Archive
A different kind of training and development
Tuesday, 27 Jun 2006Charles Sturt University’s (CSU) Professional Development Unit (PDU) has been contracted by the NSW Aboriginal Land Council to develop a training and development strategy for Aboriginal Land Councils. The PDU will evaluate the current training packages, make recommendations for the development of new ones to fill any gaps and provide recommendations regarding delivery schedules and methods. Pat Bradbery, manager of the PDU at Bathurst CSU, says this is an important step for the PDU in its efforts to develop targeted business-related courses for Indigenous people. “The PDU will ensure the training is aligned with the Aboriginal Land Rights Act (ALRA) with the object of making the local Aboriginal Land Councils more effective and efficient in carrying out their work which primarily is to acquire and manage land on behalf of Aboriginal people.” He says the strategy can’t be the same for all as Land Councils can vary considerably. “It certainly is an interesting project because of the ALRA requirements. It is very different to developing a training strategy for a corporate customer. Because of the community involvement in Local Aboriginal Land Councils, we need to be conscious of what the executive wants as well as what the rank and file members desire,” Mr Bradbery added.
Speech research wins prestigious Fellowship for CSU academic
Tuesday, 27 Jun 2006
It has been an exciting six months for Dr Sharynne McLeod, senior lecturer in language acquisition at Charles Sturt University’s (CSU) School of Teacher Education. As a world-renowned speech pathologist, she is just back from Edinburgh’s Queen Margaret University College after successfully applying for a prestigious British Academy Visiting Fellowship worth over £8000. Dr McLeod was there for a project entitled Mapping tongue/palate contact for speech sound production. “I needed to go to Edinburgh to finish analysing my work. They have been developing new technology combining ultrasound and electropalatography so you can actually map the tongue’s movement during speech. No one has combined these techniques before,” Dr McLeod said. Whilst in Europe, Dr McLeod presented some of her mapping research to the British Association of Academic Phoneticians in Scotland as well as presenting to speech pathologists, students and academics at universities in London, Sheffield and Edinburgh. There was more good news waiting for Dr McLeod on her return home when she discovered she had been awarded a Fellowship of Speech Pathology Australia, one of only two Fellowships awarded throughout Australia.Examining grapevine dieback in the Hunter Valley
Tuesday, 20 Jun 2006
An increasingly significant disease in grapevines in eastern Australia is the subject of new research at Charles Sturt University (CSU). PhD student Micheal Qiu is examining the grapevine trunk disease known as Bot canker in the Hunter Valley and Mudgee wine grape growing regions. The disease is thought to be responsible for productivity losses of overseas grapevines of up to one-third. The postgraduate research is being conducted through the National Wine and Grape Industry Centre (NWGIC) at CSU in Wagga Wagga. It aims to provide a better understanding of the disease and therefore better management of the problem. The project will examine the distribution, identity, pathogenicity and genetic variation of the causal agents of Bot canker. Several fungicides will also be tested in the laboratory for their ability to control the disease. The research is being funded by the Australian Research Council, Bayer Crop Science Pty Ltd, Hunter Valley Vineyard Association and the Mudgee Wine Grape Growers Association. Supporting the wine industry
Tuesday, 20 Jun 2006
Researchers at the National Wine and Grape Industry Centre (NWGIC) at Charles Sturt University (CSU) in Wagga Wagga will present their latest studies and the research benefits for industry during the annual symposium on Thursday 22 June in Wagga Wagga. Entitled The Full Circle, the symposium will cover topics such as environmental issues surrounding irrigation and nitrogen management of vineyards; vascular transport in grapevines and the impact of vineyard floor management researchers. “The communication of our research results to industry is a major and key component of the NWGIC,” said centre Director Professor Geoff Scollary. President of the NSW Wine Industry Association David Lowe will open the 2006 research symposium at 10.30am. The program for The Full Circle can be found here. The NWGIC is an alliance between Charles Sturt University, NSW Department of Primary Industries, the NSW Wine Industry Association and Deakin University.Local Businesses Clear Their Debts
Tuesday, 20 Jun 2006Central West businesses are lining up to attend a Charles Sturt University (CSU) Debt Collection workshop next week which will save them time and money when it comes to dealing with bad debts. The workshop will offer advice on debt collection options and procedures involved; effective systems to minimise and prevent bad debts in your business and, as a last resort, ,steps in debt collection which involve the court. The course has been developed especially with local businesses in mind by Antony Smith, an Adjunct Lecturer in the Faculty of Commerce at CSU Orange Campus. “I’ve discovered in my time that people in small businesses don’t really understand the debt collection process so they tend to put things off as long as they can, hoping they won’t have to do anything about it,” Mr Smith says. “Debt is made a lot worse by the passage of time so we felt it was important to run a short course on how to manage debt collection.” There are two workshops next week at CSU Orange Campus on Tuesday June 27 and Thursday June 29 from 6pm to 8pm and one on Saturday, July 1 from 9am to 1pm. The cost of the workshop is $80. Places are limited, for more information contact the program coordinator on 02 6365 7813 or go to the CSU Community Education site.
Local Businesses Clear Their Debts
Tuesday, 20 Jun 2006Central West businesses are lining up to attend a Charles Sturt University (CSU) Debt Collection workshop next week which will save them time and money when it comes to dealing with bad debts. The workshop will offer advice on debt collection options and procedures involved; effective systems to minimise and prevent bad debts in your business and, as a last resort, ,steps in debt collection which involve the court. The course has been developed especially with local businesses in mind by Antony Smith, an Adjunct Lecturer in the Faculty of Commerce at CSU Orange Campus. “I’ve discovered in my time that people in small businesses don’t really understand the debt collection process so they tend to put things off as long as they can, hoping they won’t have to do anything about it,” Mr Smith says. “Debt is made a lot worse by the passage of time so we felt it was important to run a short course on how to manage debt collection.” There are two workshops next week at CSU Orange Campus on Tuesday June 27 and Thursday June 29 from 6pm to 8pm and one on Saturday, July 1 from 9am to 1pm. The cost of the workshop is $80. Places are limited, for more information contact the program coordinator on 02 6365 7813 or go to the CSU Community Education site.
Do we need a Bill of Rights?
Tuesday, 20 Jun 2006
Can our democratic processes protect our civil liberties and freedom of expression or do we need a Bill of Rights? According to Free Speech Central West (FSCW), Australia is the only western democracy without a Bill of Rights or constitutional recognition of the right to free speech. The organisation is holding a forum at Charles Sturt University (CSU) Orange Campus this Sunday June 25. Kay Nankervis, a lecturer in CSU’s School of Communication and a member of FSCW says it is imperative that her journalism students be aware of the issue. “They often don’t immediately grasp the importance of their freedom to report: that it is not curbed by whomever they work for or by security laws that prevent them from naming certain activities or information. Like most Australians they can be complacent about our rights of freedom of association and to express an opinion. We assume those rights will always be there, but they can be legislated away.” Speakers at the forum including constitutional lawyer Professor George Williams, Orange barrister Derek Cassidy QC, former independent State and Federal parliamentarian Ted Mack,and Federal Member for Calare, Peter Andren will debate the statement: In a democracy like Australia there is no need for a bill of rights.Classroom drama
Tuesday, 20 Jun 2006
It’s just what the Doctor ordered: Quality partnerships between universities and schools and more innovative practices related to practicum teaching. The recommendations of Dr Gregor Ramsey in his review of teaching education, Quality Matters, are expected to be repeated when the National Review of Teacher Education is released by the Federal Government shortly. Adjunct lecturer in teacher education at Charles Sturt University (CSU), Dr Julie Martello is already putting the recommendations into practice and has built up excellent relationships with schools throughout the Central West, especially in Bathurst. Before her early childhood students start their first school-based practicum, they assist local school teachers in their English literacy classes. “Students say it gives them a better idea of what’s happening in schools and ideas they might use themselves in the classroom,” says Dr Martello.CSU’s Process drama in the classroom students are also putting their theories to the test. CSU student Kate Marriott who is in her fourth year of a Bachelor of Education (Primary) says the trainee teachers use drama to get kids enthused and engaged in the classroom with outstanding results.Growing Regions conference
Tuesday, 20 Jun 2006
Charles Sturt University (CSU) will have a strong presence at the first international Growing Regions Conference in Brisbane in July. Professor Margaret Alston, Director of CSU’s Centre for Rural Social Research, is one of the keynote speakers at the conference which will draw together leading contemporary regional policy experiences and research from across the globe. CSU staff member, Steven Gibbs and student Nicole Creaser are among the 15 young people from around Australia who will be sponsored by the Australian Government to attend the conference. Steven Gibbs, a research support officer in CSU’s Spatial Data Analysis Network (SPAN), says his main interest regional policy and development. He is particularly looking forward to the sessions dealing with “issues of population and government services and how policy can improve the well-being of people living in rural areas.” Nicole Creaser is in the fourth year of her Bachelor of Health Science (Nutrition and Dietetics) course at CSU’s Wagga Wagga campus. Originally from Melbourne, Nicole says she is interested in “everything to do with health in regional and rural Australia".Queen’s Birthday honour for CSU Theology Professor
Thursday, 15 Jun 2006
Charles Sturt University (CSU) Professor of Theology and Executive Director of the University’s Australian Centre for Christianity and Culture, Reverend Professor James Haire, was made a member of the Order of Australia in the Queen’s Birthday Honours 2006 announced on 12 June. Reverend Professor Haire was awarded a Member in the General Division of the Order of Australia (AM) for service to religion and the community through the promotion of ecumenical and interfaith dialogue, the Uniting Church in Australia and theological education. Born in Ireland, James Haire studied at Oxford University in UK and was ordained a minister in the Presbyterian Church in Ireland in 1972. Since moving to Australia in 1985, Rev. Professor Haire has held numerous positions including current president of the National Council of Churches in Australia (since 2003); president of the National Assembly Uniting Church in Australia (2000-2003); and joint chair of the Uniting and Roman Catholic Church Australian National Dialogue (1992-2004). CSU Acting Vice-Chancellor, Professor Ross Chambers praised Professor Haire’s leadership in promoting dialogue between the churches and between Christians, Muslims and Jews. “Reverend Professor Haire’s high quality work in ecumenism and interfaith dialogue is particularly important in Australia at this time in history. Under Professor Haire’s leadership it has become an important focus of teaching and research at CSU,” Professor Chambers said.