Reflecting Charles Sturt University’s (CSU) continued support for students who wish to study and gain their professional qualifications in regional Australia, a new application process for entry into the Bachelor of Pharmacy degree will commence in 2010. In addition to lodging an application with the University Admissions Centre (UAC) by Wednesday 30 September 2009, a ‘Supplementary Application Form’ and interview process has been introduced. These changes will allow applicants to demonstrate an interest in, and commitment to, rural Australia, a career in pharmacy and the overall health of the rural population. “By showing an understanding of the unique issues that confront pharmacists and other health workers in rural and remote Australia, Charles Sturt University is ensuring students are prepared for an education and possibly a career in regional Australia,” said Head of the School of Biomedical Sciences, Associate Professor Lyndall Angel.

Vital financial support of almost $30 000 has been awarded to veterinary science students at Charles Sturt University (CSU) at Wagga Wagga. The 2009 Professional Experience Scholarships and Prizes were presented on Tuesday 4 August to help the students while they attend their practical work placements across Australia. The awards included fifth year students who are about to embark on the third phase of the veterinary science program, which involves ten clinical rotations over the next 12 months. “The scholarships to assist the students with their field experience come at an exciting time for the first intake of students into the veterinary science program,” said Head of the School of Animal and Veterinary Sciences Professor Kym Abbott. “The students have been very well prepared for the final phase of their training but now need to apply their full focus to this final development of their clinical skills before they graduate next year. The financial support from donors will help them at this critical stage of their studies.”

Three academics from Dongguk University in South Korea will be in Albury today, Tuesday 11 August, to check on the progress of seven students who started their business degrees at Charles Sturt University (CSU) in July. The visitors will tour the environmentally sustainable campus and residences at the University before meeting with CSU staff and students to discuss how the students are integrating into their studies and their new lives on the Border. The Associate Dean of Administration with the CSU Faculty of Business, Associate Professor John Atkinson, said the visit was important for developing further educational opportunities with South Korean partners at CSU, as well as looking after the welfare of the new students. Professor Atkinson is due to fly to South Korea next week for a return visit.

A visiting academic will deliver a public lecture at Charles Sturt University (CSU) at Bathurst on Thursday 23 July which examines how, in his view, the political system, the medical profession, and the university sector in the United Kingdom (UK) have colluded with the pharmaceutical industry to promote shareholder profits at the expense of public health. Dr Paul Duckett, a visiting community critical psychologist at CSU’s School of Social Sciences and Liberal Studies at Bathurst, suggests that efforts in the UK to secure social justice and social support for people allegedly harmed by the psycho-pharmaceutical industry has implications for thousands of Australian children, and questions why the drug Paxil is prescribed by doctors rather than being proscribed by politicians. According to Dr Duckett, in Australia during 2008, 4000 children under 10 years of age were prescribed Paxil and other Selective Serotonin Reuptake Inhibitor (SSRI) medications. This is despite findings in 2003 that the manufacturer, GlaxoSmithKline (GSK), withheld clinical trial data for at least five years that showed the drug was clinically ineffective and increased the risk of suicide in children and adolescents.

Veterinary science student at Charles Sturt University (CSU) at Wagga Wagga, Mr Richard Sanders, has received a coaching award at a university meat judging competition held in Armidale in July. He was named the winner of the Tom Carr Award for Coaching Excellence at the Australian Intercollegiate Meat Judging (ICMJ) competition. For a number of years, Mr Sanders has lent his carcass evaluation skills to fellow students and coached the CSU team for the annual ICMJ competitions. Mr Sanders, from Moruya on the NSW South Coast, also represented Australia at ICMJ in the USA in 2005. Agricultural science student, Ms Kylie Dunn won the overall individual award at the ICMJ competition, scoring 439 out of a potential 450. Ms Louise Lawrence, also enrolled in agricultural science, was the winner of the individual award in the competition’s pork judging category. A four member CSU team was also named runner-up in the overall team award. Three CSU students now have the chance to be included in the Australian meat judging team as they were named among the nine finalists for an elite industry training workshop in Brisbane. “The participation of the successful CSU team is largely due to the generous sponsorship of Cargill Beef Australia, who has willingly provided access for students to beef carcasses and primal cuts in addition to their financial support,” said Professor of Animal Production Peter Wynn. “Access to sheep carcasses through the Junee Abattoir and pork carcases through Knights Meats has also contributed greatly to the success of the team.”

The wide variety of science research being undertaken by Charles Sturt University (CSU) research students will be on show at Wagga Wagga this week. A research symposium on Thursday 16 and Friday 17 July is a chance for 79 internal and distance education students to gather in one place and present their individual research to peers and colleagues. Dean of the Faculty of Science, Professor Nick Klomp said some of the brightest and sharpest minds in Australia are accepted into research programs and CSU expects them to operate at a high level right from the start. “This is intimidating for first year students, but a complete immersion into the research culture of the University is part of the training needed to produce accomplished graduates.” He said a second important aspect of the symposium is the opportunity to meet other students who are likely to become colleagues for the duration of their career. CSU’s commemoration of the 200th birthday of Charles Darwin will continue at a dinner for the research students. Professor Klomp and Professor Tom Frame, from the School of Theology at CSU in Canberra, will speak about Darwin’s Legacy – how Charles Darwin has influenced science and society in the 21st Century.  

Charles Sturt University (CSU) has signed on to the Bathurst Breast Screen Business Challenge and is encouraging its female staff aged 40 and over to take the opportunity for a free breast screening examination during paid working hours throughout July. Occupational, Health and Safety Manager at CSU, Mr David Tallentire, said, “Charles Sturt University takes its commitment to staff health and safety very seriously, and we are proud to participate in this important initiative in partnership with BreastScreen NSW and other local businesses. The University recognises the significant impact breast cancer has on Australian woman and their families. Breast cancer is the number one cancer killer of women in Australia, with one in eight women being diagnosed with breast cancer in their lifetime. The early detection or identification of breast cancers can have significant benefits to the health outcomes of a diagnosed woman.” The screening only takes around 15 minutes to complete. To make an appointment, contact BreastScreen NSW on 13 20 50.

A Charles Sturt University (CSU) academic has been recognised for her work in improving the clinical experience of health students at CSU at Albury-Wodonga. Ms Kristy Robson from the School of Community Health has been named winner of the 2009 Vice-Chancellor’s Award for Professional Excellence for her work with the CSU Allied Health Clinic where podiatry and other students obtain clinical experience. Ms Robson has also organised joint clinics with physiotherapy students, with a similar clinic with occupational therapy students scheduled in the next semester. Ms Robson grew up in Albury, studied in Sydney, and returned to set up a private practice in Albury-Wodonga before moving to CSU. “Since we want more health professionals working in regional and rural areas, it is vital that Charles Sturt University continues to offer high quality health courses and professional experiences that develop the confidence of students to meet the challenges of working in regional and rural areas,” Ms Robson said.

The Charles Sturt University (CSU) Winery Cellar Door at Wagga Wagga has again been named as a finalist in the annual Inland NSW Tourism Awards. The Cellar Door is one of the finalists in the Riverina region of the 2009 Inland NSW Tourism Awards. The winners will be named at a dinner at the Crossing Theatre in Narrabri NSW on Saturday 25 July. The Cellar Door sells wine and offers tastings from the University’s own range of premium table, fortified and sparkling wines. Since its inception in 1977, the Winery has won numerous trophies and medals in national wine shows. The winery has been rated as a 4.5 star winery in the 2009 and 2008 James Halliday Wine Companion and was a finalist in the 2008 Inland NSW Tourism Awards. “It’s a great achievement to once again be named as a finalist in these awards considering the number of cellar door’s in operation in inland NSW,” said Cellar Door Manager Mr Richard Lawson. “The award recognises the Winery’s contribution to local and regional tourism, as well as the extensive range of CSU wine, cheese and olive oil products available for tasting and sales. It also recognises the hard work of our dedicated Cellar Door team.”