Archive

As the nation celebrates the centenary of local government in Australia, a Charles Sturt University (CSU) academic has published a history of three councils – Culcairn, Holbrook and Hume – in a twentieth century account of rural NSW. Historian Professor Bruce Pennay has told the story of how rural people shared good times and tough, through depression, drought, fire, flood, war and changing markets. “The book explains how local government responsibilities changed and how they struggled for improvements to help them win or retain populations,” Professor Pennay said. He also examined the impact and subsequent unravelling of the Albury Wodonga Growth centre in the 1970s and 80s and finally their recent amalgamation into a single council. “This work shows communities are shaped by their memories and histories, as well as their geography and economic development,” he said.

“I’m delighted by this award because, in a sense, it brings to prominence something which I truly believe,” said Paul Worsfold, senior career development officer in Charles Sturt University’s Division of Student Services and recipient of the Vice-Chancellor's 2006 Individual Award For Performance Excellence (General Staff). Mr Worsfold was nominated for innovations on the Albury-Wodonga and Wagga Wagga Campuses such as establishing a graduate careers and employment research prize, online careers workshops, and an intern program. “My nomination recognises the necessary collaboration between a university’s careers service and the academic staff who strive for their students’ best possible futures,” he said. “The careers service plays an important part in helping the University achieve one of its key objectives – providing distinctive educational programs for the professions that prepare students for work and citizenship.”

A $5 million sporting complex including an international-level synthetic running track would make Charles Sturt University’s (CSU) School of Human Movement Studies an international player, according to the Head of School, Associate Professor Frank Marino. CSU has applied for funding for the complex through the VSU Transition Fund with backing from Bathurst Regional Council. Vice-Chancellor Ian Goulter says “This important project will be a fantastic facility for inland Australia”. The Federal Member for Macquarie, Kerry Bartlett late last week inspected the proposed site. “I’m meeting with the Minister for Education Julie Bishop this week to push the case. This suite of sporting facilities has the potential to make CSU and Bathurst a centre of sporting excellence and I think that’s tremendously worthwhile.”

Veronica Madigan, senior lecturer and pre-hospital care course coordinator at Charles Sturt University’s (CSU) Bathurst Campus has been recognised as a leader and expert in her field. Ms Madigan will now be entered into the International Index of Experts and Leaders – Emergency Services. The index recognises experts and leaders in emergency services such as Police,  Law Enforcement, Security, Ambulance, Emergency Medical Services, Paramedic Services, First Responders, First Aid, Fire, Emergency Management and Rescue on a global scale. Ms Madigan said, “This University pioneered pre-hospital care education in Australia. When I started in 1999 we had 35 students the first year, we now have 150. It’s one of the strongest growing disciplines at CSU. The double degree, nursing and paramedic, is the most popular double degree CSU offers.”

Last month Charles Sturt University (CSU) and Bathurst Regional Council (BRC) signed a formal Memorandum of Understanding (MoU). Vice-Chancellor of CSU Professor Ian Goulter said the MoU would see CSU and BRC “develop strategies to attract new business and industry, and this includes opportunities for research, internships and work for CSU students”. In the spirit of this greater collaboration CSU, Bathurst TAFE and BRC will sign a Cultural Cooperation Agreement today, Tuesday 12 December. Acting Head of the School of Communication, Bill Blaikie said the signing will “encourage and foster cultural development in Bathurst. Culture is created by people meeting and talking and then making. This is a significant agreement that indicates the ongoing commitment that the University has to cultural and community development in the city.”

After almost 32 years at Charles Sturt University (CSU), courses manager and accounting lecturer Doug Rolfe is retiring to a “hopefully less hectic life.” Retired life for Doug still sounds very busy - he will continue part time work at CSU Bathurst Campus and continue hobbies of bush walking, abseiling, canyoning and going to the gym. As an afterthought he added, “I’ll be the house husband I suppose for a bit.” He said the high points came late in his career at CSU, when he took on teaching the internship about six years ago. “It does give that interaction between University and employers and I think that is an important way to build relationships with industry, so I really valued that. I have also enjoyed my last three and a half years as course manager which gave me the opportunity to have input into Faculty student policies. I enjoyed the teaching too.”

To a typical university student, 70 or 80 years of age seems positively ancient, while on the other hand, many 90 year olds dream of being an octogenarian again. With Dr Jack Cannon’s help, some of Bathurst’s frail elderly will regain some strength, balance and mobility, therefore “turning back the clock”. Dr Cannon is a lecturer with Charles Sturt University’s (CSU) School of Human Movement Studies. His research showed that resistance exercise can improve the quality of life in older women. For the past two years, he has been working with Bathurst residents over the age of 60 with remarkable results. Now it is the turn of Ilumba Gardens Retirement Village residents. “Generally we find the more frail people become, the more responsive they are. With a proper training routine you can turn some of that around in three weeks.” Dr Cannon is hoping the pilot program will expand in 2007.

Five women who began their fine art studies together have reunited to stage their first independent exhibition. The women all commenced the Advanced Diploma of Fine Arts at Riverina TAFE Institute at the same time and three have continued their studies towards the new fine arts degree offered jointly by Charles Sturt University (CSU) and Riverina TAFE Institute. The artists are Kylie Graham, Michelle Grant, Lynn Kaczmarek, Danusia Machalak and Karen Cowled. “Because our work is so diverse, we decided to simply name the exhibition 5 Women,” Michelle Grant said. The works range from abstracts to portraits and from prints to mixed media. The exhibition will be staged in the HR Gallop Gallery on CSU’s Wagga Wagga Campus until Friday 22 December from 9am to 4.30pm. The public is welcome and entry is free.

Ms Deb Clarke, a lecturer in the School of Human Movement Studies on Charles Sturt University’s Bathurst Campus, has won the Vice-Chancellor’s Teaching Excellence Award for 2006. Ms Clarke’s ability to engage her students and develop them into critical thinkers and life-long learners was central to her success. “I’m also the chair of the School’s Learning and Teaching Committee. The members have formal meetings where we work through issues, but also informal chats in the corridor about ‘how can I do this better? Or how can I teach that?’ If something’s not working well in my tutorials or my lectures, I will do informal evaluations with the students or ask them to write down a few things confidentially, and then try and modify as much as possible to suit their needs. I just love teaching,” said Ms Clarke.