Charles Sturt University (CSU) last week farewelled its inaugural Dean of the Faculty of Science and Agriculture, Professor Jim Pratley who was also CSU’s longest serving Dean. Professor Pratley began his career as a lecturer in Plant Science at the then Wagga Wagga Agricultural College in 1972 and later became lecturer in Agronomy at the former Riverina Murray Institute of Higher Education in 1976. He was appointed CSU’s inaugural Dean of the Faculty of Science and Agriculture in 1990 and achieved a series of milestones for the University including the introduction of Australia’s first regional Bachelor of Veterinary Science degree.  In recognition of Professor Pratley’s outstanding service to CSU and his commitment to agricultural research, he has been awarded the title Emeritus Professor, only the fifth such appointment in CSU’s history. Professor Pratley will continue his association with CSU as a part-time Professor of Agriculture, a role that will see him building links with key international agricultural universities. CSU has already established links with South China Agricultural University as well as universities in Pakistan and Malaysia and the International Rice Research Institute in the Philippines. Professor Pratley’s secretary, May Crawford who joined the staff of Wagga Agricultural College in 1976, will continue to work with Professor Pratley in his new ‘home’ in the Farrer building at CSU’s Wagga Wagga Campus. As the past vice president of the International Allelopathy Society, Professor Pratley plans to continue his research into natural herbicides and weed management.

Nosey neighbours are usually frowned upon but in the Macquarie Valley looking over the fence is giving cotton farmers a better understanding of pest management, thanks to research conducted by Charles Sturt University. Funded by the Cotton Catchment Communities Co-operative Research Centre (CRC), the project investigates ecologically-based pest management for Macquarie region cotton production. CSU Associate Professor of Applied Ecology, Geoff Gurr and PhD student David Perovic are working with growers in Trangie and the wider Macquarie Valley area to better understand how pest problems in cotton crops are influenced by neighbouring farms. “We’re conducting surveys on various types of non-crop vegetation such as native bushland and monitoring the movement of beneficial insects from there to the crops at different times of year,” Professor Gurr explained.

One of Charles Sturt University’s (CSU) leading academics Professor Gail Whiteford has been added to the latest list of top achieving women in Australia. Professor Whiteford joins over 4 000 high-profile achievers and unsung heroes across Australia in the new Who’s Who of Australian Women released on Friday 30 June. Originally educated as an occupational therapist (OT) working extensively in Australia and overseas, Professor Whiteford has over 20 years involvement in OT and holds several national professional positions. Her current research interests include research into occupational and professional and intercultural practice with research projects in the Murray Valley of southern Australia and in Vietnam. Professor Whiteford is now Head of the University’s Albury-Wodonga Campus as well as Director of the University’s Centre for Research into Professional Practical Learning and Education (RIPPLE) and a senior researcher with the centre. In her work to nurture other academics, Professor Whiteford also spearheaded a new program at CSU in 2004, the Banksia Program,  to encourage more women researchers to undertake and complete research.    

The importance of recent drought research by rural social researchers from Charles Sturt University (CSU) was on the agenda during a visit to the University’s Wagga Wagga Campus by members of the national philanthropic organisation, the Rural Education Program of the Foundation for Rural and Regional Renewal (FRRR). Led by FRRR patron and head of the Myer Foundation, Ballieau Myer, the group met with Professor Margaret Alston and Dr Jenny Kent from the University’s Centre for Rural Social Research on Saturday 1 July. As part of the vision of Federation for Rural and Regional Renewal to support communities to respond positively to change and build social and economic wealth in rural and regional Australia, the Foundation funded research into the impact of drought on young people’s access to education. The report, entitled The impact of drought on secondary education access in Australia's rural and remote areas, was also funded by the Federal Government. “The visit to the University gave us a chance to thank the Foundation for financially supporting significant research into the impact of one of the country’s worst droughts,” said Professor Alston. Further information on the drought report, including key recommendations can be found here.

When Central Tablelands Landcare held community forums to try and boost local support, they turned to Charles Sturt University (CSU) lecturer Zelma Bone to monitor and evaluate their efforts. Using a grant from the Natural Resources Advisory Council of NSW and her US experience with what is called deliberative process, Ms Bone and Dr Judith Crockett from CSU have assisted in three community forums so far, not only reinvigorating interest in Landcare, but also re-engaging the locals in community issues. In Blayney, the Landcare group established a relationship with one of the local schools, overcoming transport obstacles which had held them back in the past. And in Millthorpe, the primary school community garden will expand with help from the local gardening club, prompting interest in locally grown produce. Ms Bone explains that deliberative forums are unlike public meetings “where you get a lot of discussion and debate but sometimes not very useful outcomes. Deliberation is a process where we identify a couple of choices, look at the costs and consequences of each one, and ultimately the real benefit is moving people from the individual to a more community perspective”. Central to the success is follow-up, says Ms Bone. “They agree on a project, and we can help with external resources or steer them in the right direction, but then it is up to them. Our project goes back to these local communities in six months time to track the progress.”

When Kelso High School burned to the ground in August last year, it was a sad day for school education in the Bathurst region. But now a new secondary college concept is rising from the ashes, sparked by a unique collaboration between Kelso and Bathurst High Schools, the local community, TAFE and Charles Sturt University (CSU). Mr Mike Tom, a project manager with the Department of Education and Training (DET) says the new school will share curriculum in years 11 and 12 with Bathurst High School and he is hoping the project will encourage even greater cooperation with CSU. A “critical friend” in the process according to Mr Tom, is Dr Alan Bain, an expert in school renewal from CSU’s School of Teacher Education. Dr Bain worked on a number of public, private and charter school reform and renewal projects in the US and internationally before coming to Bathurst a few years ago. Dr Bain says while secondary college collaborations do exist in other parts of the state and country, the circumstances in Bathurst are unique with a TAFE and University in the same town. “It’s an opportunity for a different kind of collaboration, being driven by a series of unfortunate and traumatic events but nonetheless with the promise of  producing something powerful. It has immense potential for CSU, TAFE and for other schools,” Dr Bain says.

Charles 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.

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".

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.