Two new wines will be released this week to add to the multi-award winning range of premium sparkling, table and fortified wines produced at the commercially run Charles Sturt University (CSU) Winery. A 2009 Cellar Reserve Pinot Noir Rosé made from premium pinot noir grapes from the cool-climate Tumbarumba region is the first Rosé made at the winery in 10 years. Mr Richard Lawson from CSU Winery described the wine as an elegant rosé with a beautiful rose petal colour with classic cherry and forest berry characters on the nose and a clean dry finish. “The second release is the 2009 Alfresco Bianco following in the footsteps of last year’s popular vintage, but the alcohol content has been dropped to six per cent which is similar to the many moscato-style wines from Italy,” he said. CSU’s Winery at Wagga Wagga is an integral part of the School of Agriculture and Wine Sciences and at the forefront of viticultural practices and winemaking techniques in Australia.

A Charles Sturt University (CSU) academic aims to draw attention to the impacts of climate change on low paid Australian workers. Sociology lecturer and co-author of the book Living Low Paid, Dr Helen Masterman-Smith will present a seminar in Sydney on Monday 1 June to discuss the barriers to social and workplace citizenship that low paid workers experience. These barriers are highly relevant to whether the Australian labour market and economy can actually deliver a ‘just transition’ to a low-carbon economy or whether such a transition will simply reproduce current labour market inequalities. “If employee engagement is seen as critical to greening Australian workplaces, what does the lack of voice and dignity that many low paid workers experience in their jobs mean for the feasibility of a just transition to a low-carbon economy?” asks Dr Masterman-Smith. “For all its shortcomings, delaying the emissions trading scheme to 2011 not only delays the necessary reduction in greenhouse gas emissions, it also delays the labour market transition to sustainable workplaces and work practices, which has health and other social implications.”

Water management issues in China and Pakistan will be in the spotlight when two international visitors present seminars hosted by Charles Sturt University (CSU) and the International Centre for Water for Food Security (IC WATER) on Thursday 28 May. Director of Pakistan’s Water Management Research Centre, Professor Niaz Ahmed Rai, will talk on the current water scenario in Pakistan and intervention for sustainable use. The Centre is located at the University of Agriculture, Faisalabad, Pakistan. Director of China’s National Research Centre for Resettlement, Professor Guoqing Shi, will discuss challenges and issues for water management in China including flooding, water shortage, water pollution and water turbidity. This Centre is part of Hohai University, Nanjing, China. The International Centre of Water for Food Security at CSU holds monthly seminars with national and international water experts invited to discuss the emerging issues and policies dealing with sustainable management of water resources for food security.

Charles Sturt University (CSU) will mark its 20th anniversary with a gala commemorative dinner at Bathurst on Tuesday 2 June. Some of the 300 guests will travel from overseas to attend the dinner. Dignitaries include the heads of other universities, politicians, business leaders, academics, staff and alumni. CSU’s Deputy Vice-Chancellor (Administration) and Chairperson of the 20th Anniversary Committee, Professor Lyn Gorman, said the dinner is an opportunity to celebrate the University’s past and its future. “Charles Sturt University is Australia’s sixth largest university, and it has established itself as the University of inland Australia. It is the leading provider of distance education, with 57 per cent of our 35 000 students studying by distance mode in over 80 countries. Charles Sturt University will continue to support our regional communities and provide graduates for a range of professions needed throughout Australia and elsewhere in the world.”

During Orientation 2009, students at Charles Sturt University (CSU) helped raise money for the organisation, Aussie Helpers. Aussie Helpers is a charity that assists farming families during drought.  The student leaders at CSU at Albury-Wodonga, Bathurst, Dubbo, Orange and Wagga Wagga collected a total of $5 883 during Orientation 2009 in February. “The Division of Student Services would like to thank all of the student leaders for working so hard to fundraise money for this year’s charity,” said Student Support Officer Mr Christopher Roche.  “It was a great achievement.  We would also like to thank the students, parents and staff that donated money.”  Each year student leaders select an organisation to fundraise for during Orientation. Aussie Helpers will be using the donation to assist families affected by drought and the Victorian bushfires. Student leaders will present a cheque to Aussie Helpers’ co-founder Mr Brian Egan at 10am Friday 29 May outside the student canteen, building 20, near car park 2, Darnell Smith Drive, CSU at Wagga Wagga.  

The Wagga Wagga Agricultural College Rugby Union Club at Charles Sturt University (CSU) will use the much anticipated clash with 2008 premiers, Wagga Wagga Waratahs, on Saturday 30 May to promote awareness of breast cancer and raise money for the McGrath Foundation. A ‘ladies day’ will be held to coincide with round seven of the Southern Inland Rugby Union competition when the 2007 premiers Wagga Wagga Agriculture College take on last year’s premiers the Wagga Wagga Waratahs in all three grades. “Against a backdrop of competitive rugby union, we hope to contribute to the vitally important ‘Breast Aware’ message of the McGrath Foundation,” said Wagga Wagga Agricultural College Rugby Union Club president Mr Shahid Khalfan. Money raised during the day, including at a special auction of the first grade players’ ‘Breast Aware’ football jerseys, will be donated to the McGrath Foundation. “I urge all members of the community to support the day and the valuable work of the McGrath Foundation,” said the third year CSU veterinary science student.

Significant contributions made to Charles Sturt University (CSU) will be publicly acknowledged at a special naming ceremony for six student residential accommodation units at CSU at Orange. The accommodation blocks will be named Bartlett House, Chudleigh House, Eltis House, Ingold House, Napier House and Peters House in recognition of significant and distinguished contribution to the University and its predecessor institutions.  CSU Chancellor Mr Lawrie Willett AO will confer this honour on Mr Kerry Bartlett, Emeritus Professor John Chudleigh, Emeritus Professor Ken Eltis, Mrs Beryl Ingold, AO MBE, Mr Robert Napier and Mr Tony Peters at a ceremony hosted by the University’s governing body, the CSU Council, and Head of Orange Campus, Professor Kevin Parton on Thursday 28 May. The honourees will be joined by family and friends, members of the University Council, invited guests and CSU staff.  The former Vice-Chancellor, Emeritus Professor CD Blake, AO, will be one of the special guests at the naming ceremony.  

More than 1 000 Year 12 students from across the central west will converge on Charles Sturt University (CSU) at Bathurst for the annual Central West Careers Advisers Association FACTS (Facts About Careers and Tertiary Study) Day on Thursday 28 May. Final year students from Bathurst, Lithgow, Kandos, Oberon, Blayney, Cowra, Orange and Molong will have the opportunity to meet and receive information from about 120 delegates representing more than 60 career and employer organisations, including universities, private providers, TAFE, Centrelink, police and other government agencies. Ms Katy O’Brien, a Prospective Student Adviser at CSU in Orange, said “events like this are the result of the University forging closer ties with careers advisors in all schools, including private, independent and state schools. This day offers our regional school students the opportunity to experience our University by visiting the Bathurst Campus.”

For the first time, more than 40 professors from across Charles Sturt University (CSU) will congregate in Orange on Thursday 28 May to attend a forum and dinner. Since the inaugural Professorial Forum in 2003, the event has given CSU professors a chance to discuss their perspective on the University and education issues. Professor of Education Bill Green will attend as convener at the forum. It is the first such event to be held at CSU in Orange, with four sessions focusing on higher education in Australia and developments within the Faculty of Science. While in Orange, the professors will attend a dinner at Harrison Restaurant where they will meet with CSU Council members. The CSU professors will be travelling from Albury-Wodonga, Bathurst, Canberra, Dubbo and Wagga Wagga to attend the forum.