Celebrating ten years of educating physiotherapists and speech pathologists at Charles Sturt University (CSU) will be combined with a ceremony in Albury this week to highlight the achievements of current students. The existing CSU students from the School of Community Health will receive recognition for their academic excellence through the Dean’s Awards. They will be presented by CSU’s Dean of Science, Professor Nick Klomp in a ceremony at CSU’s Albury City site on Wednesday 23 April. During the same ceremony, CSU Vice-Chancellor and President Professor Ian Goulter will join past and current staff and students to commemorate the start of the physiotherapy and speech pathology courses at CSU’s Albury-Wodonga Campus 10 years ago. Both courses have produced over 200 graduates each. More than 60 per cent of those graduates have commenced their professional careers in regional Australia, helping address the allied health professional skills shortage across Australia. Early CSU physiotherapy graduates now hold senior posts in Victorian and NSW health services and are also involved with elite sports teams such as the Matildas national women’s football team. Both ceremonies will be held in front of The Cedar, CSU, Olive St, Albury, between 10.30am and 12noon on Wednesday 23 April.

It was a family affair when Winemaker and Managing Director of Casella Wines, John Casella, was awarded an Honorary Doctor of Business by Charles Sturt University (CSU) in April 2008. Dr Casella received the doctorate in recognition of his contribution to the Australian wine industry, particularly through the creation of new export markets, the economic health of the Riverina region of NSW, and to wine education and research programs at CSU. Founded in 1969 by his parents, Filippo and Maria Casella, Casella Wines dramatically increased production under Dr Casella, who also oversaw the launch of the [yellow tail] brand into the United States in 2001. The [yellow tail] brand is the most successful launch of an Australian wine brand in the history of the Australian wine industry. In addition to praise of his management of the family business, Dr Casella was honoured for his commitment to developing the skills and capacity of young people in the Riverina. He attended the CSU graduation ceremony in Wagga Wagga with his parents, his wife and four children.

The review of Aboriginal education across NSW three years ago will be scrutinised in a public lecture at Charles Sturt University’s (CSU) Dubbo Campus on Wednesday 9 April. Adjunct Professor in the CSU Faculty of Education, Alan Laughlin, will speak about the NSW Aboriginal Education Review of 2004, which was one of the widest assessments of the opinions of Aboriginal people carried out in NSW. “Three years on, many of the recommendations have been implemented. Clearly, generational change is needed, but what has been the impact to date?” Professor Laughlin asks. “The review involved over 400 meetings and more than 4 000 interviews with parents, teachers and students, and 200 oral and written submissions were received. A comprehensive set of recommendations was presented to the NSW government to improve outcomes for Aboriginal children.” Alan Laughlin was the Deputy Director General (DDG) of Education in the NSW Department of Education and Training. He has held every position from teacher through to the level of DDG in his 40 year career.

With the NSW equine industry given the all-clear following the outbreak of equine flu that threatened the national horse industry, Charles Sturt University’s (CSU) Equine Centre is back in business. Centre manager Ms Cheryl Gander is excited to have the Centre up and running again. “The Orange Campus Equine Centre provides the perfect location for students to be involved in all aspects of horse enterprise management, including breeding, training for different disciplines, show and sale preparation, different handling techniques and research,” Ms Gander said. The Centre, which is part of the School of Agricultural and Wine Sciences, has an indoor and outdoor arena, exercise track, cross country course, treadmill, horse walker, stables, veterinary laboratory and 80 hectares of horse pastures. For enquiries regarding agistment, breeding and facility hire, contact Ms Gander on 02 6365 7850.

The Border region’s beef industry is on show to international visitors in April as Charles Sturt University’s (CSU) Institute for Land, Water and Society hosts five livestock scientists from the South East Asian nation of Laos. The group are studying beef and goat production across the region, visiting local properties, meatworks and the Wodonga saleyards and talking with livestock extension officers. The program, led by CSU’s Dr Joanne Millar, is funded by the Crawford Fund, which supports agricultural training for developing country scientists. Dr Millar, who has worked in livestock development in Laos for the last six years, said the program aims to “increase the knowledge and skills of Laotian extension officers’ in advanced cattle production and marketing, while they also learn how to run beef production courses for farmers. This is the first time that provincial and district livestock officers from Laos have been to Australia. The scientists work closely with farmers who are struggling to improve their livelihoods from their own beef herds.”

For interviews and pictures with the international group, contact CSU Media. CSU’s Dr Joanne Millar and the Laotian officers will be in Tallangatta on Wednesday 9 April and in Albury on Thursday morning, 10 April.

Students at Charles Sturt University (CSU) have raised almost $7 000 for charity during Orientation 2008. Students, representing CSU’s student body, recently presented a cheque for over $6 800 to NRMA CareFlight, a rapid response critical care service. CareFlight duty doctor, Dr Andrew Dubky, received the cheque on behalf of the organisation. “Last year students across five CSU campuses raised more than $1 200 for the Salvation Army Drought Appeal," CSU Student Services representative, Ms Jean Ryan said. "Raising such a large sum of money this year was a testament to how hard our continuing students worked during Orientation 2008 while making the first year students feel welcome.”

 

Funds were raised during Orientation 2008 through the sales of CSU merchandise such as wrist bands and drink holders. Local businesses donated goods for raffles and donation tins were placed in local retail outlets and hotels. Orientation 2008 coordinators are available for interview. Contact CSU Media.  

Charles Sturt University’s (CSU) Professor David Kemp has taken another step to ensure agriculturalists and the Orange community are better informed about coping with climate change, especially climate variability and its effects on food security, in a public seminar to be held in Orange on Monday 31 March. “The consequences of variable and changing climates are rising energy and food costs, so much so that in the last nine months another 800 million people couldn’t afford the food they need,” said Professor Kemp. “The recent drought also highlighted the social problems of dealing with variable climates – what are the effects and what needs to be done to better help people?” CSU’s Professor Margaret Alston will be one speaker at the public seminar, entitled ‘Managing Beyond the Panic of Climate Change’. The seminar aims to discuss these interrelated trends – to inform people about likely regional, Australian and international trends, what can be done to adjust to these major trends and what people in central NSW can do to ensure their livelihoods under these changing circumstances. The seminar will be held from 10am on 31 March at the Orange Ex-Services Club, Anson Street, Orange.

The seminar is supported by the Australian Institute of Agricultural Science & Technology and the E H Graham Centre for Agricultural Innovation, a CSU and NSW Department of Primary Industries (DPI) research alliance.  Speakers will include rural affairs commentator, Mr Julian Cribb, the Head of the Climate Change group with the Australian Bureau of Agriculture and Resource Economics, Dr Don Gunasekera, the Head of Climate Change in the NSW Bureau of Meteorology, Dr Perry Wile, the Manager of Climate Change, NSW DPI, Mr Gary Allan, CSU sociologist, Professor Margaret Alston and Spring Ridge farmer, Mr Cam Mackellar.

Celebrating local harmony is the aim of Harmony Day at Charles Sturt University’s (CSU) Albury-Wodonga Campus on Wednesday 19 March. Albury-Wodonga’s cultural diversity will be on show with food, music, dance and other activities from around the world. “Harmony Day began in 1999 as a celebration of Australia's success as a diverse society united by a common set of values,” said event and CSU Student Community coordinator, Mr Geoff Simmons. “Australia is built on immigration and we have a proud history of welcoming people from around the world. Since 1945, more than six and a half million migrants have come to Australia. Australians speak over 300 languages, including Indigenous languages, and practise a range of religions.” The event will run from 10.30am to 1.30pm on 19 March, next to The Shed on the University’s Albury City site, off Olive St, Albury.

For interviews with CSU Student Community coordinator, Mr Geoff Simmons, contact CSU Media.

CSU’s Professor Chenoweth established the CSU course in Animal Behaviour and Welfare. He is currently Acting Presiding Officer of the University’s Animal Care and Ethics Committee. Professor Chenoweth has published widely in areas of livestock reproduction and behaviour.