A Charles Sturt University (CSU) expert in animal fertility is confident his recent visit to Italy will foster new links and help solve mutual problems in breeding quality bulls. CSU Professor of Veterinary Reproduction Peter Chenoweth was guest speaker at a Master of Dairy Production Medicine symposium conducted by the University of Perugia, Umbria. “It allowed us to establish collaborative networks between academics and industry in Australia and Italy, based upon mutual problems and complementary expertise,” said Professor Chenoweth. “I also inspected the National Association of Italian Beef Cattle Breeders Central Genetics Centre and observed the future sires of the iconic Italian breeds, Marhigiana, Chianina and Romagnola. These animals represent an invaluable genetic resource, not only for Italy but also for the rest of the world.” Professor Chenoweth and an Italian colleague are pursuing funding opportunities for reciprocal collaboration for research in livestock fertility.

The ‘gothic’ subculture in the Riverina will be explored by Charles Sturt University (CSU) lecturer Mr Chris Orchard during a talk about his exhibition at the Museum of the Riverina in Wagga Wagga on Saturday 18 April. A photography lecturer with the CSU School of Visual and Performing Arts, Mr Orchard is the curator of the exhibition Memento Mori: Gothic Subculture in Regional Australia. He is also a member of Wagga After Dark, a collaboration of young artists with an interest in gothic subculture. Clothing, jewellery, music, film and photographs have been contributed to the exhibition.

Building confidence and skills in over 20 000 Charles Sturt University (CSU) students since 1988 has been the driving force for the CSU team behind STUDY LINK. The team, based in the CSU Division of Student Services at Albury-Wodonga, Bathurst and Wagga Wagga, has been named the recipient of the Vice-Chancellor’s Award for Programs that Enhance Learning 2008. STUDY LINK is a program to prepare CSU’s diverse student population for tertiary education. Since its inception in 1988, over 23 000 students have enrolled in the program. “The STUDY LINK team aims to build confidence, skills and knowledge in a supportive environment in preparation for University study,” said team leader, Ms Liz Smith. “The contribution Liz and her team make to support the aspirational achievements of socially, geographically and educationally diverse students who have applied to CSU over many years is both well known and well respected,” said Associate Dean of the Faculty of Education, Professor Jo-Anne Reid.

Charles Sturt University (CSU) has already reached its 2015 target for water savings having slashed its water use by over 40 per cent in the past two years. These figures were highlighted in the 2008 CSU Environmental Scorecard recently released by the University. “This is a fantastic effort across the whole University, all the more important as most of these campuses are or have been in drought declared areas across NSW,” said William Adlong, Manager of CSU’s sustainability office, CSU Green. “Water usage at CSU in 2008 decreased by 16 per cent.” Energy use has decreased by eight per cent since 2006, with a slight increase by 1.5 percent during 2008. “However, there has been an increase in the area of buildings heated and cooled as CSU continued its extensive building program in 2007 and 2008,” said CSU Energy Manager Edward Maher. CSU is also addressing the carbon emissions caused by its staff travelling in cars and aircraft by replacing its large petrol cars with hybrid, diesel and small four cylinder cars in 2009.

Over 120 animated films, selected from 2 000 world-wide, will screen in Wagga Wagga when the Australian International Animation Festival returns in May for its sixth year. Festival organiser and Charles Sturt University (CSU) lecturer Mr Andrew Hagan said all films were selected by experts, with many having won international awards and a few making their premiere screening. “The range of styles, genres and techniques is testament to the vibrancy and relevance of creative animation. We’ve worked hard to reflect that incredible diversity to capture a true snapshot of the inspiring international animation scene,” Mr Hagan said. “A lead animator on the hit movie Mary & Max, Mr John Lewis, has created an exclusive trailer from sand-animation which will play in the cinema in the lead up to the festival.” Children can also view a carefully selected program for young children and, for the first time, the Festival’s International Program is open to all, including high school students.

Education, industrial relations and a low carbon future is the topic of a public lecture to be presented by Australian Council of Trade Unions (ACTU) President Sharan Burrow at Charles Sturt University (CSU) in Albury on Thursday 23 April. Ms Burrow says Australian education institutions are well placed to deepen workforce planning and frame skills development to meet the challenges facing Australia. "We must position ourselves to ensure we have the education and skills to capture a half trillion dollar share of a three trillion dollar global green industry. Our universities and colleges, businesses and unions, must drive demand for research and development and for an intensity of skills effort like never before, and government must stand ready to partner these plans.  Our workplaces must meet the industrial challenges and changes this new economy requires," Ms Burrow said. The second annual Bob Meyenn Education Lecture will commence at 7.30pm in the Nowik Auditorium, CSU Albury City site, Guinea St, Albury.

Students from Charles Sturt University (CSU) will honour the men and women of Australia’s armed services, past and present, when they lay a wreath at the ANZAC Day Dawn Service at the Carillon War Memorial in Kings Parade, Bathurst, on Saturday 25 April. Mr Tim East, a third year student at the School of Teacher Education and the head resident of Chifley Halls at the CSU Bathurst Campus, said that today’s students want to play a part to continue and preserve the ANZAC legacy. “CSU students attended the Dawn Service last year and felt they were missing out,” Mr East said. “We wanted to unite the University’s student community with the rest of Bathurst, and to formally pay our respect on behalf of the residences at CSU. Many of us have family members who served in the armed forces, or have mates who are serving now. We want CSU students to stand proud as Australians and hold the values of determination, courage, compassion and resourcefulness throughout their lives.”

A Charles Sturt University (CSU) student has secured a national scholarship to assist her research into the development of multi-purpose health services in rural NSW. PhD student Ms Judith Anderson is the recipient of the Joan Hardy Scholarship from the National Tertiary Education Union (NTEU). The Joan Hardy Scholarship for postgraduate nursing research recognises the contributions the late Joan Hardy made to higher education and higher education unionism.“I was involved in a small rural health service when it became a ‘multi-purpose service’, making me intrigued by the cultural change and leading me to begin my study in 2006,” said Ms Anderson, who is studying through the School of Nursing and Midwifery at CSU at Bathurst. Her thesis examines the process of developing this new model of health care for small rural communities. “As the majority of staff and managers who work at these facilities are nurses, this study aims to give them a voice, enabling them to describe current practices and their roles within this process. I hope that recommendations and guidelines will emerge from this to enable the process to be improved in the future.”

Wiradjuri and religious leader, the late Pastor Cec Grant, will be honoured this week in a public lecture at Charles Sturt University (CSU) in Albury. The Pastor Cec Grant (Wongamar) Lecture for 2009 will be delivered by CSU academic Yalmambirra from the University’s School of Environmental Science. CSU established the annual lecture in 2008 in collaboration with the Wiradjuri Council of Elders and the Wiradjuri Christian Development Ministries. Pastor Grant was a leading Wiradjuri elder who made important contributions to the development of Indigenous education at the University. The lecture, the second in the series, will commence at 7pm on Friday 1 May in the Nowik Lecture Theatre, on CSU’s Albury City site, Guinea St, Albury.