FOR MEMBERS OF STAFF
Last updated: 07-Nov-2000: IoE Sickness and Maternity Procedure added.
Appendix A |
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Appendix B |
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Appendix C |
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Appendix D |
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Appendix E |
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Appendix F |
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Appendix G |
Copies available from the Administrator |
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Appendix H |
Copies available from the Administrator |
| IoE procedure | Maternity and sickness procedure on Research Projects |
SOCIAL SCIENCE RESEARCH UNIT HANDBOOK
This handbook provides a quick guide to the workings of the Social Science Research Unit (SSRU) and some aspects of working at the Institute of Education. All staff should be aware of the comprehensive information about working at the Institute of Education in the Information for Staff Handbook (given to all new staff and also available on the Institute’s web pages) and other more detailed papers and booklets. Further details about SSRU’s staff and programmes of work can be found in the Unit Annual Report and on the Unit web pages. The intention of this handbook is to outline the working procedures of the SSRU for new staff and for existing staff who may need to refresh their memories from time to time. The result may seem to be a rather long list of ‘do’s’ and ‘don’ts’, but in a busy and expanding research unit we have found it is helpful to have agreed procedures written down. The pace of life in the research world is often very pressured, and we want SSRU to run as efficiently as possible for the benefit of the staff working in it.
The Unit and the Institute: The SSRU was set up in October 1990 initially as part of the Department of Policy Studies and then as a separate Academic Group of the Institute of Education, housed in 18 Woburn Square. In May 2000, some SSRU staff moved into 55 Gordon Square. Both houses are leased from the University of London by the Institute of Education (main building in Bedford Way). The Institute of Education is a college of the University of London, and its main business is the postgraduate training of teachers (it has no undergraduates), though increasingly research is occupying an important place, as it is in all universities these days. Aside from SSRU, the Institute’s other main research is carried out by the Thomas Coram Research Unit (TCRU), and the Centre for Longitudinal Studies (CLS). As a result of internal reorganisation in the Institute, there are four Deans responsible for different aspects of the Institute’s work. Please refer to the Institute web pages for the names of the current Deans and other principal officers.
Research administration and personnel : The Research and Consultancy Administration Office deals with all administrative and contractual aspects of externally funded research projects. The Personnel Department deals with staffing issues. In order to ensure clear communication and consistency of approach, SSRU staff should liase in the first instance with the Deputy Director about personnel and research administrative issues including applications for Institute funds (e.g. study leave, bridging funding, conference expenses).
Funding: Apart from some contribution from the Institute of Education to core salaries and services, the Unit’s main source of income is external research grants. Each funded research project has an internal financial code so that costs can be attributed directly. Information about potential funders for proposals is available through the refund website at http://www.refund.ncl.ac.uk. The Research Administration office also holds current information on funders and information about forthcoming tenders is circulated by E-mail on the SSRU staff E-mail list.
Staff: Ann Oakley is the Director, David Gough the Deputy Director and George Ellison is Assistant Director. Sandy Oliver is also a 50% member of the management team. Sandra Stone is the Administrator but is currently seconded to work on the Social Support and Family Health Study and to act as PA to Ann Oakley. Liz Moran is Acting Unit Administrator, Joanna Seecharan is the Unit Secretary, and Mostafa Mojaddad is the Computing Support Officer. A list of all research and support staff and their offices as of July 2000 is given in Appendix A and an up to date list of staff names and current work and interests can be found on the Unit web pages www.ioe.ac.uk//ssru. An up to date list of SSRU contact details can be found on the Unit’s internal web page at (http://ssru.ioe.ac.uk/internal/default.htm). A list of home contact details for staff members is held by the Unit Secretary and for security reasons is circulated in paper format only.
Research: The Unit undertakes a broad range of research concerning the health, education, and welfare of children, parents and families. Since 1990, the Unit's size and research programme have expanded substantially. An important context for the Unit's work remains a range of challenges facing education, health and welfare services today. These include financial and social costs, questions about the effectiveness and appropriateness of these services in improving people's well being, and the way such services operate and are perceived by providers, users, and policy makers. Many of the Unit's research projects bridge different areas, but there are currently four main streams of research: Childhood Studies; Health and Education; Experimental Evaluations of Social Interventions; and Evidence Based Policy and Practice. There are two sub-centres within the Unit. The Childhood Research and Policy Centre (CRPC) is a ‘virtual’ centre and is a forum and network for people working on research, policy and practice which affects children and young people. It maintains an e-mail list for the circulation of information nationally and internationally. It has a Committee which meets 3 to 4 times a year. The current membership is Priscilla Alderson, David Gough, Suzanne Hood, Berry Mayall, Helen Penn, Helen Turner, Clare Williams and Vicki Strange. The Evidence Informed Policy and Practice Information and Co-ordinating Centre is funded by the Department of Health and the Department of Education and Employment and undertakes a programme of methodological and review work in education, health promotion and public health. The EPPI-Centre is directed by Ann Oakley with David Gough as Deputy Director. There are two steering groups, one for each of the main areas of work.
Postgraduate study: David Gough is the Staff Tutor responsible for student issues for members of staff or others studying for postgraduate degrees in the Unit.
Line management: The Unit Director has line management responsibility for the whole Unit and reports to the Director of the Institute of Education. As the Director, Ann Oakley, is seconded to work full time on research projects, David Gough is currently Acting Head of Group. The Director delegates some aspects of line management and various other management responsibilities to the management team. This consists of David Gough (Deputy Director), George Ellison (Assistant Director) and Sandy Oliver (Senior Researcher). Staff should in the first instance refer issues to a member of the management team other than the Director. Only if the matter remains unresolved should it be necessary to involve the Director. Most staff work on one or more research projects and the management of those projects is the responsibility of the Project Director. Day to day work on projects is therefore under the direction of the Project Director, but within the broader context of Unit line management.
Unit meetings: These provide a regular opportunity for everyone to report on or raise issues concerning research or other aspects of working in the Unit. There is a rotating Chair for each meeting (reverse alphabetical order of all Unit staff) and a standard agenda of: (i) Introduction of new staff or students; (ii) Previous minutes; (iii) New research grants; (iv) Research proposals in progress; (v) Computing; (vi) Administrative and secretarial issues; (vii) Rooms and housekeeping; (viii) Conferences; (ix) Unit seminars; (x) Staff development; (xi) Report from Unit Policy Committee. The meetings are held in the afternoon of the first Wednesday of alternate months. A list of dates and locations is on the SSRU internal website.
Unit seminars: There are also Unit seminars, usually held at lunchtime on the first Wednesday of each month. Projects are expected to present roughly in rotation. This affords the Unit an opportunity to learn about the project work of other SSRU colleagues and to discuss broader issues of research work. Again a list of forthcoming seminars is on the SSRU internal website.
Unit Policy Committee (UPC): The UPC provides a mechanism to discuss Unit issues in more detail than is possible in Unit meetings. The remit of the UPC is to (i) advise the Unit Director on matters pertaining to the working conditions and career development of Unit staff; (ii) discuss and advise on resource and support issues including computing and secretarial matters in the Unit; (iii) consider and advise on the present and future research programme of the Unit; (iv) act as a communication channel for members of the Unit to inform each other about current and planned research proposals; (v) discuss and advise on the representation of Unit staff on Institute committees; (vi) consider and advise on the operation of guidelines to be followed by Unit researchers, particularly in relation to the writing and costing of research proposals and research teamwork; (vii) consider and advise on a publications policy for the Unit; (viii) take up and discuss relevant issues as requested by any member of the Unit and report back to the Unit meeting.
The members of the UPC are the Unit Director, Deputy Director, Assistant Director, Acting Unit Administrator, and 4 other members of staff elected so as to broadly represent the main streams of work in the Unit. The current membership and method of representation of staff is listed in Appendix B. The Unit Director or Deputy Director chairs the meetings. The Deputy Director reports back from the UPC to the Unit meetings. Meetings are held a minimum of 3 times per year with more frequent discussion as necessary by memo, telephone, or E-mail.
Staff Adviser scheme: This is a method to guide and assist new academic staff on short-term contracts. The role is different and additional to the support provided by the Unit Management Team and the Project Directors responsible for individual projects. The Adviser offers advice and support and assists with career development over the first 2 years of employment (regardless of the number of research contracts), after which the appraisal scheme takes over. Advisers should keep in informal contact with the new staff member over the 2 years and provide a report (on workload, suitability of tasks to her/his skills, current strengths, areas where improvement and/or training would be helpful) to the Dean of Research at (a) 3 months after the starting date of the first contract, (b) the end of the first year of employment, and (c) after 2 year’s employment (unless the staff member participates instead in the appraisal scheme).
Each Adviser is nominated by the Assistant Director, but the member of staff can request a change of Adviser (or raise other concerns about the scheme) by consulting a member of the Unit Management Team or the Dean of Research. It is the right of all new research staff to be part of this scheme, so it is very important that other staff are prepared to act as Advisers.
Staff Appraisal scheme: This is similar to the Adviser scheme but is designed to enable the review of, and provide assistance to, the career development of staff employed for 2 years or more. The scheme only occurs every 2 years. A set of forms is provided by the Institute’s Personnel Department. The process involves:
a training session for all Unit staff the regarding roles of Appraiser and Appraisee (given by one academic and member of the support staff from the Institute’s Staff Development Unit)
the selection of an Appraiser for each member of staff
the completion of forms Part 1 and Part 2 by the Appraisee
an Appraisal interview between Appraiser and Appraisee
the completion by the Appraiser of an agreed Outcome Record and Action Sheets
the distribution of records and forms (Action Sheets forwarded to the Unit and to Staff Development, Part 1 to the Unit Director, Part 2 to the Appraisee, Outcome record to the Unit Director, Personnel Office and to the Appraisee)
The Appraisal scheme papers suggest that Appraisers should be senior members of the Academic Group, but in the case of SSRU the only requirements are that Appraisers (a) know about the work of the Appraisee, (b) know about the work of the Unit, (c) have undergone training, and (d) are acceptable as Appraisers to the Appraisee. The SSRU scheme is thus more of a peer appraisal system, where staff choose their Appraiser subject to agreement by the Unit Director. There are various views about the purpose, value, and time commitment of the Appraisal scheme, but it is the right of all staff to be appraised and it need not be very time consuming if carried out smoothly and efficiently. It is therefore very important that all staff are committed to make the scheme work, participate in training, and agree to be Appraisers for colleagues.
Continuity of employment: The Adviser and Appraisal schemes aim to enable staff development, but the nature of research funding means that many staff are on short term contracts with little security of employment. For staff wishing to continue work in the Unit beyond the current project, it is important that they consult as early as possible with their Project Directors or a member of the Unit Management Team about possible future projects and sources of funding. The Institute has a scheme for providing bridging funding for up to 2 months between funded projects. Research staff can also apply for study leave after 5 years continuous service.
Research Project Staff database: Research Administration has recently developed a database of staff available to do part-time work on research projects. This is now available to view on the Institute website. Matthew Darling in Research Administration should be contacted for further information about being added to the database.
Staff development programme: The Institute has a staff development office that organises presentations and courses, and can provide funding for internal and external courses. Information about current courses is posted on the SSRU notice board, in ‘This Week’, and through the Staff Development web-page where course booking forms are also available. Sandra Stone is the SSRU representative for staff development and the Unit Management Team can also provide advice on staff development issues.
Equal opportunities: SSRU is committed to the Institute of Education’s policy on Equal Opportunities. The Unit Director is responsible for equal opportunities issues in the Unit and staff are requested to refer to the relevant section of the Information for Staff handbook and associated special booklets.
Staff publications and presentations: All academic publications and presentations by Unit staff should fully acknowledge funding sources (including any funds from the Unit or the Institute of Education) and fully refer to any assistance received from colleagues within or outside the Unit. It should also be clear that the author is a member of staff of both SSRU and of the Institute of Education. It is important for both the Unit and for individual staff that all work should be of a high quality and well presented. Staff should always ask for the help and advice of their Project Director, Line Manager, Adviser or other colleagues concerning writing and presentation. Assistance with the production of overhead transparencies and PowerPoint presentations should be available from Project Administrators and the Unit Secretary.
Publications database: Staff members publish a large number of books and papers in academic and other journals. Staff are requested to send full references for all publications to the Acting Unit Administrator and are asked to provide copies of all their publications for a database of staff publications. A full annual list of publications by staff can be found in the Annual Report and on the Unit website.
Unit reports: The Unit also publishes and sells reports which can have ISBN numbers and are counted as publications for the research assessment exercise and for staff promotion. Any member of staff interested in producing a Unit publication should consult with the Deputy Director.
Unit publicity: It is important that all the work of the Unit properly represents the Unit and the Institute of Education and complies with the Institute's policies on representation. All forms of publicity or representation including leaflets, logos, and letterheads, need to be checked by the Deputy Director before reproduction or distribution.
The Institute has a Press Officer who can give advice and also help to publicise publications and events. SSRU events and publications can be publicised on the SSRU website and, if they relate to childhood issues, on the international childhood e-mail network.
Unit web pages: The Unit has a number of web pages on the Institute of Education website. These pages describe the programme of work of the Unit as well as staff research and interests and publications. There are also two internal websites: one for the Unit as a whole at http://ssru.ioe.ac.uk/internal/default.htm (where access is limited to current SSRU staff by entering ‘ioe/your username and password), and one for the education stream of the EPPI-Centre, where access is limited to those working on the EPPI education projects. The Deputy Director, who should be contacted about any problems or suggestions, manages these pages.
Staff Skills database: It is hoped that a list of staff skills in a searchable format will shortly be available internally to SSRU staff to promote skill sharing in the Unit, and to tap into the valuable resource of SSRU staff skills.
RESEARCH APPLICATIONS AND CONSULTANCY
The development of research applications is an essential component of Unit work as it forms the basis of future research. Appendix C describes the processes involved in making research applications and Appendix D discusses some of the ethical issues that need to be considered in undertaking social research. Staff are encouraged to allow sufficient time for the preparation, costing, and internal approval of proposals in advance of the deadline for submission.
All applications need to include costs for both Institute and Unit overheads (see Appendix C). The Acting Unit Administrator should be approached to undertake the costing of research proposals.
All research applications need to be seen first by the Unit Director or Deputy Director, then by the Dean of Research and then again by the Unit Director or Deputy Director before submission to funders. If funding is received, advertisements for new staff or any offer of employment should only be made after prior consultation with the Deputy Director who liases with the Personnel Department on these issues.
Consultancy: Consultancy is any activity undertaken by the Institute or by an individual employee of the Institute that involves offering advice, analysis or evaluation to another organization and for which a fee is normally charged (consultancies are subject to Institute overheads and Unit costs). Advice and guidance on costing consultancy work is available from the Acting Unit Administrator and from Research Administration. All consultancy applications need to be seen first by the Unit Director or Deputy Director. In addition, consultancies over £10,000 need to be signed by the Institute’s Finance Office, and those over £20,000 by the Dean of Research.
Induction: Preparations for the arrival of new staff begin before their arrival. All staff play a part in the induction of new staff from welcoming them to discussing project work, to line management.
The Acting Unit Administrator will ensure that all facilities are available upon arrival. The Computing Support Officer arranges computing resources. Prior to arrival the Acting Unit Administrator will establish a timetable of opportunities to meet other members of staff. On the first day of work, the Project Director should introduce the new member of staff to the Unit Director, Deputy Director, Assistant Director, Unit Administrator and Unit Secretary and advise other staff by e-mail. The Unit Administrator will give the new member of staff a copy of the Handbook, Annual Report, contact list and instructions on health and safety issues, first aid, security and fire procedures, Unit resources, tea and coffee costs, holiday/illness book and dates of forthcoming meetings.
From April 2000 all temporary staff are to be issued with contracts. Before temporary work is taken on the Project Director must liaise with the Acting Unit Administrator to check the available budget, whether a contract is required, and the best means of payment or process for completion of timesheets. All temporary staff are to be introduced to the Unit Secretary, administrative and management team and should undertake basic security, health, safety and fire induction. The Project Director is responsible for temporary staff including ensuring that timesheets are signed correctly, and copies are passed to the Acting Unit Administrator.
Please advise the Acting Unit Administrator of any change in address or home telephone number. If you wish you may provide a contact name and number in case of emergency.
Answering machine: There is an answering machine in the Unit Secretary’s room where messages can be left - 020 7612 6397. Individual phones can be set to transfer to this number automatically or if the phone is not answered after a few rings (see ‘Operating your telephone’ in the Institute’s telephone directory).
Fax machine: The Unit has a fax machine, number 020 7612 6400. Costs are monitored so please note your project charge code on the transmission sheet and file it in the fax file next to the machine. It is important to remember that e-mail can often be used instead of faxes or phone calls, and this is free.
Post: Post is sent out via the tray in the Unit Secretary’s room on the ground floor and put into personal pigeonholes. All external post needs to be charged to a particular budget. Every research project has a post code which has to be written on the front of outgoing letters, and all outgoing mail should be left in the Unit Secretary’s room so that the charge per project can be recorded. Personal post can only be sent if the appropriate stamps are already attached. There is the possibility that letters will be opened at random and on no account should personal post be sent with a project code stamped on it.
Photocopying: Photocopiers are situated in the basement of 18 Woburn Square and on the ground floor resource room number 57 in 55 Gordon Square. The photocopier in 18 Woburn Square requires Institute Copytex cards which are ordered through the Unit Secretary and charged to the appropriate research project account. The machine in 55 Gordon Square requires a project number available from the Acting Unit Administrator. The Institute also has a Reprographics Department for larger jobs. If this is used please ensure that one copy of the reprographics order form is passed to the Unit Secretary. A list of commonly used outside printing firms is available from the Acting Unit Administrator for more complex jobs. If an outside company is to be used, a written quote is required which should be passed to the Acting Unit Administrator.
Computing: The Unit has many computers and printers for research and word processing use, which are linked to the Institute and University mainframes and Internet and library systems. Research projects should be costed to provide any equipment and software they need and computer rental at the rate of £40 per FTE per month (included in the figure of £400 Unit costs required per FTE per month) (See Appendix C). The Computing Support Officer can advise on computer software and hardware. Technical support is provided by the Institute’s Computing Support Helpdesk and should be the first point of contact regarding technical or software problems. The Institute runs computing courses for members of staff, and the Unit has manuals available if required.
The Institute server system allows staff to access their profile from any machine. Details of how to access your account from outside the Institute are attached in Appendix F. The Unit server means that staff can access their machine from any in the Unit. The Unit server (N: drive) is backed-up every night and a copy is held off-site making it the most suitable and recommended site for storing your information and protecting it against loss from equipment failure, fire, or theft.
Shared drives enable project staff to save information in a common site (see Appendix E). These drives are administered by the Computing Support Officer.
E-mail: Each member of staff is allocated an e-mail address by the Institute and is added to appropriate e-mail and network lists. To ensure all systems are up and running upon arrival, the form recording this information should be completed and returned to the Computing Support Officer 2 weeks prior to commencement of the post.
Equipment: Every member of staff should have access to basic office resources including a desk, bookshelves, filing cabinet and adjustable chair (if using a VDU). If you require a piece of equipment or furniture, please see the Acting Unit Administrator. A variety of tape recorders and transcribers are kept in the locked cupboard in the basement of 18 Woburn Square (keys from Unit Secretary). There is a folder in the cupboard which lists all items - please ensure that you sign for anything you take out on loan.
Stationary: All stationary is ordered centrally. The stationary cupboard is located in the basement of 18 Woburn Square and in Room 57 on the ground floor of 55 Gordon Square. There is a list on both doors on which to record items that need to be ordered. Please add to the list if you use the last of anything, or if there is something you particularly need. Please ask the Unit Secretary if you require something urgently.
The seminar room in 18 Woburn Square: Is used as a meeting room and a library for journals to which the Unit subscribes. These include the British Medical Journal, Social Science and Medicine, Sociology of Health and Illness, Women’s Studies International Forum, The European Journal of Public Health, and the Times Higher Education Supplement. Please do not remove these journals from the room.
Room bookings: In addition to the seminar room in 18 Woburn Square, there is one on the second floor in 55 Gordon Square. Both of these can be used for meetings but it is necessary to book it in advance with the Unit Secretary who can make the appropriate arrangements, including organising refreshments and advising staff in surrounding offices.
Libraries: Everyone is entitled to use the Institute of Education library which specializes in education but also covers a large number of other areas. Access to a number of online journals and databases is also provided. New staff will be given an application for a library ticket on arrival, which should be completed and taken to membership services desk in the library foyer. The nearest health library is the London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine on Keppel St. A limited number of tickets are available from the Acting Unit Administrator for Senate House Library.
Cars: The car parking in Woburn Square is controlled by the University of London. Free parking permits have to be obtained but space is available only on a first-come-first-serve basis and the car park is usually full during term time. It is possible to ‘buy’ an annual parking space at the back of the Woburn Square buildings, but this costs between £500 and £800 per year according to salary. Application forms for permits are available from Mrs Karen Payne (extension 6149). Meters can usually be found, but at a price. Clamps are in use for unauthorised parking.
Bicycles: Bicycles can be left in the bicycle parking area for SSRU staff at the back of the building or in the bicycle parking space outside The School of Oriental and African Studies (SOAS) at the North East corner of Russell Square. Alternatively there is a locked space under the front steps (key from Acting Unit Administrator). Bicycles are not allowed in 18 Woburn Square unless you are prepared to carry them to your room, and provided your room-mates, if any, agree.
Travel: If you are planning to be out of the office for any reason please note this in the book in the Unit Secretary’s office. It is also useful to inform the Unit Secretary of where you will be.
Claims for travel and other expenses: All claims have to be processed by the Institute, but the Acting Unit Administrator first completes all the coding details and ensures that a copy is filed here. Completed forms have to be signed by the Unit Director, Deputy Director, Administrator or Acting Administrator. Travel and other expenses can only be paid if agreed in advance by the person responsible for the budget, which is usually the Project Director. Please familiarise yourself with the rules regulating what can be claimed (listed on the front of all claim forms) before you make your purchase. If in doubt please ask the Acting Unit Administrator.
Travel, conference expenses, equipment and other costs must be incorporated into funding applications as there is only a small amount of Unit general funds available for such purposes. For international travel, application can be made to the Secretary of the Finance Office of the Institute of Education for funds, but please give the Acting Unit Administrator a copy of any such application.
Travel insurance: The Institute has a travel insurance policy that covers researchers travelling abroad on Institute business. Please e-mail David Grainger before you travel, informing him of where you are going with dates of outbound and return travel. Copies of the Insurance policy are available from the Unit Administrator or David Grainger, and you are advised to take 2 copies of the policy with you when you travel carrying one copy with you at all times and keeping the second one safely with your passport.
Cleaning services: Cleaners are in the Unit early each weekday morning, and rooms are cleaned on a regular basis. If you have a problem about cleaning or bins not being emptied, please inform the Unit Secretary.
Tea and coffee: The Unit Secretary collects money from staff for tea and coffee (currently £6 per month for full-time staff). Fresh drinking water will soon be available. In 18 Woburn Square there is a kitchen in the basement and another on the top floor which is available for anyone to use. In 55 Gordon Square these facilities are on the second floor. Everyone is expected to wash, dry and put away any crockery/cutlery that they or their visitors use.
Working hours and annual leave: Working hours are normally 9 – 5. Staff are expected to work the hours in their contract of employment and to be in the Unit during this time. Full-time staff should write in the Unit diary (held by the Unit Secretary) the days that they are out of the Unit, the reasons for this (e.g. fieldwork, meetings, annual leave, illness) where and how they can be contacted, and the date that they will return. Some people start early and others work late. Part-time staff should write in the Unit diary the times that they will be in the Unit and any time taken for sickness or annual leave. If you are working later than 8pm or at weekends, Institute Security need to be informed (see below). Full-time support staff work normal office hours. All periods of annual leave should be indicated in the Unit diary.
Sickness leave: Please telephone the Unit Secretary or Administrator if you are not coming into work because of illness. The Acting Unit Administrator is the Unit’s sickness representative and has to complete a form for each day of absence. Staff absent for four or more days must complete a Self-Certificate form (see Institute Staff Handbook for details about absence due to illness). The Institute now has a procedure for Maternity and Sickness cases on Research projects: details here.
Smoking: The Institute of Education operates a no smoking policy (except for designated sections of the Students’ Union in the main building). Please therefore do not smoke in the Unit or just outside any of the doors of either building as smoke can permeate the offices above the entrances.
SAFETY AND SECURITY (Please also read the Institute’s Good Practice Guide on Security)
Access: Access to both 18 Woburn Square and 55 Gordon Square is via keypad codes which are changed from time to time. There is also a coded keypad on the door to the seminar room in 18 Woburn Square and the photocopier room in 55 Gordon Square. These codes should only be known and used by current members of staff (including Institute security and postal staff). Please do not on any account divulge these numbers to friends or colleagues or anyone else outside the Unit. Please also ensure that office windows and doors are securely locked when you leave. There are special security measures if you want to come into the Unit out of normal hours (8pm to 8am or at weekends). A different door code is in operation at these times. Also, most doors are wired to the Institute’s security system, so staff should let the Institute main desk know that they are in the Unit by ringing Reception (ext 6136) on entering the Unit and again when leaving. It is important to do this for your own security.
Front doors: Please ensure that front doors are always closed and ask all visitors to report to the Unit Secretary in 18 Woburn Square and to the Administrators on the second floor in 55 Gordon Square. If the Unit Secretary or Administrators are absent, please establish who the visitor is and whom they have come to meet. Keys required for out of hours access to 55 Gordon Square are available from the Unit Administrator.
Individual rooms: Please keep rooms locked when not in use. A key to the Unit Secretary’s office in 18 Woburn Square is available so that the fax machine and pigeonholes can be accessed after office hours. Please ask the Unit Secretary for information.
Last to leave: The last person to leave either building should ensure that the building is secure and that lights and equipment are turned off. The last person to leave 18 Woburn Square should ensure the shutters and door to the seminar room and the door to the Unit Secretary’s office are closed.
Data: Valuable research information is highly vulnerable to loss from technical problems, fire, theft, and other disasters. It is therefore extremely important that up to date copies of important information are maintained outside of the Unit building. All staff must take responsibility for the information that they hold. It is highly recommended that staff save their files onto the Unit’s server on the ‘N’ drive which is backed up by the Computer Support Officer at the end of each day and a copy kept off site. Computers should be left on overnight as the Institute’s Computing Department use this time to load anti -virus software over the network. Monitors however, should be turned off overnight.
First aid: There is a first aid box in the hall of 18 Woburn Square on the ground floor. A list of all First Aiders in the Institute, is in the Institute’s telephone directory. A first aid box will be situated in 55 Gordon Square in the near future.
Fire: All staff should be aware of the relevant Institute policies concerning fire safety and should know the evacuation procedure in case of fire. Please also read the notices on evacuation of the building and in case of fire or other emergency, ring 5555 or break the glass in the nearest call point. Each Monday morning the fire alarms are tested and once a term there is a fire drill practice. The Unit Fire Marshall is Sandra Stone, but all staff should be aware of the risk of fire and appropriate responses to fire. Fire extinguishers are on every floor. Be sure only to use the smaller CO2 extinguishers on computer or other electrical fires. The routes of escape from fire in 18 Woburn Square are through the front door on the ground floor, through the back door in the basement into the garden and then the Institute access road, or by the drop down ladder on the third floor and across the roof to neighbouring buildings. The routes of escape for 55 Gordon Square are through the ground floor exits or through the window in Helen Penns’ office Room 67 onto the roof and along to the door and down through the neighbouring building. Please note that this door only opens when the alarm is ringing. The alarms in this building are activated by breaking the glass on alarms points in the building, so in the event of a fire in this building please ensure that the glass is broken and the alarm activated before attempting to leave via the roof escape. Staff should be aware of who is working with them on their floor so that they can ensure that their colleagues are able to escape. The meeting place after a fire or a fire drill is outside 59 Gordon Square (corner with Woburn Square).
We try to provide a positive and supportive atmosphere for research, which can be a lonely activity. This means that an important function of the Unit is to provide a context in which researchers are able to discuss and develop ideas, and can count on the support of colleagues with difficulties encountered. We very much hope you enjoy being a part of the Unit.