Last week the Federal Government announced its high-profile appointments to the Youth Mental Health Foundation Advisory Board to advise on ways to improve access to mental health services for the nation’s 12 to 25-year-olds. Experts agree that young people in Australia are increasingly troubled by various forms of mental disorder, including Dr Lynelle Osburn, a lecturer in the School of Humanities and Social Sciences at Charles Sturt University (CSU) in Wagga Wagga. “Why is it a growing problem? One reason is an increasing intolerance of kids who are a bit different.” She says the vulnerable are easy to recognise. “Young people who leave home in an unplanned way, are isolated, are taking extreme risks or have substance abuse problems, who have eating or stress disorders. There is a growing number of young people who are on medications like amphetamines or Ritalin, or using various party drugs.” Another CSU academic Dr Janki Shankar, lecturer in mental health also in the School of Humanities and Social Sciences, is on the Australian Association of Social Workers Mental Health Interest Group. She says “the current system is failing because of a lack of support services, particularly in rural areas. There are hardly any psycho-social rehabilitation programs that are targeted to youth, there’s almost nothing for people who need early intervention services.”

The peak body for Australian agricultural scientists and technologists has honoured the life-time professional work of Charles Sturt University’s (CSU) Emeritus Professor Ted Wolfe. The Australian Institute of Agricultural Science and Technology (AIAST), representing professionals working in agricultural science and natural resource management, has made Professor Wolfe a Fellow of the Institute. He has a lengthy involvement with agricultural education at the University which in recent years has seen him lead international student exchanges between CSU and the University of Delaware, USA. Professor Wolfe has also been recognised for his work in building the agricultural capacity of countries like North Korea and Eritrea, visiting and building ties with both countries. He believes strongly in the benefit of these visits to scientific agriculture and to farmers, not only in the host country but also in Australia. “Following the recent run of poor seasons, the Australian agricultural sector deserves on-going community support for the valuable role it plays in food security, land care and earning export income,” said Professor Wolfe. Outgoing Dean of the Faculty of Agriculture and Science Professor Jim Pratley said this was a fitting and richly deserved reward for Professor Wolfe for his tireless commitment to agriculture and AIAST.

The Ponton Theatre might not need its heaters on “high” even though Hair – the Tribal Love Rock Musical opens next week in the middle of a Bathurst winter. Show producer and director, Charles Sturt University (CSU) second year theatre media student Adam Ross, describes the plot as “about a bunch of hippies who protest against war, take a lot of drugs and get nude and sing about sexual freedom.” He says the topics raised by the musical are pertinent at present. “With the wars in Afghanistan and Iraq and with the issues of gay marriage and sexual freedom, it really hits home.” He also says the show will be a “trip down memory lane” for older people. “While putting up posters around campus, many lecturers are going, ‘Hair, I haven’t seen that since I was 15!’ I know it will bring back a lot of memories.” Hair opens on Wednesday 2 August, and continues on Friday 4 and Saturday 5 August. Bookings can be made by calling: Mobile 0428 611 916. This production will follow the dark play Kafka’s Metamorphosis, to be performed by CSU theatre media students this Thursday 27, Friday 28 and Saturday 29 July at the Ponton Theatre in Bathurst, starting at 8pm. For bookings, call: Mobile 0405 449 653.

Virginia Falk is driven. While queuing at Centrelink and wondering how she was going to support four children alone, she decided education was the answer. “I did six degrees in five-and-a-half years. I think it’s a record,” she says with some understatement. Starting with three undergraduate courses, including a Bachelor of Vocational Education and Training from Charles Sturt University (CSU), she is currently a Chief Executive Officer with the NSW Department of Natural Resources. Her role there is to establish, administer and implement the Aboriginal Water Trust, a project to increase the level of Aboriginal participation in industries such as nurseries, recycling and “fertigation”. Meanwhile, her studies continue. “My doctoral thesis will be a breakthrough as far as understanding what water means to Aboriginal people, and how competition for water impacts on Aboriginal communities. I think that is going to be a really important area for people to understand.”

Every year for the past 15 years, Ohkuma in Japan sends a group of school students to be hosted in Bathurst homes in Central West New South Wales, as part of the sister city relationship that has grown between the two cities. And for several years now those students take part in intense English language courses at Charles Sturt University (CSU). CSU education lecturer Dr Pauline Jones describes it as a “community collaboration. Because of the long-standing relationships we are now seeing younger brothers and sisters of the original students, so we catch up on all their news.” Dr Jones says the lecturers like to trial and evaluate their TESOL programs during the intensive English classes, and the Japanese students English language development is dramatic because as well as the lessons at CSU, they are also speaking English with their Bathurst host families.

Central West businesses performed better in the June quarter than the preceding quarter, according to the latest Reliance Credit Union business survey released on Wednesday 2 August by Charles Sturt University’s Western Research Institute (WRI). "Interestingly, Central West businesses still expect to improve their performance again in the September quarter, even though interest rates rose yesterday. It is expected, however, that regional NSW business will be less affected by the rise in terest rates than Sydney due to smaller mortgages and less business debt," said WRI CEO, Tom Murphy. It was noted that fuels costs were the most negative influence on business activity, particularly transport. All business sectors except agriculture showed positive performance in June. The business survey, sponsored by Reliance Credit Union and the Central West Regional Development Board, was returned by over 400 businesses including mining, agriculture, tourist, retail and transport industries across regional NSW.

The life of a postgraduate student can be an isolating one, especially for students who do not live near a campus, according to Kris Gottschall, a PhD student in Charles Sturt University’s (CSU) School of Teacher Education. The University’s Student Representative Council has formed a postgraduate group for Bathurst and Orange students which will meet soon at the Bathurst Campus. Ms Gottschall says she hopes the group will encourage students to interact with others and create personal and professional networks, which will help “keep students focused and enthused. I think interaction is really important, not just on the intellectual level, but on a social level as well, because they know what you are going through,” Ms Gottschall said.

Six Charles Sturt University (CSU) Bachelor of Computer Science students today, Tuesday 15 August received scholarships from the New South Wales Department of Lands (DOL) at a presentation in Bathurst. Associate Professor Sue Moffatt, Head of the School of Information Technology, says the students must do at least three subjects in spatial information, receive good grades and undertake one week’s work experience each year at the DOL. In return, the students receive $4 000 per semester for their three year course and a one year position at the Department upon the successful completion of their degree. Warrick Beacroft, Executive Manager DOL Bathurst, says the scholarships are a natural extension of a long relationship. ”When we first came to Bathurst we were the Central Mapping Authority and across the road was (the former) Mitchell College of Advanced Education. We have had a geographic and academic partnership for 30 years with many of our staff having obtained their qualifications from CSU.”

“The new logo and tagline will refresh the way 2MCE presents itself”, says station manager Peter Tozer. The new logo for community radio station 2MCE was launched late last week by Member for Calare, Peter Andren MP, at the Ponton Theatre on Charles Sturt University’s (CSU) Bathurst Campus. Mr Andren said he arrived in the Central West just months after the establishment of 2MCE 30 years ago and that the importance of community radio had not diminished in that time. “Paradoxically, as the world becomes broader in scope, people are turning away from mass media and looking for a real sense of the village community. 2MCE is well placed to do that.” Guest speakers included Associate Professor Tom Watson and 2MCE life member Brett Van Heekeren, both from CSU’s School of Communication. Mr Tozer says the new logo and tag, “out there”, “declares our intent to build on our track record of positive engagement with the community”.