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.

The Dean of the Faculty of Education at Charles Sturt University (CSU) in Australia, Professor Toni Downes will deliver the occasional address at a ceremony in Hong Kong this Sunday 28 October 2007. Almost 130 graduates will be eligible to receive their awards from CSU during the ceremony in the Langham Place Hotel, Mong Kok, Hong Kong from 10.30am. Many of the graduating students have completed their studies under an international collaboration between CSU and The University of Hong Kong - SPACE. Also attending the ceremony will  be the Chancellor of CSU, Mr Lawrence Willett AO, who will present the awards to the graduates.The courses range from accountancy, human resource management, information  technology ,library and information management, teacher librarianship, nursing and pathology.

Applications have opened for students seeking financial assistance in 2008 through the Charles Sturt University (CSU) Equity Scholarships. The scheme offers students three types of scholarships; the Commonwealth Accommodation Scholarships, Commonwealth Education Costs Scholarships and CSU Equity Scholarships. The Commonwealth Scholarships are offered by the Federal Government for students from a low socio economic background, especially Indigenous students and students from rural and regional Australia. The CSU Equity Scholarships were introduced in 2006 when the University’s allocated $3.25 million from 2006 to 2008 to assists students from disadvantaged backgrounds. “The scholarships, which vary from $2 000 to over $4 000 each, are an integral part of the University’s commitment to ensuring equitable access to national and internationally recognised educational opportunities, “ said Mr Les Burr, acting Executive Director of Student Services at CSU. Students have until the end of November 2007 to complete their application forms. More information is available at the Equity Scholarships website here. 

Charles Sturt University will be represented in the new system to assess where Federal Government research dollars should be spent in 2008. Deputy Vice-Chancellor and Vice-President (Research) at CSU, Professor Paul Burnett will chair one of the 13 assessment panels for the Research Quality Framework. The panels will assess the research applications submitted by higher education providers and will award a rating for quality and impact. As Head of the University's Centre for Research and Graduate Training and being responsible for the administration of research and research training at CSU, Professor Burnett will head the Psychology, Psychiatry, Neurological, Behavioural and Cognitive Sciences panel. With five degrees, Professor Burnett is a counsellor, counselling psychologist and educational and developmental psychologist.

Charles Sturt University (CSU) 2006 television production graduates Luke Heywood and Tim Pass are ecstatic with the news that their production Chance Your Hand will be screened at the 2007 New York Television Festival Independent Pilot Competition. Chance Your Hand, a situation comedy showing the behind the scenes drama of a television game show, was a major project during the students’ third year studies. Produced at the CSU School of Visual and Performing Arts studios at the Wagga Wagga Campus in inland NSW, Chance Your Hand is one of only three productions selected from outside the United States. CSU Associate Lecturer Patrick Sproule says, “this is a major accolade for the both the course and the students, showcasing just how capable, creative and talented our television, acting and theatre design graduates are”. Luke and Tim will travel to New York to attend the festival from 5 – 9 September and hope to meet network executives to further their television careers.

Charles Sturt University (CSU) is reaching out to students in distant and remote locations through the growing education resource of podcasting, the broadcast of audio files across the internet. CSU School of Computing and Mathematics lecturer Anthony Chan says: “Podcasting is now happening in CSU biomedical sciences, accounting, information technology, food and wine sciences and commercial radio and management courses. Podcasts are provided to students before and after classes and include interviews with experts from around the world”. An international collaborative project between CSU and USA’s Bentley College allows students in a first year computing subject to learn from each other and another lecturer half way round the world. The School of Computing and Mathematics also uses podcasting with a local Wagga Wagga high school, with their work in Japanese learning and teaching featured on Japanese television. Studies within CSU have shown that podcasting reduces the effects of isolation and promotes inclusiveness. Surveys with CSU undergraduate students also show podcasting reduces their stress levels, especially students who are coming into a higher education environment for the first time.

Charles Sturt University (CSU) Council has welcomed its newest member, Mr Chris Hancock, who brings more than twenty years’ experience in leadership and senior executive positions to the University and is a graduate of CSU. He is also Chief Executive Officer of Australia’s Academic and Research Network (AARNet). “I completed a Bachelor’s degree at CSU and I’m very fond of the University, but more importantly I’m excited about what the University is doing from a regional perspective," said Mr Hancock. “I’m delighted by the appointment of such a distinguished graduate to the CSU Council, the University's governing body. Mr Hancock’s background and skills will enable him to make an outstanding contribution to the University,” said acting Vice Chancellor Professor Ross Chambers. The University also welcomes the reappointments of Ms Susan Benedyka, Dr Geoffrey Wise and Ms Patricia Murphy. "The re-appointments are pleasing because their distinguished record for Council has been recognised,” added Professor Chambers.    

 A Charles Sturt University (CSU) lecturer with a passion for providing support and guidance to first year students studying via distance education has been named the winner of the Vice-Chancellor’s Teaching Excellence Award for 2005. Dr Mir Rabiul Islam, from the School of Social Sciences and Liberal Studies on the University's Bathurst Campus, is course coordinator of the largest undergraduate psychology course, Bachelor of Social Science – Psychology. Including Education/Psychology double degrees, he is coordinating courses for over 450 students. In his online teaching, he strives passionately to use “online strategies” that empower students to be self-sufficient and adaptive to the ever changing needs of life. Student evaluations of his teaching of research methods are extraordinarily high, no mean feat in the area of Advanced Research Methods and Statistics in Psychology unit, a course often regarded as difficult and complex. He considers learning from students as a unique opportunity to assess and re-assess his own professional integrity. Each year the University recognises and encourages excellence in teaching through the presentation of this award. The award will be presented to Dr Islam in May at the Faculty of Arts graduation ceremony.

The Corporate Communication and Media team at Charles Sturt University wish all the media a very safe and happy Christmas and New Year and thank you all for your support and work with CSU over the past year. The University will be closed from 12.30pm Friday 23 December 2005 until Tuesday 3 January 2006.