Reports on support projects by graduating CSU speech pathology students in a number of Border schools will highlight the annual Speech Pathology Conference starting tomorrow (Wednesday 1 November) in Albury. The projects, completed in primary schools as far away as Corowa, Henty and Holbrook, introduced the latest communication speech and communication techniques into these smaller rural schools through student groups supervised by CSU academic Dr Ruth Beecham. The conference, titled Crossing Borders, allows all speech pathology students completing their studies this year to formally present their own clinical work experiences to peers. The conference will start at 2pm on Wednesday 1 November in the Nowik Auditorium, Guinea St, Albury, and continue to 3.30pm on Thursday 2 November.

As Year 12 students continue sitting their Higher School Certificate (HSC), latest performance research on the NSW HSC Online study resource by Internet research company Hitwise shows it is in the top 10 education websites in Australia. Now in its tenth year, NSW HSC Online was heralded for providing access to quality learning resources, especially for students in rural and remote areas. The current performance data support this success in providing equity, with high use by students living in provincial centres, who traditionally have below average use of the Internet. There were also more boys than average for an educational website going to HSC Online in the lead-up to the HSC, with 58 per cent males and 42 per cent females using www.hsc.csu.edu.au. The research also revealed excellent brand recognition and a strong association of the site with CSU. Acting Deputy Vice-Chancellor (Administration) Professor Lyn Gorman said the website’s success highlights its value in bringing high quality resources to all HSC students, regardless of where they live. The NSW HSC Online project was initiated and continues to be maintained and updated by the University in collaboration with the NSW Department of Education and Training.

Charles Sturt University (CSU) is inviting the private sector to take part in the University’s plans to significantly increase student accommodation on or near its main campuses in Albury-Wodonga, Bathurst, Dubbo, Orange and Wagga Wagga. Later this month, CSU is calling for expressions of interest to finance, plan and build student accommodation next to or near the CSU campuses, with the option to also manage the facility. “We want to provide well-located and competitively priced accommodation for our students that is also commercially sustainable and in keeping with our ecologically sustainable development goals,” said CSU Executive Director of Financial Services Jim Hackett. As part of the University’s expansion of student accommodation, CSU is also developing and financing facilities to house 200 students in self catering accommodation on its Bathurst, Albury and Wagga Wagga sites.

Superlatives flow like fine wine when it comes to the James Halliday Australian Wine Companion: “a must have for any serious lover of Australian wine”, “the No. 1 bestselling guide to wineries and wine in Australia”, “keenly anticipated by winemakers, faithful collectors and wine lovers alike”. In the 2007 edition, it is James Halliday who waxes lyrical about the Charles Sturt University (CSU) Winery, giving it, and its 2005 Orange Chardonnay, the highest rating. Only “outstanding wineries capable of producing wines of the highest calibre” can receive five stars from Halliday, while the 2005 Orange Chardonnay was an “outstanding wine of the highest quality” and “outstanding value”. CSU’s winemaker Andrew Drumm says the Winery is “very pleased to receive this honour, especially from someone like James Halliday. It makes the students feel proud of the time spent in the winery and reinforces our education and research activities.”

Writing for publication is a new addition to the workshops on offer at the Riverina’s premier creative arts school to be held at Charles Sturt University (CSU) early in 2007. Enrolments are now being taken for the Murrumbidgee School of Creative Arts summer school at CSU’s Wagga Wagga Campus from 14 to 19 January 2007. The writing workshop has been introduced in response to demand and the tutor will be Kerri Lane, an internationally published author of more than 30 books and “ghostwriter” for some of Australia’s top business personalities. She has tutored in writing for 14 years, 12 of those with CSU’s enrichment program. Described as a “week of indulgence”, the summer school will also include workshops in beading, clay, calligraphy, fine art, jewellery, mosaics, photography, sculpture and textiles. The Murrumbidgee School of Creative Arts has doubled in the number of participants and workshops since its inception three years ago and tutors will travel from as far as New Zealand, Queensland and Victoria for the next program. Program Coordinator Linda Tillman said all workshops are aimed at specific skill levels with something for everyone. The Murrumbidgee School of Creative Arts is held on the Wagga Wagga Campus in summer and winter each year. For enquiries or enrolments, contact Linda Tillman on 02 6933 2064 or email commed@csu.edu.au

Colourful elements of Indigenous Australian culture will be presented to school students from the Border region when they visit an education day hosted by Charels Sturt Universty’s (CSU) early childhood education students on Thursday 9 November. The University students, directed by CSU academic and Wirradjuri elder Yalmambirra, will lead small groups that explore various aspects of Indigenous culture including boomerang throwing, bush tucker, face painting, dance and storytelling, and be assessed as part of their teaching degree course. “The day long event is an important educational experience for CSU students and around 400 primary primary school pupils that will visit during the day,” said Yalmambira. The event will be held at the Mirrambeena community centre at Lavington, between 9am and 2.30pm.

Staging a matinee session of the new Australian film Opal Dreaming is part of one Charles Sturt University academic’s effort to raise funds for the international aid charity Oxfam on Sunday 12 November. Ecotourism senior lecturer Dr Rosemary Black is raising funds for a bicycle tour of Cambodia, an Oxfam Challenge, to highlight severe development problems in this country. Starring Vince Colosimo, Jacqueline McKenzie, Christian Byers and Sapphire Boyce, Opal Dream is an enchanting, funny and profoundly moving story about some apparently imaginary friends in the opal capital of Australia. Proceeds from tickets to the screening go direct to Oxfam as part of Dr Black’s challenge. The film will be screened at the Regent Theatre in Dean St, Albury, starting at 4.15pm on 12 November with tickets costing $15 on sale at the door from 3.30pm.

Childhood obesity, promoting good health to rural men, chronic back pain for women and work options for people living with HIV/AIDS are some of the topics being addressed by Charles Sturt University (CSU) students at an occupational therapy conference to be held next week in Albury. Thirty six graduating students from the University’s occupational therapy course are presenting papers on these and other topics in this rapidly developing field to health professionals from the NSW-Victorian Border region. The two day conference will be start at 9am on Tuesday 21 November in the Nowik Auditorium, CSU’s Albury city site, Guinea St, Albury, finishing at 1pm on Wednesday 22 November.

A public forum discussing how people in north east Victoria and southern NSW can respond to climate change and the positions of Victoria’s major political parties on this critical issue will be presented by Monday 20 November. Hosted by Charles Sturt University’s Institute for Land, Water and Society (ILWS) and La Trobe University, speakers include four candidates for the Victorian seat of Benambra for the up-coming Victorian State election: Bill Baxter (Nationals), Lisa Mahood (Labor), Helen Robinson (Greens) and Bill Tilley (Liberal), as well as a scientist who will discuss the predicted impacts of climate change on this region. Starting at 6pm, light refreshments will be available at the close of the forum at 7.30pm. The forum will be held in the Main Lecture Theatre, La Trobe University, University Drive, Wodonga.