STAFF DEVELOPMENT PROGRAMME HILARY TERM 1994 The Staff Development Office is based in the University Offices, Wellington Square. The office is responsible for the organisation of a wide-ranging programme of courses for all staff within the University. Head of Staff Development and Training, Dr Michael Carr (telephone: (2)70562, e-mail: trainmtc). Programme for Academic Staff SEMINARS ORGANISED BY THE ACADEMIC STAFF DEVELOPMENT COMMITTEE HILARY AND TRINITY TERMS 1994 The Academic Staff Development Committee organises seminars which are open to all members of academic staff. Graduate students with teaching responsibilities are encouraged to attend sessions concerned with teaching and learning. To obtain further information or to reserve a place, please contact the secretary at the Staff Development Office, University Offices, Wellington Square (telephone: (2)70086, e-mail: traindpt). Leading a Research Team Tuesday, 21 June, 9.30 a.m.--5 p.m. (Week 9, TT) This one-day intensive seminar is intended for those academic staff who are both leading a team of at least three members and handling a large research budget, but others are welcomed provided that places are available. Participants will have the opportunity to review their approach to leading their staff through a greater understanding of their leadership actions, their personal leadership style and the actions required to obtain higher performance from their staff. Topics addressed will include: action-centred leadership, leadership styles, achieving results through people, team dynamics, communication, interviewing, self management. Leadership styles and action-centred leadership will be analysed to create an understanding of the difference between leadership and management, the importance and use of leadership in the work-place, and the need to achieve results through people. This will involve considering the factors that gain greater commitment of people to their work and include the need to produce an environment in which self-motivation prevails. The characteristics of teams, team dynamics and the importance of face-to-face communication will be used to understand the responsibility of group leaders to inform and consult their research group. The general principles of interviewing: approach, preparation, structure, questioning techniques, listening will be developed both for success in recruiting to a team and to raise confidence in handling difficult situations with team members. Time Management Tuesday, 25 January, 2--5.30 p.m. (Week 2, HT) Friday, 20 May, 2--5.30 p.m. (Week 4, TT) This session is intended to help academic staff to achieve a balance between teaching duties, creative research, and more routine administrative tasks and explores the practical application of forgotten or overlooked well-tried techniques. Participants should not expect an instant answer to all the difficulties of time management. Particular areas which will be included in the session are: delegation, not abdication; communications, meetings; dealing with insufficient information; interruptions and the telephone. These topics are introduced by means of short presentations, questionnaires, group discussions, and analysis of problems. It may also be possible, depending on the interests of those present, to explore slightly wider issues such as setting longer term career plans, or tips for rapid reading through bulky documents. Dealing with the Media I Wednesday, 16 March, 9.30 a.m.--1 p.m. (Week 9, HT) This session is intended for academic staff who have limited experience of dealing with the media. Please note that participants would be expected to attend either Dealing with the Media I or Dealing with the Media II but not both. Many academics find themselves in the position of having to speak to representatives of the press, radio, and television about their work, or to provide expert commentary to the media on events of current interest. It will introduce some simple rules that will enable you to give press interviews with confidence and authority, and without fear of misrepresentation-- -most of the time. Participants will be audiotaped whilst being interviewed by a professional journalist who will provide constructive advice and feedback on the interview process. Organised jointly with the University Press Office. Dealing with the Media II Thursday, 17 March, 9.30 a.m.--1 p.m. (Week 9, HT) This session is intended for academic staff who already have a reasonable amount of experience in dealing with the media. Please note that participants would be expected to attend either Dealing with the Media I or Dealing with the Media II but not both. Participants will be videotaped whilst being interviewed by a professional journalist who will provide constructive advice and feedback on the interview process. The number of participants at the session will be strictly limited to ensure that there is adequate time for comment on each interview. Applications for Funding from the New Research Councils To be arranged in Trinity Term This session will provide information about applying for research grants from the new research councils, and will include presentations by staff of the University's Research Services Office and by at least one representative of one of the research councils. Organised jointly with the University Research Services Office. The Structure of the University Tuesday, 15 March, 9.30 a.m.--12.30 p.m. (Week 9, HT) This session is intended to provide information about the decision-making processes within the University. An explanation will be given of the respective roles of Congregation, Hebdomadal Council, the General Board and a number of other key committees. The links between colleges and the University will be explored and funding mechanisms and financial procedures will be described. After brief talks there will be opportunity for questions and discussion. Presentational Skills Tuesday, 19 April, 9.30 a.m.--1 p.m., repeated 2--5.30 p.m.; Wednesday, 20 April, 2--5.30 p.m. (Week 0, TT) Participants are asked to deliver approximately ten minutes of a presentation, which should as far as possible be part of a lecture, seminar, or other form of teaching rather than a research presentation. It is hoped that presenters will not feel obliged to prepare a talk specifically for this session, but they are asked to bear in mind the mixed audience which will include other new appointees, an external adviser, faculty board representatives, undergraduates, and members of the Academic Staff Development Committee. Members of the audience will be asked to write down their comments on each individual presentation and these will be seen only by the presenter in question. General comments are made in a discussion following each presentation. Each presenter will be given the videotape of his or her presentation to take away from the session. This session is particularly useful for graduate students who wish to enhance their teaching skills. Please note that the sessions will be held in a seminar room rather than in a lecture theatre. Use of Computers for Teaching To be arranged Following the seminar on the Use of Computers for Teaching (Arts) in Hilary Term 1993 the opportunity exists for additional subject-specific sessions to be provided by the appropriate national specialist centre of the Computers in Teaching Initiative. Seminars will be arranged during Hilary and Trinity Terms, if there is sufficient demand, in the following range of subjects: Biology, Chemistry, Economics, Geography, History with Archaeology and Art History, Mathematics and Statistics, Medicine, Sociology and Policy Sciences. Individual seminars will be tailored to the precise needs of each subject and are likely to take the form of an introductory talk and discussion, a demonstration of the resources available and finally an opportunity for `hands- on' experience. Organised jointly with the CTI Centres involved. Note: a scheme is established to meet the cost of visits by members of academic staff to other institutions which hold relevant IT courseware, the individual concerned being expected subsequently to report back to his or her faculty. Details may be obtained from Ms Jenny Nix, University Offices, Wellington Square (telephone: (2)70144, e-mail: acdivjan on the Vax). Gender in Teaching Monday, 21 March, 2--5.30 p.m. (Week 10, HT) Monday, 18 April, 2--5.30 p.m. (Week 0, TT) This seminar is intended for staff with college or university teaching responsibilities. It will provide an opportunity to discuss the ways in which teaching and learning may be affected by gender issues; to review participants' own experiences in this area; and to develop objectives and skills for non-sexist teaching. Recruitment and Selection Thursday, 24 March, 9.30 a.m.--5 p.m. (Week 10, HT) Thursday, 30 June, 9.30 a.m.--5 p.m. (Week 10, TT) This seminar is intended for those with responsibility for recruitment and selection of staff. It will begin with an outline of employment law as it relates to selection of staff, and move on to discuss the implications of the law for good practice. The afternoon will provide an opportunity to practise the skills of identifying selection criteria and effective interviewing. Supervising D.Phil. Students (Arts) Tuesday, 15 March, 2--5.30 p.m. (Week 9, HT) This session is intended for staff who supervise students supported by the British Academy and who are associated with the faculties and committees listed below. It is intended to support the work of supervisors, particularly those newly appointed to the role, and will address issues raised by the Joint CVCP/British Academy Working Party on Postgraduate Research in the Humanities. The half-day seminar will involve brief presentations, short plenary sessions and discussion of case study material. There will be opportunity to explore appropriate approaches to supervision, to consider the organisation of postgraduate programmes and also to exchange experiences. The seminar will focus on the British Academy report and the General Board's Memorandum of Guidance for Supervisors and Research Students. English Language and Literature, Modern History, Oriental Studies, Medieval and Modern Languages and Literature, Comparative Philology and General Linguistics, Literae Humaniores, Music, Law and Theology. Organised jointly with the Graduate Studies Committee. Small Group Teaching Tuesday, 8 March, 10 a.m.--1 p.m. (Week 8, HT) This session will provide an opportunity to explore a variety of approaches to teaching in small groups (4--12 students). It will consider: ---the purpose of teaching in small groups; ---methods appropriate to teaching in small groups; ---factors which help or hinder learning; ---the relationship of teaching in small groups to other forms of teaching. Tutorial Teaching Thursday, 21 April, 10 a.m.--1 p.m. (Week 0, TT) This session provides an opportunity to consider the vital role of this form of teaching and is intended for staff with a wide range of tutorial experience. The issues to be explored will include: ---the advantages and disadvantages of different tutorial methods; ---its relationship to assessment; ---the role of the tutorial in developing student study skills; ---the relationship of the tutorial to other forms of teaching, including lectures and seminars. Peer Support Training Trinity Term, Mondays (Weeks 0--10 inclusive), 2--5 p.m. This series of linked seminars is intended to help people to be more effective in helping their peers. Skills learned through training include being a good listener, helping others feel more comfortable with social, academic, and personal relationships, helping others make decisions without giving advice, and managing and communicating about sensitive issues. These sessions are intended for Junior Deans, Junior Research Fellows, and graduates with a defined pastoral role within their colleges. The following topics will be included: listening and questioning skills, non-verbal communication, decision-making and values clarification, communicating with different generations, assertive communication, family concerns, peer relationships, sexuality, communicating with different cultures, crisis intervention, suicide prevention education, limit setting, resources, and referrals. Further details may be obtained from the University Counselling Service (telephone: (2)70300). Examination Stress---A Psychological Approach Wednesday, 9 February, 5.30--6.30 p.m. (Week 4, HT) This seminar will focus on both anxiety management, revision techniques, and basic support as well as possible psychological tensions behind the anxiety and how and why students may be sabotaging themselves. Further details may be obtained from the University Counselling Service (telephone: (2)70300). The Tutoring Role---A Counsellor's Perspective Wednesday, 23 February, 5.30--6.30 p.m. (Week 6, HT) This seminar will look at the boundary and potential areas of conflict between academic/personal tutoring and counselling. There will be an opportunity to think about the dynamics of the tutoring relationship and to consider factors which can make this effective or problematic. Further details may be obtained from the University Counselling Service (telephone: (2)70300). Programme for academic-related and non-academic staff This programme gives details of the courses which are available to members of staff on the university payroll. Bookings for any of these courses must be made via departmental administrators, who hold booking forms which should be correctly authorised and returned to the Staff Development Office. ADMINISTRATORS' PROGRAMME Discipline at Work Tuesday, 11 January, 9.30 a.m.--5 p.m. Suggested staff groups: Administrative staff. (See the General Programme for the course intended for other academic-related and non-academic staff.) This course will provide guidance on the procedures to be followed when the performance of a member of staff is below standard or when behaviour is creating a problem. It may not always be appropriate for formal disciplinary action to be taken, and the course will clarify the role of counselling and advice. In particular the course will cover the following: ---the university disciplinary procedures; ---the legislative framework,including the implications of equal opportunities legislation; ---unfair dismissal; ---constructive dismissal. The course will comprise presentations, as well as individual and small group work, and a key feature will be role-plays to practise disciplinary interviews. Recruitment and Selection (one-and-a-half-day course) Thursday, 17 March, 9.30 a.m.--5 p.m., and Wednesday 18 March, 9 a.m.--1 p.m. Suggested staff groups: any administrative staff who have responsibility for recruitment and selection of staff. Other academic-related and non-academic staff may also find the course useful. The course is intended both for those with limited experience of recruitment and selection and for those with more experience who nevertheless wish to update their skills and knowledge. Fair recruitment and selection of staff enables you to be sure that you are appointing the best candidate. It involves not only an understanding of the relevant employment law and of university policy, but also well-developed skills in identifying selection criteria and in interviewing. This course aims to equip you to comply with the University's code of practice on equal opportunities in appointments by providing information and skills practice in the following areas: ---the legislative framework and university policy; ---designing the job and identifying selection criteria; ---advertising and short-listing; ---interview techniques. The course will comprise inputs from the tutor, individual and small group work, discussion, and interview practice using volunteers. Participants will be expected to undertake some preparation work between the two sessions. General Programme SECRETARIAL/CLERICAL COURSES: MODULES 1 TO 5 These new modules are the first five of a modular programme of half-day courses for clerical/secretarial staff designed to meet anticipated training needs arising from the introduction of the clerical/library appraisal scheme. In time some twenty to twenty-five competency-based modules will be available which will provide training opportunities for all clerical staff, from junior secretaries to senior clerical staff with supervisory responsibilities. All the modules will involve discussions in small and large groups as well as input from the tutor. There will be the opportunity to practise some skills. Participants may be asked to undertake some pre-course activities and training videos will be used to reinforce points or to illustrate case studies. Module 1. Typist to Secretary---Working in the Team Friday, 25 February, 9.30 a.m.--1 p.m. Suggested staff groups: this session is intended to provide some essential skills for junior secretarial/clerical staff who are relatively new to this role and/or for those wishing to refresh their existing skills. This course will provide guidance on `bridging the gap' between responding to work given and anticipating what needs to be done. The course is intended to help you to: ---understand the differences between the role of a typist and the role of a secretary required to work as part of a team ---identify the roles and skills needed to do the job effectively; ---know what information you need and where to get it to enable use of initiative; ---produce all work at a high quality; ---recognise the vital responsibility of `attention to detail'. Module 2. Effective Communication: Face-to-Face and on the Telephone Thursday, 3 March, 9.30 a.m.--1 p.m. Suggested staff groups: this session is intended for secretarial/clerical staff who wish to improve their ability to communicate effectively both face-to-face and on the telephone. This course will enable participants to look at the general communication skills required at work but in particular to realise the importance of creating an efficient, friendly and professional first impression both face-to-face and on the telephone. The course is intended to help you to: ---be aware of the principles of effective communication; ---understand the barriers and pitfalls to be avoided; ---become more effective on the telephone and face-to-face; ---recognise the important contribution of your role toward the public image of the University. Module 3. Understanding the Role of Middle Managers Friday, 4 March, 9.30 a.m.--1 p.m. Suggested staff groups: this session is intended for secretaries who work at middle management level. This course will encourage participants to identify and put into action some management processes. The secretary's job will be analysed to see how it complements and affects the action of managers. The course is intended to help you to: ---understand what management is, what managers do, and the part that secretaries play in helping managers achieve results; ---become more confident in your role and ensure a more effective partnership of manager and secretary. Module 4. Understanding the Role of Senior Managers Thursday, 10 March, 9.30 a.m.--1 p.m. Suggested staff groups: this session is intended for secretaries who work at senior management level. This course will enable participants to analyse the purpose and function of senior management and the responsibilities and scope of the secretary working at a high level. The course is intended to help you: ---understand the purpose and functions of senior management; ---clarify your responsibilities as a senior secretary and recognise the scope for enhancing your role; ---understand the importance of accepting total responsibility for tasks delegated to you. Module 5. Senior Secretary---Building and Leading a Team Friday, 11 March, 9.30 a.m.--1 p.m. Suggested staff groups: this session is intended for senior secretaries who are responsible for supervising junior staff. This course will enable participants to analyse and put into practice, through team exercises, basic leadership skills. The course is intended to help you to: ---lead and manage a team confidently; ---recognise the problems of leading and know how to deal with them; ---build a team and develop individuals; ---understand the responsibility of leading staff as well as coping with your own job. Leading a Research Team Friday, 25 February, 9.30 a.m.--5 p.m. Suggested staff groups: this one-day course is intended for senior academic-related research staff who have some responsibility both for managing members of a team and research budgets. Participants will have the opportunity to review their approach to leading their staff through a greater understanding of their leadership actions, their personal leadership style and the actions required to obtain higher performance from their staff. Topics addressed will include: ---action-centred leadership; ---leadership styles; ---achieving results through people; ---team dynamics; ---communication; ---interviewing; ---self management. Discipline at Work Tuesday, 22 March, 9.30 a.m.--5 p.m. Suggested staff groups: this course is intended for academic- related and non-academic staff who have direct supervisory responsibilities such as research group leaders, heads of workshops, library and computing staff. (See Administrators' Programme for the course intended for administrative staff.) This course will provide guidance on the procedures to be followed when the performance of a member of staff is below standard or when behaviour is creating a problem. It may not always be appropriate for formal disciplinary action to be taken and the course will clarify the role of counselling and advice. In particular the course will cover the following: ---the university disciplinary proedures; ---the legislative framework, including the implications of equal opportunities legislation; ---unfair dismissal; ---constructive dismissal. The course will comprise presentations as well as individual and small group work, and a key feature will be role plays to practise disciplinary interviews. Time Management Friday, 18 February, 9.30 a.m.--1 p.m. Suggested staff groups: any academic-related or non-academic staff. The purpose of these workshops is to provide an opportunity for you to: ---analyse your current time usage; ---identify more clearly your main areas of time wastage; ---consider a systematic approach in terms of paperwork and priorities by which more effective use may be made of your time at work; ---identify time saving behaviour which suits both your personality and work culture; ---consider the benefits and difficulties arising from delegation . The course will comprise inputs from the tutor, individual work, and group discussions. Preparing and Making a Presentation (two half-days course) Monday, 28 February, 2--5.30 p.m., and Tuesday, 1 March, 9 a.m.-- 1 p.m. Suggested staff groups: this course is appropriate for any academic-related and non-academic staff who may occasionally have to make a presentation. It is not suitable for those who already have considerable experience of making presentations. This course will provide guidance on preparing and making a presentation and the use of audio-visual aids. The course runs for an afternoon and the following morning; participants will be expected to undertake some preparation work between the two sessions. There will be discussions in small groups as well as input from the tutor and a video training package is used to reinforce the points made. During the morning each participant is asked to make a brief presentation. Please note that participants are not videotaped whilst giving their presentations. Making a Presentation: Video Practice Friday, 4 March, 2--5.30 p.m. Suggested staff groups: any staff who have previously participated in one of the Preparing and Making a Presentation training sessions. This session provides an opportunity for staff who have previously had some training and would like to benefit from further practice involving the use of video to analyse their techniques. The number of participants will be limited to ensure that there is adequate time for the presentations and guidance from the tutor. Assertiveness (non-academic) Tuesday, 8 March, 9.30 a.m.--1 p.m. Suggested staff groups: any non-academic staff. (A session for academic-related staff will be provided during Trinity Term.) This course is intended to help you to: ---appreciate the difference between assertive, aggressive, and passive behaviour; ---recognise the types of situations where it would be appropriate to act assertively; ---give and receive criticism. There will be input from the course tutor as well as discussion in small and large groups, with opportunity for participants to discuss how to handle particular problems. Rapid Reading Tuesday, 18 January, 9.30 a.m.--5 p.m. Thursday 10 March, 9.30 a.m.--5 p.m. Suggested staff groups: any academic-related or non-academic staff. This course aims to improve personal skills for the more effective handling of reading material and the retention of selected information. It is intended for anyone who has large amounts of literature to deal with, papers, books, memos, documents and technical reports, and who would like to get more out of what they read by reading faster and understanding more. The course will cover the theoretical principles of rapid reading and their application to everyday problems. The course is conducted using techniques and exercises that will improve concentration, maximise existing skills and intensify memory. Understanding Stress Non-academic staff: Tuesday, 8 February, 2--5.30 p.m. Academic-related staff: Thursday, 10 March, 2--5.30 p.m. Suggested staff groups: any academic-related or non-academic staff (please note dates for different staff groups). This introductory course aims to help participants identify the signs, symptoms, and sources of stress in their working lives. It will develop an understanding of the stress concept, as an adaptive response by the body to change in the environment, and provide an opportunity to learn about the biology of the stress response in order to understand and appreciate how to recognise the signs and symptoms of stress. The changes that take place in the body under stress are explained and their effect on behaviour is outlined. The mental and physical signs of stress are identified and the ways in which stress can lead to ill- health and poor performance are described. Course members will be encouraged to review their own situation and to develop their own ways of managing stress. Staff Appraisal---Training for Appraisers Monday, 14 March, 9.30 a.m.--1 p.m. Suggested staff groups: this course is intended for any appraisers of academic-related staff. This course is intended to assist appraisers by clarifying the nature of the appraisal scheme at Oxford and providing guidance on how to ensure that the appraisal process is effective. There will be input from the course tutors as well as discussions which will be based on the experience of those attending. Participants will also be able to take part in brief role plays to practice appraisal interviewing skills. The Manual Handling Operations Regulations (1992) Wednesday, 16 March, 9 a.m.--12.30 p.m., repeated 1--4.30 p.m. Suggested staff groups: this course is intended for departmental assessors appointed under the new regulations and the University guidance note. This half-day course aims to provide sufficient information to assessors on the requirements of the Regulations and on lifting and handling techniques. The course includes a discussion on the incidence of manual handling injuries and the methodology of risk assessment. The ergonomic approach to lifting and handling is stressed. Practical skills will be demonstrated, taught, and reviewed. Organised jointly with the University Safety Office and the University Occupational Health Service. Delivering a Quality Service: Caring for the Library Customer Tuesday, 22 February, 9.30 a.m.--5 p.m. Suggested staff groups: this seminar is specifically intended for library staff who work some or all the time with library users. The course sets out to enable participants to explore what customer care is and how each member of staff can contribute to providing a high quality service which meets the expectations of customers. The term `customer' is defined broadly. It is assumed that all library staff have customers, whether they are library users, academic and other university staff, contacts with other individuals and organizations, or the library staff they manage or supervise. The main emphasis on the course will be on the library user as customer. In particular the course will cover: ---what customer care is and why it is important; ---skills required for face-to-face and telephone communication with customers; ---handling difficult situations which can occur with customers. The course will be highly participative and will draw on the experience of the participants. There will be opportunities to learn from discussion, exercises designed to enable key skills to be practised, and individual and group work. `An Electronic Carriage or a Horseless Book' Friday, 11 February, 11.15 a.m.--12.45 p.m. Suggested staff groups: this seminar is specifically aimed at library staff but may also be of interest to other staff. The seminar to be given by Mr Norman Desmarais, Acquisitions Librarian from Providence College, Rhode Island, USA, will consider the move from print to electronic publishing and the effect this is having on libraries. Mr Desmarais is the author of books on new media, particularly CD-Rom, and is a frequent speaker on this topic. Time for questions will be available. Organised by the Libraries Board Training Co-ordinating Committee. Further details may be obtained from Ms E.A. Chapman, Librarian, Institute of Economics and Statistics (telephone: (2)y1071, e-mail: libies). INDUCTION PROGRAMME The induction courses are intended for new members of staff who have been employed at the University for less than one year. Existing employees who are interested would be welcome provided that there are places available, although it should be recognised that much of the information will be intended for staff with little or no knowledge of the University. Unless otherwise stated the sessions may be attended by non-academic and academic- related staff. History of the University Friday, 11 February, 9--10.30 a.m. The seminar begins with a resume of the history of the City of Oxford from earliest times, and of the development of the University. Information about the University highlights some of its special characteristics: its size and structure compared with Cambridge and other universities. Central Administration: The Structure and Operation of the University Wednesday, 9 February, 9--10.30 a.m. The seminar opens with a description of the management structure of the University and explains the respective roles of Congregation, Council, General Board; the Vice-Chancellor and the Chairman of the General Board; and the roles of some of the central committees. The function of the central administration is then discussed and examples are given of the services which it provides to departments. Finally, the respective roles of the University and the colleges are discussed. Libraries I: Libraries in the University Monday, 7 February, 2.15--4.15 p.m. This session begins with brief talks about the different types of library in the University and their various functions e.g. research libraries, and faculty, departmental, and college libraries. The talks are followed by a tour of the Bodleian Library which includes the reading rooms, bookstacks and the underground book conveyor. Libraries II: Accessing Library Information in the University Thursday, 10 February, 2--4 p.m. The course will show you how to access information from different libraries in the University (e.g. admissions procedures, opening hours) using OLIS, the Oxford Library Information System or the University's Info system. Other types of library information, such as BIDS (Bath Information Data Service), BARD (Bodleian Access to Remote Databases), and the CD-Rom networks in Oxford will also be described. This session should be particularly useful to those involved in research and will also be of interest to library staff in non-OLIS libraries. OLIS librarians are advised also to attend the course `Introduction to OLIS' run by the Libraries Automation Service. Computing Services Tuesday, 1 February, 2--3.30 p.m. The objective of this session is to provide an introduction to the facilities available at Oxford University Computing Services. In particular the session will describe the training courses available, explain how to find advice on almost all aspects of computing and clarify what items of hardware/software can be purchased from the shop. The session will begin with a brief talk and a demonstration of the information server and electronic mail followed by a tour of Computing Services at Banbury Road. Employment Matters Friday, 18 February, 9.15--11 a.m. The objective of this seminar is to provide a general explanation of the main terms and conditions of employment for non-academic and academic-related staff, referring in particular to the contract of employment and the handbooks for the two staff groups. Other topics will include arrangements for staff representation, the main employment policies of the University and an explanation of the payslip. The Joint Secretaries/Liaison Officers of the Joint Committees with employee representatives--- including representatives of recognised trade unions---will participate in this session. Staff attending this seminar are requested to bring with them their copy of the handbook for their staff group. Health and Safety Tuesday, 8 February, 2--3.30 p.m. This seminar gives an introduction to safety legislation, summarising its history and development and describing the duties of employers and employees. A practical approach is taken. The role of the University Occupational Health Service is also described. The University policy on Health and Safety is explained and the function of trade union safety representatives is discussed. A safety representative from an appropriate, recognised trade union normally participates in the session. There is ample time allowed for questions and discussion. Appraisal: Briefing for Academic-Related Appraisees Friday, 4 February, 11.30 a.m.--1 p.m. This seminar will explain the background to the introduction of appraisal and will describe the operation of the appraisal scheme for academic-related staff at Oxford. The detailed differences between the schemes run in various departments will be discussed and there will be opportunity for questions. The seminar is intended for appraisees rather than appraisers. It should also be noted that the session provides information on the operation of appraisal and does not provide training to prepare for the appraisal discussion.