Two new black comedies are being staged at The Ponton Theatre at Charles Sturt University (CSU) in Bathurst starting Wednesday 21 to Saturday 24 July. The plays, The Woman Who Cooked her Husband, and It's My Party (and I'll die if I want to), are written, directed and performed by Charles Sturt University (CSU) theatre/media students at the CSU School of Communication and Creative Industries in Bathurst. Mr Alexander Hayden, coordinator of Bathurst Arts and Theatrical Society (BATS) which is staging the double-bill, said, “These plays represent a great night of black comedy at Charles Sturt University. For devotees of dark humour, two shows for the price of one is affordable value-packed entertainment, so bring a friend.” The Woman Who Cooked her Husband is written by Ms Debbie Isitt and directed by Ms Aimee Neeme. It's My Party (and I'll die if I want to) is written by Ms Elizabeth Coleman and directed by Ms Millie Samuels.

From toddlers to older people, from strapping footballers to ballet dancers, staff and students in Charles Sturt University’s (CSU) Allied Health Clinic in Albury are providing the latest treatments and assessment for troubled feet and lower limbs. Last year, CSU students treated over 6 500 patients.  CSU allied health students, under the supervision of highly qualified professional staff, treat conditions as varied as serious ulcers on the toes of adults with diabetes to correcting the ‘in-turned’ feet in toddlers using corrective boots, shoes and braces. On Tuesdays, occupational therapy students – and on Wednesday, physiotherapy students - join in the clinic to help treat musculoskeletal problems such as pains in the lower back, legs and feet, sports related and soft tissue injuries, assess wellness and advise on work related rehabilitation. Coordinator of CSU’s podiatry course, Associate Professor Paul Tinley, said the clinic provides important local rural health services as well as vital education for future podiatrists destined for practice around Australia and overseas. The CSU Allied Health Clinic is currently located on the corner of Guinea and Olive Streets in Albury, with plans to move the clinic onto the University’s site at Thurgoona in 2013. To arrange an appointment for assessment and treatment in the clinic, phone the reception at (02) 6051 9299.

Building new homes for the threatened Squirrel Glider is among the aims of a special tree planting event at Charles Sturt University (CSU) in Wagga Wagga later this month. As part of the University’s contribution to the International Year of Biodiversity in 2010 and National Tree Day on Sunday 1 August, CSU will hold a Biodiversity Blitz on Saturday 31 July. Staff and students aim to weed, plant 700 trees and shrubs and construct wooden nesting boxes for the Squirrel Glider in the Biodiversity Blitz. “This is a wonderful opportunity for Charles Sturt University to improve our natural environment and biodiversity,” said Head of Campus in Wagga Wagga Mr Adrian Lindner, chairman of the University’s Sustainability Committee. By 2015, CSU aims to have at least 20 per cent of its campus land dedicated to native flora and fauna. “An important part of the Biodiversity Blitz will be the construction of the Squirrel Glider nesting boxes from recycled wood pallets. We hope this work will encourage the Squirrel Glider to thrive on our campus.” The Biodiversity Blitz is funded by the University’s Division of Information Technology from the sale of old CSU computers.

About twenty pre-schoolers from the Charles Sturt University (CSU) Children’s Centre in Wagga Wagga will get a first-hand dental experience during an excursion to the new CSU Dental and Oral Health Clinic on Thursday 15 July. The children, ranging in age from three to five, will be greeted by the second year Bachelor of Oral Health students, back from their three week semester break. The students have been treating patients, including primary and high school aged children, in the Clinic since April under the supervision of Clinic Director, Ms Helen Tane, lecturer Ms Simone Alexander and dentist Dr Kathleen Matthews. “By the age of three children should have a well-established daily dental routine supervised closely by their parents and should have also had several visits an oral health professional,” Ms Tane said. “Our oral health students will be able to show these young children around the Clinic, let them sit in the chairs and generally give them a positive memory of visiting a dental clinic.” Clinic appointments for members of the public, including school children, can be made by telephoning 1300 278 642.

The Vice-Chancellor and President of Charles Sturt University (CSU), Professor Ian Goulter, presented the annual awards for excellence to staff at a ceremony at the University in Bathurst today, Tuesday 13 July. Professor Goulter said, “These awards acknowledge the commitment, dedication and contribution of both academic and general staff as they continue to excel in areas such as client service, teaching and learning, leadership, research, sustainability and innovation. Once again there was an extremely impressive range of nominations across all categories. I offer my congratulations to all the award winners, and my sincere appreciation to all the nominees for their ongoing contribution to Charles Sturt University.”

A man described as the ‘champion’ of an environmentally sustainable at Charles Sturt University (CSU) has been named as the recipient of the inaugural 2010 Vice-Chancellor’s Award for Innovation and Sustainability. Mr William Pollack is one of the ground staff with the University’s Division of Facilities Management  in Wagga Wagga.  He won the new award for his leadership and co-ordination of projects including work to return native flora and fauna to CSU in Wagga Wagga; the introduction of Bokashi bins in the University’s kitchens and common rooms for composting green waste; the establishment of the green waste closed loop composting system; and a system to collect green waste from the equine centre and vineyard. “William’s leadership in making Charles Sturt University more responsible for its waste and promoting biodiversity goes a long way beyond what would normally be expected of any staff member,” Campus Services Manager Mr Terry O’Meara said.   “He has worked at the grassroots level to change the culture at Charles Sturt University and help the organisation reach its target of zero waste by 2011.”

Proving the world is a beautiful place worth exploring, CSU Global will launch its Where in the World exhibition at the Charles Sturt University (CSU) in Wagga Wagga on Tuesday 20 July. CSU Global, CSU’s student exchange program, recently ran a Facebook competition to collect images from international student travels. A cash prize of $500 was awarded to the winning student in Albury-Wodonga, Bathurst and Wagga Wagga. CSU Global’s Mr Byron Preston said, “As a result of this competition, our CSU Global page on Facebook has had an increase in fans, from 356 in April to a staggering 3 293 in June. Over 129 entries have been submitted to the competition and there has been an increase in page visits from 259 in April to 19 113 in June.” The Where in the World exhibition will travel to each of the three campuses involved in the competition to promote CSU Global and its world travel opportunities.

Bush tucker is the central feature of the NAIDOC Week celebration at Charles Sturt University (CSU) in Bathurst on Wednesday 7 July, with CSU staff and the Bathurst community invited to join the celebration. Spokesperson for the NAIDOC Week celebration, Ms Elise Hull, who works at CSU’s Truskett Library, said the theme for this year is Unsung Heroes - Closing the Gap by Leading Their Way. “I believe that NAIDOC Week is important, not just at Charles Sturt University but throughout Australia, because it’s how Indigenous people can celebrate their culture through food, art, activities, and music,” Ms Hull said. “Everyone needs to take a proactive interest in different cultures, and NAIDOC Week is a fantastic way for non-Indigenous people to learn about Indigenous people and their culture in a friendly and open environment. We have some traditional food tasting planned, such as marinated kangaroo, kangaroo rissoles, damper, and quandong cordial or jam.” Mr Laurie Crawford, from the Wammarra Indigenous Support Services at CSU in Bathurst will formally welcome people to the celebration at 1pm.

Completing a degree while working full time can be challenging, but for a Gosford mother of six, achieving Distinctions and High Distinctions in every subject was just a matter of hard work. Ms Joanne Fitzgibbon works at Lakes Grammar School in Warnervale on the NSW Central Coast as a Learning Support Teacher for kindergarten to Year 4 while raising her six children, aged six to sixteen, with husband Darren. “As well as a teacher and a mother, she has been a student at Charles Sturt University’s School of Teacher Education at Bathurst completing a Masters of Education degree,” explains Associate Dean of the Faculty of Education Professor Jo-Anne Reid. “Her demonstration of outstanding academic performance saw her presented with the Dean’s Merit List Award,” Her dedication to her profession also saw her co-presenting at the Australian Association of Special Education conference in Darwin earlier this month, which this year focused on school and classroom leadership.