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GOULBURN
Home > Regional News > Goulburn
Scholarships for IT whiz kids
28 Sep 2006
Two Charles Sturt University (CSU) postgraduate information technology (IT) students have won scholarships from the Australian Computer Society (ACS) Foundation. At a presentation ceremony in Sydney today (Thursday 27 September) NSW Minister for Small Business, The Hon. David Campbell, said the scholarships represent an investment in NSW’s future skills base in information and communication technology. Joanne Hyde from Sydney and Douglas Parson from Canberra, ACT, work in IT businesses. The ACS Foundation has raised $8 million over five years towards 550 scholarships for NSW students.
Print this story Death of Sir Charles Cutler
26 Sep 2006
Charles Sturt University (CSU) has acknowledged the important contribution made to its establishment by Sir Charles Cutler who has died aged 88. Sir Charles was the leader of the NSW Country Party (now the NSW Nationals) from 1959 to 1975 and Deputy Premier in the government of Sir Robert Askin from 1965 to 1975. In his role as MLA for Orange (1947-75) and as Minister for Education and Science (1965-72), he was instrumental in the setting up of Mitchell College of Advanced Education (MCAE), which eventually became the Bathurst Campus of Charles Sturt University. CSU Vice-Chancellor Professor Ian Goulter expressed condolences on behalf of the University. “Sir Charles made an enormous contribution to education in New South Wales, not least as the Minister who oversaw the foundation and early growth of MCAE.” Sir Charles was born at Forbes in 1918, served in World War II and was elected to the NSW Parliament in 1947.
Print this story New CSU Council members
12 Sep 2006
 Charles Sturt University (CSU) Council last week inducted four new members. Ms Geraldine Kennett is currently enrolled at CSU in the Doctorate of Business Administration course. “I am originally from the country, so an inland University appeals to me. CSU is in a position to address some of the skills shortages and population and demographic issues in regional Australia.” Ms Kennett is the Membership Strategy Manager at the Australian Industry Group and an affiliate member of the Australian Institute of Company Directors. The other new Council members are Dr Robert Macklin, an elected staff member from the Faculty of Commerce, Ms Heather Bell who is Acting Head of CSU’s Dubbo Campus, and primary education student Mr Mitchell Elks, who said 'as an undergraduate student living on campus, I want to have a voice, and being on the Council helps me do that. I also want to ensure that the best interests of CSU students are being considered in the University’s decisions.”
Media Note: For interviews or print quality photographs, contact CSU Media. Print this story CSU’s Excel-lent world champion
29 Aug 2006
 "I thought it would be useful to have some industry qualifications,” says Tristam Horn, an Accelerated Teacher Training Program student, of his decision to gain certification in Microsoft® Office. Coming first in Australia in his Excel examination saw the Charles Sturt University (CSU) student win a trip to Orlando, Florida in the USA, where he was then crowned World Champion for Microsoft® Excel. “I learnt a lot that I didn’t know Excel could do. It gave me a better understanding of what it is capable of as far as recording students marks, scaling, grading and graphing, both for my benefit and also for the students to see where they are in the class and in the year. It is an easy way to see how students are going in different areas of their study, and I can see where I need to improve my teaching and hopefully deliver a bit better the next time."
Media Note: Tristam Horn, from CSU’s Wagga Wagga Campus, is available for interview. Contact CSU Media. The annual Worldwide Competition on Microsoft® Office is presented by Certiport. A record 40 000 students from 66 countries participated in several rounds of local, country, and regional competitions. Print this story Swooping season is almost here
22 Aug 2006
 Like a scene from Hitchcock’s horror movie The Birds, one minute you are strolling along and the next you are being attacked from behind by a magpie. Dr David Watson, senior lecturer in Charles Sturt University’s (CSU) School of Environmental & Information Sciences, says to expect the magpie swooping season to begin this week or next. “The first thing to realise is they are just parents looking after their kids, they are not crazy birds with a ‘bee in their bonnet’.” He recommends avoiding the nesting trees and carrying an umbrella or wearing a wide brimmed hat. Dr Watson says the magpie problem on the University’s Albury-Wodonga Campus is caused by hand feeding which has made some of the birds so tame they wander freely into University buildings, including lecture theatres. “Hand feeding can lead to problems and eventually the bird becomes too bold for its own good. As with swooping, it can cause problems.”
Media Note: Dr David Watson is available for interview. Contact CSU Media. For advice on dealing with swooping magpies, see the CSU webpage. Print this story Federal Minister Julie Bishop to open CSU veterinary science centre
15 Aug 2006
 The Federal Minister for Education, Science and Training, the Hon. Julie Bishop MP will officially open the new Veterinary Science Pre-clinical Centre at Charles Sturt University (CSU) Wagga Wagga Campus on Thursday 24 August. The $4.5 million centre for teaching anatomy and physiology is the first purpose-built facility for CSU’s Bachelor of Veterinary Science degree which began with 45 students in 2005. CSU is the first regional university in Australia to train veterinary science practitioners to meet the shortage of veterinarians in rural practices and work in the area of herd management. While visiting CSU, Minister Bishop will also launch a report on the impact of drought on secondary education access in rural Australia, written by Professor Margaret Alston and Ms Jenny Kent from CSU’s Centre for Rural Social Research. The Minister will also launch a Senior Women’s Network of academics and administrators with the goal of increasing the proportion of women in leadership positions at Charles Sturt University. Minister Bishop will open the Veterinary Science Centre in Nathan Cobb Drive, CSU Wagga Wagga Campus at 10am on Thursday 24 August.
Media Note: Further information on Minister Bishop’s visit will be released prior to the event. Media time will be allocated as part of the itinerary - for more information please contact CSU Media. Print this story Making a Difference
15 Aug 2006
 Charles Sturt University’s School of Humanities and Social Sciences is hoping to unearth young people who are making a difference in their communities with the inaugural Making a Difference Social Justice Innovation Award. The award is aimed at Year 11 or 12 high school students or TAFE students who are doing a community services or welfare related qualification. Mr Bill Anscombe, senior lecturer in the School says the two winners will be announced in October. They will receive a $500 cash prize, as well as a $500 donation to a charity of their choice. He says the number of enquiries so far has been very encouraging, and “we already have entries logged onto our website. We want to hear about the fantastic things that young people are doing.”
Media Note: Mr Bill Anscombe is available for interviews, contact CSU Media. See further details at the Making a Difference website. Print this story The future of tertiary teaching
01 Aug 2006
Videoconferencing will be a significant component of teaching in the future according to Charles Sturt University (CSU) mathematics lecturer Michael Kemp who spoke at a public seminar today about the challenges facing lecturers who are not always teaching in the same room as their students. “As the world evolves into a smaller place with email and videoconferencing becoming an everyday occurrence, Australia’s largest regional university CSU has trained their academics to use the latest technology and present lectures to students throughout NSW and across the country.” Having taught mathematics via videoconferences and forums during the past semester at CSU, Mr Kemp looked at his practices through a survey with students to present a public seminar on lessons learnt titled Lessons Learned About Remote Teaching.
Media Note: For interviews with Michael Kemp please contact CSU Media. Print this story Life-time work for agricultural education honoured
25 Jul 2006
 The peak body for Australian agricultural scientists and technologists has honoured the life-time professional work of Charles Sturt University’s (CSU) Emeritus Professor Ted Wolfe. The Australian Institute of Agricultural Science and Technology (AIAST), representing professionals working in agricultural science and natural resource management, has made Professor Wolfe a Fellow of the Institute. He has a lengthy involvement with agricultural education at the University which in recent years has seen him lead international student exchanges between CSU and the University of Delaware, USA. Professor Wolfe has also been recognised for his work in building the agricultural capacity of countries like North Korea and Eritrea, visiting and building ties with both countries. He believes strongly in the benefit of these visits to scientific agriculture and to farmers, not only in the host country but also in Australia. “Following the recent run of poor seasons, the Australian agricultural sector deserves on-going community support for the valuable role it plays in food security, land care and earning export income,” said Professor Wolfe. Outgoing Dean of the Faculty of Agriculture and Science Professor Jim Pratley said this was a fitting and richly deserved reward for Professor Wolfe for his tireless commitment to agriculture and AIAST.
Media Note: Professor Ted Wolfe has recently returned from Eritrea, where he worked with the pasture-forage section of Eritrea’s National Agricultural Research Institute. Print this story Australian history on national agenda
25 Jul 2006
 A Federal Government inquiry into school students’ knowledge of Australia’s history has led to a new Charles Sturt University (CSU) history course for teachers being launched for 2007. Course coordinator and history and politics lecturer Dr Troy Whitford said there is a real gap in the knowledge students and teachers have about Australia’s democratic process and its history. “This course aims to address many teachers’ poor understanding of Australian history and help teachers to address the need to teach about Australia’s democratic processes and citizenship in their classes. The Graduate Certificate in History (Civics and Citizenship) relates to relevant sections in other teaching subjects for social science, geography and modern history giving graduates a big picture understanding, particularly in relation to the organisation and operation of the Australian democratic system,” Dr Whitford said. Enrolments for the postgraduate course, to start in 2007, will run until November 2006. The Federal Government will hold a summit on teaching Australian history in August this year.
Media Note: Interviews with history course coordinator Dr Troy Whitford are available through CSU Media. Print this story |
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