RSS Weekly Digest

Upcoming URKTB Meeting
Please find attached the items for the agenda we will be putting forward for the upcoming URKTB meeting on the 22nd September. This has also been posted on the RSS blog, the address for which will now be permanently located at the bottom of this weekly newsletter. Please email me with any additions you wish to make or post these on the blog by Monday the 13th September.

Minutes of the last URKTB
The minutes from the last URKTB meeting in April this year have still not been approved by the board. They are therefore still in draft form and cannot be distributed outside members of the board until they are approved at the upcoming meeting on 22-09-2010. The last approved set of minutes from the meeting in February this year are attached.

Inter-Library Loan
The library has recently removed the facility to apply for Inter-Library Loan items online through SFX. If this is a facility you regularly use, we recommend that you contact the library to express an interest in having this facility reinstated.

RSS Meetings
It has been decided that the RSS should hold a regular meeting every 2 months, regardless of the absence/presence of items for an agenda. The next will be held in the first week of November and the date will be notified shortly. Heather Lambie from IRO will be joining us at this meeting, as it was felt by some members at the last RSS Meeting that the role of IRO should be clarified. Heather will, therefore, be present to discuss the exact remit of IRO and answer any questions you may have on the subject.

RSS Common Room
A number of issues were raised at the last RSS meeting regarding the common room. Firstly, could nay students who have borrowed cutlery or crockery from the common room please return it as soon as possible as we are running very low. Secondly, could you please ensure that you do not leave unwashed items in the sink and that you clean up after yourself, particularly in the case of the microwave. Finally, could we please have a new volunteer to wash the tea towels from the common room on a regular basis - please email myself or Martin Smith.

Faculty Representatives
Could those students who have been nominated/elected as student Faculty representatives please email me to let me know who you are.

IRO Funding Initiatives
I'm sure you don't need reminding, but in case you missed the email, IRO have now opened up both the 'hardship' fund and the conference/training fund for this year. For details on how to apply please see IRO. IRO have also released a document providing advice on how to apply for third sector funding for your research.

Election
The election for the position of RSS President will be held on Tuesday the 5th October. We are hoping to run this as a web-based election this year, so that those who cannot be present and those who wish to vote anonymously can do so. Could anyone who either has any issues with this format or anyone who could provide me with any assistance/expertise in organising this please email me as soon as possible. Finally, we have only had ONE nomination for candidacy for this election, so could anyone who wishes to be nominated please let myself or Barry know as soon as possible.

Induction for New Students
The induction for new students is being held on the 1st October. We will be hosting a 'pub' quiz in the Union in the afternoon and early evening, in order to get new students talking to one another. We hope that a number of you will be able to attend so that new students also get a chance to meet existing students - please email Charlie Fielding if you can attend. It is worth noting that we were unable to host this event in the canteen space outside the RSS common room, as was discussed at the RSS meeting, due to the expense of providing alcoholic drinks through catering services instead of the Union bar.

Lockers
There are still a large number of lockers available in the RSS Common room for anyone who needs one. Please contact me for keys.