A project that will develop models of health care that work for the specific needs of rural and remote communities will start in Molong in the Central West region next month. Dr Julaine Allan, from Charles Sturt University’s (CSU) School of Biomedical Sciences, will ask focus groups about “their experience of health care provision, what the community needs now and in the future, what models of health service provision work and do not work, and what they would suggest to improve them”. In April, Dr Allan will take her “intensive case study” to Canowindra. “We will compare the two towns and work out why some services work well in one area and not another. Even though communities may be of similar sizes, they are not necessarily the same. We are aiming to improve rural health status by being able to target those differences.” Dr Allan says this is the pilot phase of the project, “and we are seeking additional funding to work with other communities in inland Australia”.

A report was released in the UK last week which claimed that watching television harmed children much more than previously thought. The research was drawn from analysing 35 scientific studies and identified 15 negative affects including obesity, which the report claimed TV caused through a lack of exercise. That sets off alarm bells for Charles Sturt University’s Dr Michael Gard. “All 35 studies will be variable in terms of methodology, the strength of their findings, and what they measured. There is a lot of research on obesity, health and television, and none have shown any connection between TV watching, physical activity and obesity. Technology does not make you fat and stupid and sick. Yes, kids need a variety of experiences. But there is a greater evil here and that is people like this who start telling us how to live our lives rather than kids watching TV every day.”

Dr Rob Duffield of Charles Sturt University's (CSU) School of Human Movement is helping Bathurst residents prepare for the Bathurst half marathon and 10 kilometre fun run to be held in April. He is presenting a 10-week fitness and preparation plan that will appear in the local newspaper in the ten-week run-up to the event. “The idea is to gradually and progressively build people up over the first seven or eight weeks so that they can complete the distance, and then work on being able to actually race at a good speed. It’s such a high-profile community event that you find people do want to participate. Anyone can do the training program, but people need to be realistic about their goals - if they have been sedentary for a long, long time, then the half marathon is probably out of the picture, but the fun run is achievable for everyone.”

Charles Sturt University (CSU) is certainly a family affair for the Hogan girls. All five siblings have chosen to study at CSU. The youngest, Kieron, started her Bachelor of Social Science (Psychology) yesterday at the Bathurst Campus. The family tradition began with Carlie who completed her Bachelor of Arts (Communication Journalism) in 2000. Hannah Hogan, who also graduated from the Communication degree and now works at CSU,said the University was a natural choice. “In the end it came down to which university could offer me exactly what I wanted and CSU seemed the obvious choice. It is highly regarded in my chosen area of study with many successful CSU Communication graduates scattered throughout the industry – fondly referred to as the ‘Mitchell Mafia’. On top of that it had a friendly, fun campus atmosphere which is always great.”

Charles Sturt University’s (CSU) Contact Centre (CC), located at the Bathurst Campus, was awarded the Vice-Chancellor's 2006 Team Award for Performance Excellence in a ceremony last night (Monday 26 February). Vice-Chancellor Professor Ian Goulter said, “This annual award recognises and rewards outstanding contributions to the achievement of CSU’s objectives and priorities. My congratulations and sincere appreciation goes to the CC team, and to all nominees for their ongoing contribution to CSU’s community.” Manager of the CC Ms Kerry Browning said, “We are delighted to be recognised for our contribution to CSU. It reinforces that we are one University working to achieve common goals.” The CC provides a first point of contact for prospective students seeking information about courses, fees, scholarships and accommodation. In 2006 they handled approximately 155 000 enquiries by phone, email and on the Internet.

Advertising ethics might strike many as an oxymoron but not Dr John Hadley, a new appointment to Charles Sturt University (CSU) School of Communication on the Bathurst Campus. Dr Hadley is teaching Media Ethics and Public Policy to third year journalism and public relations students, as well as advertising ethics to advertising students. “The course deals with the ethical dilemmas that communication professionals face in their jobs,” he said. Dr Hadley completed his PhD Animal Property: Reconciling Environmentalism and Animal Rights in March 2006 at the University of Sydney where he taught last year. He is an associate of CSU’s Centre for Applied Philosophy and Public Ethics and his main interest is the practical application of ethics in people’s working lives. This is Dr Hadley’s first taste of Bathurst country life, after a background in inner-city Sydney. As a keen cyclist he is already revelling in “the fresh air and no cars”.

Ideas commonly held by education providers and other stakeholders are open to challenge by the findings of contemporary research into learning, knowledge, quantum theory and brain science, according to Mr Patrick Bradbery. Manager of the Professional Development Unit in the Faculty of Business on Charles Sturt University’s (CSU) Bathurst Campus, Mr Bradbery will discuss these issues and the implications for the design and delivery of learning interventions at a presentation titled ”What the bleep do we know about learning?” at the University between 12.30pm and 2pm on Wednesday 28 February. “This presentation questions whether we have lost sight of the purpose and function of tertiary education, and whether it has become purely vocational in its focus,” Mr Bradbery said. His presentation will contextualise the finding from brain research that the ions which carry messages throughout the brain travel along pathways that are only just a little larger than the ions, thus creating a “quantum environment”.

Charles Sturt University (CSU) lecturer in animation Damian Candusso is celebrating Oscar success for Australian director George Miller’s animated feature film Happy Feet. Damian, who is based at the CSU Wagga Wagga Campus, was already in Los Angeles for the 2007 Motion Picture Sound Editors’ (MPSE) annual Golden Reel Awards ceremony, which was held on Saturday 24 February. Happy Feet was nominated for Best Sound Editing at those awards, but lost to the animated movie Cars. However, last night Happy Feet went one better to pick up the Oscar for the Best Animated Feature Film at the 2007 Academy Awards. Speaking from Los Angeles Damian, who worked as a sound editor on the animated penguin flick said, “We’re all very excited,” adding , ”The sound award would have been awesome but the Academy Award is a higher honour”.

Charles Sturt University (CSU) will host a political forum as part of the Political Market Day for students on its Bathurst Campus from 10am to 2pm on Wednesday 7 March. The political forum is organised by the University’s Student Representative Council (SRC) in consultation with the Head of Campus at CSU Bathurst Professor Greg Walker. It will include a cross section of representatives of political parties including Liberal, Labor, Nationals, Democrats, Socialist Alliance and Greens. “CSU supports and encourages informed debate on a range of social and political issues and given that this is an election year, we consider it important for our students to engage with and participate in the election process,” Professor Walker said. The event will include information stalls, speeches by politicians and candidates, live music and a barbeque.