The apology to the ‘Stolen Generations’ in federal parliament last week allowed Charles Sturt University’s (CSU) Koori Teaching Fellow, Mr Laurie Crawford to leave the University on a high. After 37 years as an Aboriginal educator, including the last 17 years at CSU, Mr Crawford last week retired.  Mr Crawford said he has seen a lot of change in Aboriginal education, some of it good, some of it bad. “The biggest positive change has been the development of technology and the delivery of flexible learning by distance education, with a new focus on teaching methods. Another major change has been the development of CSU’s Dubbo Campus, with a major focus on Aboriginal education.” Mr Crawford started as an Aboriginal Education Assistant (AEA) at Walgett High School in 1972, the first AEA appointed to a NSW high school. He came to Bathurst in 1979 to study for a Diploma of Teaching at Mitchell College of Advanced Education, a predecessor of CSU. He then taught at Eglinton Public School near Bathurst until his appointment in 1991 as Koori Teaching Fellow at CSU.

Charles Sturt University (CSU) academic Professor Margaret Alston heads off to New York tomorrow 12 February to take up her role as Australia’s non-government representative to the 2008 meeting of the United Nations (UN) Commission on the Status of Women. Due to be held at the UN headquarters from Monday 25 February to Friday 7 March, the 52nd session of the Commission will be held under the theme of ‘Financing for gender equality and the empowerment of women’. The Professor of Social Work and Human Services was selected last year by the Federal Government to join the Australian delegation. Professor Alston has researched widely in the field of rural social issues and is internationally recognised for her work into rural Australia. Established in 1946, the UN Commission on the Status of Women is a committee of the UN Economic and Social Council.  

The exciting challenge of starting university faces over 2 500 students during Orientation 2008, up to a week of academic and social activities at Charles Sturt University (CSU) from Monday 11 February. The program is designed by CSU to help the students adjust to their new University surroundings before the commencement of on-campus classes on Monday 18 February. Compulsory academic advisory and information sessions have been organised for the new students as well as a variety of social activities. Throughout the week, the new students and their parents will be able to tour the campus, seek information about living on or off campus, visit the library, meet their new lecturers and tutors or simply get their student identification cards.  Students can also seek the advice of Orientation coordinators and leaders. Dressed in distinctive blue t-shirts, they are group of selected and trained CSU students who have returned to CSU a week earlier to help the new recruits in the transition to university life. With the theme of ‘Orientation Games’ in honour of this year’s Olympic Games, Orientation 2008 programs are being conducted at the Albury-Wodonga, Bathurst, Dubbo, Orange and Wagga Wagga campuses as well as in Canberra and Parramatta.

A Charles Sturt University (CSU) academic has suggested that current threats to education as a profession will need a renewal of the profession, its professional bodies and the intellectual traditions that guide educational practice. The identified need for change is contained in a new book, 'Enabling Praxis' written by Professor Stephen Kemmis from CSU’s School of Education. The book will be launched at the upcoming Action Research and Professional Practice Conference to be hosted by University’s Research Institute for Professional Practice, Learning and Education (RIPPLE). The conference has attracted over 110 professionals from across Australia and overseas. The event will be held at Wagga Wagga’s Country Comfort Motel on Thursday 7 February and Friday 8 February. RIPPLE Director, Professor Tom Lowrie says some of the world’s most respected education and health scholars, from Norway, Sweden, the UK, Finland and Australia, will gather to discuss and debate issues associated with professional practice, mainly in the disciplines of health and education.

A Charles Sturt University (CSU) academic has signed contracts with the Indonesian National Olympic Committee (INOC) to continue to provide strength and conditioning coaching to the Indonesian Olympic team up to the 2008 Olympic Games in Beijing, China. Dr Stephen Bird, an academic in exercise rehabilitation at the School of Human Movement Studies at CSU’s Bathurst Campus, was engaged by the INOC in May 2007 as Head of Team Management (Strength and Conditioning). “Following the introductory trial period with the INOC, and our success at the 2007 South East Asian Games in Thailand where Indonesia won 56 gold medals, I was asked to continue to provide expert support to the Indonesia National Olympic team,” said Dr Bird. “We shall be providing strength and conditioning services to the 16 sports Indonesia will compete in at Beijing. The contract also allows final year students from CSU’s School of Human Movement Studies to attend work experience placements with me while I am in Jakarta, with two students already attending. These opportunities provide invaluable experience for our students with support from the School and the University’s Faculty of Education.”

Charles Sturt University (CSU) is continuing its commitment to Indigenous employment through an initiative designed to encourage the recruitment of Indigenous people into all areas of CSU management. The University of inland Australia will provide $200 000 through its Indigenous Employment Incentive Scheme (IEIS) for Indigenous recruitment during 2008. The objectives of the scheme are to increase the percentage of Indigenous staff in middle management and provide enhanced career paths for Indigenous staff on traineeships to move into higher management levels. Karen Kime, CSU Indigenous Employment Coordinator, says the initiative will also build confidence among supervisors in selecting and retaining Indigenous staff, encourage the appointment of Indigenous staff to permanent positions, as opposed to fixed term, and foster a work culture that enables Indigenous staff to succeed. Indigenous Employment at CSU increased steadily during 2007 with the appointment of 10 trainees under the Structured Training and Employment Program (STEP), supported by the federal Department of Employment, Education and Workplace Relations. 

Following the death of the former Charles Sturt University (CSU) Chancellor, Dr David Asimus, AO, on Saturday 26 January 2008, the University has today opened an electronic condolences book. The University invites members of the community to express their condolences to Dr Asimus’ family. The condolences book will remain open until Friday 8 February 2008. The University will then collate the correspondence into a bound booklet to present to Dr Asimus’ widow, Jane and her family as a memorial to her late husband’s work with CSU and inland Australia. People wishing to extend a condolence are asked to please email their comments by Friday 8 February 2008.

A Charles Sturt University (CSU) study of the links between anxiety and depression in adults needs volunteers to participate in the Australian-wide research. The participants, who must be aged between 18 and 65 years and can live anywhere in Australia, will be required to complete a survey. Ms Nicole Brown, who is a CSU honours psychology student and a registered psychologist working in western NSW, aims to identify the role of factors such as stressful life events, thinking style and problem solving on anxiety and depression. Adults who have experienced anxiety and depression can complete the anonymous questionnaire in less than one hour and return it by mail. “The findings of this research can assist tens of thousands of Australians every year by guiding treatment of anxiety and depression that occur at the same time, or even help in prevention,” said Ms Brown. Anxiety and depression often occur together - a third of adults with anxiety are also believed to experience depression and up to 50 per cent of adults with depression have anxiety problems. For more information about the research or to participate, visit the study website here.

The dedication of a lecturer from Charles Sturt University’s (CSU) School of Teacher Education in Bathurst has been recognised by the CSU Vice-Chancellor Professor Ian Goulter. Ms Lucia Zundans has been awarded the Vice-Chancellor’s Awards for Teaching Excellence 2007. The annual award recognises and rewards outstanding contributions to learning and teaching within the University. “Ms Zundans was considered to be an outstanding application that illustrates her commitment to, and excellence in, teaching, and especially her contribution to student learning,” said Professor Goulter.  Ms Zundans’ research interests include inclusive education and gifted and talented education. The Head of the CSU School of Teacher Education, Associate Professor Noel Thomas has described Ms Zundans as an “outstanding teacher”. “Her teaching ensures explicit connections between theory and practice, she employs a range of pedagogies to achieve effective learning and she models her passion for learning and teaching. Ms Zundans is a highly competent and dedicated academic which is evidenced by her commitment to students, colleagues and the advancement of learning within the University’s Faculty of Education,” concluded Professor Thomas.