Friday, 21 December 2007

ISSUE 38 - 17 DECEMBER 2007

NOT THE LANGSIDE BLOG

( or it is at langsidecollege.blogspot.com )





HAPPY BIRTHDAY
The Blog is one year old this month and has, so far, not missed a deadline. At the start of the year the idea of the Blog was to provide contemporary information to staff which was both specific and general but informal at the same time. It was intended to create a greater understanding and awareness of the huge amount of work that goes on in the College, much of it unsung. It is for others to judge the success or otherwise of the Blog but it is an honest attempt to communicate with staff and provide a vehicle for all staff to share information and experiences with all personnel in the College. The hope is that the majority of staff appreciate and welcome the weekly Blog.
To all who have contributed to the Blog – many thanks, with a special mention to Heather Biddlecombe, in the Secretariat, for her help in producing the Blog. (Robert Paterson)

NEW YEAR: NEW ESTATE
The College plan to have a ground breaking ceremony later in January to mark the start of the three year build programme which will see the majority of the College progressively demolished and rebuilt. Full details will be available in the first Blog of 2008. As part of the ongoing communication element associated with the new build, an Estates Information Forum will be set up on the Langside College web site to coincide with the site start. This Forum will allow staff, students, local residents and the construction team to ask questions/ raise issues about the project. A guarantee will be given that all notes posted on the site will receive a response within 24 hrs OR SOONER.

60th ANNIVERSARY QUIZ
A reminder that all entries must be handed into the reception desk by 5 pm at the College by TODAY MONDAY 17th DECEMBER. Do not hesitate to hand your form in if it is not complete. The word on the street is that the quiz is tough and an all correct entry might be difficult. Therefore hand your entry in as there are a number of runner up prizes to be won. Please remember to indicate the charity of your choice who will receive the entry money if you or your team win the competition.

CHRISTMAS FUN (Answers below)
a) Why was Santa's little helper feeling depressed?
b) How do you know Santa has to be a man?
c) Good King Wenceslas phoned for a pizza and ?
d) What did the reindeer say before launching into his comedy routine?

Q. What is the purpose of reindeer?
A, It makes the grass grow, sweetie.
Christmas: The time everyone gets Santamental.

CALENDARS for Childline
I have some young students from Castlemilk High School in my ESOL Upper-Intermediate class. Two of them belong to a dance, drama and music group called Punjabi No 1 and it has created a calendar for 2008 in order to raise money for the charity ChildLine. The calendars are now available from Room 105 at £3 each. Please find the time and money to buy one - it is for a good cause and young people such as these are to be commended for their hard work and willingness to help others.
There was a photo and an article about this group and calendar in the Glaswegian of December 6th. Marilena Ireland, ESOL

HEAD OF CORPORATE STUDENT SERVICES
Warmest congratulations to Margaret Thomson in her recent appointment as Head of Corporate Student Services. Margaret’s previous position was Assistant Finance Manager but she is now looking forward to the challenges of her new post.

Christmas Fun Answers
a) He had low elf-esteem
b) No woman is going to wear the same outfit year after year.
c) The salesgirl asked him, ‘Do you want your usual? Deep pan, crisp and even?’
d) This will sleigh you.


A MERRY CHRISTMAS AND A HAPPY PEACEFUL NEW YEAR

Tuesday, 11 December 2007

ISSUE 37 - 10 DECEMBER 2007

NOT THE LANGSIDE BLOG

( or it is at langsidecollege.blogspot.com )




MORE ROUTES TO SUCCESS
David MacAllan, Robert Paterson, Jan Watson and Malcolm Wilson attended an exploratory meeting at the University Strathclyde on Thursday 7th December to discuss the possibility of further extending the College/University joint working on course delivery/articulation links. This meeting came after joint discussions between Brian Green, the Vice Dean (Academic) at the University and our Depute Principal, Robert Paterson. The main thrust of the meeting was the possible involvement by the College in offering, in 2008/9 academic year, the Diploma in Higher Education from the University to enable students to access directly the BA Education and Social Services Degree, with advanced standing. This would allow students from the College with an HNC in Child Care Studies or Social Care to move directly to the Diploma in Higher Education at Langside before moving to University. A working group will now be set up to take this matter forward. This is an exciting development for Langside students as it opens up, not only a dedicated pathway to the BAESS programme, but ultimately to other degree course and career opportunities.
Also discussed at the meeting was the brand new BA Degree for Lead Practitioners and Managers in Childhood Practice in Scotland (I hope that is a working title!) This degree is targeted at all professionals with supervisory responsibilities within the early years workforce and will ensure that, ultimately, all such professionals will be qualified to graduate level (Level 9). It is also intended to be targeted at those aspiring to be lead practitioners/managers and would, therefore, be seen as a preparatory qualification for those staff. The new qualification will be matched to the Standard for Childhood Practice programme in Scotland ( announced recently by the Scottish Government). As such this qualification is at the forefront of development in the vitally important early years sector and Langside College are delighted to have been asked to participate. This is another well deserved accolade for our Child Care lecturing staff. Well done to everyone involved in this new initiative.

FAREWELL RECEPTION TO THE LANGSIDE COLLEGE 60th ANNIVERSARY YEAR

As previously intimated in the Blog, the College will hold a farewell reception in recognition that the 60th Anniversary year is drawing to a close. All returns to intimate if staff are coming to the event are DUE THIS MONDAY 10th DECEMBER. Please return your reply slip on time so that proper catering arrangements can be made.


*** At the reception the animated architectural visualisation of the Langside College estates project will be premiered!
This film will show the external design and spatial relationship the new buildings will have to each other and the surrounding community. Also included in the film are internal views of ?????? all will be revealed on the day! ***



Finance Officer
The College would like to congratulate Leah McGrath in her new role as Finance Office Supervisor starting January 2008.
Leah's previous position was that of Finance Officer in charge of sales but she is now looking forward to the new and existing challenges which this role will bring.

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Any ideas, thoughts, scribbles to the Blog – please contact Robert Paterson or the Secretariat
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Monday, 3 December 2007

ISSUE 36 - 3 DECEMBER 2007

NOT THE LANGSIDE BLOG

( or it is at langsidecollege.blogspot.com )


SIGNING ON !
On Friday 30th November the final legal contract for the Langside College new build project was signed by the Principal Graeme Hyslop and the Depute Principal/Project sponsor Robert Paterson. Also in attendance at the short signing event were Brian Keegan, Chair of the Board of Management, Steve Harris, Project Manager (Currie and Brown), Paul McAloon, Legal Manager (Balfour Beatty Construction Limited), Stephanie Wright, Legal Assistant (MacRoberts – the College legal advisors) and Fraser Dunlop, Quantity Surveyor (Doig and Smith). The proceedings were the completion of months of hard work and negotiation between the College and its professional advisors and Balfour Beatty personnel. The chosen procurement route by the College meant that Balfour Beatty have now agreed with the College a fixed price for the new build and only changes requested by the College should alter the final cost. (There will be no changes!!). This type of contract should remove the uncertainty of the final financial commitment for the College and let the College plan for the future safe in the knowledge that its future financial commitment in terms of capital and revenue funding is manageable.

The signing of the contract now means that the site start date of 28th January 2008 is now confirmed. Meetings are due to take place with the College and Balfour Beatty next week to review the programme, to oversee the site start up arrangements and to hear Balfour Beatty’s plans for communication with staff/students and the local community during the construction phase of the programme.

Many congratulations to all who were involved in steering the College to this present new estates position.


LANGSIDE COLLEGE 60th ANNIVERSARY QUIZ

*** NAME THAT TOWN ***

Come on accept the challenge and have some fun!

Have you got your entry form yet?
Forms are now available at the Reception Desk
*** Forms to be returned by Monday 16th DECEMBER ***

You can enter as an individual or as a Team

Prizes include bottles of Champagne, Langside College exclusive whisky and vodka plus other awards.

ALL PROCEEDS GO TO A CHARITY OF CHOICE OF THE WINNER(S)



Another Fine Success
On Monday 26th November Catherine Taylor, Head of BDU attended the College Marketing Network FE First Awards in the Hilton Hotel, Coventry where Langside College was awarded Runner Up in the category ‘Part Time Prospectus’ for the Evening and Lifestyle Guide 2007 / 08. There were over 70 entries in this category from across the UK and competition was very fierce. This will add to the growing collection of Marketing Awards the College has received recently and recognises the hard work and creative input of all involved.

SVQ Hospitality Students
A big thank you to all staff and students who helped raise £60 on our inaugural soup/sandwiches day. It was a huge success and we were sold out in half an hour. The SVQ students and our new chef lecturer Morag Wilson enjoyed the day and we hope to make this a regular monthly event. Look out for the next day – Wednesday 30 January 2008.
All monies raised will go to the students’ choice of charity Yorkhill Hospital (Baby unit). Fiona Weir.

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Any ideas, thoughts, scribbles to the Blog – please contact Robert Paterson or the Secretariat
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Monday, 26 November 2007

ISSUE 35 - 26 NOVEMBER 2007

NOT THE LANGSIDE BLOG

( or it is at langsidecollege.blogspot.com )



Knowledge Transfer
Willie Paterson and Elaine Proudfoot attended a recent Scottish Funding Council conference on Knowledge Transfer. This was the second KT Conference and was aimed at exploring further with College managers how the KT dimension could be developed in Scotland’s Colleges.
The term Knowledge Transfer has caused confusion since its initial introduction to College activity. There now appears to be a widespread acceptance that the term refers to the transformational impact that a College has on businesses following its input. In simpler terms this could be illustrated by the change a College could make to a business by providing a staff training course: increase business productivity, increase its product range, enhance staff effectiveness, efficiency and job security and also allow College staff to interact directly with the business community. There are many instances in Langside where we can clearly make a difference to business and ultimately to Scotland’s economy by the provision of staff training. Not only does this KT activity enhance the economy, it also makes an essential contribution to College revenue generation, without which the College would be unable to sustain current levels of activity including its investment in its communities. (Elaine Proudfoot)

Christmas Show
HND Acting and Performance students will be performing Dorothy’s Wonderful Visit to Oz in the Conference Theatre . NQ Acting and Performance students will be both the chorus and the stage crew of the show directed by David Lee Michael with Alan Craig as Musical Director and David Winter the Technical Director. Performances are on Fri 7 Dec 7.30pm; Sat 8 Dec 2.00 pm and 7.30pm;
Thurs 13 Dec 7.30pm & Fri 14 Dec 7.30pm.
Tickets can be booked through Linda Law Room 105 Extension 3771 or llaw@langside.ac.uk at Adult £8; Conc £5; Family £24; Family (Matinee) £22 . Every year the Christmas Show is a magical extravaganza where you can see the stars of tomorrow today!


ESOL Recipe Book
ESOL Students would like to thank staff and students who bought their ‘ESOL Recipe Book’ raising over £170 for Children in Need. The booklet resulted from project work in ESOL Pre-Intermediate Reading and Writing workshops. It contained 21 international recipes and to encourage buyers, students brought in samples of food to try. For those who tried these and were wondering about the strange combination of flavours, the plates contained both main courses and puddings. Robin Ashton

60th Anniversary Quiz
The 60th Anniversary Quiz entry forms will be available at Reception from Wednesday 28th November. The final date for return of completed entry forms to Reception is Monday 14th December. LATE ENTRIES CANNOT BE ACCEPTED. The quiz is open to all staff who may wish to participate as a single entry or enter as a team of three (maximum). The single entry fee is £2.00 with a fee of £5.00 for team efforts. ALL the money raised will go to the ‘charity of choice’ of the winning entry. The quiz is a series of cryptic clues. The answers will be the names of Scottish towns. It should be fun but testing! Prizes of champagne, exclusive Langside College whisky and vodka and a specially designed Christmas flower decoration have also been provided. The winners will be announced and prizes will be presented at the ‘Farewell to the 60thAnniversay Year’ Reception on 20th December. Please enter and enjoy while knowing that you are supporting a worthwhile charity.

College AIDS Awareness Event:
As you may be aware the 1st of December is World AIDS Day which falls on a Saturday this year. In the past the College has held similar events to raise awareness of AIDS to staff and students here at Langside College. The event will this year be held in the concourse on Thursday the 29th of November with a variety of Information Stands and Health Professionals on hand to discuss matters surrounding AIDS as well as other related areas.
The Health Promotion Working Group have been working together on a variety of Health-Related Issues as well as AIDS and the group hope you can get down to the event at some point throughout the day. This event also ties in with work the College undertakes towards our Gold Award from SHAW and the newer Health Working Lives initiative. The Health professionals will be in attendance from approx. 12-2.30pm although information and staff from the Health Promotion Group will be available throughout the day. Please feel free to wear the Red Ribbon on the day. Thanks for your support! (Health Promotion Group)
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Any ideas, thoughts, scribbles to the Blog – please contact Robert Paterson or the Secretariat
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Monday, 19 November 2007

ISSUE 34 - 19 NOVEMBER 2007

NOT THE LANGSIDE BLOG

( or it is at langsidecollege.blogspot.com )




Doctorate Success
Mr Abed Salem is now Dr Abed Salem, having been awarded the degree of Doctor of Education from the University of Strathclyde. His thesis on "Computer Mediated Communication and Learner Support" boldly argued for a better approach to e-learning and received much praise from the Director of the Department of Educational Studies.
Many years of hard work, often in difficult circumstances, have gone into securing this award and I am sure that everyone at Langside would like to wish him the warmest congratulations.

Langside ‘Up for the Challenge’
As part of the opening day celebrations for their new Waterfront Campus, Clydebank College held their College Challenge for F.E. colleges across Scotland, Langside College entered a combined staff/student team for this outdoor pursuits team format. The events consisted of a 500m open water swim on Loch Lomond, a Canadian canoe race over 2km, a 10km cycle race along the Forth & Clyde canal path, a 5km run and a seriously competitive last event – the pit stop challenge – the fastest team to change the tyres on a formula 1 car.
Langside fared well with Fiona Androns, Scottish International swimmer from the Advanced NQ Sports Studies Course, comfortably winning the open water swim. Well done Fiona!! The College also featured in the Canadian canoe event where Colin ‘Hiawatha’ MacGregor and Andy ‘Mohican’ Wilson from the HNC Sports Coaching course took a creditable 2nd place. The College came 2nd overall behind the eventual winners …… Clydebank College. Well done to all students who took part. (C MacGregor)

SVQ Hospitality Students
The SVQ Hospitality students would like to thank all staff and students that participated in their ‘Children in Need’ coffee morning. A magnificent £240 was raised. All the 3’s – 33 was the lucky number for John Forbes (Student Services). He won the Pudsey Gift Pack – I hope you will put that wooden spoon to good use John!! They hope their soup/sandwiches event on the concourse on Wednesday 28th November at lunchtime will be just as successful. (Fiona Weir).

Car Washing
Bill Brown and his New Opportunities Year 2 class and Auto Valeting students would like to thank staff for their generous donations in raising the sum of £40 for ‘Children in Need’.

RADIO CLYDE’S CASH FOR KIDS – ‘STRIP FOR SCOTLAND APPEAL’
Lynne Robertson would like to thank all staff and students for their fantastic support for Radio Clyde’s Cash for Kids – Strip for Scotland Appeal. The sum of £213.70 was raised. Big thank you to Margaret McKenzie, Reception and Carol Small for helping out on the day with donation buckets.

Stork Arrives for ICT Technician
Mandy Henderson had a baby girl weighing in at 6½lbs on Sunday 11th November. Mother and daughter doing well. Many congratulations.

Santa Dash - 5k fun run - Breast cancer
I and my partner are taking part in a Santa Dash 5k fun run on Sunday 16th December for Breast Cancer. The run starts in George Square at
9am, and all participants will be dressed in Santa Suits.

I am AGAIN looking for sponsors from staff and students, but understand there are so many fundraising events taking place at the moment and it is so near Christmas; however, would appreciate if staff could consider making a small donation. This is a very good cause and any monies at all is greatly appreciated. (Michelle Thain).





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Any ideas, thoughts, scribbles to the Blog – please contact Robert Paterson or the Secretariat
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Monday, 12 November 2007

ISSUE 32 - 12 NOVEMBER 2007

NOT THE LANGSIDE BLOG

( or it is at langsidecollege.blogspot.com )



Commonwealth Games 2014
Langside College is delighted to congratulate Glasgow City Council and all those whose hard work paid off when Glasgow was announced as the host city for the 2014 Commonwealth Games.

SVQ Hospitality Course
The SVQ Hospitality students are holding a Coffee/Cake stall on the Concourse on Thursday 15 November at 10.00-11.00 am. All proceeds are in aid of Children in Need. We will also be selling (by public demand) our world famous tablet. Warning to Depute Principal you are limited to two bars only!
As part of the SVQ Hospitality course we are running a soup/sandwiches stall on Wednesday 28 November in the Concourse between 12 noon and 12.45 pm. If successful we hope to make this a monthly event. All proceeds will go towards the SVQ students’ chosen charity. Please come and support our students.
Fiona Weir

60th Anniversary celebrations
A further two events are planned to conclude the College 60th anniversary year. On 30th November the 60th anniversary quiz will be launched. The paper quiz is open to all staff and students and will be a testing but interesting challenge. Quiz papers will be available from reception. A charge of two pounds will be made for every quiz sheet issued. ALL monies raised will go to a charity chosen by the winner. Prizes on offer include exclusive Langside College whisky and vodka, Langside College diary/filofax and a specially designed Christmas flower display.

Farewell reception to the Langside College 60th Anniversary Year
On Thursday 20th December there will be a farewell reception held in the College to mark the end of the 60th Anniversary celebrations. The reception will be held at 3.30 pm and will allow staff to view the 60th Anniversary photographic exhibition. Light refreshments will be served. There will also be a long service presentation to two members of staff who were unable to attend the 60th Anniversary lunch held in June. There may also be one or two surprise items! Full details will be sent with the invitation notice in the next ten days.

‘Strip for Scotland’
On Friday 16 November the college is supporting the Radio Clyde’s Cash for Kids Appeal – ‘STRIP FOR SCOTLAND DAY’. All you have to do is wear your Scotland Team top/Scotland T-shirt/polo shirt/tartan/kilts and show your national pride in your team. Not only will you be supporting your team for Saturday’s crucial match against Italy but you will be supporting a local charity.
Thank you for your support. Lynne Robertson

Graduation Ceremony Feedback
The Graduation Committee this year requested feedback from those 286 students who graduated at the Graduation Ceremony at the Barony Hall in September of this year. A prize of an I Pod Nano was offered as an incentive to return the Evaluation Form and 34% did. Some of their comments are included below:
“ My mum was so proud of me; she had waited 46 years to see me graduate and she came early to get a front row seat.”

“The Barony Hall is a marvellous venue and made the day even more special.”

“This was one of the most special days of my life. I will remember it forever.”

“It made all the hard work worth it”

“ I was one of only 2 people to get a hug from the Principal.”

“I was happy to see my classmates and all those lecturers who helped us to achieve our aim”

The winner of the I Pod is Kerstin Baillie who graduated from the HND Supporting and Managing Learning Needs. Many thanks to all the graduates who took part in the evaluation.

Langside Fashion Showcase – success!
The Conference Theatre was the venue for the first ever Langside College Fashion Showcase at lunchtime on Friday 9 November. 8 brave students graced the catwalk wearing a selection of clothes from fashion leaders USC and All Saints. Students and staff alike filled the Conference Theatre and raised over £200.00 for Children In Need. Thanks to the Student Association and Lucy McLachlan for all their hard work in staging this event – surely the first of many to come.

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

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Monday, 5 November 2007

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