Superlatives flow like fine wine when it comes to the James Halliday Australian Wine Companion: “a must have for any serious lover of Australian wine”, “the No. 1 bestselling guide to wineries and wine in Australia”, “keenly anticipated by winemakers, faithful collectors and wine lovers alike”. In the 2007 edition, it is James Halliday who waxes lyrical about the Charles Sturt University (CSU) Winery, giving it, and its 2005 Orange Chardonnay, the highest rating. Only “outstanding wineries capable of producing wines of the highest calibre” can receive five stars from Halliday, while the 2005 Orange Chardonnay was an “outstanding wine of the highest quality” and “outstanding value”. CSU’s winemaker Andrew Drumm says the Winery is “very pleased to receive this honour, especially from someone like James Halliday. It makes the students feel proud of the time spent in the winery and reinforces our education and research activities.”

Charles Sturt University (CSU) is inviting the private sector to take part in the University’s plans to significantly increase student accommodation on or near its main campuses in Albury-Wodonga, Bathurst, Dubbo, Orange and Wagga Wagga. Later this month, CSU is calling for expressions of interest to finance, plan and build student accommodation next to or near the CSU campuses, with the option to also manage the facility. “We want to provide well-located and competitively priced accommodation for our students that is also commercially sustainable and in keeping with our ecologically sustainable development goals,” said CSU Executive Director of Financial Services Jim Hackett. As part of the University’s expansion of student accommodation, CSU is also developing and financing facilities to house 200 students in self catering accommodation on its Bathurst, Albury and Wagga Wagga sites.

Business performance has remained steady across the Central West region of NSW over the September quarter compared to the previous quarter, according to the latest Reliance Credit Union’s Central West Business Survey, compiled by Charles Sturt University’s Western Research Institute (WRI). Chief Executive Officer of the WRI Tom Watson said “despite the drought, more than three-quarters of Central West businesses surveyed reported that sales performance had been maintained or improved in the September quarter. Parkes, West Wyalong, Bathurst and Orange were the strongest performers. A marginal decline is expected in the December quarter, but on the whole performance should remain relatively steady.” The survey also addressed the issue of drought in the Central West. Central West Regional Development Board chair Sandy Morrison noted that nearly 90 per cent of businesses had not decreased staff numbers as a result of the drought, indicating that many regional businesses are relatively insulated from the effects of the drought and they understand it would be easier to retain workers than attract new workers in the future, given the skills shortage. However, almost 60 per cent felt business would decline if drought conditions continued for another six months. Tom Murphy in analysing survey results said, “Although agriculture is important in the region - the diverse nature of the Central West economy means it is resilient to the drought.” The business survey, released on Thursday 2 November, included 100 businesses in the Central West region of NSW and a further 299 across the rest of regional NSW.

As Year 12 students continue sitting their Higher School Certificate (HSC), latest performance research on the NSW HSC Online study resource by Internet research company Hitwise shows it is in the top 10 education websites in Australia. Now in its tenth year, NSW HSC Online was heralded for providing access to quality learning resources, especially for students in rural and remote areas. The current performance data support this success in providing equity, with high use by students living in provincial centres, who traditionally have below average use of the Internet. There were also more boys than average for an educational website going to HSC Online in the lead-up to the HSC, with 58 per cent males and 42 per cent females using www.hsc.csu.edu.au. The research also revealed excellent brand recognition and a strong association of the site with CSU. Acting Deputy Vice-Chancellor (Administration) Professor Lyn Gorman said the website’s success highlights its value in bringing high quality resources to all HSC students, regardless of where they live. The NSW HSC Online project was initiated and continues to be maintained and updated by the University in collaboration with the NSW Department of Education and Training.

Research that defines the NSW central west labour market will be presented at a lunchtime seminar from 12.30pm to 2pm at Charles Sturt University’s Bathurst Campus on Wednesday 1 November. Dr Parikshit Basu from the School of Marketing & Management will present work based on research he co-authored with Professor John Hicks and Richard Sappey. Titled Overview of an ‘Established Rural Regional Inland’ Australian Labour Market Dr Basu analyses the operation of a local labour market in the NSW Central West, the oldest European-settled inland region of mainland Australia. It seeks to contribute to a classification of labour markets that would be useful for forming policies at local, State and Federal levels. The seminar will be held in Syndicate Room 2 in the Centre for Professional Development, CSU Bathurst Campus, from 12.30 pm.

This year’s National Drama Australia Conference had more drama than usual for Associate Professor Dr John Carroll, who was named the recipient of the 2006 Drama Australia Award for Excellence in Drama Education. The Charles Sturt University (CSU) Associate Professor in Communication Research also launched a new book at the Turning The Tides conference which addressed such issues as online drama, digital performance and drama learning. Professor Carroll says Real Players? coauthored with David Cameron of CSU and Michael Anderson of the University of Sydney is “aimed at drama educators, secondary teachers and the university community, as well as a broader group of people who are interested in what’s happening in new technology and performance. It covers the shift that is going on in how young people are relating to new media, and how they are creatively using alternative channels of information.”

“I feel very confident in promoting the University as a great place to work.” Karen Kime is Charles Sturt University’s (CSU) new Indigenous Employment Coordinator. Although she only started in the position in June, already she has held cross cultural training workshops and Indigenous staff forums. “The workshops were about the different communication styles that many of our people have. Things such as eye contact, and women and men’s 'business', are sensitive issues. Silences are often used to show respect. Body language is very different. The forums meanwhile are a fantastic way for our people to be able to get together, to network, learn University processes, and to get some training which is specifically targeted for their needs.” Next up will be the introduction of pathways between TAFE, schools and CSU and the development of a mentoring scheme “to encourage people to see CSU as a potential and relevant employer - where one could have a career. In addition, our people contribute to an interesting and dynamic workforce; one that reflects the cultural makeup of the region it serves.”

A Wiradjuri Elder who was born and raised on the Talbragar Reserve near Dubbo, NSW, has been recognised at the recent annual Women Out West (WOW) awards on Saturday 31 July for her contribution to education and to Charles Sturt University (CSU). Aunty Pat Doolan, PSM,* was nominated by CSU education lecturer Ms Maria Bennet for her key role in supporting University staff and students with educational and cultural knowledge, and was awarded in the category ‘Dubbo Local Aboriginal Land Council Award for Outstanding Aboriginal Leadership inspiring generosity of spirit’. “The award is long overdue acknowledgement of Aunty Pat’s contribution and commitment to Indigenous education both within the region and more broadly, and she has had significant involvement with Charles Sturt University in Dubbo and the Centre for Indigenous Studies,” Ms Bennet said. “She has worked extensively across western NSW in community development, education, child protection, Aboriginal employment and community development to improve social outcomes for women and Aboriginal people in the Bourke and Dubbo communities.”

According to a report published in March of this year, the well-documented nursing workforce shortage is an international problem. Nurse resignation rates in the USA are around 12-15 per cent per annum, while the annual attrition rates in New South Wales are closer to 20 per cent. Susan Bragg, a PhD student with the School of Health Science, is hoping to explore the reasons why NSW rural registered nurses resign from hospitals by interviewing nurses who resigned from a NSW rural hospital for reasons other than maternity, retirement or geographic relocation. “The idea came to me after I left the hospital system, and then we kept hearing about the nurse shortage. I wondered why no one was listening to the nurses who had resigned. I strongly believe that the nurses who have left the system hold the reason why. I think there are quite a few issues impacting on why nurses leave and hopefully I can summarise those in my thesis and then the system may pay attention.”