ISSUE 32 - 5 NOVEMBER 2007

NOT THE LANGSIDE BLOG

( or it is at langsidecollege.blogspot.com )


New estates update
Further to last week’s email to all staff I can confirm that we are now moving to completion of the legal contract with the main contractor – Balfour Beatty, for the construction of the new estate. Now that confirmation of funding up to £35 million pounds has been received from the Scottish Funding Council and planning permission has been granted from Glasgow City Council the College are in a position to complete the legal contract with Balfour Beatty. The official signing is scheduled to take place week commencing 12th November. This is a significant and historic moment for Langside College and I believe there is an added poignancy due to the redevelopment being agreed in our 60th anniversary year. I am sure all staff will appreciate this and continue, as they have done in the past, to support the College new estate plans for redevelopment in the area where we have served the South Side community for 60 years. As promised I will be holding a series of meetings to further update all staff, including showing the first visuals of the new estate, in the next few weeks.
Staff may be aware of an article that appeared in the Evening Times on Thursday 1st November headlined ‘ Anger at £35m plan to rebuild city college’ This article was not shown to the College before publication therefore the factual inaccuracies and the disingenuous language could not be challenged. I would not, at this point, feel there was anything to be gained by disputing the points in the article line by line but I will, with the main contractor, address all staff prior the January site start date to lay out the well thought out plans we have to minimise disruption and allow the College to continue to produce high quality education in a positive environment. In previous meeting with staff I have emphasised the awareness of all who will manage the redevelopment of allowing the College to operate, day to day, in a calm and well organised atmosphere; indeed the Scottish Funding Council asked us, as part of the addendum to the Full Business Case, to design a business continuity strategy. We will now add to that strategy and implement it in January 2008.
(Robert Paterson)

Evening and Lifestyle Learning
We are currently highlighting the popular Evening and Lifestyle Programme to all past and present participants. John Forbes and Student Services have worked extremely hard getting out a mailshot of the Evening and Lifestyle Guide to everyone on our database. A new block of classes is starting in January 2007 which will include all the usual favourites and some exciting new classes so make sure you help spread the word! Remember, Gift Vouchers for Lifestyle Learning classes are available from Student Services, so give someone you love the gift of knowledge this Christmas!

New Start
We have a new member of staff in finance - Nadia Ishtiaq who started
29 October 2007. Nadia replaced Lindsay Kirkwood who now works within Student Services. Nadia is a former student of Langside College who completed the Intermediate II - Communications & Modern Studies,
HNC/D - Business Administration at Langside College graduating in September 2004. Welcome back!

A Big Thank You from ASDAN Group
The GAP PLUS Group (ASDAN/Hospitality classes) would like to thank staff and students for the support given to their coffee morning in the Langside College Concourse on 31st October. The group worked very hard to organise the event and it was a great success, your support was very much appreciated and you helped to raise £179.00. Congratulations to all those who won a prize at the raffle! The group would also like to thank the following local businesses for their support: Dominos, Joosta, Subway, Coffee Merchant, Drakemire Productions, Beanscene, Subway, Coffee Merchant, Bus Stop Shop, Body Shop, Beauty and Hair Salons at Langside College and Christine Davidson for her beautiful floral display.

Kath Macfarlane becomes Kath Mulvenny
Kath Macfarlane, Funding Manager in the Business Development Unit is tying the knot this weekend at the Ferry in Glasgow . We wish Kath all the best for her big day!

A Great Aunty- again!
Evelyn Gallagher, the College Examinations Officer has written to the Blog to share her pleasure that she is a ‘great’ Aunty again after her nephew and his wife celebrated the birth of their son (Liam James) a welcome brother for Niamh and Seamus. Just remember Evelyn that is another birthday and Christmas present to be added to the list!
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Any ideas, thoughts, scribbles to the Blog – please contact Robert
Paterson or the Secretariat