The success of a scholarship program for students moving from TAFE to Charles Sturt University (CSU) is being expanded in the wake of its success. CSU’s ‘TAFE to University’ Scholarship Program was developed last year specifically for Diploma and Advanced Diploma students studying at TAFE NSW’s Riverina Institute and TAFE Western, and the Canberra Institute of Technology. Due to the program’s success, it has now been expanded to include an additional five TAFE institutes. The move doubles the number of scholarships available to TAFE students in 2011. Three scholarships are available to each of the TAFE providers. “Charles Sturt University is committed to creating strong education pathways. Our collaboration with TAFE institutes is a great example of how educators can work together to ensure students reach their potential,” Deputy Vice-Chancellor (Academic) at CSU, Professor Ross Chambers said. Applications for the $2 500 scholarships are open until 5pm on Friday 26 November 2010.

Ms Libby Clark from Charles Sturt University’s (CSU) School of Community Health sometimes feels a twinge of sorrow for tele-operators whose job it is to sit on the phone all day, trying to maintain a calm, clear voice as they either deal with complaints or try to sell a product. “I know we all loath those telephone calls, but after working with these people, and realising how hard this type of work is for the human voice, it really does make me feel sorry for them,” she said. As a discipline leader in speech pathology at the School of Community Health, Ms Clark spends a great deal of time helping people develop their voice for their working life. “Our voice, our speech and our language skills are central to everything we do as human beings,” she said. “It’s It’s how we develop and maintain relationships, but it's also really important for our working lives.” As well as feeling empathy for tele-operators, Ms Clark has concerns for the elderly. “It's important to spend time working with the elderly because if they often find it hard to be heard - especially if they have had some kind of communication impairment like a stroke or have a hearing loss. Just because they are old, doesn't mean they don't have a right to have a say, to be heard, to have a voice in what goes on in their lives.” Dr Clark has worked on voice and speech production skills with tour guides, sport professionals, teachers and business leaders. Speech Pathology Australia is hosting Speech Pathology Week from 22 to 28 August.                                        

Students in their second year of dentistry at Charles Sturt University (CSU) in Orange are finding out what teamwork is all about as they start the next stage of their studies working in the University’s Dental and Oral Health Clinic. Supervised by local practicing dentists from Bathurst and Orange, the students are focusing on oral hygiene procedures such as scaling and polishing, fluoride applications and oral hygiene advice. "At this stage, students are also performing comprehensive examinations including x-rays,” Associate Professor Dr Cheryl Chapple from the School of Dentistry and Health Sciences at CSU in Orange said. “They will always be supervised by a professional dentist and will work up to more complex procedures through the five year course. Academics, local dentists and the students are working as a team to ensure that the communities in the central west of NSW receive access to high quality dental health care.”

On Left-handers Day this Friday 13 August, an elite group of Charles Sturt University (CSU) dentistry students will celebrate their uniqueness and the fact their left handedness won’t be an issue in their oral health profession with dental equipment now built to compensate for left-handed dentists. Based on a conservative estimate, 10 per cent of the world population is left-handed which is reflected in the dentistry course with three of the 25 second year Bachelor of Dental Science students being left-handed. “In the past some dental equipment such as chairs and instruments were designed with only right-handed dentists in mind,” senior lecturer Dr Sabrina Manickam from the School of Dentistry and Health Sciences at CSU in Orange said. “Charles Sturt University students are lucky enough to have state-of-the-art equipment at their disposal that caters for both left and right-handed people.”

Five Charles Sturt University (CSU) students have been named among the eight winners of the NSW Farmers’ Association Tertiary Scholarship Awards. The winners all share a passion for rural and regional NSW and the opportunities it provides. NSW Farmers’ Association President Mr Charles Armstrong says the judging panel is confident that the future of rural NSW is in good hands, following the high calibre of entrants. “All the winners plan to use their talents and skills back in the bush and many of them are currently doing so already, showing their level of keenness and ambition,” Mr Armstrong said. The CSU winners include Bachelor of Agricultural Science student Mr Josh Peffer from Molong; Bachelor of Veterinary Biology/Bachelor of Veterinary Science Ms Melissa Sullivan from Orange; Bachelor of Science (Agriculture) student Mr Tom Webb from Wodonga who was awarded the E. L. O’Brien Scholarship for a student in agriculture; Bachelor of Education (Early Childhood) student Ms Tracey Johnston of Weethalle; and Bachelor of Education student Ms Jessica Wythes from Wagga Wagga. They each received $5 000 at the Association’s Annual Conference held in Sydney from Tuesday 20 July to Thursday 22 July.

Nguluway, the Wiradjuri word for ‘Meeting with Each Other’, is the title under which Indigenous staff from across Charles Sturt University (CSU) will meet this week for their annual conference. About 30 Indigenous staff are expected to attend the two-day event at the Convention Centre at CSU in Wagga Wagga from Wednesday 11 August to Thursday 12 August. Wiradjuri Elder Aunty Flo Grant will give the Welcome to Country from 9.20am on Wednesday 11 August. CSU Vice-Chancellor and President Professor Ian Goulter will address Nguluway at 9.30am and the Indigenous dance group from Wagga Wagga Maliyaa, will perform at 10am. Indigenous Elders and community members will join CSU staff for these sessions of Nguluway. The University’s Australian Indigenous Employment Strategy aims to increase the proportion of Indigenous staff in continuing positions and boost the overall representation of Indigenous staff to three per cent. Read more about the strategy here.

Asperger’s syndrome is a complex condition covering a range of symptoms that include communication difficulties and problems with social interaction and cognitive abilities. Little is known about community views on this condition, which Charles Sturt University (CSU) doctoral student Ms Donna Kite will address in her current research project. Based in Port Augusta in South Australia, Ms Kite is looking for people to complete an online survey on the characteristics, causes, treatment and management of the condition. “Changes are being proposed on the diagnosis of Asperger’s, which could have implications for its subsequent recognition and treatment, so I am also asking respondents for their opinions on the proposed change,” Ms Kite said. “Most clients with Asperger's syndrome have adequate communication and cognitive functioning to participate in regular school programs, employment and sporting activities, but experience social and often behavioural difficulties relating to their interpretation of the world.” 

Charles Sturt University’s (CSU) Ms Stephanie Frazer has won a national award for her services to a student rural health club. Ms Frazer, who is president of the CSU Multidisciplinary Albury Rural Health Society (MARHS), was awarded $1 000 by the National Rural Health Students Network (NRHSN). The Network recognised her significant involvement in helping build MARHS into a strong and active club, particularly in relation to mental health in regional Australia. “Improving awareness about mental health is important as almost half of all Australians will experience mental illness in their lifetime. We can make a difference by encouraging understanding and improving support. I feel humbled to be recognised by my fellow students and to work with such great people at Charles Sturt University,” Ms Frazer said. Ms Frazer, who is a third year physiotherapy student with the School of Community Health based at Thurgoona, received her award in Alice Springs in July during the Network’s national conference of 29 student rural health clubs. MARHS vice-president and second year occupational therapy student Mr Alan Dyason also won a prize at the conference for his contribution to increasing awareness and action in Indigenous health issues.

With research indicating that Australian children and teenagers are showing increased rates of tooth erosion, the Charles Sturt University (CSU) School of Dentistry and Health Sciences is  training dentists and oral health therapists to work in regional and metropolitan centres. Senior lecturer at the School of Dentistry and Health Sciences at CSU in Orange, Dr Sabrina Manickam says, “Through patient care, research, and community service, our students will play a major role in helping to improve the oral and systemic health of people in regional and remote NSW, across the nation and world-wide”. Public Dental and Oral Health clinics recently opened at CSU in Orange and Wagga Wagga. Clinics at CSU in Albury-Wodonga, Bathurst and Dubbo will open later this year, ensuring more children and teenagers have access to quality professionals. “We teach our students that the role of a dentist is to help prevent tooth erosion in young mouths through regular cleaning and education,” Dr Manickam said. Organised by the Australian Dental Association, Dental Health Week runs from Monday 2 August to Sunday 8 August.