers on second page)

Christmas jokes for the kids (big and small)

What did the inflatable teacher at the inflatable school say to the inflatable child caught holding a pin?
(answer on second page)

Fairy Godmother
Why was that other member of the Food Studies Section, Anne Dobson (aka The Craft Wifie) not in evidence at the social event of the college calendar, the Christmas Fayre*, I hear you ask? The reason for her absence was a previous engagement in China, Nanjing, no less!

Anne was ably assisting her husband, Johnny, a captain in the Merchant Navy, to name a container vessel being launched from the Chinese port. The vessel belongs to the Bremen based Alpha Ship Company with whom her husband is employed in a key position. Anne was asked to be the ‘Godmother’ of the ship. This reflects the high esteem in which her husband is held.

The vessel to be named M.V. El Gordo, is the length of one and a half football pitches and will carry,
‘a cargo of Tyne coal
Road-rails, pig-lead,
Firewood, iron-ware and cheap tin trays.’ (apologies to John Masefield), in other words any Chinese goods being exported. Anne will return to her other more mundane life on Monday 18 December and no doubt will regale her peers with tales of her oriental travels ......
*The College raised £700 and still counting and proceeds will go to the coronary care unit at the Western Infirmary. Thanks to all who supported this.

Answers to Christmas Cracker groans:
a) Because he couldn’t concentrate
b) Because he’s only got little legs
c) Nothing. It just let out a little wine.
Answer to Christmas joke for the kids:
You let me down, you let the school down but most of all -------- you let yourself down.
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A MERRY CHRISTMAS AND A HAPPY PEACEFUL NEW YEAR
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SEE YOU IN 2007
LOOK OUT FOR THE SPECIAL 60TH ANNIVERSARY EDITION OF THE BLOG
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Any ideas, thoughts, scribbles to the Blog – please contact Robert Paterson or the Secretariat

Issue 2 December

College 60 Anniversary Celebrations
A series of events and promotional activities has been organised. Details coming soon. There is still time to come forward with ideas. Please contact any of the following, Declan Fallon, Roger McKillop, KimTurkington, Catherine Taylor, Elaine Proudfoot or Robert Paterson.

Langside College Students Association Christmas Party
The Langside College Christmas Party will be held in Goals, 941 Pollokshaws Road. It will start at 7.30pm and run until 11pm. Tickets are £1 and will be available from the 4th December on the main concourse.

Christmas Shopping Day
13th December – There will be a Christmas Shopping Day with market stalls located on the main concourse from 10am-3pm. A wonderful opportunity to purchase your Christmas gifts.

Christmas Carol Sing-along
20th December – There will be a Christmas Carol Sing-along in the Conference Theatre at 12.30pm until 1.15 pm. Come along and join in a Christmas sing-along and enjoy some free mince pies and tea/coffee!

Shine Awards
The British Council run the Shine awards every year, which is a national competition for international students to write about their experiences in the UK. The awards celebrate the international student experience and offer cash prizes and an awards ceremony to winners. Could all staff please encourage any international students in their classes to enter the competition. There are posters around campus and more information is available from the International Office.

University of Strathclyde/Langside College Articulation Route
Robert Paterson, Jan Watson, George Ennis and Malcolm Wilson recently met with the Vice-Dean (Academic) of Strathclyde University and some of his staff to discuss an articulation agreement from our HND Managing and Supporting Learning Needs into the 2nd year of THE BEd Primary Education degree. George and his supporting learning needs team have already secured this agreement with Glasgow University and 2 students are on track to join the course this year. The Dean, Brian Green and his team (Jennifer Moffat, Joyce Lindsay and Jacqui Fee) were very positive about the way forward for this initiative and the group will meet again this week to draw up an action plan for the next step.

Gas main diversion update
Apologies to all staff for the delay in reopening the road into the Valeview car park. Scottish Gas has informed the College that due to the very heavy rain and underground water conditions they are experiencing, a delay in the projected completion programme is inevitable. We have asked Scottish Gas to move to complete the job asap. Watch this space!

Governance
The College Board Audit Committee met on Wednesday of last week and the Property and Estates Committee on Thursday. The Property and Estates Committee met first of all with the design team for the new estate to discuss the submission of the Gateway 3 document to the Scottish Funding Council. This document encapsulates the design to date with very detailed costs. If the Gateway 3 document is accepted by the Council the College will be able to progress to the appointment of a contractor in the Spring of 2007.

The full Board of Management meet on Tuesday 12 December in the Boardroom. All staff should note that full minutes of all Board of Management and Board Committee meetings are available in the Litehouse. It is planned to have these documents available in the future on the College intranet.

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Any ideas, thoughts, scribbles to the Blog – please contact Robert Paterson or the Secretariat.
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ISSUE 1 - DECEMBER 2006

Awards Fever
Catherine Taylor and Robert Paterson along with representatives of Reflex Blue (Glasgow Design Company) attended the FE First Marketing awards at the Warwick Hilton on Monday 27 November. FE First is a national marketing network for Further Education. Langside were shortlisted for the part time prospectus award; our entry was the Evening and Lifestyle guide 2006/07. The College were delighted to receive a ‘ highly commended’ award in this very competitive category.

SFEU Annual Conference and Awards evening
This important Conference was attended by Chris Thomson and Brian Keegan (Chairman of the Board Development Committee). On Wednesday 29 November staff from the College attended the Award Dinner where the College were presented with Highly Commended Awards in two categories – Student Learning (Castlemilk Vocational Access Programme) and Professional Learning and Enhancement, for our College CPD programme.

Its ‘Show Time’
This years College pantomime is Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs. Look out for the posters in College for details of performance dates and times. Bring your kids to enjoy one of the highlights of the College year.

What will Fiona be wearing this year!?
The annual Christmas Fayre (organised by Food Studies lecturers and the SVQ Level 1 Catering and Hospitality students ) will take place on Wednesday 13 December at 10.00am in Room L4. The usual wide range of Christmas ‘goodies’ will be available. Tickets priced £1 will be available from Food Studies Section from early December. A raffle will be held and Xmas goodies will be on sale. All proceeds from this event will go to the Coronary Care Unit at the Western Infirmary.

Bat Boy
David Cooke, lecturer in ECS, put in a tremendous performance as Ned in Bat Boy, the Musical staged at Gilmorehill G12 last week. The ending message from the musical is ‘not to keep cows on a mountain’, a message that should resonate with Langside staff.

Children in Need – what an effort!
Following a fun filled week of fundraising activities staff and students of Langside College raised an amazing £1714.00 for Children In Need.

Many thanks to all who walked, waxed, gunged, partied (in pyjamas!) and otherwise contributed to this fantastic total. A massive thank you also to all who donated/sponsored money and to finance for all their help.

Nicola Young from Fernhill, a student in the Section for Continuing and Inclusive Learning (formerly Special Programmes section) raised over £300 during a sponsored silence.

SVQ Catering and Hospitality students raised £160 at Cake and Coffee events in the concourse.

Childcare students raised £245 at a raffle for staff and students.

Many thanks to all staff who assisted with these events.

New Estate Update
Stage 1 of the enabling works for the new estate is now complete. This is a low cost refurbishment to enable the Valeview buildings to be cleared off site to allow Phase 1 of the major new build to take place. Well done to John Pugh and David Cooper for the completion of the College work included in the refurbishment. Thanks are also due to John McAdams and the Facilities Team for all their hard work over the past few weeks, with special thanks to Tom Hosie (electrician) and Steven McGuire (apprentice) for the electrical and data installation and Bernie McGowan (joiner). Did you know that Steven is serving a Modern Apprenticeship in Electrical Installation? He attends Cardonald College on a part time basis and was recently awarded the George Watson prize for being the outstanding apprentice of his year. A real bright spark!



Any ideas, thoughts, scribbles to the Blog – please contact Robert Paterson or the Secretariat

STAFF COMMUNICATION – ‘NOT THE LANGSIDE BLOG’

As a means of providing contemporary information to staff I have, with the assistance of the Secretariat and other contributors, produced the ‘Not the Langside Blog’. In other words it is on paper (but also available online at langsidecollege.blogspot.com). The ‘NTLB’ will be produced EVERY WEEK and should be in staff pigeon holes/computers every Monday.

I hope you find the information, specific, general and informal, to be helpful in understanding the huge amount of work, much of it unsung, that goes on in the College.

The pressure to produce this every week will be considerable but with YOUR help it can be made easier. All you have to do is scribble a note or send and email to the Secretariat and we will ensure it goes in the ‘Blog’.