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No 3, April 2024, Spotlights: ASCR Social Events in Term 2; ASCR URL
Wine Tasting
Around 100 members enjoyed the informative wine tasting that took place on 6th March. Lucie (ASCR member) and Richard (Ellis Wines) introduced the wines and presented the quiz. Collette, the bar manager, will aim to stock the two most popular wines at the bar. They were Fuenteverde Garnacha from Spain and Douro Valley Vega Tinto from Portugal. There was a wine-related quiz and the winning team members were Georgina, Isabel, Mark, Moy, Sam, and Sudax. They consumed the prize of Hotel Chocolat chocolates with gusto!
Coffee Morning
This term’s coffee morning took place on 9th January and the afternoon tea on 6th February. As with all ASCR events, they are a great way to meet and talk to people from other departments in a convivial atmosphere. At the coffee mornings there is usually a selection of pastries and Portugese tarts, with fruit and yoghurt in summer and porridge in winter. At the afternoon teas there are sandwiches and cakes with vegan and gluten-free options.
Housman Talks
The first Housman Talk in Term 2 was presented by Kim Selvaggi, a former Conservator-in-Residence (2020-22) and Emeritus Scientist-in-Residence (2022-23) at the Slade, pursuing a career in the practice of arts and heritage conservation with a special interest in dyes, paints, and pigments. The talk focussed on the process of cultivating dyes from plants, and the various ways they can be used in art.
The second talk was by Andy Leak from the department of French. He spoke about the writer Georges Perec who embarked on a writing project that would oblige him to be physically present in a certain place in Paris -- one of twelve places actually -- in every month for the next twelve years. The project was called simply ‘Places’ (Lieux).
The attendees at both talks were from many different departments and as with all the Housman Talks, people are really interested to hear what their colleagues at UCL are doing.
The Slade Pigment Farm Writing the City
2023 to 2024 Events to come (Invitations will be sent out a week before each event)
Term 3
24 Apr: Housman Talk, 17.30 George Grimble, Fad Diets - Sad, Mad or Bad?
30 Apr: Coffee Morning, 10.15-11.30
15 May: Housman Talk, 17.30 Roger Beeson, UCL Chamber Music Club, Beyond the Planets - Gustav Holst, UCL and Sanskrit
29 May: Afternoon Tea, 16.00-17.30
5 Jun: Housman Talk, 17.30, Oliver Curran
3 Jul: Summer event (strawberries, cream & Pimm's), 17.30
Bar food menu & drinks
A new menu cycle will be available early in the summer term. The weekly menus will include the soup of the day and dishes that have non gluten containing items (NGCI) will be identifiable. Gluten free and vegan sandwiches are also available. Gluten free lager is also available.
Members of the ASCR Committee have had many discussions with the catering company regarding various items, for example, to request more green side dishes; the return of a traditional English meal on Wednesdays (eg. roast meal, sausage and mash); to have brown rolls as well as white; to increase the amount of breaded fish on Fridays; the introduction of meal deals, starting Monday 22nd April. The Committee also asked the catering company to investigate the ongoing problem of slow-operating tills and payment machines during busy lunchtimes.
A new cooler has been installed in the cellar where the ale barrels are kept, and the temperature of the room is now at a constant 11/12 degrees centigrade.
ASCR Committee
The ASCR is managed by a committee of fifteen current and five retired staff and includes a Chair, an Honorary Secretary, and an Honorary Treasurer. It usually meets seven times a year and discusses the management and organisation of facilities, services and activities for the benefit of members. The ASCR provides an attractive space in a central location for staff at all levels and from all departments to meet, converse, discuss and socialise with facilities for eating and drinking. The Housman Room also provides very congenial surroundings for display of large scale paintings from the College collection.
It is the view of the Committee and other ASCR members that UCL should be encouraged to redevelop the Kathleen Lonsdale/Slade courtyard. The yard has the potential to be covered and turned into a space similar to the Wilkins Terrace that could be accessed from the dining area of the Housman Room and other buildings surrounding the yard.
The Committee aims to organise a refurbishment of the Housman Room every nine years or so. The next one is due in 2027.
Back in time: some photos of the room from 2008:
ASCR URL: www.ucl.ac.uk/staff-common-room
Since January 2012 membership of the common room has been open to all UCL staff, regardless of role or grade. In 2019 it was agreed by members at the AGM that the official name become “ASCR” as this is how it was most well-known. The word “academic” has not been part of the name since then. Last term colleagues in the UCL website team completed the change to the new URL.