One of Charles Sturt University’s (CSU) newest buildings is up for a national architecture award after it was recognised at the state level last week. The School of Dentistry and Health Sciences building at CSU in Wagga Wagga was named a winner at the Australian Institute of Architects' 2010 NSW Architecture Awards in Sydney on Friday 18 June. The two-storey structure by Brewster Hjorth Architects won the Colorbond Award for Steel Architecture. The building, which is home to the new Dental and Oral Health Clinic, will now go into the Institute’s national awards in October 2010. This is not the first award for the CSU building. In November 2009, builders Joss Construction were named a winner at the Master Builders Association Excellence in Construction Awards. The building, comprising of teaching, research and academic facilities including the clinic and a 20-place simulation laboratory, was officially opened in December 2009. Read more about the award-winning building at CSU in Wagga Wagga here.

A former trained fire-fighter, paramedic, rock climbing expert and personal trainer will join a former professional singer and over 260 fellow graduates in the largest graduation ceremony ever held for Charles Sturt University (CSU) in Ontario. Dr Paula du Hamel Yellow Horn, a member of Canada’s First Nations, will receive her Doctorate in Education from the Faculty of Education in front of a large audience of CSU staff, family and friends including the University’s Vice-Chancellor and President, Professor Ian Goulter, who has travelled from Australia for the event. Graduates from CSU’s Faculties of Arts, Business, Education and Science will receive awards on Friday 18 June in Burlington, Ontario. Other graduates include 12 members of the Royal Canadian Mounted Police who have completed CSU’s Bachelor of Policing degree.

Dean of Charles Sturt University’s (CSU) Business Faculty Professor John Hicks has been appointed the new Head of the Bathurst Campus. He will commence in the position on Friday 22 June when the current Campus Head, Associate Professor Greg Walker, retires. Professor Hicks has had an extensive academic career and has worked as a senior economist in the private sector. He joined CSU in 1993. His current research interests include the application of macroeconomic policy at regional and national levels – especially in relation to China, the economics of education, the application of economics to business strategy and the economics of terrorism. Professor Hicks paid tribute to a job well done by Professor Walker. “Greg has done an outstanding job of engaging with the Bathurst community. And I want the University and community to continue to work together to achieve even greater outcomes.”

Lynn Taitt-Isaac completed her Bachelor of Health Science (Nursing) course at Charles Sturt University (CSU) Ontario at the end of last year and was due to commence a Masters with CSU in July. Sadly, in March, Lynn was killed in an accident. She was 33. Today, at the CSU Ontario graduation, Lynn’s sister Lori Taitt will represent Lynn and wear the gown and mortar-board. Lynn’s family say they are all very proud of her accomplishments and want to celebrate on her behalf. Her mother, Monica Taitt, wants the other students graduating today to see that, even though Lynn has passed away, “life goes on. Lynn worked hard to achieve this. She had a zeal to do things, and she was very motivated - that keeps her spirit alive in us. Lynn talked about CSU a lot because she loved getting up in the morning and going there.”

A joint project between Charles Sturt University (CSU), TAFE NSW - Western Institute, TAFE NSW Riverina Institute, and the Batchelor Institute of Indigenous Tertiary Education is set to make training easier for future early childhood educators who live in regional Australia. The Early Childhood Education Workforce Capacity Project (ECEWC) aims to build workforce capacity in early childhood education throughout inland and Indigenous areas in NSW and the Northern Territory. “The aim is to assist the aspirations and needs of regional communities, and individual practitioners in the Early Childhood Education field,” said project manager and CSU lecturer in the School of Teacher Education, Ms Alison Lord. “We can do this by providing an opportunity for students, both recent school leavers and mature age, a means to study at home supported by the provision of Mentors and Community Facilitators, without the need to relocate to another town or city, or leave employment in order to undertake university study,” Community Orientation Professional Development Days will be held over the next two weekends in Griffiths and Parkes giving the 42 students enrolled in the project the support they need to continue their studies.

The challenging issue of the sexualisation of girls will the subject of discussion at a public lecture in Griffith on Wednesday 23 June. Lecturer in Philosophy and Ethics at Charles Sturt University (CSU) Dr Emma Rush will give an overview of what researchers and experts have to say about the risks associated with the sexualisation of girls and explain the government’s response. Dr Rush will also identify resources for parents and professionals who work with girls. “As a society we must strive for the development of healthy and happy girls,” Dr Rush said. “Yet we are now seeing miniature celebrity fashion magazines, lip gloss and padded bras being sold for everyday use by girls from the age of eight. The increasing pressure on girls to meet very narrow appearance ideals at younger and younger ages is of significant concern to experts in child health and welfare.” The free lecture will be held from 6pm in the Burley Griffin Room, Griffith Regional Theatre in Neville Place, Griffith on Wednesday 23 June. CSU wine and cheese will be served after the lecture.

Charles Sturt University (CSU) in Albury-Wodonga and Wagga Wagga is this week playing host to Fijian students hoping to learn more about the discipline of pathology. Six students studying medical laboratory science at the University of South Pacific (UPS) in the Fijian capital of Suva will be in Albury and the Riverina from Monday 14 June until Friday 18 June. The visit is part of the CSU Global program,   the University’s initiative to promote international student experiences. “In 2009, I took a group of CSU Bachelor of Medical Science students to Fiji to tour the USP as well as pathology laboratories in Suva, Lautoka and Sigatoka,” Ms Helen Moriarty, lecturer with the School of Biomedical Sciences at CSU in Wagga Wagga said. “I hope this return visit to CSU by the Fijian students and one of their lecturers will lead to biannual student exchange. While in Albury-Wodonga, Cootamundra, Griffith, Temora and Wagga Wagga, the students will learn about our Bachelor of Medical Science program and our facilities as well as tour private pathology and hospital laboratories.”

Charles Sturt University (CSU) will increase the number of courses offered to Dongguk University students when a senior delegation from the South Korean university visits CSU in Albury-Wodonga. The delegation, led by the Head of School from the Computer Science Institute at Dongguk, will be in Albury on Wednesday 16 and Thursday 17 June to speak with 20 undergraduate Korean students currently undertaking business degrees in Albury and inspect the new buildings and facilities on the Thurgoona site. On Tuesday 15 June, the delegation including the Dean of the Computer Science Institute met with senior CSU staff to sign an agreement to allow Dongguk students to obtain recognition for units they study into a CSU Master of Business degree. CSU’s Head of the International School of Business and Partnerships in the Faculty of Business, Associate Professor John Atkinson, said this will encourage more South Korean students to study on CSU campuses, including Albury-Wodonga.

Organisers estimate that about 300 Year 12 students from high schools across the NSW central west will converge on Charles Sturt University (CSU) in Bathurst on Thursday 17 June to attend the 2010 Higher School Certificate (HSC) Seminar Day. The day is an initiative of secondary teachers in the region, and is sponsored by CSU. Ms Kerry Browning, Manager of the CSU Contact Centre which provides information and advice to prospective students, said the day would supply students with information relevant to their HSC exams. “The students will attend separate seminars and lectures on a variety of HSC topics provided by experienced HSC teachers, and the day will provide a positive experience of life at university,” Ms Browning said.