About 80 prospective Canadian students attended a recent information session for the 2009 intake of the Bachelor of Primary Education Studies at Charles Sturt University (CSU) in Ontario. The session was addressed by the Head of School, Associate Professor Will Letts, course coordinator Ms Mary Marshall, Provost and Special Adviser CSU Ontario, Professor Bob Meyenn, and alumni who shared their experiences. Professor Toni Downes, Dean of the Faculty of Education, said the course is now in its fourth year, and is undoubtedly a cutting-edge, world-class teacher education program. “Staff in the program were hand-picked and are of the highest calibre. We have deliberately maintained a balance between Australian and Canadian staff, as well as academic and professional expertise,” she said. Applications for the Autumn (Fall) 2009 student intake, which starts in August, close on Friday 24 April 2009.

Up to half of rural properties are expected to change hands in the next 10 years, according to a Charles Sturt University (CSU) researcher studying the increasing levels of rural property turnover. “Over the past 10 years a quarter of rural properties have been sold, and this will increase up to 50 per cent in the next 10 years,” says CSU PhD student Ms Emily Mendham. “This change is being driven by the age of farmers who are approaching retirement and the demand for rural properties.” Ms Mendham’s findings are based on case studies in the traditional farming region of the Wimmera in western Victoria, and closer to Melbourne in the Corangamite region. Both regions have different influences on their changing demographics, and both present different opportunities and challenges. Ms Mendham will speak at ‘The changing nature of our rural neighbourhoods’ forum at the CD Blake Theatre on CSU’s Thurgoona site on Wednesday 26 November, from 9am to 3pm. The free forum will be hosted by the University’s Institute for Land, Water and Society.

A Charles Sturt University (CSU) expert in the management and restoration of aquatic ecosystems has been appointed to advise the Rudd government on the use of water purchased to restore the rivers and wetlands of the Murray Darling Basin. Associate Professor Robyn Watts is one of a panel of scientific experts appointed to the Environmental Water Scientific Advisory Committee by the federal Minister for Climate Change and Water, Senator Penny Wong. The committee will provide advice on setting environmental watering priorities, monitoring the benefits of environmental flows, and identifying knowledge gaps. Associate Professor Watts is a Principal Researcher in the University’s Institute for Land, Water and Society where she researches biodiversity and connectivity in aquatic ecosystems and the ecological responses to flow regimes in regulated rivers. She also teaches river ecology and restoration at CSU at Albury-Wodonga.

Landholders in the Greater Hume Shire of southern NSW can state the land management incentives that they prefer - such as fixed grants, rate relief, stewardship payments for existing practices or tenders - in a study being conducted by Charles Sturt University (CSU). Social researcher with CSU’s Institute for Land, Water and Society, Mr Jonathon Howard, said the study was the first attempt in Australia to map landholder preferences for different types of land management incentives across the landscape. “Government agencies are looking for more effective ways to achieve environmental outcomes,” Mr Howard said. “Catchment management authorities usually provide incentives through fixed grants or tenders but rarely ask people on the land what they actually need. This survey allows landholders to have their say on what sorts of programs should be available to them.” The study will help catchment authorities select the best incentive programs to address particular environmental issues. Landholders in the Greater Hume Shire are encouraged to complete a survey they will receive in the post during December. The study is in association with the Murray Catchment Management Authority, CSIRO and the Council.

The summer perennial weed Silverleaf Nightshade is estimated to cost agriculture millions of dollars every year in reduced crop and pasture production. Researchers at the EH Graham Centre for Agricultural Innovation, an alliance between Charles Sturt University (CSU) and the NSW Department of Primary Industries, are half way through a project to look for innovative solutions to tackle the invasive weed. At a field day to be held on Thursday 4 December, Dr Rex Stanton will speak at a Leeton trial site about the effective chemical control of Silverleaf Nightshade. At a second site at Narrandera, he will discuss the use of mulch crops in suppressing the weed. The trial sites were established to investigate the role that competitive crops and herbicides can play in challenging the weed’s dominance.

For the first time, Charles Sturt University’s (CSU) Regional Bonus Point (RBP) scheme is available to school leavers in regional areas across Australia. “The scheme has been open to school leavers who studied their tertiary entry exam in regional or remote schools in NSW, Queensland and Victoria,” said CSU Vice-Chancellor and President Professor Ian Goulter. “Now school leavers from other states and territories will automatically receive the Regional Bonus Points.” The RBP program is an equity program targeting regional youth. The program offers an additional five points to the university admission score. “CSU recognises that higher education participation rates are quite often lower in regional, non-metropolitan areas so the RBP program gives regional students easier access to courses at any of our campuses.” More information on the RBP scheme is available here.

Charles Sturt University (CSU) has consolidated its commitment to sustainable development and environmental conservation with the establishment of the CSU Green Office on Monday 8 December. Mr William Adlong has been appointed the inaugural manager of CSU Green, and starting on the same day is the new CSU Energy Manager, Mr Edward Maher. Both officers are committed to reducing the University’s energy and water use in line with CSU targets. “The University wants to reduce its energy consumption by 10 per cent and reduce its water use by 25 per cent by 2011. CSU Green aims to bring together staff and student efforts for the environment to help us reach these targets,” said Mr Adlong, who has worked and studied extensively in this area. Mr Maher draws on years of experience with Sydney Water, including the management of the Every Drop Counts Business Program.

A new charter has been designed by Charles Sturt University (CSU) to articulate what it means for students to be members of the wider CSU community. The Student Charter has been publicly released after being endorsed by the University’s Academic Senate on Wednesday 3 December. The document outlines the University’s values, ranging from intellectual independence, to the dissemination of knowledge, social justice and economic, social and environmental sustainability. The Student Charter sets out what students can expect of CSU and the University’s expectations of its student body. These expectations include respect and tolerance, honesty and integrity and positive participation in teaching, learning, professional and research activities. “The purpose of the charter is to promote engagement between students and the broader CSU community, and to help students and staff of the University understand the expectations they may have of each other,” said CSU Deputy Vice-Chancellor (Administration), Professor Lyn Gorman. “The introduction of the charter is a welcome move as it clearly outlines how the University and students can work together productively to benefit all,” said Mr David Atkinson, President of the Student Senate. Read the CSU Student Charter here.

You have your results for university admission, they are different to what you expected, and you want to change your enrolment at university. Current students and staff from Charles Sturt University (CSU), particularly at Albury-Wodonga, will be available on Thursday 18 December to advise prospective students and their parents and friends on the process. CSU advisers will be on hand to discuss alternative pathways for prospective students in 2009, as well as accommodation and student services available at the University’s Albury city and Thurgoona sites. The Course Information Day will be held between 2 and 6pm in the Nowik Lecture Theatre, Guinea St, Albury. For further details on the day, contact CSU Prospective Student Adviser, Ms Rebecca Gale Collins, on mobile 0409 975 085.