A fortnight after its official opening, the $9 million Veterinary Clinical Centre at Charles Sturt University (CSU) in Wagga Wagga will host an Open Day. The Centre and its experienced clinicians were hailed at the official opening on Wednesday 9 July for their vital role in producing well-rounded professionals committed to inland Australia. The facility, a key part of the CSU veterinary science program, provides  modern surgical facilities for large and small animals, diagnostic imaging and reproduction services for horses. The Centre also offers veterinary services to animal owners across the Riverina. It is staffed by experienced veterinary surgeons, an anaesthetist, radiographers and veterinary nurses as well as specialists in large animal reproduction. Fourth year veterinary science students and veterinary nurses will conduct tours of the new facility from 3pm until 5pm on Wednesday 23 July.  Those interested in participating in a tour of the Veterinary Clinical Centre should send an email.

Four staff will be honoured during a lunch in Wagga Wagga on Thursday 24 July for three decades of service to Charles Sturt University (CSU) and its predecessor institution, the Riverina College of Advanced Education (RCAE). Service medals for the thirty years of dedication to CSU will be presented to Mrs Debby Arneill from the Division of Finance, Mrs Kerry Cutting from the School of Commerce, Mr Geoff Gordon from the School of Visual and  Performing Arts, and Dr Bruce Graham from the School of Biomedical Sciences. Fifteen CSU staff will also be presented with medals for twenty years with the University. The University Chancellor, Mr Lawrie Willett, AO, will present the medals to staff during a lunch from noon to 2pm at the CSU Convention Centre. The Head of the Wagga Wagga Campus, Professor David Green, will also attend the event.

As students return to Charles Sturt University (CSU) this week for the start of the second semester, the University welcomes Red Frogs founder Mr Andy Gourley to Wagga Wagga and Bathurst Campuses to discuss his initiative aimed at encouraging a safe alternative at social events. Founded in 1997, Red Frogs now connects university students with more than 1 800 volunteers to assist them through some of the most important years of their lives. Manager of Residential Operations, Mr Peter Bell, said CSU supports a fun yet safe lifestyle for all students and wants to promote responsible alcohol consumption. “Volunteers are the key to the success of Red Frogs. Students will be encouraged to volunteer to participate in the program, which will give them a chance to help fellow students and develop and use leadership skills.” Red Frogs aims to change the atmosphere of an event and promote a sense of looking after your mates by handing out red frogs and ice blocks, cooking pancakes and running coffee crawls to help support students through their studies.

Plans to establish a Connemara Pony Stud at Charles Sturt University (CSU) are well underway with the arrival of four mares and one stallion at CSU’s Equine Centre in August. The stud will produce horses suitable for veterinary science, animal science and equine students to handle, train and manage as part of their course. Equine science lecturer at the School of Animal and Veterinary Sciences in Wagga Wagga, Mr Hunter Doughty, said “Many students have had little exposure to horse handling and horse reproduction so it is important for them to develop confidence. The Connemara pony is ideal because it is smaller and not as intimidating as larger horses”. Stallion Wychwood Willy Wagtail from Port Augusta has been leased for the 2008 and 2009 breeding season. Of the four purebred mares, one has been donated and three are on loan. “The collaboration between the Connemara Pony Breeders Association of Australia and CSU’s School of Animal and Veterinary Sciences is a great promotion of the breed and there are numerous research opportunities that will not only benefit the breed in Australia but internationally, given the limited gene pool of the breed, ” said Mr Doughty.

As students return to Charles Sturt University (CSU) this week for the start of the second semester, the University welcomes Red Frogs founder Mr Andy Gourley to Wagga Wagga and Bathurst Campuses to discuss his initiative aimed at encouraging a safe alternative at social events. Founded in 1997, Red Frogs now connects university students with more than 1 800 volunteers to assist them through some of the most important years of their lives. Manager of Residential Operations, Mr Peter Bell, said CSU supports a fun yet safe lifestyle for all students and wants to promote responsible alcohol consumption. “Volunteers are the key to the success of Red Frogs. Students will be encouraged to volunteer to participate in the program, which will give them a chance to help fellow students and develop and use leadership skills.” Red Frogs aims to change the atmosphere of an event and promote a sense of looking after your mates by handing out red frogs and ice blocks, cooking pancakes and running coffee crawls to help support students through their studies.

About 230 administrative staff from across Charles Sturt University (CSU) are expected to attend the biennial Admin Focus Conference 2008 which will be held on Bathurst and Wagga Wagga campuses in the coming week. Held for the first time in 2000, the biennial conference provides an opportunity for the University’s administrative support staff to gain new professional skills and updated information. The 2008 conference will be held on the Wagga Wagga Campus on Monday 28 and Tuesday 29 July.  Admin Focus aims to recognise the significant contribution of administrative staff in office and support positions, and to foster networking and a sense of community among administrative staff across the University. The event will include keynote addresses from senior staff, skills development workshops, and an exhibition of services and projects at the University.

Third year Early Childhood students enrolled in Child Language and Literacy 2 at Charles Sturt University (CSU) are providing one-on-one reading tuition to Stage One children at Buninyong Public School. Working with students at their identified level of development, this nine week individual literacy program targets learning in the areas of reading and writing. “This individual attention has resulted in individual improvement,” says CSU School of Teacher Education lecturer Maria Bennet. Ms Bennet explains the children have developed in confidence and are moving towards independence in strategy application. “Writing skills have improved and developed, with more elaborated thoughts, improved spelling and attention to the construction of ideas.” The program has benefited CSU students who have gained valuable hands-on experience and professional development. This program has provided students with an opportunity to work with literacy and develop their understanding of this area.

About 230 administrative staff from across Charles Sturt University (CSU) are expected to attend the biennial Admin Focus Conference 2008 which will be held on Bathurst and Wagga Wagga campuses in the coming week. Held for the first time in 2000, the biennial conference provides an opportunity for the University’s administrative support staff to gain new professional skills and updated information. The 2008 conference will be held on the Bathurst Campus on Thursday 24 and Friday 25 July.  Admin Focus aims to recognise the significant contribution of administrative staff in office and support positions, and to foster networking and a sense of community among administrative staff across the University. The event will include keynote addresses from senior staff, skills development workshops, and an exhibition of services and projects at the University.

Through its School of Information Studies, Charles Sturt University (CSU) is a leading educator in Australia and overseas of professionals for the information industry, ranging from the traditional library and information management to the emerging field of private sector information and knowledge management. As part of this work, the University’s Centre for Information Studies (CIS)  supports research, publications and continuing professional development in library and information science, teacher librarianship and Australian literature for young people. The Centre has assisted CSU senior lecturer Dr Philip Hider, with Professor Ross Harvey, to revise the successful first edition of the book, Organising knowledge in a global society: principles and practice in libraries and information centres. The book reflects on current practice in information organisation, particularly how libraries and other information services provide intellectual access to digital information resources through socalled ‘metadata’. In the book’s 2008 revision, the information organisation components of the recent Web 2.0 era are discussed.