Staff at Charles Sturt University (CSU) in Wagga Wagga are being urged to share their stationery with students in an initiative aimed at helping both the students and the environment. Driven by the student club, EcoActive, the call has gone out for staff to share unused stationery such as pens, books, folders, notepads, pencils or rulers. EcoActive Club’s Ms Gemma Hawkins – a Bachelor of Applied Science (Adventure EcoTourism) - said, “The second half of the academic year is underway so it is an ideal time for staff to do a spring clean and for students to make sure they have enough stationery items. The sharing of these resources will also help the University in its ongoing efforts to reduce waste.” Stationery can be collected by members of the EcoActive Club or donated directly to a Swap Stall to be held from 10am to 2pm at eat@20, building 20, CSU in Wagga Wagga on Wednesday 24 July. The idea of a Swap Stall came from Adelaide University’s ReUSEathon event held in April. The EcoActive Student Club has the support of CSU Green – the coordinator of CSU’s sustainability initiatives. Read more about CSU Green on CSU News here. To donate any items contact the EcoActive Club by email.

Charles Sturt University (CSU) will help Year 12 students across southern NSW and north East Victoria connect with tertiary education providers from the ACT, NSW, Queensland and Victoria at an information day in Albury Wodonga. CSU will coordinate around 39 tertiary providers at the Albury-Wodonga Tertiary Information Day, with sponsorship from Albury City Council, at the Albury Entertainment Centre on Wednesday 19 June. Hosted by the Albury-Wodonga Career’s Advisers Association, more than 1 200 students from local high schools and colleges are due to attend the event. CSU will also take part in associated tertiary education events run by the Victorian Tertiary Information Service in Shepparton, Benalla and Wangaratta on Monday 17 and Tuesday 18 June. Local students will meet Victorian tertiary providers, including universities, TAFE colleges and private colleges, at Notre Dame College in Shepparton and at Benalla P-12 College and Wangaratta High School to provide more than 1 000 regional students with information on future study and career opportunities.

When Charles Sturt University (CSU) in Ontario graduand Ms Andrea Topic is presented with her Bachelor of Early Childhood Studies (BECS)  it will conclude four years of juggling motherhood, work and study. Ms Topic is one of more than 230 CSU students who will graduate in a ceremony at the Burlington Convention Centre on Friday 14 June and her inspiration for returning to study, her daughter Lauren, will be in the crowd. “It has been difficult working full time and studying but I feel that I actually got more out of the program by being able to practice and reflect on my work each day,” said Ms Topic. “I was also able to use my own kindergarten classroom in much of my research, which made the research experiences more authentic for me. I believe strongly in my role as an advocate for social justice for children and my education from Charles Sturt University has provided me with academic arguments to support the passion.” The graduation ceremony will see 10 Bachelor of Early Childhood Studies (BECS)  and 160 Bachelor of Primary Education Studies (BEPS)  graduands receive their awards, along with distance education students.

Working as a teacher and administrator for 17 years in China inspired Mr Andrew Watts to further his knowledge through study at Charles Sturt University (CSU) in Ontario. Mr Watts is one of 160 students who will be awarded a Bachelor of Primary Education Studies (BPES)  in a ceremony on Friday 14 June. In China, Mr Watts was involved with accrediting international schools but didn’t have a formal teaching qualification himself. When he moved to Canada he decided to pursue his passion for education and study at CSU. “The Bachelor of Primary Education Studies allows students to learn and hear about how to do something for two to three days and in the same week practice those ideas and theories in their ongoing practicum. It was the most stimulating and reinforcing way of learning something new,” said Mr Watts. “My experience in China taught me to relish current research and to base my future steps as an educator on it. My study at Charles Sturt University has encouraged me to question styles and methods of teaching and to strive towards achieving an inclusive learning community”.

A police officer determined to improve the lives of vulnerable women and children in her own community and in war-torn countries will graduate from Charles Sturt University (CSU) in Ontario Canada on Friday 14 June. Staff Sergeant Isobel Granger from the Ottawa Police Service will be awarded a Master of Leadership and Management (Policing)  in the graduation ceremony at the Burlington Convention Centre. Staff Sergeant Granger’s area of expertise is in dealing with sexual and gender-based violence and, along with training United Nations personnel, she is part of an international team qualified to investigate war crimes. Read more here.  Also graduating will be 12 members of the Ottawa Police Service and the Durham Regional Police Service who will be awarded a Bachelor of Policing. Course Coordinator Mr Brian Daly from CSU’s School of Policing Studies  said “The Bachelor of Policing is a very practically based policing program, where current police officers are able to apply their learning directly to their work, and apply their work to their learning”.

The achievements of more than 230 Charles Sturt University (CSU) students will be recognised in a formal Graduation Ceremony in Ontario, Canada on Friday 14 June. Distance education students will join nearly 200 Bachelor of Primary Education Studies (BPES)  and Bachelor of Early Childhood Education (BCES) graduands from CSU in Ontario  to receive their awards in the ceremony at the Burlington Convention Centre from 12:30pm. CSU President and Vice-Chancellor Professor Andrew Vann, Associate Dean International Education and Partnerships Professor Pamela Gibbons, Executive Dean of Education Professor Toni Downes and Associate Dean of Policing and International Associate Professor Tracey Green will travel from Australia for the event and the occasional address will be delivered by Australian Consul-General and Senior Trade and Investment Commissioner, Ms Portia Maier.

Leading Charles Sturt University (CSU) ecologist Associate Professor David Watson is part of a vocal group of Australian researchers who fear our parks will become playgrounds for the rich rather than reserves for Australia’s endangered plants and animals. Professor Watson believes the central issue is the “current gross mismanagement of our national parks by States and Territories that runs completely counter to the entire rational of national parks. They are set to be used for drought relief fodder, mining, recreational shooting and increased recreational development in three states. This spells very bad news for ecological systems that are already teetering on the edge,” he said. His comments follow a joint letter by the group on The Conversation website, and support for their concerns by the federal Minister for the Environment, The Hon Tony Burke reported on Thursday 30 May.

A stark reminder of the dangers of drink driving has been parked near busy roads at Charles Sturt University (CSU) in Albury-Wodonga and Wagga Wagga. Badly damaged cars have been parked at the front entrance to CSU in Thurgoona and on Valder Way at CSU in Wagga. Posters attached to the damaged cars depict the consequences of drink driving. It is an initiative of the University’s Health Promotion Service as part of Drug Awareness Month at CSU in May. The theme for Drug Awareness Month in 2013 is ‘Drink Driving’. Health Promotion Officer Ms Coleen Pearce said, “We are attempting to remind Charles Sturt University students of the perils of drink driving on the day of, and also the day after, any event. The program for Drug Awareness Month is based on the Plan B campaign in NSW to combat drink driving. We are reinforcing the message that students need to plan ahead when they go out. Our program throughout the month includes flyers on car windscreens and behind toilet doors, covers over unattended drinks, activities with drink simulation goggles and information stalls with free merchandise. We will be also marking World No Tobacco Day on Friday 31 May.”

The Graham Centre for Agricultural Innovation, an alliance between Charles Sturt University (CSU) and NSW Department of Primary Industries (DPI), has opened a new research hub in Wagga Wagga. Named after Edgar ‘Eddie’ Hugh Graham, the longest serving NSW Minister for Agriculture and local MP, the Graham Centre’s new offices are located in the refurbished Agricultural Research Institute building in Wagga Wagga. It is the same building Minister Graham opened in 1954. Guests attending the opening by Federal Member for Riverina Mr Michael McCormack on Wednesday 22 May signed the original 1954 visitor’s book. Watching the proceedings was Eddie Graham’s grandson, Mr Robert White (pictured). Established in 2005, the Graham Centre integrates research at CSU and NSW DPI in five key areas: conservation cropping; ruminant feed base; bio-protection and integrated pest management of crops and pastures; animal health and welfare; and integrated cropping systems. Graham Centre Director and Professor of Agricultural Innovation, Professor Deirdre Lemerle, said, “The centre has three research objectives: to increase the efficiency of production systems; to value-add to the quality of food and fibre commodities; and to strengthen our research capacity by training the next generation of researchers.”