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ALBURY-WODONGA
Home > Regional News > Albury-Wodonga
Falling education opportunities on conference agenda
10 Apr 2007
 Young people’s access to educational opportunities can be adversely affected by drought, according to new research that will be presented at a national conference soon. Charles Sturt University’s (CSU) Professor Margaret Alston and Dr Jenny Kent will present the final report on their research at the conference which will be hosted by the Federal Department of Education, Science and Training (DEST), the Foundation for Regional / Rural Renewal (FRRR) and CSU. Former Deputy Prime Minister and conference convenor Ian Sinclair will join with members of the Myer family, who are the major donors to the FRRR, at the official welcome starting at 2pm on Tuesday 17 April at the Nowik Auditorium, CSU Albury City site, Guinea St, Albury.
Media Note: The conference, which addresses education in rural and remote Australia, will be held on Tuesday 17 and Wednesday 18 April in Albury. For interviews with Professor Alston, contact CSU Media. See details on Professor Alston’s research here . Print this story A healthy number of scholarships awarded
10 Apr 2007
 Students of Australia’s largest inland university Charles Sturt University (CSU) have been awarded seven of the nine Pharmacy Guild of Australia 2007 scholarships as part of the Guild’s Rural Pharmacy Scholarship Scheme. Faculty of Science Dean Professor Mark Burton was “thrilled” with the announcement. “It’s a testament to our health-based courses at CSU that our students receive such positive recognition. The scholarships encourage recipients to seek work in rural and remote areas which ties in with CSU’s commitment to providing trained professionals who will enhance rural communities,” said Professor Burton. To be eligible, Pharmacy students must be from a regional, rural or remote area. The students then make a presentation to the scholarship committee. Each scholarship is worth $40 000 per student over four years.
Media Note: Scholarship recipients are Theresa Heyen from Wagga Wagga, Tania Bailey from Mudgee, Amanda Henderson from Deniliquin, Kyle Fairley from Ardlethan, Tara Glaw from Jindera near Albury, Nathan Langfield from Eugowra and Samara Donohue from Henty. For interviews contact CSU Media. Print this story Carbon tax has 'merits'
10 Apr 2007
 The country's top economic reform agency has called for the introduction of carbon taxes as a way to cut greenhouse emissions. The Productivity Commission, the Australian Government's principal review and advisory body on microeconomic policy and regulation, last week submitted the proposal to the Prime Minister's task force on emissions trading. Dr Roderick Duncan, lecturer in economics at Charles Sturt University (CSU), says if we are serious about cutting emissions, a carbon tax is inevitable. “But to reflect the true cost of our energy, we are going to have to drastically increase the price of petrol and electricity. People say they are very concerned about global warming, but when I tell them we could triple the price of energy, then they become a lot less enthusiastic.”
Media Note: Dr Rod Duncan is available for interviews, contact CSU Media. Print this story CSU fills gap in student services - Albury-Wodonga
03 Apr 2007
Charles Sturt University (CSU) will take over providing all services to its students such as sports clubs, medical, counselling and advisory on Wednesday 4 April. On the Albury-Wodonga Campus, the Head of Campus Professor Gail Whiteford will accept the handover of these services from local CSU Student Association president Simon Dick. “CSU students will not notice any difference in the level of services they receive at the University with the change,” said Jim Hackett, the CSU Executive Director of Finance who is overseeing the takeover of all student services by the University. “CSU has taken the stand that the student services provided by the CSU Student Association were an important part of the whole university experience, so the University has stepped in to continue these services, which are particularly important on our regional campuses.” The move has occurred as the result of the voluntary student unionism legislation passed last year by the Federal Government.
Media Note: Professor Gail Whiteford will formally accept student services from CSU Student Association president Simon Dick at CSU’s Albury-Wodonga Campus at 2pm, Wednesday 4 April in Head of Campus Office, Gordon Beavan Building, off Old Sydney Road, Thurgoona. Print this story Why rural electorates like their Independents
20 Mar 2007
 New South Wales has eight incumbent Independent members of parliament – will that change after the State election on March 24? Charles Sturt University (CSU) politics lecturer Dr Troy Whitford predicts that the number of Independents has plateaued. “But they will always be a main feature of rural elections. Why? Because Independents aim at appealing to a rural and regional mindset called 'countrymindedness'", Dr Whitford explains. “It tends to emphasis the importance of rural Australia and that people in the country have a greater moral compass and a better work ethic than the city, and that politics is always city-centric. ‘Countrymindedness’ suggests rural people are the backbone to the economy, and they should be given special consideration. Old-fashioned ‘countrymindedness’ is apparent in the rhetoric of the Independents representing rural seats.” Dr Whitford predicts Labor will be returned, and says, “I will be very surprised if we see an increase in Independents. I think the Coalition will pick up a couple of seats, but Labor will hang on."
Media Note: Dr Troy Whitford is available for interviews, contact CSU Media. Print this story Give ‘em the old Razzle Dazzle
20 Mar 2007
No doubt it is a very nice accolade when a national newspaper describes your latest film as “shaping up as the year's top Australian comedy”. However, director and Charles Sturt University (CSU) graduate Darren Ashton says, “Although we are really chuffed at the response, at the end of the day the most important thing is that people go and see it”. The idea for Razzle Dazzle grew out of a short story written by Darren’s partner, and fellow CSU graduate, Carolyn Wilson. Described as “a fly-on-the-wall look at the tears, tantrums and tiaras in the world of competitive dance eisteddfods”, it was filmed in the “mockumentary” style because, “The dance world is really heightened, and I wanted to balance that with being observational and understated,” said Darren, whose debut feature film was Thunderstruck. His next project is a wrestling film set in the 1970s.
Media Note: Razzle Dazzle opened in cinemas around the country late last week. For more information, contact CSU Media. Print this story An "enriching and rewarding" practicum says CSU graduate
13 Mar 2007
 India is the new booming economy – surpassing even China in recent economic growth. It is an amazing success story that is much more evident in the cities than the countryside according to Kirsty Hommel, a recent Charles Sturt University (CSU) social science graduate who spent her practicum in rural southern India developing skills she had learnt at CSU. “The area I lived in was very untouched by western influences. The village I was based in was without a road. Many people in this area live without running water or electricity - they use local wells and designated trees for toilets.” Kirsty says the Healthy Districts program aims “to increase the overall standards of health in the community through addressing poverty. We used community development to assist the community to generate income. I really enjoyed being there. Even after I met my practicum requirements, I chose to stay another month. I felt very immersed in the community and the culture there.”
Media Note: Kirsty Hommel is available for interviews, contact CSU Media. For almost four months late last year, Kirsty worked in Tamil Nadu in southern India with the NGO Rural Unit for Health and Social Affairs (RUHSA) on a project aimed at increasing standards of health through community development. Print this story Collaborative project spreads wings
07 Mar 2007
Close collaboration between Charles Sturt University (CSU) and TAFE NSW now enables students to gain computing qualifications from both institutions during three years of full-time study. After completing pilot courses in Albury and Wagga Wagga, the joint program, which incorporates subjects from TAFE NSW’s Diploma of Technology (Networking) and CSU’s Bachelor of Information Technology, is being extended across NSW, with CSU units available via distance education. “This totally integrated approach allows students to study concurrently at both institutions to combine the practical industry experience presented by TAFE NSW with the theoretical rigor of CSU subjects. These students will become even more employable and better qualified in a very competitive industry,” said CSU’s Sub Dean of Information Technology, Dr John Atkinson. Dr Atkinson will meet with TAFE NSW’s Program Manager in Telecom and Networks, Franco Salaun at the Albury campus of TAFE NSW Riverina Institute on Thursday 8 March to discuss further developments in the joint program.
Media Note: CSU's Dr John Atkinson and Franco Salaun from NSW TAFE will be available for interviews on the joint program at 10.30am on Thursday 8 March outside the Rivers Restaurant, Albury campus of TAFE NSW Riverina Institute, Poole St, Albury. Print this story CSU’s world champion triumphs again
06 Mar 2007
 Charles Sturt University (CSU) human movement graduate, Paralympian and current world wheelchair marathon champion Kurt Fearnley won the Los Angeles Marathon on Sunday 4 March smashing the course record by more than a minute. Kurt is originally from Carcoar in the NSW Central West region. Yesterday he said from LA, “It was a particularly sweet victory - my fifth straight win. I have definitely hit something - whether it is my peak I don’t know. I have conditioned myself to race week in and week out, and I am not sure how long it will last, so I am trying to do as many marathons as I can and figure out which ones I enjoy most”. This weekend Kurt travels to Japan for a track meeting before the Rome Marathon on 18 March. In April he will compete in the Paris and London marathons and attend the prestigious Laureus World Sports Awards in Spain as Australia’s only nominee.
Media Note: For more information, contact CSU Media. Kurt Fearnley, OAM is a Board Member of Australian Volunteers International and a patron of C-pod which seeks to engage corporate Australia in charitable activities. He is nominated in the Laureus World Sportsperson of the Year with a Disability category. The Laureus World Sports Awards will be held in Barcelona, Spain on Monday 2 April. Print this story How green was my Gore?
06 Mar 2007
 Former US Vice President Al Gore was in the news last week when it was revealed his household energy bill amounted to US$30 000 a year. Jodie Kleinschafer, a Charles Sturt University PhD student currently studying ways households can become more energy efficient, said: “If he is being carbon neutral, using renewable energy sources that are 100 per cent green, then he is not being inconsistent with his environmental stance.” She says there are simple ways to reduce electricity consumption. “Turn down the temperature on your hot water, use the air conditioner less, and don’t turn your heater up quite so high.” Mrs Kleinschafer says “smart meters” are also a useful option for improving energy efficiency because they “give immediate feedback on how much electricity is being used and how much it is costing. Until our electricity is from 100 per cent renewable energy sources, it is in everybody’s best interest to become more energy efficient”.
Media Note: Jodie Kleinschafer is the recipient of Country Energy’s $100 000 inaugural Energy Efficiency Research Scholarship. The industry scholarship allows her to research renewable energy or an area known as demand management. For more see here. For interviews, contact CSU Media. Print this story |
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