Nguluway, the Wiradjuri word for ‘Meeting with Each Other’, is the title under which Indigenous staff from across Charles Sturt University (CSU) will meet this week for their annual conference. About 30 Indigenous staff are expected to attend the two-day event at the Convention Centre at CSU in Wagga Wagga from Wednesday 11 August to Thursday 12 August. Wiradjuri Elder Aunty Flo Grant will give the Welcome to Country from 9.20am on Wednesday 11 August. CSU Vice-Chancellor and President Professor Ian Goulter will address Nguluway at 9.30am and the Indigenous dance group from Wagga Wagga Maliyaa, will perform at 10am. Indigenous Elders and community members will join CSU staff for these sessions of Nguluway. The University’s Australian Indigenous Employment Strategy aims to increase the proportion of Indigenous staff in continuing positions and boost the overall representation of Indigenous staff to three per cent. Read more about the strategy here.

Asperger’s syndrome is a complex condition covering a range of symptoms that include communication difficulties and problems with social interaction and cognitive abilities. Little is known about community views on this condition, which Charles Sturt University (CSU) doctoral student Ms Donna Kite will address in her current research project. Based in Port Augusta in South Australia, Ms Kite is looking for people to complete an online survey on the characteristics, causes, treatment and management of the condition. “Changes are being proposed on the diagnosis of Asperger’s, which could have implications for its subsequent recognition and treatment, so I am also asking respondents for their opinions on the proposed change,” Ms Kite said. “Most clients with Asperger's syndrome have adequate communication and cognitive functioning to participate in regular school programs, employment and sporting activities, but experience social and often behavioural difficulties relating to their interpretation of the world.” 

Charles Sturt University (CSU) students will join with their peers from across south eastern Australia to sign the official Close the Gap petition that urges action from all Australian governments to address the health crisis facing Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islanders. CSU’s Multidisciplinary Albury Rural Health Society (MARHS)  is hosting a meeting of ten university student rural health clubs from as far as Bendigo, Geelong, Adelaide and Hobart. During the meeting the students will officially sign the petition on Saturday 7 August. “Currently Indigenous people can except to die up to 17 years earlier than non-Indigenous Australians,” MARHS president and third year physiotherapy student at CSU, Ms Stephanie Frazer said. “This is wrong, and we as Australians have to do something to address the inequality of health status among Indigenous Australians. Over 140 000 other Australians have already registered their concern, and we invite the people of Albury-Wodonga to also sign the petition.” The Close the Gap ceremony will commence at 1.45pm in the CD Blake lecture theatre at CSU in Albury-Wodonga, off Elizabeth Mitchell Drive, Thurgoona.

Charles Sturt University’s (CSU) Ms Stephanie Frazer has won a national award for her services to a student rural health club. Ms Frazer, who is president of the CSU Multidisciplinary Albury Rural Health Society (MARHS), was awarded $1 000 by the National Rural Health Students Network (NRHSN). The Network recognised her significant involvement in helping build MARHS into a strong and active club, particularly in relation to mental health in regional Australia. “Improving awareness about mental health is important as almost half of all Australians will experience mental illness in their lifetime. We can make a difference by encouraging understanding and improving support. I feel humbled to be recognised by my fellow students and to work with such great people at Charles Sturt University,” Ms Frazer said. Ms Frazer, who is a third year physiotherapy student with the School of Community Health based at Thurgoona, received her award in Alice Springs in July during the Network’s national conference of 29 student rural health clubs. MARHS vice-president and second year occupational therapy student Mr Alan Dyason also won a prize at the conference for his contribution to increasing awareness and action in Indigenous health issues.

From toddlers to older people, from strapping footballers to ballet dancers, staff and students in Charles Sturt University’s (CSU) Allied Health Clinic in Albury are providing the latest treatments and assessment for troubled feet and lower limbs. Last year, CSU students treated over 6 500 patients.  CSU allied health students, under the supervision of highly qualified professional staff, treat conditions as varied as serious ulcers on the toes of adults with diabetes to correcting the ‘in-turned’ feet in toddlers using corrective boots, shoes and braces. On Tuesdays, occupational therapy students – and on Wednesday, physiotherapy students - join in the clinic to help treat musculoskeletal problems such as pains in the lower back, legs and feet, sports related and soft tissue injuries, assess wellness and advise on work related rehabilitation. Coordinator of CSU’s podiatry course, Associate Professor Paul Tinley, said the clinic provides important local rural health services as well as vital education for future podiatrists destined for practice around Australia and overseas. The CSU Allied Health Clinic is currently located on the corner of Guinea and Olive Streets in Albury, with plans to move the clinic onto the University’s site at Thurgoona in 2013. To arrange an appointment for assessment and treatment in the clinic, phone the reception at (02) 6051 9299.

Proving the world is a beautiful place worth exploring, CSU Global will launch its Where in the World exhibition at the Charles Sturt University (CSU) in Wagga Wagga on Tuesday 20 July. CSU Global, CSU’s student exchange program, recently ran a Facebook competition to collect images from international student travels. A cash prize of $500 was awarded to the winning student in Albury-Wodonga, Bathurst and Wagga Wagga. CSU Global’s Mr Byron Preston said, “As a result of this competition, our CSU Global page on Facebook has had an increase in fans, from 356 in April to a staggering 3 293 in June. Over 129 entries have been submitted to the competition and there has been an increase in page visits from 259 in April to 19 113 in June.” The Where in the World exhibition will travel to each of the three campuses involved in the competition to promote CSU Global and its world travel opportunities.

In line with a vision for Healthy Inland Communities, the Centre for Inland Health (CIH) at Charles Sturt University (CSU) will work with Narrandera Shire Council in the Riverina to combat overweight and obesity in the local community. Narrandera is one 12 local government areas in Australia to pilot the delivery of the Healthy Communities Initiative which aims to reduce the prevalence of overweight and obese Australians. It is part of the four-year Council of Australian Governments (COAG) National Partnership Agreement on Preventive Health. “Through the Healthy Communities Initiative, the Centre for Inland Health will evaluate the number of people who engage in accredited physical activity and dietary education programs offered by Narrandera Shire Council,” Associate Professor Ann Bonner from CIH said. “The initiative will be rolled out and assessed over the next 15 months with particular attend paid to local residents not in the paid workforce or at a high risk of developing chronic disease such as heart disease and diabetes.”  

Increasing international experience and reinvigorating teaching and research has seen three new staff join the Faculty of Business at Charles Sturt University (CSU) in Albury-Wodonga in recent weeks. Drs Catherine Prentice, Calvin Wang and Sajjad Khan have taken up their teaching appointments. Dr Prentice, who recently completed her doctorate in Melbourne and also has qualifications from China and the United Kingdom, said she was looking forward to offering more personal contact with students than what she was used to in the city. “After spending most of my professional life in cities, Albury offers a beautiful setting to continue my teaching and research. I heard good things about Charles Sturt University, the Faculty is very professional and welcoming, and there is ambitious and charismatic leadership,” Dr Prentice said. Dr Wang has studied regional businesses in Western Australia. “I am interested in how entrepreneurship and small business ownership contribute to economic well-being and sustainability in regional areas. At Charles Sturt University, I teach the next generation of regional entrepreneurs and hope to study dynamic entrepreneurs running their own successful regional businesses.” Classes for CSU’s second session start on Monday 12 July.

The next group of international students will commence their studies at Charles Sturt University (CSU) in Albury-Wodonga next week to sample Australian study and life. Twelve students from South Korea, Bangladesh and the USA are acquainting themselves with the University’s Thurgoona site as well as services available to them at CSU and around the local area. They will study business, education and environmental sciences subjects on campus, many through exchange agreements between CSU and overseas institutions. Head of CSU in Albury-Wodonga, Professor Allan Curtis, said the new students reflected the University’s commitment to providing an international experience for all students. “Overseas students enhance the on-campus experience of other students and provide links to overseas professional networks. Some of the new international students are part of ongoing exchange programs with overseas universities, others have opted for Charles Sturt University as a high quality provider of professional training in a safe environment,” Professor Curtis said.