Crowdsourcing a new UK Constitution

Should the UK have a monarch, abolish the House of Lords, or repeal the Human Rights Act? Help to write a new UK Constitution.

#AsktheDirector is back

LSE Director, Professor Craig Calhoun, will be taking questions live on Twitter on Monday 14 October. Ask him a question in advance using the #AsktheDirector hashtag.

Bethan Ovens

Bethan, International Student Immigration Adviser, once had to dress up as Santa and sing the '12 Days of Christmas' to 3,000 Chinese students at a university Christmas show.

 Research

 LSE in pictures

 Events

 Training and jobs

Once again I would like to say a big thank you to those of you who completed the Staff News survey earlier in the year. You still enjoy reading the newsletter, which is great, but there were also some suggestions on how we could make it better.

So, over the summer we have made a couple of improvements. The newsletter now has a link to the Student News archive (which can be found at the very top of the page) so that you can see what the students are reading each week. I have also added clickable links to each of the sections within Staff News (found just above this message) so that you can quickly jump down to your favourite section rather than having to scroll through the whole newsletter.

I hope you like the improvements and please do continue to send me your news and achievements - the newsletter is only as good as the information you send me!

Don't forget we are always looking for members of staff to take part in our '60 second interview' slot, so if you would like to nominate a colleague or even put yourself forward, email me at n.gallivan@lse.ac.uk.

Best wishes,

LSE will host the next LSE Asia Forum in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia, in April 2014. This is the sixth LSE Asia Forum and the first time it has been held in Malaysia.

The School will also celebrate the graduation of LSE students from Asia during the event with its first graduation ceremony to be held in the country.

The Asia Forum, which will take the theme ‘Building Asian Futures: integration, welfare and growth?’, was announced by LSE Director Professor Craig Calhoun, during a visit to the country's capital.

Professor Craig Calhoun, Director of LSE, said: "LSE has a longstanding relationship with Malaysia so it is with great pleasure that I can announce that it will be the venue for the next LSE Asia Forum.

Professor Yellen is married to Nobel Prize winner George Akerlof, who is also a former LSE professor and Honorary Graduate, making them the first wife and husband team to hold Honorary Doctorates from the School.

Professor Michele Piccione, head of the Department of Economics at LSE, said: "While I did not have the pleasure of working with Professor Yellen when she was at LSE it is always pleasing to hear when colleagues go on to great things and I offer my congratulations to Professor Yellen on her nomination. We were delighted when she accepted our invitation to become an Honorary Doctorate of the School and I look forward to welcoming her to LSE for the conferment of this prestigious award next year."

Crowdsourcing a new UK Constitution

LSE took the first step towards drafting a proposed new UK Constitution this week with the help of several hundred people who attended a highly successful launch in the Sheikh Zayed Theatre.

Director of the Institute of Public Affairs, Professor Conor Gearty, chaired the event on Tuesday 8 October, mining the audience for feedback on what values should underpin a new constitution and whether we in fact need one.

The vote at the end of the night was a dead heat: 41 per cent both in favour and against, with the remaining undecided.

A panel of legal and political experts, including former Home Secretary David Blunkett, well-known barrister Richard Gordon, LSE Emeritus Professor of Law, Carol Harlow, and political philosopher Dr Lea Ypi addressed the crowd and also took questions from the audience.

The launch marks the start of a two-year project to seek input from ordinary English, Scottish, Welsh and Northern Irish residents on how their country should be governed.

In a special edition podcast on the LSE Review of Books, Stuart Corbridge, Professor of International Development and Provost and Deputy Director at LSE, focuses on the books that have inspired him throughout his academic career: From the Marxist theory that shaped his undergraduate study, to the many books on India and development studies that have inspired his passion for these areas, and finally through to a very special history of The Beatles.

Do you have a question for the LSE Director? Professor Craig Calhoun (@craigjcalhoun) will be live on Twitter to answer your tweets from 4-5pm on Monday 14 October.

The management of the Peacock Theatre has moved from the External Relations Division to Facilities Management in the Estates Division with effect from Monday 7 October.

Changes to LSE's Health and Safety Policy

Council agreed a revised Health and Safety Policy at its meeting on Monday 16 September. The revised policy sets out changes to the governance and management structure for Health and Safety within the School, which include the Director delegating to Susan Scholefield, School Secretary, the role of Health and Safety Champion.

The policy clarifies the responsibilities for health and safety of everyone within the School, particularly senior managers and heads of academic departments.

You can read the revised policy on the Health and Safety website.
 

A new process for submitting proposals for academic and staff projects to the Annual Fund has been implemented for the 2013-14 academic year.

This follows consultations between the Director’s Management Team and the Annual Fund Allocations Advisory Group.

Design Exhibition: 7-18 October in the LSE Library
An exhibition of the five designs from the architects shortlisted for the new LSE Global Centre for Social Sciences (GCSS) will be on display in the main entrance of the LSE Library until Friday 18 October.

Please come and view them - the Library is open from 8am to midnight, seven days a week. The designs are also online at lse.ac.uk/gcsscompetition.

Have Your Say: vote online
Students and staff are invited to vote for their preferred design. Votes can be cast until Friday 18 October via lse.ac.uk/gcsscompetition. There are also two dedicated computers in the Library exhibition area.

Julian Robinson, LSE’s Director of Estates said: "This will be the School’s biggest ever building project and will transform the heart of our campus. Given its scale it will be a landmark building and its legacy will endure for many generations of LSE students so it is vital that we make the right decision."

LSE staff are invited to attend a presentation of the REF Impact Database on Thursday 17 October.

The REF Impact Database is a Research Division and External Relations Division project to gather impact data from around the School for analysis and reporting in support of the 2014 REF. The reports are highly visual and reveal LSE’s impact worldwide in terms of web usage, press mentions, and other measures.

The presentation will explain the project and reveal latest findings. As people’s availability is limited, two identical sessions have been scheduled running in the morning and afternoon:

• 10.30-11.30am - first session
• 4-5pm - second session

LSE Spectrum, the School’s lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender (LGBT) staff network, would like to invite members old and new to drinks at the George IV pub on Tuesday 22 October from 5.30pm.

Spectrum has some great events coming up around LGBT history month next term, including film screenings, quizzes and public events. Visit lse.ac.uk/spectrum for details, or check out Facebook and Twitter for updates.

Staff portrait dates

Nigel Stead, School photographer, will be holding two staff portrait photo sessions on Thursday 24 October and Tuesday 29 October. The sessions will be held in room G.19, Old Building, from 11am-1pm and 2-4pm.

New staff (or old staff who need to update their existing pictures) can turn up at any time in these time slots and there is no need to book. All pictures are in colour and in a digital format and will be supplied to each department/centre on a CD. Hard copy prints will not be provided. Pictures will be sent after post production, which can be up to two weeks after the shoot.

The cost is £15 per head charged to the department/centre and staff are asked to bring their budget codes with them on the day. For more information, contact Nigel Stead at n.stead@lse.ac.uk. Another session will be held towards the end of term.
 

Computer tip of the week

Get to your often used folders in just one click

Quite often, your files and folders can be found only after a lot of clicking. This tip will show you to create shortcuts to the folders you regularly use.

1. Click Start-Computer and navigate to the folder for which you wish to create a shortcut
2. When in this folder, right click on Favourites at the top of the drives menu in the left hand pane and click on Add current location to Favourites
3. The name of your current folder will appear at the bottom of the list
4. To get to a folder in the favourites list, click on the one you need

You can rename a folder in the Favourites list by right clicking on it and clicking on rename. Then, enter the new name and press return. You can remove a folder from this list from the same menu.

Skip fit lessons

Security officer and former boxer Daniel Beckley is running skip fit lessons for all staff and students at LSE. Build up your fitness, burn calories and increase your stamina, all within an hour.

The next lessons will take place from 1-2pm at the Badminton Court, Old Building, on Tuesday 15 October, Tuesday 29 October, and Tuesday 5 November.

Just turn up on any of these dates with your own skipping rope. All lessons are free.

For more information, email Daniel at d.beckley@lse.ac.uk.
 

Lunchtime meditation

On: Tuesdays (term time) from 12.10-12.45pm
On: Thursdays (term time) from 12.10-12.45pm (first meeting - Thursday 24 October)
At: LSE Chaplaincy, 20 Kingsway

Just breathing, just sitting, just being present - a place to pause during the week and be present to oneself. Meditation offers space to tune into a deeper, quieter part within us. Being more fully present to what is.

Meditation allows us to connect with our true intentions. With mindfulness we can learn to respond more creatively to our experience.

Chair Yoga - wellness at work

Working in an office at a computer for prolonged periods of time can lead to tension, stiffness, and stress throughout the body. Yoga stretches can be done at your desk anytime, and can help reduce strain that develops from sitting for long periods of time, typing, and staring at the computer screen.

In these sessions we will target neck, shoulders, wrists, hips, hamstrings and the lower back. The techniques will be easy to follow and will be practiced seated and standing. No yoga mat, special attire, or previous yoga experience is required.

Benefits:

• Reduced stress and muscle tension

• Clear your mind

• Relieve neck and back pain

The next session is Thursday 17 October from 12.45-1.30pm in room 2.04, Tower One. The sessions cost £7.50 plus £1.10 booking fee.

Book early to avoid disappointment, spaces are limited and sessions do sell out very quickly. For more information and to book your place, visit yogaforwellnesslse.eventbrite.co.uk.
 

The Grange hotel group is offering LSE staff a discount on bookings for office Christmas meals. An event at the Grange Holborn Hotel will cost £45 ex VAT per head (discounted from £60), and at the White Hall Hotel and the Grange Beauchamp Hotel the rate is £30 ex VAT per head (reduced from £36).

The packages include:

• Half a bottle of wine
• Three course festive meal
• Tea, coffee and mince pies
• Room hire
• Table decorations
• Christmas novelties
• Personalised menus
• Cloakroom and attendant
• Dedicated event manager

For bookings and enquiries, contact Amelia Doyle on 020 7630 2000 or email amelia.doyle@grangehotels.com.

Large room available to rent

A large room is available to rent on the top floor of a Victorian house, located in a picturesque private mews.

The room is bright, clean and well-furnished, with gas central heating, a double bed and broadband facilities. The tenant will share a bathroom (with shower) and a kitchen (with washing machine) with two other people.

The house is adjacent to shops, restaurants, cafes, a library and a theatre. Brixton tube station is a 12 minute bus ride and train stations for Victoria and the City are just a few minutes' walk. The house is 30/40 minutes door-to-door from LSE.

Are you a fitness fanatic? Would you like to be part of an event to raise money for a good cause?

Fist and Feather® will be hosting a three and half hour body combat marathon in aid of The Bethany Chiddle Fund on Sunday 27 October.

Bethany is five years old and was born with Quadriplegic Cerebral Palsy. Funds are needed so that she can have pioneering surgery on her spine in the USA. All profits from the marathon's ticket sales will go to The Bethany Chiddle Fund.

The latest picture of the Saw Swee Hock Student Centre shows construction workers using a mobile crane to install the canopy above the building’s main entrance.

For more images like this, visit the Photography Unit.

Monetary policy is less powerful in recessions

Changes to key interest rates by central banks have a significant impact on economic activity during periods when the economy is expanding. Unfortunately, they seem to have virtually no effect during recessions – the time when the stimulus of monetary policy is most needed.

These are the central findings of research by Professor Silvana Tenreyro and Gregory Thwaites, published by the new Centre for Macroeconomics at LSE.

The study focuses on the Fed Funds Rate, the main monetary policy instrument used by the US Federal Reserve and the counterpart of the Bank Rate set monthly by the Bank of England. The researchers explore the effect of changes in this ‘policy rate’ on US macroeconomic activity over a 40-year period - from 1969 until 2008. Whether central bank interventions of this kind can stimulate activity is a key issue for policy.

The analysis shows that nearly all of the effect of the policy rate on economic activity over the business cycle is attributable to changes made during good times - and it is particularly driven by the responsiveness to rate changes of business investment and consumer spending on durable goods. More
 

The United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF) and children’s charities need to rethink how digital technology and communications are affecting the rights of children around the world, according to a new report from LSE.

The report, A Global Agenda for Children’s Rights in the Digital Age: recommendations for developing UNICEF’s research strategy, by Professor Sonia Livingstone and Dr Monica Bulger of LSE, argues that UNICEF should adopt new research methods in order to get robust evidence on how children are using information and communication technology (ICT), and how this may affect their rights and wellbeing.

Meena Kotecha (pictured), a teacher in the departments of Management and Statistics at LSE, was invited to contribute to new research which looks into the changing environment of data statistics and how this can be better reflected in A-level classrooms across different subjects.

The report, entitled A World Full of Data Statistics: opportunities across A-level subjects, is the outcome of round-table discussions and research seminars organised by the Royal Statistical Society (RSS). It was launched on Wednesday 11 September at the Institute and Faculty of Actuaries.

Meena said: "I was delighted to be invited by the RSS to contribute to this research, as one of six subject advisors, on the role of statistics in A-level economics curriculum.

"I am passionate about enhancing undergraduates’ learning experience, which can be achieved by exploring and optimising the enormous potential of A-level courses to equip students with basic statistical concepts. I would argue that this would better prepare students to tackle statistical challenges in higher education degree programmes.

Top downloads on LSE Research Online for September

Most downloaded peer-reviewed articles in LSE Research Online in September:

1. Livingstone, Sonia (2008) Taking risky opportunities in youthful content creation: teenagers' use of social networking sites for intimacy, privacy and self-expression. New media & society, 10 (3). pp. 393-411. ISSN 1461-4448 (901 downloads).

2. Lever, Annabelle (2010) Compulsory voting: a critical perspective. British journal of political science, 40 (4). pp. 875-895. ISSN 1469-2112 (559 downloads).

3. Coyle-Shapiro, Jacqueline A-M. and Shore, Lynn M (2007) The employee-organization relationship: where do we go from here? Human resource management review, 17 (2). pp. 166-179. ISSN 1053-4822 (515 downloads).

4. Beauregard, T. Alexandra and Henry, Lesley C. (2009) Making the link between work-life balance practices and organizational performance. Human resource management review, 19 . pp. 9-22. ISSN 1053-4822 (431 downloads).

5. Hook, Derek (2001) Discourse, knowledge, materiality, history: Foucault and discourse analysis. Theory & psychology, 11 (4). pp. 521-547. ISSN 0959-3543 (371 downloads).

On: Monday 14 October from 6.30-8pm in the Old Theatre, Old Building
Speaker: Sir Philip Craven (pictured)

President of the International Paralympic Committee (IPC) Sir Philip Craven will discuss the challenge for the IPC to capitalise on the success of the Beijing 2008 and London 2012 Paralympic Games, and help build a society in which people with an impairment are fully integrated.

NEW EVENT - The UK in the EU Single Market: what next? Opportunities and challenges

On: Thursday 17 October at 2pm in the Sheikh Zayed Theatre, New Academic Building
Speaker: Michel Barnier (pictured), European Commissioner responsible for the internal market and services

The single market or "common market" as more frequently referred to in the UK is probably the one bit of the European Union most British politicians seem to agree is a good thing.

The UK government's own estimates are that the single market benefits the UK between £31 billion and £92 billion per year, i.e. £1,300 and £3,500 for each UK household per year. Three and a half million UK jobs are linked to the single market, one in every 10. British politicians and businesses call regularly for a deeper single market. But what exactly makes up the "single"/"common"/"internal market"?

Other forthcoming events include....

Can the European Union Reconnect with Its Citizens?
On: Monday 14 October at 6.30pm in the New Theatre, East Building
Speaker: Gavin Hewitt (pictured), BBC’s Europe editor.

On: Friday 11 October from 6-7.30pm in the Wolfson Theatre, New Academic Building
Speaker: Professor Lawrence R Douglas, James J Grosfeld Professor of Law, Jurisprudence and Social Thought at Amherst College, USA.

The trial of Abd al-Nashiri, the senior al Qaeda lieutenant alleged to have masterminded the bombing of the USS Cole in 2000, before a military commission in Guantanamo Bay represents the most significant criminal case to come before a military court since leading Nazi functionaries stood trial in occupied Germany.

This lecture will consider the extraordinary legal challenges that the trial poses. Can a tribunal originally born of an impatient contempt for due process now prove itself a legitimate institution of American law?

The New Middle East: the world after the Arab Spring

On: Wednesday 16 October from 6.30-8pm in the Sheikh Zayed Theatre, New Academic Building
Speaker: Paul Danahar (pictured), BBC Bureau Chief.

In this event, Paul Danahar will discuss his timely and important book, offering a fascinating and illuminating analysis of the new order in the Middle East following the Arab Spring and explaining what it will mean both for the region and the West.

With access to many of the key players including Bashar al-Assad, Muammar Gaddafi, Shimon Peres, leadership figures in the Muslim Brotherhood and senior officials in the UN and US and with vivid, on-the-ground storytelling, Paul Danahar provides an unparalleled account of recent events.

This event is free and open to all on a first come, first served basis For more information, email Sara Masry at s.masry@lse.ac.uk. More
 

Podcasts of public lectures and events

The Undercover Economist Strikes Back
Speaker: Tim Harford
Recorded: Tuesday 1 October, approx 66 minutes

What Has The European Convention on Human Rights Ever Done For Us?
Speakers: Martin Howe, Professor Philip Leach, Caroline Lucas MP, Emily Thornberry MP, and Professor Alan Sked
Recorded: Tuesday 1 October, approx 89 minutes

Courses scheduled for next week include:

• Moodle Basics Training
• Excel 2010: formulas and common functions
• Effective Writing Skills

Below are some of the vacancies currently being advertised to internal candidates only, as well as those being advertised externally.

• Assistant Professor in Accounting, Accounting
• Assistant Professor in Operations Management, Management
• Assistant Professorship in Economics, Economics
• Assistant Professorships in Sociology, Sociology
• David Davies of Llandinam Research Fellowship in International Relations, International Relations
• Grant Applications Manager, Research Division
• Head of Press and Information, External Relations Division
• Helpdesk Technician (Maternity Cover), Estates Division
• LLM (Masters in Law) Administrator, Law
• Department Manager (Maternity Cover), Law
• Marketing Coordinator, Academic Registrar's Division
• PA to the Pro-Director for Research/PA to the Pro-Director for Teaching and Learning, PCPD: Directorate and Support Team
• Policy Analyst and Research Advisor, Grantham Research Institute
• Research Officer (Environmental, Climate or Energy Economics), Grantham Research Institute
• Research Officer (Quantitative Social Research), Sociology