Message from the Chair

Welcome to the first UPMG newsletter.

I hope you will find it both interesting and

informative.

I am sure that, like me, you love the changing technology available today with all the challenges that it brings. This year in my university we are looking at developing software solutions to increase the value to the university of our equipment and service, for us this includes increasing scanning, developing job ticketing and looking how we can maximise savings following a recent print audit. These topics were covered in many of the seminars from last year’s conference and were really interesting. They have helped me to understand the benefits and pitfalls that can

happen when you introduce new services. I find that the expertise from other members is such a bonus when undertaking projects like this.

The autumn term is always a busy one in university life, and this year I know there has been a lot of extra pressure on us all, as budgets within the institutions come under increasing scrutiny. Universities and the future funding plans are on the news almost every night, reminding us of the challenges ahead. The email list has been full of questions and answers, and I know that there is always extra support between members off the list which is fantastic. If you have never asked or answered a question I would encourage you to join in some of the debates, your contribution really would be appreciated and remember there is no such thing as a silly question!!

The executive met earlier this term and planning is well underway for our Darlington Conference ‘Rising to the Challenge’ in June this year, and we expect to have a packed programme once again. Further details on the programme will be sent early in the new year. If you haven’t yet booked your place I would encourage you to do so. The 3 days will prove to be invaluable and enjoyable and if you haven’t yet attended a UPMG conference make Darlington 2010 your first.

As I finish writing these few words it is snowing right across the country so it feels like Christmas is here already. I’m not a fan of snow unless it’s really deep, and until the last couple of years I have not known much snow here in Cardiff, the Welsh people are far more used to rain.

I would like to thank Nigel Phillips from Exeter for driving forward the first UPMG newsletter and Martin Parker for utilising his excellent design skills in order to bring this Newsletter to life.Together with everyone who contributed. I am sure that Nigel would be grateful for contributions for future issues.

And I wish you all a Merry Christmas and a Happy and Prosperous 2011, and hope to see you all soon.

Kind regards,

Rebecca Hanlon

U P M Gu n i v e r s i t y p r i n t m a n a g e r s g r o u p

2 0 1 0c o n f e r e n c e

UPMG NEWSLETTER EDITION 1 DECEMBER 2010

Who’s Who in the UPMG?

If you are new to the UPMG you might not know who is who within the group? So I have put together a quick guide of the current executive. The posts are elected for two or three years by the members, with the exception the Scottish Chairman which is a permanent position. Please note I have only listed positions held within the last 10 years.

Existing Executive Committee Members:

Rebecca Hanlon – UWIC – Chair 2009 – has also served as executive member since 2004 and as Secretary and Deputy Chair.

Bruce Wigley – De Montfort – Deputy Chair – has also served as executive member since 2005 and Chair2008.

Francis Reis – Plymouth – Treasurer – Francis has also served as Chair 2002 – 2007 and executive member for over 10 years, and NWP representative.

Simon Hampton-Matthews – UWE (University of the West of England) – Simon has also served as an executive member since 2008.

Paul Bishop – Sheffield Hallam – Trustee – Paul has also served as executive member since 2007.

Andrew Scott – Scottish UPMG chairman (Permanent position) – Glasgow Caledonian – for over 10 years.

Sarah Gibbons – Goldsmiths – Executive member recently since 2005 – and has also previously been a co-opted member on the executive and served as secretary.

Janine Barraclough – Sheffield – Executive member since 2005.

Carol Aleknavicius – Bristol – Executive member since 2009.

New Executive Committee Members:

Peter Davey – Glamorgan – Executive member (new for 2010).

Chris Ward – Cranfield – Executive member (new for 2010).

Martin Parker – Robert Gordon University (new for 2010).

Our administrator and conference organiser since 2005 is Roy Stares. Roy was the Print Manager at Luton University until his retirement, and also held positions within the UPMG including Treasurer and Trustee over a number of years.

We encourage all members

to consider being on the

executive for a time, here

are some other members

who have helped in the last

few years, some now retired

or moved to pastures new

but all fondly remembered!!

Steve Redding,

Stuart McDonough,

Glenys Morley,

Margaret Angell,

Nigel Phillips,

Keith White,

Stephen Slinn,

John Healy,

Mick Stocks,

Paul Squires,

Carl Schofield,

Bob Russell,

Grant Powell,

Mike Brookes,

Therese Walker,

Denise Panattoni,

Brian Pickles.

Who has left and who has joined over 2010?

Members who have sadly left the UPMG:

Terry Marshall City College, Ipswich

Kris Bush and Stephen Redding Queen Mary, University of London

Ed Burke University College, Cork

Mark Millar University of Ulster

Jacqui Crane Anglia Ruskin

Patrick Quow School of Oriental and African Studies

Clive Morgan Glamorgan

Chris BarkerBurton College

May we take this opportunity to thank the above former members for all the support they have shown the UPMG over many years. They shall all be sadly missed, as they have been a great source of support and encouragement to us and the group wishes them all the very best for the future.

Sue Fry has written this tribute to Jacqui Crane.

“Jacqui worked for Anglia Ruskin University for 16 years; initially, as a Digital Copy Services Technician and later moving on to be manager on the Cambridge Campus.

Jacqui was a popular member of staff on the campus, who probably would have stayed with the university for many more years, had saving and restructure not hit the Digital Copy Services Department.

Firstly, the Cambridge unit was moved 3 miles off campus and then later the two managers’ jobs which covered the Chelmsford, Cambridge and regional campuses were made redundant. A new single post of Head of Department was created for which both managers were invited to apply for.

However, at this point Jacqui decided against applying, opting instead to take the redundancy package and early retirement.

Jacqui officially left the university on 1st August 2010 and is now enjoying time with her grandchildren.”

Welcome!

To the new members who have joined the UPMG over 2010 and these include:

Carl Calvert Nottingham Trent University

Gordon KeirUniversity of Dundee

Phil Rees-Jones & Pete Bishop University of Exeter

Gary IveUniversity of Surrey

Paul GlasseyUniversity of Salford

Steve ReddingSchool of Oriental and African Studies

Gary Ive University of Surrey

The below extract has been taken from Print Week and the full article can be found at:

http://www.printweek.com/indepth/Profi le/1042960/Profile-University-chalks-busiest-month-history-its-cutting-edge-printroom/

“September marked a major milestone for the University of Surrey, although, contrary to popular opinion, this landmark had nothing to do with the soaring profits at the union’s ‘Chancellors’ bar, where the return of thousands of thirsty undergraduates led to bumper sales of cut-price lager. Rather, the month in question was the busiest experienced by the university’s print department since its incarnation more than three decades ago.

No less than 2.5m pages were processed that month, a five-fold increase on the volumes printed there 10 years prior. Among the printroom’s output are newsletters, prospectuses, fliers, posters and business cards. This increased throughput is down in no small part to the role print manager Gary Ive has played in transforming the university’s print operation since his arrival in 1999. “There was no drive or ambition evident when I arrived,” adds Ive, who joined from a role at Xerox in facilities management. Ive does not take all the credit for the turnaround, though, which he attributes to having the right kit and a re-motivated team. “The university had a contract with Xerox but that simply wasn’t right for what we were producing. So I shopped around before approaching Danka with a view to developing our site.”

Phil Rees-JonesUniversity of Exeter (Assistant Director – Campus Services )Originally, from the Isle of Anglesey, North Wales, I now live in Torquay and have been employed by the University of Exeter since 2003.

From a background of managing a hotel group, my management remit now includes , Print and Copy Services, Campus Catering, Vending Services,

Event Catering, Delivered Catering, External Catering Contracts, Campus Retail Shops and the University’s Nursery provision.

Printing and copying forms an important part of the University’s business plan and I am currently working with Nigel Phillips (Print Services Manager) in order to develop a new staff and student print and copy service whilst also building on the business foundations laid by Nigel and his team in the development of digital print and copy.

The future is exciting for Printing and Copying at Exeter and I am looking forward to being a member of the UPMG group.

Pete BishopUniversity of Exeter(Desktop Systems Developer)

Punched cards, paper tape, line printers and running ‘archives’ on the night shift were all part of everyday life when I started here at Exeter University over 30 years ago as a lowly computer operator.

Via a somewhat circuitous route I came to be involved with a nascent student print service some dozen or so years ago, when it would seem that Exeter University’s decision to employ a secure release follow-me print service was ahead of the game at the time.

As student numbers and expectations have grown we’ve needed to expand provision and improve service levels accordingly, which has been somewhat trying over the past few years as, for internal reasons, we were tied to our ‘Palms’ printing system. A good product at the time but now well past its sell-by date.

Thankfully, we’re soon to be at the stage of employing a new print solution which will (all being well) achieve that holy grail of improved service for staff and students alike, save us money, and tick that carbon reduction box. In short, a ‘Managed Print System’, a term which we all know is rather ambiguous, as, after all, an inkjet printer attached to a PC at home still needs to be ‘managed’ to some extent . . . .

I’m looking forward to working with new colleagues, in a joined-up printing service, where my prime concern will be in ensuring that Exeter University students get the type of service that their fee levels merit!

Outside of work I enjoy cabinet-making (a University undergoing continuous refurbs is a great source of quality tropical hardwood!), catching fish, fine English ales in my local, being a granddad, seeing Exeter City play, and listening to strange music old and new. I also serve in the community shop, which was purchased by the people of the village of Ide, situated on the outskirts of Exeter.

Administration

Gary Ive pictured beside the Kodak Nexpress

News Roy Stares

(Administrator and conference

organiser of the UPMG)

Last years conferenceand award winners

Conference 2011

Rising to the Challenge

Redworth Hall,

Darlington

County Durham

DL5 6NL

The theme of this year’s conference is “Rising to the Challenge” and is being held in Redworth Hall, Darlington, 5th – 8th June 2011.

This will be a busy few days with

members’ sessions, including case

studies and a variety of guest speakers

from the UK and around the world.

We will be looking at MIS software

used within universities, and discussing

the wide range of challenges facing the

modern Print Manager in HE today.

The conference will be accompanied

by a supplier exhibition, and on Tuesday

night we will hold our Annual Awards

Dinner. Details of the awards and how

to enter will be sent to members early

in the new year.

The conference is an excellent way to

meet and to see how other managers

have faced challenges, and the balance

of seminars, suppliers and networking

time helps topics to be explored. You

should leave motivated and ready to

rise to the challenges ahead.

UPMG News

from Scotland

Photographs - Courtesy of Andrew Scott

NIPPA 2010Andrew Scott

(Glasgow Caledonian University)

In October this year I represented the UPMG at the conference of the Network of In-house Print Professionals Australasia (NIPPA) in the Australian town of Surfers Paradise, on the Gold Coast, south of Brisbane.

It took me a couple of days to acclimatise after the 30 hour flight but it was a great event very similar to our own UPMG conferences. They also have members from in-plants in local and central government, hospitals, insurance companies and lawyers but the entire programme was very relevant to HE.

The conference started with a reception where the first person I was introduced to by Martin Booth was a colleague who was born in the town where I live.

Presentations were similar because they have exactly the same issues as us here in the UK. The presentations included subjects like “Outsourcing, What they are telling management”, Email v Print, Insourcing after outsourcing, Members Forum.

The Keynote speaker was entertaining. He was a former military man and comedian who is a martial arts expert and security consultant working all over the world. He related stories from his time working with President Nelson Mandela in the South Africa.

Then it was my turn to present and the feedback I received was very positive.

NIPPA had their awards dinner on the second night and it was interesting to see how similar it was to the UPMG. The same group of people won all the awards that night including one print manager who related stories about 30 pages of jobs in the local newspaper every week and fishing crocodiles out of the harbour in Darwin.

On the third and last evening they have a themed evening and this year it was a Beach Party. I had to dress up and participate and you can see me in the photo. I won a prize for my outfit too!

They are currently working on a new web site and they want UPMG and ACUP members to participate in sharing ideas etc on a bulletin board when it’s ready next year. Watch this space.

We can look forward to welcoming NIPPA Vice President Rob Roberts to our 2011 conference. He’s originally from Wales and is a real gentleman.

It was a fantastic experience and I recommend it to any member who would be able to attend. The UPMG Executive are actively seeking a member to represent the UPMG next year at the NIPPA conference in Canberra, Australia, 3rd to 10th October 2011. Details from me: A.M.Scott@gcu.ac.uk

Scottish UPMGAt the recent SUPMG meeting hosted by Danwood Scotland, the Group had open, wide ranging and interesting discussions around institutional updates. Each attendee gave a report on their current status, issues and aspirations and everybody contributed ideas, innovations and experiences.

Members agreed to re-enforce our collaborative remit to strategically align ourselves to address the current challenges within the HE sector. One way we can do this is by working together to share best practice, save common costs and streamline our service provision to meet the changing needs of our Universities. We agreed to seek convergence of the supply chain where practical and to procure goods and services collaboratively where there is commonality. Members agreed to prepare a list of common equipment and consumables suppliers and service providers to allow us to negotiate pricing structures where we have collaborative procurement strength. Thanks to Stuart McLean, Edinburgh for managing this process.

Andrew Scott Glasgow Caledonian UniversityChair of the SUPMG

Managing Print in a Winter WonderlandI am extremely proud of my staff who have been successfully fighting their way into work since last Thursday, 02/12/2010 (. . . even though the University was on extended closure because of the snow).

The most exceptional journey undertaken was by Greg my Print Production Manager who left home on Monday at 7.30 and arrived at work at 1.15! Heriot-Watt is only now beginning to return to some semblance of normality . . . even though I have an 8-foot high pile of snow sitting outside my office window. The University examination schedule which was cancelled for two days has now re-commenced but our suppliers are not yet able to make deliveries and courier companies, that are essential to our daily production schedule, are not operating.

Despite all of that a huge amount of work has been produced over the last five days by the print room. This work however, has been unable to be delivered because of the depth of the snow - maybe we’ll get some of it delivered today but I’m not holding out much hope. Some very urgent reports for the QAA are waiting (as they have been since last Friday) for a courier to take them to Glasgow but in the interim we have supplied QAA with PDFs containing numerous hyperlinks.

I have however, been astonished at how little the weather conditions actually affected the graphic designers who continued working from home and issuing customer PDFs for proof approval. ...and their customers (who were also stuck at home) continued to hustle them to stick to the originally agreed dates! One urgent job was submitted to the print room as a PDF, printed, finished and delivered for a meeting that no-one actually attended! We had another job that went to three proof amendments, completed and delivered electronically to Bill Gates, within deadline and in time for his morning coffee and muffins. Every aspect of this job was done exclusively by email and no-one met or talked at any point.

All in all it has been a very interesting experience and one that has demonstrated the importance of contingency planning for disaster recovery. I know many of you will have similar tales to tell.

Duncan Hurst Heriot-Watt University, Edinburgh

. . . and finally

From the Editor – Nigel Phillips, University of Exeter

First, I would like to echo Rebecca’s words, and wish everyone a “Merry Christmas and very Prosperous New Year for 2011!!

Second, thanks to everyone who has contributed to this first UPMG Newsletter. We are all under pressure, particularly at this present time, so I am grateful for the sacrifices which many of you had to make in order to kick start this newsletter and make it possible.

My aim will be to produce four newsletters each year: March, June, September and December. The email circuit, although good, doesn’t give the whole story and I am hoping that the newsletter will act as an extra communication resource for all of us.

The main thing to remember is that this is your newsletter. I will be giving reminders before the next issue is due hoping that members will have information, stories etc that they can give me. I aim to introduce a ‘Focus’ story each issue where I will be asking a member for a rundown of the service they provide, their own story etc.

I am also planning a letters page, so yes, the list of possibilities with the newsletter are endless. Please do email me if you have any further suggestions on how to take the newsletter forward, articles, stories, things we should be aware of, etc, to: n.phillips@exeter.ac.uk

Thank you again.

Kind regards,

Nigel