Student desk allocation policy
Informatics policy on student desk allocation.
Informatics PGR Desk Facilities
The Informatics Graduate School is responsible for the management of PGR desk facilities within the Informatics Forum and dedicated spaces within the Bayes Centre. Demand for space in both these buildings is extremely high and the IGS implement the PGR Desk Management Policy to ensure that desk resources are fairly and effectively managed.
Please show respect, understanding and patience when contacting the IGS team about PGR office and desk arrangements; managing this aspect of the Informatics estate within the current restraints is a challenging and complex situation.
PGR shared office allocation policy (students who commenced studies on or after 01 Sept 2020)
All new PGR students who commenced their studies on or after 01 Sept 2020 will be allocated PGR work space facilities on a shared provision basis. Students will be allocated to a specific PGR office, at a ratio of approx. 1.5 students per available desk.
Key Points
- Only PGR students registered on an Informatics PGR programme, with a principal supervisor employed within the School of Informatics, are entitled to use the shared PGR desks and offices in the Forum, Bayes Centre and Wilkie Building. Exceptions must be requested and approved by the Director of IGS.
- All students are expected to abide by the PGR Office Etiquette Charter.
- Students who are using PGR desks and offices on a shared basis have a choice of computing equipment, either a laptop or a desk top computer (the latter must be taken home).
- If an office key needs to be issued, a £20 deposit needs to be paid; deposits are returned when the key is given back to IGS on departure.
- Offices must be kept clean, tidy and organised at all times so as not to negatively impact on neighbouring / sharing colleagues. IGS will take restorative action in cases of concern or complaint.
- Personal belongings must be taken home or stored, they are are not to be left on shared desks overnight (or longer). Any personal items left on shared will be removed. Where there is evidence that a student has unofficially taken possession of a shared desk, for example, by leaving personal belongings on it to deterring others from using said desk, the belongings will be removed and the behaviour addressed by the IGS.
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PGR students whose work is lab-based should primarily use PGR desk space in the relevant laboratory.
- PGR shared space allocation is for the period of the prescribed period of study plus a maximum of 12 months for the write up period, or until thesis submission (whichever is sooner).
- IGS will communicate entitlement end dates by email to individual PGRs and their supervisors. PGRs must remove all belongings from any storage spaces/offices by their entitlement deadline, or within one week of thesis submission, whichever is sooner. Failure to remove belongings by the required exit date will result in removal and disposal of those belongings, by the IGS.
- Only the IGS has authority to permit office moves. PGR supervisors / research staff are not permitted to authorise PGR desk allocations, relocations or swaps.
Due to the demand on Informatics space, the IGS will only be able to provide a dedicated desk to students who meet one of the following criteria:
- They have an SDS adjustment schedule or formal occupational health report, which specifically states a certain learning environment or workstation set up/equipment is required.
- Need to house significant, specialist research equipment. In this instance, such requests (by either supervisors or students) must be submitted to the IGS in advance of the purchase of the equipment (by Computing Support) as approval of desk issue is required by the Director of IGS.
Policy Approved by: IGS Management Committee (February 2020), Strategy Committee (June 2020)
Policy effective from: September 2020
PGR desk allocation policy (students who commenced studies before 01 Sept 2020)
The IGS PGR Desk Management Policy is available in the document below. All supervisors and PGRs (who commenced their studies before Sept 2020) should familiarise themselves with the details of the full policy.
Key points
- Only PGR students registered on an Informatics PGR programme, with a principal supervisor from the School of Informatics, are entitled to use PGR desks and offices in the Forum, Bayes Centre and Wilkie Building.
- Informatics PGRs are required to pay a £20 deposit for their office key. Deposits are returned when the key is given back to IGS on departure.
- PGR students on joint PhD programmes, where the UoE is not the lead University, are not entitled to a dedicated desk in the Forum, Bayes Centre or Wilkie Building. These students should contact their host University for advice on work space provision that they provide their students.
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PGR students whose work is lab-based should primarily use PGR desk space in the relevant laboratory.
- PGR space allocation is for the period of the prescribed period of study plus a maximum of 12 months for the write up period, or until thesis submission (whichever is sooner).
- Informatics PGRs who have a specific desk allocation must remain at their allocated desk and only the IGS has authority to permit desk moves. PGR supervisors / research staff are not permitted to authorise PGR desk allocations, relocations or swaps.
- IGS will communicate entitlement end dates by email to individual PGRs and their supervisors. PGRs must remove all belongings by their entitlement deadline, or within one week of thesis submission, whichever is sooner. Failure to remove belongings by the exit date will result in removal of those belongings by the IGS.
- Desks and offices must be kept clean, tidy and organised at all times so as not to negatively impact on neighbouring / sharing colleagues. IGS will take restorative action in cases of concern or complaint.
Policy Approved by: IGS Management Committee (December 2018), Strategy Committee (Sept 2019)
Policy effective from: January 2019
Hot-desking areas
PGRs who are not entitled to, or who are no longer entitled to, PGR desk space may make use the School's hot-desk facilities in the visitors areas of the Forum.
Visiting PGR students are not entitled to a PGR desk but are invited to use the School's hot-desk facilities in the visitors areas of the Forum. Alternatively, visiting PGR students can make a request to the relevant research / level office and ask to be allocated a staff desk (if any are available).
Enquiries / Issues
Students with any desk or office enquiries, or who wish to request a room move, must contact the Graduate School to discuss this further.
Issues relating to the furniture or the room should be reported to the Graduate School Office in the first instance (issues with the building / infrastructure should be reported to Facilities).
Any computing related problems should be reported directly to the Computing Support team.