Charles Sturt University (CSU) will recognise academic excellence among its graduating students and the wider community at the CSU Graduation ceremony in Dubbo on Wednesday 24 March. Associate Professor Joe Canalese, OAM, has accepted the Vice-Chancellor’s invitation to be the Occasional Speaker at the Dubbo graduation to be held at the Dubbo Christian School starting at 10.30am. Associate Professor Canalese received his national award in the 2010 Australia Day Honours List “for service to medicine, to rural health, and to the community of Dubbo”. Dr Canalese has lived and worked in Dubbo for 30 years as a physician and gastroenterologist and is known as a staunch believer in the value of good education. This is the first time the Graduation ceremony will be held at the Dubbo Christian School.

In 2005, then 20 year old Mr Josh Bullock was given a lift to his Dubbo real estate job by a Charles Sturt University (CSU) staff member and in conversation mentioned he would have liked to be a teacher but did not do well in the Higher School Certificate. By the time he had closed the car door and walked into work, he had new aspirations to complete a degree in teaching. Mr Bullock paid his way through his CSU Bachelor of Education degree working as a plumber’s labourer and now has a full-time teaching job at Wellington Primary School. Lecturer in Teacher Education, Ms Maria Bennet says Mr Bullock can graduate with pride. “Josh was always keen and passionate about what he was doing and very involved in the whole uni process and furthering his career,” she says. “It’s great to see Josh fulfil his dream of working in education. He has the right qualities to be a fantastic teacher.” Mr Bullock will attend the CSU Graduation ceremony in Dubbo on Wednesday 24 March along with 94 fellow graduates.

Charles Sturt University (CSU) and Dubbo City Council (DCC) will renew their cooperative agreement when representatives sign a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) at CSU in Dubbo on Wednesday 31 March. CSU Vice-Chancellor and President, Professor Ian Goulter, said, “We are building on the strong foundation of the existing MoU to continue important collaborative work to benefit regional Australia. Under the MoU, the University and Dubbo City Council will enhance each other’s strategic direction. Our focus is on sustainable economic, environmental and social development within the local government area and broader region. In particular, we are keen to explore and maximise opportunities that mutually benefit communities, businesses, government and Indigenous agencies in Dubbo.” The agreement will be signed by Professor Goulter and the Mayor of Dubbo City Council, Councillor Allan Smith, in the presence of CSU’s Head of Campus in Dubbo, Dr Bev Moriarty, and Councillor Matthew Dickerson, a member of the CSU/DCC Working Party.

The effective management of diabetes, one of Australia’s major health problems, will come through input from a range of health professionals, not just a general practitioner (GP), says Professor of Rural and Remote Pharmacy Patrick Ball of Charles Sturt University (CSU). In response to the Federal Government’s plan to keep the growing number of diabetics out of hospital, Professor Ball said one-on-one professional input from diabetes educators, dietitians, pharmacists, physiotherapists and exercise physiologists are needed to tackle the health problem. “While additional resources are welcome, the Prime Minister Kevin Rudd’s plan seems to lack a clear appreciation of how the outcomes will best be delivered, particularly in inland Australia,” Professor Ball said. “While the GP must always be kept in the information loop, routing all the resources through already over-worked general practices is unlikely to be the best way to achieve the outcomes for which the government is aiming.” Professor Ball believes the successful control of Type 2 Diabetes requires that the diabetic takes their prescribed treatment but successful management also requires a change of diet and lifestyle.  “This has to come from the person, the family and the community.  How can one person change their diet if the rest of their household will not?  How can people walk more if we don’t have safe streets and pavements?” questioned Professor Ball.

Leading Australian energy supplier Country Energy has sponsored the Charles Sturt University (CSU) Remote Telescope by installing a dedicated high speed fibre optic line stretching 1.5 kilometres to enable students around the world to study the universe as seen from the Southern Hemisphere. The initiator and administrator of the CSU Remote Telescope, Associate Professor David McKinnon, from the School of Teacher Education in Bathurst, said the generous offer by Country Energy ensures the viability of the long-running project by providing up-to-date technological links to the Internet. “Country Energy has taken the ‘long view’ to assist starry-eyed school students everywhere. I’m over the moon! The in-kind support consists of plant labour and parts, which is mainly an optical fibre cable backbone link and termination devices. This will ensure faster and more secure download times and viewing opportunities for students,” Professor McKinnon said.

Students in NSW and the ACT will have the opportunity to win cash prizes and donate money their favourite charity when entries open for Charles Sturt University’s (CSU) 2010 Making a Difference competition. CSU’s Making a Difference (MaD) Social Justice Innovation Award is open to all students in NSW and ACT in Year 10, 11 or 12 at high school or a student aged 15 to 21 years at TAFE. “The competition gives young people the opportunity to have an input into the challenging issues such as homelessness, teen suicide, drugs, poverty and crime,” said competition coordinator Mr Bill Anscombe, a senior lecturer in the School of Humanities and Social Sciences at CSU. “This competition offers young people the platform to tell their story.” Students were asked to write a story, poem or script that addresses any issue of social justice for the chance to win $250 cash and to select a charity of their choice which CSU would then make a $250 donation to on their behalf.

Four students from Charles Sturt University’s (CSU) Ontario Campus, Canada have arrived in Dubbo to work at Buninyong and Wellington Public Schools as part of their studies. Ms Angelica Barone, Ms Laura Donnelly, Ms Lucy Lee and Ms Wendy Wright have been provided accommodation on the CSU Dubbo Campus during their stay and will complete their practical studies as part of their Bachelor of Primary Education Studies. Lecturer in the School of Education in Dubbo, Ms Alison Lord, is excited about the Canadian student’s arrival, having taught them during her secondment at CSU in Ontario. “These girls are passionate about children’s education,” Ms Lord said. “Their commitment to the course and their future careers is proven by travelling to the Western Region of NSW to complete their studies.”

A leading climate change researcher with Charles Sturt University (CSU) believes delaying the emissions trading scheme (ETS) will cost every Australian in the long run. Professor Kevin Parton, a lead researcher with CSU’s Institute for Land, Water and Society, said the Federal government’s decision to delay the introduction of the scheme until after 2012 to wait and see what the rest of the world will do on carbon emissions was no reason to delay. “The three biggest polluters are USA, China and Europe. China is developing green technologies, and Europe already has an ETS. They are going to be way ahead of Australia,” Professor Parton said. “The media has greatly exaggerated the cost of an ETS to the public, leading to falling public support for the scheme. And the government doesn’t want to take the scheme to its first election.” Professor Parton said under ‘business as usual’ without an ETS, Australia can expect to double its average level of income by 2050. “But with the ETS this income doubling would be delayed only one year.”

Twenty-two high-achieving students will receive scholarships and prizes at a presentation ceremony at Charles Sturt University (CSU) in Dubbo on Tuesday 4 May. The Head of Campus at CSU in Dubbo, Dr Bev Moriarty, will welcome the students and their guests, and the 11 scholarships and 12 prizes will be presented by Dr David Tien, a member of the University Council, who will represent the University’s Chancellor, Mr Lawrie Willett, AO. This year, seven out of the 11 scholarships will be awarded to first year students. Four awards will also be presented from the Faculty of Business 2009 Dean’s List to students studying accounting, finance and business studies. Growing up in Narromine and completing high school and university while living in Dubbo, Ms Fallon Wheeler, a third-year student completing a Bachelor of Education (Early Childhood and Primary), will receive a scholarship and a two prizes. Ms Wheeler also received scholarships for the past two years and was the CSU Dubbo Orientation Week coordinator this year.