Rural health inequalities will be on the agenda of an international social work conference attended by leading rural social researcher Professor Margaret Alston from Charles Sturt University (CSU). Hosted by Coventry University in the UK from Monday 27 March, the three-day conference will examine building international social work collaboration on health inequalities research. As Professor of Social Work and Human Services at CSU, Margaret Alston will discuss the issue of “Globalisation, rural restructuring and the Australian rural health system: a failure of policy – where to for social work?”. “Unfortunately rural health inequalities are not limited to Australia, but we can do much better in addressing this disadvantage. This conference gives me the chance to share my ideas with others on how we might better respond,” said Professor Alston. The UK conference has attracted speakers from Australia, Canada, China, Estonia, India and the USA.  

After 27 years developing theatre and drama education at Charles Sturt University (CSU) Ray Goodlass is retiring this Friday, 17 March. Ray is senior lecturer and postgraduate course coordinator in the School of Visual and Performing Arts at CSU and chaired the Arts and Culture Research Group of the University's Centre for Rural Social Research. Dean of CSU’s Faculty of Arts, Professor Lyn Gorman praised Ray’s long-term contribution to theatre education at CSU, his passion for regional theatre and the cultural life of Wagga Wagga. Involved in drama education all his adult life, Ray has directed over 100 professional and student productions, most recently as resident director for the University Theatre Ensemble. He has been a guest lecturer on acting and script analysis at UCLA, Los Angeles and NIDA and was director of the Riverina Theatre Company for two years. “Ray’s work as an artist has in turn challenged, provoked, enriched and engaged Wagga Wagga audiences for nearly 30 years,” said Kevin Poynter, lecturer in Design for Theatre and Television at CSU. In his ‘retirement’, Ray plans to complete his PhD on the poetics of gay theatre and continue his trade union and political advocacy work

Charles Sturt University’s (CSU) computer network has gone wireless. CSU students and staff are now able to use their laptop computers via wireless links to receive and send emails and interact in online learning environments without having to plug in to a data line. The wireless links have been developed in areas where high numbers of users gather such as libraries, computer centres, selected lecture and tutorial rooms and outside areas. The wireless technology has gone live on the Albury-Wodonga, Bathurst, Orange and Wagga Wagga campuses with plans to further expand the network.

Two Charles Sturt University (CSU) television production students have started their careers on a high note after securing a 12-month traineeship with leading television network, Channel Nine in Sydney this year. The students, Anna Macdonell and David Page, will also each receive $3 000 scholarships from Channel Nine after a competitive selection process conducted by Channel Nine managers on the University’s Wagga Wagga Campus. The Nine Network also offers three-week internships to third and final year television production students as part of ties between CSU and the industry. “Due to the high standard of the students, it is always difficult to select participants in the internships and traineeships,” said Channel Nine Supervising Director, David Summons. “It’s vitally important for the students to secure real world experience and industry contacts,” said CSU television production lecturer Bruce Gater. “Channel Nine’s policy of providing internships and two major traineeships allows this to happen,” he said. Ms Macdonell and Mr Page are due to graduate from CSU in 2006.

Charles Sturt University (CSU) student Alicia Fuller has been named the western region's Miss Indigenous at a ceremony in Dubbo on Friday 17 February. Organiser Michelle Davison told the Dubbo Daily Liberal newspaper that Miss Fuller's "great personality and confidence" made her stand out among the 23 competitors. Miss Fuller said it was “a blast” meeting young women from Narromine, Gilgandra, Mudgee, Trangie, and Cobar. “Young Aboriginal girls aren’t that confident in themselves and it was trying to get them to come forward and speak out and let their beauty shine”. Next up is the State Finals in Sydney, but meanwhile Miss Fuller has started her second year of primary education at Charles Sturt University's Dubbo Campus. “I definitely would like to be a role model for young Indigenous girls out there,” said the CSU student.

An informal arrangement which has existed for over 15 years between library services at Charles Sturt University (CSU) and the Goulburn Police College was today made official at a signing ceremony in Bathurst. CSU Executive Director Library Services Shirley Oakley said this is a significant step forward in what has already proved to be a successful and productive relationship, "The relationship we have is a really good one, but we wanted to make sure it didn’t just rely on goodwill from the personalities, that it was a robust relationship. This new Service Level Agreement is more collaborative and future looking, so as the requirements of the students change we can evolve our services to meet their needs." Tony Stephenson, Manager at the Goulburn Police College Library agrees, "the formal partnerships between the NSW Police and CSU for police education do impact on our libraries, so this agreement will officially cover all library arrangements". Shirley Oakley said the time was right to also look at expanding the relationship. "The agreement also establishes a partnership between the library staff, so that we will exchange skills and keep each other up-to-date on what’s happening in each other’s libraries, which is important for staff development," she said.

Charles Sturt University (CSU) Council has welcomed its newest member, Mr Chris Hancock, who brings more than twenty years’ experience in leadership and senior executive positions to the University and is a graduate of CSU. He is also Chief Executive Officer of Australia’s Academic and Research Network (AARNet). “I completed a Bachelor’s degree at CSU and I’m very fond of the University, but more importantly I’m excited about what the University is doing from a regional perspective," said Mr Hancock. “I’m delighted by the appointment of such a distinguished graduate to the CSU Council, the University's governing body. Mr Hancock’s background and skills will enable him to make an outstanding contribution to the University,” said acting Vice Chancellor Professor Ross Chambers. The University also welcomes the reappointments of Ms Susan Benedyka, Dr Geoffrey Wise and Ms Patricia Murphy. "The re-appointments are pleasing because their distinguished record for Council has been recognised,” added Professor Chambers.    

 Charles Sturt University’s (CSU) long-standing association with the Australian Defence Force (ADF) has received a boost at a contract signing in Canberra on Tuesday 31 January. Under the new agreement, CSU will maintain and expand current training initiatives especially developed for the ADF. The University provides postgraduate training in a three stage program, with many officers then enrolling in CSU’s Master of Arts (Communication – Organisational Communication). “Through its strong training focus, ADF is always trying to do things better, and we can work with them to develop that, and to continue to grow our relationship,” said coordinator of CSU’s postgraduate program for Defence, Zoe Hibbert. “I found the CSU academic staff always supportive and was grateful that they readily recognised the demands placed on students who had to juggle employment and a high study load,” said ADF Strategic Communication Adviser and CSU graduate, John Anderson. “Another benefit to me as a student was that most of my lecturers had been previously employed in the corporate or public sectors, so they were able to demonstrate their professional and practical experiences within an academic context,” he added.

 A Charles Sturt University (CSU) lecturer with a passion for providing support and guidance to first year students studying via distance education has been named the winner of the Vice-Chancellor’s Teaching Excellence Award for 2005. Dr Mir Rabiul Islam, from the School of Social Sciences and Liberal Studies on the University's Bathurst Campus, is course coordinator of the largest undergraduate psychology course, Bachelor of Social Science – Psychology. Including Education/Psychology double degrees, he is coordinating courses for over 450 students. In his online teaching, he strives passionately to use “online strategies” that empower students to be self-sufficient and adaptive to the ever changing needs of life. Student evaluations of his teaching of research methods are extraordinarily high, no mean feat in the area of Advanced Research Methods and Statistics in Psychology unit, a course often regarded as difficult and complex. He considers learning from students as a unique opportunity to assess and re-assess his own professional integrity. Each year the University recognises and encourages excellence in teaching through the presentation of this award. The award will be presented to Dr Islam in May at the Faculty of Arts graduation ceremony.