Yourcampusguide Southend Campus

2013-14

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© University of Essex Sept 2012 Designed and printed by Print Essex at the University of Essex

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Southend Campus

Your campus guide 1

Welcome to Your campus guideSouthend Campus edition

We hope this guide gives you a good flavour oflife at our Southend Campus, and points you tothe many services and facilities here to supportyou during your experience of living and learningat Essex.

Our Southend Campus is one of three Universityof Essex campuses. Located in the heart of thetown of Southend-on-Sea, it is just a short walkfrom the beach and has outstanding modernacademic facilities for students. Our other twocampuses are located at Colchester andLoughton.

All three are friendly and supportive, and providethe perfect place for you to study, make friends,pursue new interests and enjoy yourself.

Contents

Our buildings page 2

Southend Campus facilities page 4

Supporting your studies page 6

IT services page 8

Employability and Careers page 9

Around Southend-on-Sea page 10

Graduation and alumni page 12

Our Student Charter page 13

Loughton Campus

Colchester Campus

2 Your campus guide

Our buildings

The Forum Southend-on-SeaWe are excited to announce the opening of TheForum Southend-on-Sea; a brand new buildingwith nearly two floors of library space, a state-of-the-art 200-seater lecture theatre, anda dedicated Learning Hub for University ofEssex registered students. The Learning Hub,located on the second floor, is an amazing newdevelopment, featuring five different learningenvironments that incorporate the very latesttechnology:

Open study spaceAn adaptable location for studying, the openstudy space offers islands of computers forcollaborative work along with charging pointsfor laptops and USB devices. There are also sixgroup working pods, each with an interactiveprojector to allow collaboration.

Share spaceFour group working pods with interactiveprojectors connect a curved writable surfacefeaturing a six metre wide projected image

providing an excellent canvas for collaborationon projects.

Innovation spaceLet your creativity shine! Especially designedfurniture combined with interactive technologyallows the room to be arranged however youwish to make the most of this learning space.

Reading spaceWhen you need a quiet room to focus and studyin peace, this is the place to go. Desks featureindividual task lighting and power points forcharging laptops.

Skills space Depending on your activity, you can rearrangethe furniture for whatever you are studying.

The Learning Hub also features:

Info pointYour one-stop-shop for IT, Library andEmployability queries.

The Forum Southend-on-Sea

Your campus guide 3

Media space Unleash your inner Spielberg with these Macbased editing suites.

Touchdown points Stay connected by checking e-mail and socialnetworks.

Paper pointsFacilities to scan, copy, print and put thefinishing touches to your document.

Opening in September 2013, The Forum is ajoint project between the University of Essex,South Essex College and Southend BoroughCouncil. Go here to find out more:www.essex.ac.uk/campus_updates/theforum

The standard opening hours for The Forum areexpected to be: 8am - 10pm Monday to Friday, 8am - 6pm Saturdays, and 11am - 5pmSundays. The Learning Hub will be open toUniversity of Essex registered students 24/7,excluding bank holidays.

You can also find two academic areas here onthe second floor; the Centre for PsychoanalyticStudies, and the Centre for Education andSocial Care.

The Gateway BuildingOpened in 2007, The Gateway Building offersbright and airy, state-of-the-art teachingfacilities, study and business space. There arethree main academic areas: Essex BusinessSchool, the School of Health and HumanSciences, and East 15 Acting School. Duringterm time The Gateway Building is open from7am – 10pm Monday to Saturday, and from9am – 6pm on Sundays.

The Students’ UnionThe Students’ Union is a representative bodyled by a team of elected Sabbatical Officers,including a Vice President Southend andLoughton, with the support of a permanent staffteam who work towards enhancing the student

experience by offering a range of services. TheStudents’ Union main Admin Office is based onthe second floor of The Forum with additionalspace at the Students’ Union building in ElmerApproach. This year you will have the uniqueopportunity to develop the services you’d like byworking with the team in Southend. Part of thisdevelopment will include having a say in how‘The Union’ (the space next door to TheGateway Building) is used. Find out more atwww.essexstudent.com/southend

Clifftown Theatre and StudiosOur nearby Clifftown Theatre and Studiosprovide further space for East 15 ActingSchool students. Based in a renovatedVictorian gothic church, it houses fiverehearsal studios and a dynamic theatre andperformance space. It also provides thesetting for a diverse range of shows,workshops, summer schools, communityevents and professional touring productions.East 15 frequently hold performances here,so visit for a great night out! Even better,discounted tickets for students are usuallyavailable. To find out more, visit the website at:www.clifftowntheatre.co.uk.

University Square University Square, our iconic and purpose-builtnew student accommodation, has become acolourful addition to the Southend skyline. Justa few minutes’ walk from The Gateway Buildingand The Forum, University Square offers morethan 500 en suite single study-bedrooms andstudio rooms. Full details about this vibrantaccommodation are at:www.essex.ac.uk/accommodation/residences/university_square

Get in touch with other student residents onour Facebook page:www.facebook.com/UniSquare

4 Your campus guide

Southend Campus facilities

Food and drinkCold drinks and snacks are available in vendingmachines on the second and third floors of TheGateway Building. Hot drinks are also availablein the student common room on the secondfloor. The location of our buildings provideinstant access to the High Street, which hosts avast array of coffee shops, sandwich bars, andfast food outlets.

Supermarkets Tesco Express is located in Heygate Avenue –only a few minutes away – and there is a largeSainsbury’s on London Road, just across theroad from University Square accommodation.And for the bargain hunters, there are manydiscount shops around the town.

Evolve gymEvolve gym is packed with state-of-the-artequipment and is conveniently based atUniversity Square, making it easy to integratefitness into your daily routine. Prices are verycompetitive and excellent value – there has beenno alteration to student prices this year. Annualmembership from September 2013 toSeptember 2014 is £112.50. This works out toonly £9.38 a month! Alternatively, from Januaryyou can pay £75 for two terms membership or£37.50 direct debit membership as a three term(from Autumn) or two term (from Spring) option.Even better, classes are run every week day andcome free with membership, so there’s neverbeen a better opportunity to look and feel great!Find out more about Evolve and membership atwww.essex.ac.uk/sport/EvolveSE

Keep up to date with Evolve Gym onwww.facebook.com/EvolveSS1 andwww.facebook.com/UoEsport

Your campus guide 5

BanksSouthend has a large number of banks,including HSBC, NatWest, Lloyds TSB,Barclays and The Cooperative, each with anATM (cash point machine) along SouthendHigh Street. These ATMs will take cards fromall the major providers.

Going outThere’s so much to do in Southend it’s hard toknow where to start! Our Students' Union takesadvantage of our town centre location byworking with local businesses to pinpoint thebest events and deals on offer. There’s also awide variety of night clubs, live bands in localpubs, sporting events, and a local cinema to

name but a few. If you like dining out, there’s awhole range of restaurants and cafés to try. Ifthat’s not enough, we’re just 45 minutes fromLondon on the train.

6 Your campus guide

Library servicesThe library’s brand new location at The Forumbrings together the resources of TheUniversity of Essex, South Essex College andSouthend Borough Council, providing easyaccess to a broad scope of literature, data andknowledge.

What’s more, you can make use of the vastcollection of e-books and e-journals inColchester’s Albert Sloman Library via:libwww.essex.ac.uk

Once you have registered for your course youwill receive a card which provides all-in-oneaccess to the library and University buildings.This includes both the Learning Hub and ITlabs; specific student areas tailored especiallyfor your use. Whether you need a place tohold a lively and creative group discussion, ora quieter space to concentrate and study, wehave it covered.

Online learning support myEssex provides a link to module outlines,library resources, online courseworksubmission and exam results. It also providesaccess to the Listen Again service, whichallows you to listen to recordings of a largenumber of lectures. Links to Moodle, ouronline teaching environment, can also befound here along with training and skillsdevelopment. The myEssex portal can beaccessed at: www.essex.ac.uk/myessex

Supporting your studies

Your campus guide 7

Welfare Most students need support or guidance fromtime to time and Student Support is a goodplace to start. Our Student Support Advisersoffer a confidential advice and informationservice to assist you throughout your time atUniversity. They can guide you on matters suchas adjusting to University life, financial concernsand general welfare. They also offer support todisabled students and students with SpecificLearning Difficulties, mental health difficultiesor long term medical conditions.

A drop-in service operates from 10.45am to12.15 pm on Mondays, Wednesdays andThursdays and from 1.45 pm to 3.15 pm onTuesdays and Fridays in room GB.2.53 (secondfloor, The Gateway Building). This service willmove to TF.2.20 (second floor, The Forum) frommid-November 2013.

There’s also the Students’ Union Advice Centre(SUAC) which offers practical help andimpartial advice on most welfare issuesincluding Tier 4 visa extensions, housing (bothprivate sector and University accommodation),academic issues (eg extenuatingcircumstances, appeals etc), and representationat Academic Offence and Disciplinary meetings.Whatever is on your mind, SUAC will help youor direct you to someone who can. The serviceis confidential, independent and impartial, aswell as being free to all students. SUAC can becontacted on 01206 874034 or by e-mail:suadvice@essex.ac.uk

8 Your campus guide

IT services

Location of PCsWithin The Forum, The Learning Hub’s openstudy space houses 24 PCs with spaces forlaptop use and 6 group working pods.

At the Gateway Building, IT Lab 1 (roomGB.3.53, third floor) has 40 PCs. This cansometimes be used as a teaching area, soplease check information on the door beforeentering. IT Lab 2, located in GB.2.34 on thesecond floor, is a smaller, more intimate spacewith 10 PCs. This floor also features 2 groupworking pods and a student common room(with additional PCs).

Clifftown Studios has 6 PCs, located in Seminarroom J on the ground floor.

Touchdown points are scattered throughout TheGateway Building and The Forum and areintended for quick checking of e-mail or socialnetworking.

All of the main computing areas around theSouthend Campus have printers, monitor arms

for accessibility, and scanners. The Forum, TheGateway Building, Clifftown Studios andUniversity Square are all covered by a Wi-Finetwork.

IT assistance If you need IT assistance, this can be found atthe info point within the Forum’s Learning Hub.You can also e-mail the team at:isssouth@essex.ac.uk or telephone: 01702328341. If calling out-of-hours there is a 24/7answering system to leave a message.

Your e-mail/user accountAll registered students are given a University e-mail address. All online University systemswill use the same combination of username(your e-mail address) and password.You can access your University e-mail accountat: https://email.essex.ac.ukYou can change your password, or reactivateyour account at: www.essex.ac.uk/passwordPlease check your account regularly and keepyour password up to date – it’s an importantmeans of communicating key informationrelating to your studies and other issues.

Further information about the use of e-mail atEssex, including FAQs and how to accessyour University e-mail on smartphones or viaother programmes, is at:www2.essex.ac.uk/cs/services/email

Your campus guide 9

Employability and Careers

This is an exciting initiative and our newemployability award. Simply log your extra-curricular experience hours (eg as aFrontrunner, RSN Resident Assistant, StudentAmbassador, SU employee, course rep, sportsand societies member, plus other relevant part-time work that you complete), add a littlevolunteering and we’ll help you identifyevidence and successfully sell the skillsgraduate employers are really looking for.

The Award can help showcase all of your extra-curricular achievements and provide proofof just how employable you are. So get aheadof the game and make your CV really stand out.Complete the Award and we’ll also record it onyour degree transcript!

To find out more visit: www.essex.ac.uk/bigeTo sign up, simply get in touch with the AwardsTeam by e-mailing bige (non-Essex users add@essex.ac.uk).

Follow the Employability and Careers Centre on Facebook:www.facebook.com/EmployabilityandCareersEssex

Get in touch!It’s never too early in your academic studies tothink about your future.

At the Southend Campus, you have access toregular employability and career relatedworkshops and events. Employability andCareers@Southend is located at the info pointin the Learning Hub on the second floor of TheForum. You can arrange one-to-one interviewswith a qualified Careers Adviser via Skype ortelephone. We can also provide you with CVand job application reviews by e-mail. Moreinformation, resources and our event bookingsystem can be accessed at:www.essex.ac.uk/careersIf you have a query or simply want to get intouch, e-mail us at careers@essex.ac.uk

10 Your campus guide

Around Southend-on-Sea

Choose Your AdventureWith so many things happening, it can bedifficult to know where to start. Pick up yourleaflet to find out what's happening inSouthend and ‘Choose Your Adventure!’. Don’tforget to take part in the ‘Befriend SouthendTeam Challenge’; a fun afternoon spanning thetown centre with lots of prizes to be won alongthe way!

Venues and attractionsWith seven miles of coastline, Southend offersyou the chance to take part in a range ofleisure activities including sailing, windsurfing,swimming, kite surfing and cycling.

Seafront entertainment is not to be missed:venues include ten-pin bowling at the Kursaal,creatures of the deep at the Sea Life Adventureaquarium and rollercoaster excitement atAdventure Island theme park. For fitness, sportsand games, Southend Leisure and Tennis

Centre at Garons Park hosts a variety ofsporting classes and activities includingswimming, basketball, cricket and tennis. Or trya taster session at our Evolve gym and fitnessstudio.

To get started, you might like to take our towntrail which includes some useful shops to knowabout, some places to relax and watch theworld go by, some historical landmarks, andsome key local facilities that you might want touse. You can find our town trail via the link at:www.essex.ac.uk/welcome (click on ‘SouthendCampus students’).

Cultural SouthendSouthend is a town that thrives on culture, ishome to a museum, planetarium, art gallery,several theatres and an eight-screen cinema –there is plenty to see and do! Southend alsohas a great live music scene with venueshosting a mix of traditional and new alternative

Your campus guide 11

music. The town holds many special eventsthroughout the year, including SouthendCarnival, a flourishing Film Festival in April/May,the Leigh folk music festival in June and asailing regatta in September. In the Christmasperiod, you will find a variety of festive marketsalong the High Street.

Nearby attractionsThe location of our Southend Campus meanswe are in close proximity to Leigh-on-Sea, avibrant town that’s a hub of fashionable barsand restaurants. By way of contrast, thecobbled streets of Old Leigh have the authenticcharm of a fishing village, embracing both thepast and the present. Here you’ll find seafoodrestaurants, old public houses and live music.Close to Leigh is Hadleigh, which played hostto the London 2012 Olympic mountain bikingfinals at Hadleigh Farm Country Park. Theruins of Hadleigh Castle were captured in afamous painting by Constable. This is a greatspot for a picnic, a country walk, some fresh air,and amazing panoramic views of our coastline.In addition, if you like eating out, you might liketo try Hamlet Court Road, which is acosmopolitan area hosting an array ofinternational cuisine.

ShoppingIf you love to shop ‘til you drop, there are someshopping centres that you shouldn’t miss andare easily accessible from Southend’s railwaystations. Lakeside is one of the largestshopping centres in a single location in Europe.From Southend Central, take a train to ChaffordHundred (you may need to change trains atPitsea). Alternatively, Westfield Stratford City inEast London is Europe’s largest urban shoppingmall with international brands and a fresh foodcourt and can be reached from SouthendVictoria in 45 minutes. You can also see the2012 London Olympic Park from here. And fora smaller but closer shopping experience, trythe Eastgate Shopping Centre at Basildon,which attracts around 15 million visitors eachyear.

Getting hereOur Southend Campus is based in the SouthEast of Essex, approximately 45 miles from ourColchester Campus, which takes around twohours to reach by train and one and a halfhours to reach by car. Details about how totravel to our Southend Campus can be foundon our website at:www.essex.ac.uk/about/getting_hereYou may also find the following website useful:www.transportdirect.infoLondon Southend Airport, which opened in2011, now operates flights to a number ofEuropean destinations.

Bus travel Southend’s travel centre and main bus stationis at the back of Heygate Avenue, which is offthe High Street. As our Southend Campus islocated in the town centre, most local busesstop nearby throughout the day and atweekends. National Express also runs coachservices from Southend bus station todestinations across the UK.

Train travel Train services to London from Southend takeunder an hour. Southend is served by c2c,which operates services from Southend Centraltrain station to London Fenchurch Street.Southend Central is next to ourSouthend Campus. We are alsoserved by National Express EastAnglia, which operates servicesfrom Southend Victoria trainstation to London LiverpoolStreet. Southend Victoria is ashort walk from our SouthendCampus.

Air TravelLooking for a cheap getaway? LondonSouthend Airport is right on your doorstep.Destinations include France, Germany, Italy,Ireland, Spain, Portugal, Switzerland and TheNetherlands. www.southendairport.com

12 Your campus guide

Graduation and alumni

Your time at Essex will fly by. But remember,once you’re an Essex graduate, you’ll be ingood company. Notable Essex alumni includeSpeaker of the House of Commons Rt. Hon.John Bercow (BA Government, 1985), BlakeHarrison, star of The Inbetweeners, (East 15Acting School, BA Acting), Daniel Libeskind,architect for the reconstruction of the WorldTrade Center site in New York City, USA (MAArt History and Theory, 1972), alongside OscarArias, Nobel Peace Prize winner and formerpresident of Costa Rica, Nick Broomfield,award-winning documentary filmmaker, BenOkri, Booker prize-winning author, BaronessVirginia Bottomley, and David Yates, BAFTA-

winning director of four Harry Potter films. Our alumni team will help you keep in contactwith Essex, with our staff and your friends fromyour time as a student. You can shareexperiences and success stories through ourmagazines, webpages and Facebook.

By registering to join our online community, youwill be able to access opportunities to get backtogether with friends, keep up-to-date with ouralumni magazine, take part in reunion eventsacross the world, network with fellow alumni atexclusive events and come back to Essex toshare and enjoy our Alumni Weekend.

So don’t forget, when you graduate from Essex, join our onlinecommunity at: alumni.essex.ac.uk/netcommunity/alumni

Your campus guide 13

© University of Essex 2013Designed and printed by Print Essex at the University of Essex

Policy statement on equalopportunitiesThe University of Essex, in conformity with theintention of its Charter, confirms itscommitment to a comprehensive policy of equalopportunities within the University. It aims tocreate the conditions whereby students andstaff are treated solely on the basis of theirmerits, abilities and potential regardless ofgender, colour, ethnic or national origin, age,socio-economic background, disability, religiousor political beliefs and affiliations, familycircumstances, sexual orientation or otherirrelevant distinction. The University iscommitted to a programme of action to ensurethat this policy be fully effective.

Privacy statementTo read the University’s privacy statement andfind out more about how we handle your data,please visit:www.essex.ac.uk/records_management/policies/students.aspx

For information about our complaints procedureplease visit:www2.essex.ac.uk/academic/students/complaint.html

Our Student Charter Our Student Charter was jointly developed bythe University of Essex and the University ofEssex Students’ Union in 2012, as part of ourongoing commitment to create an outstandingenvironment that offers the highest standardsof teaching, research and support in aninternational and multi-cultural community. TheCharter outlines what you can expect when youapply to study at Essex, when your place isconfirmed, when you arrive, and when youstudy. Read the full Charter at:www.essex.ac.uk/about/essex_student_charter

All information in this guide was correct at the

time of printing. For updates please refer to

www.essex.ac.uk.

Produced by the University of EssexOctober 2013

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