Friday 14 September 2007

ISSUE 28 - 17TH SEPTEMBER 2007

NOT THE LANGSIDE BLOG

( or it is at langsidecollege.blogspot.com )


Graduation 2007
Last Saturday over 280 graduands gathered with family and friends in the Barony Hall, University of Strathclyde to celebrate their success in completing their academic courses. The number of graduands was the highest in the history of College ceremonies and reflects the large numbers of SVQ graduands who were taking part in the ceremony for the first time. Students from SVQ Health and Social Care, Children’s Care Learning and Development, Early Years Care and Education, Playwork and Promoting Independence were all delighted to be included in the ceremony and they turned out in large numbers to enjoy their achievement.
The response to the Principal’s charge to the graduands was delivered by Willie Haughey,OBE DTech, who was both humorous, sensitive and brief!
Langside College staff also turned out in large numbers to support the graduands, over 60 academic staff and 14 support staff were in attendance. The support staff should also be commended for the efficient and professional manner in which all students were dealt with including the graduand who turned up at 10.55am for the 11.00am ceremony!
The feedback from the graduates suggested that they experienced a
wonderful morning, enjoying the spotlight and celebrating their awards.
Graduates and staff photographs are available to view on the College web site

Wedding Bliss
Graeme Fraser, Administrator in Arts, Languages and Social Sciences was presented with a cash gift at a gathering of staff on Wednesday 12 September. Graeme (his mother Hannah Fraser was Student Services Manager at Langside College for many years) marries ex-Langsider Alison Fowler on the 15th September.

‘Jobs Fair’
The main concourse of the College was the venue for our annual ‘Jobs Fair’ on Wednesday 12th September. Among the exhibitors were the Hilton Hotel, Territorial Army, Staffinders Job Agency, Business Gateway and the Police. Myra Robertson from the College Guidance section was also available to answer questions and give advice. Many students have commented on the value of this day as it allows them the opportunity to consider part time work as a means of helping them fund their College course as well as considering the possibility of how they might use their qualification at a later date.

60th Anniversary Trivia
Wimbledon Winners in 1947: Women: Margaret Osborne d. D. Hart (6-2 6-4)
Men: Jack Kramer d. T. Brown (6-1 6-3 6-2)

Tennessee Williams’s “A Streetcar Named Desire” opened at Broadway’s Ethel Barrymore Theatre with Marlon Brando as Stanley Kowalski and Jessica Tandy as Blanche DuBois. The play won the 1948 Pulitzer Prize.

Movies premiered in 1947: Gentleman’s Agreement, Miracle on 34th Street, Great Expections, The Bishop’s Wife.

Books Published: Saul Bellow, The Victim
Gerald Warner Brace, The Garreston Chronicle
Martin Flavin, The Enchanted
Anne Frank, The Diary of a Young Girl
Malcolm Lowry, Under the Volcano
Thomas Mann, Dr. Faustus
Jean-Paul Srtre, Existentialism

Science: The carbon-14 method of radiocarbon dating was developed by Willard F. Libby (US);
The microwave oven was invented by Percy Spencer (US); and
John Bardeen, Walter H Brattain and William B. Shockley (US) developed the transistor.



Any ideas, thoughts, scribbles to the Blog – please contact Robert Paterson or the Secretariat
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Monday 10 September 2007

ISSUE 27 - 10 SEPTEMBER 2007

NOT THE LANGSIDE BLOG

( or it is at langsidecollege.blogspot.com )


Subject Networks
Janet Cole from Arts, Languages and Social Science, has recently taken up a secondment post with the SFEU as subject mentor for social sciences. This post will involve developing the social sciences subject network in Scotland. Other subject networks that are being developed and may be of interest to staff are business, care, computing and IT, construction, core skills: numeracy (plus employability, citizenship), creative arts and performing arts, engineering, English and communication, hairdressing, beauty and complementary therapies, modern languages and ESOL, travel and tourism and sports and recreation. Some of the networks are just at the start of their development. They can be accessed through the SFEU website at http://www/sfeu.ac.uk. If you want any more information please contact Janet, ext 3875.

Langside Leavers
We say farewell and good luck to two members of staff. Melanie Fariss, International Recruitment Co-ordinator leaves to take up her new appointment as International Adviser for the Royal Scottish Academy of Music and Drama and Thomas Lorimer, Facilities Assistant leaves to join Glasgow City Council as a carer/driver. Good Luck to Alison and Thomas in their new appointments.

Wedding Congratulations
Our congratulations and best wishes to Graeme Fraser, Administrator for Arts, Languages and Social Science on his forthcoming wedding to an
ex-Langsider Alison Fowler (International Office). Although the romance began about five years ago it wasn’t love at first sight! However this soon changed when Alison bought Graeme a crème egg as an apology and romance blossomed into a proposal. The wedding takes place on Saturday 15 September at Tigh Mor, Trossachs (rumour has it that the wedding favours may be crème eggs). Wishing every future happiness to Graeme and Alison.

Ruby Wedding Congratulations
Warmest congratulations also to Jean Duffy from the Secretariat and her husband Pat, as they enjoy a break in Dublin to celebrate their
40th wedding anniversary on 16 September. (Jean most definitely must have been a child bride!)

Community Learning and Development Unit - International Literacies Day
The Graduation ceremony at Barony Hall wasn’t the only learner celebration going on at Langside College this week.
Due to it being International Literacies Day on 6 September, a number of celebrations were on the go across the city. On a much smaller scale than the Barony do, but just as enjoyable, was the Celebration event at Glenwood Campus Flexible Learning Unit, affectionately called the FLU.
Langside is a key partner in the Castlemilk Learning Together Partnership which seeks to maximise learning opportunities in the area, especially in literacies and basic computing skills. With funding from Learning Connections, Scotland, the event celebrated the achievement of local learners, including both literacies learners and local people, Glenwood staff and volunteers who had completed the PDA ITALL, a qualification.in teaching and supporting literacies. Certificates were awarded by Elaine Proudfoot and, despite a hiccup when lunch failed to arrive at its allotted time, a great time was had by all.

On a larger scale, East Renfrewshire had its learner event on Thursday evening and Langside was represented by Frances Thom, Christine Davidson and Linda Chambers who are all involved in the East Renfrewshire Adult Literacies Partnership. Over 130 learners attended, along with friends and family. The guest speaker, Ted Millburn, formerly in charge of Adult Learning and Youth work at Jordanhill College, gave an inspirational speech.
Frances presented certificates to ESOL learners and those who had completed certificated core skills.
Many thanks to Christine Davidson and her team for their input.

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