Charles Sturt University’s (CSU) decision to establish a campus in Port Macquarie has been welcomed by the Birpai Local Area Land Council, which praised the University’s commitment to the local Aboriginal community. Campus Director of CSU in Port Macquarie, Dr Muyesser Durur, said evidence suggests that Aboriginal people are more likely to attend a university if they can do so within country rather than having to move away from their home and family. “The University is committed to creating an environment that will create opportunities for all sectors of the community. One of our core gaols for the region is to build students’ capacity to contribute to their community and society,” she said. Uncle Bill O’Brien, Chairperson of the Birpai Land Council, has been heartened by how CSU has embraced the local Aboriginal community from the start. “Charles Sturt University has consulted with and listened to the local Aboriginal community on every step of its journey to establish a permanent tertiary education presence in Port Macquarie. I am excited that Charles Sturt University is also developing and constructing an Aboriginal study centre on the new campus, which will enhance the prospect of success of Aboriginal students,” he said.

When Friends of Woodstock (FOW) wanted to increase their capacity to understand the needs of their clients and address those needs more appropriately, they turned to Charles Sturt University (CSU). FOW is an Albury-based non-profit organisation which supports people with disabilities and their families, predominately young people and children, by providing early intervention and care services. Earlier this month, FOW signed an MoU with CSU’s School of Community Health. Head of the School Associate Professor Julia Coyle says the MoU will work on several levels. “As well as FOW supporting the teaching of respite care with the nursing students, we have the clinical education honours projects set up for next year, so we hope to have a team of honours students working with them then. There will also be professional development between our academics and their clinicians, and we are undertaking research projects that are of importance to them. That is something we are doing in the School quite consistently, changing our research focus to be much more community driven.”

According to Head of Charles Sturt University’s (CSU) School of Rural Management Professor Kevin Parton, “animal production is a high priority,” at the Orange Campus where, this Friday, the Meat and Livestock Australia (MLA) will hold its More Beef from Pastures Regional Expo. CSU is an inland university offering courses that give practical solutions to agricultural management. “The Meat and Livestock Authority has over 40 000 livestock producer members and to be able to work alongside them and discuss CSU’s cattle production and management teaching in our Agricultural Business Management degree is an important part of our collaboration with industry. We look forward to presenting our courses to the participants at this Expo,” Professor Parton said. There will be up to 200 people attending the event including over 150 primary producers. The MLA More Beef from Pastures program offers practical information, guidelines and tools in eight key areas of business. The Expo, to be held at the Machinery Centre, CSU Orange Campus this Friday 27 October.

“At a time of unprecedented global ecological degradation, I believe popular television has a responsibility to educate audiences about environmental issues,” says Bruce Fell, a lecturer with Charles Sturt University’s (CSU) School of Communication. He has spent two years interviewing Australian television executives, producers, directors, scriptwriters and performers as part of PhD thesis. Bruce will present some of his findings in Melbourne at the upcoming CSU Alumni event, Tell me about the environment. “My work looked at who are the most influential people in television when it comes to communicating with the audience. I discovered that the stars of soap opera and drama had the most influence. Fans mimic the stars purchasing habits, fashion, language, and indeed what the stars strive for in life. In a way, the TV stars are part of our new religion, they are the people we admire and worship — they lead, we follow.”

Residents of the Orange region will have the opportunity to assess and discuss Cadia Valley Operations’ present and future environmental management programs at a public seminar at Charles Sturt University (CSU) on Tuesday 7 November. ”The development of this mining site will ultimately affect the prosperity of entire region,” says Charles Sturt University’s (CSU) School of Rural Management Adjunct Professor David Goldney, who will chair the CSU Orange Campus seminar. Cadia Valley Operations Environment and Community Relations Manager Greg Morris will address the seminar, exploring major issues facing the operation now and into the future. This includes the development of a new Cadia East Project, an extensive zone (830Mt) of gold and copper minerals. Mr Morris says the proposed Project “has the potential to extend the current operational life of the mine by 30 years”. Cadia Valley Operations, comprising the Cadia Hill Open Pit and the Ridgeway underground mine, is the largest gold and copper producer in New South Wales and the largest employer in the Orange district. With a current mine life predicted to end in 2013, a $100 million feasibility study is being conducted which will see an estimated 18 million ounces of gold and 2.9 million tonnes of copper extracted from the 1.9km deep open pit. “Cadia Valley Operations is working with CSU on several projects involving operations, environmental assessments, rehabilitation research and the positive impact our work has on the local economy,” Mr Morris says. “This seminar will give those who attend an insight into our collaborative research program.” The public seminar will be held at CSU Orange Campus on Tuesday 7 November from 1 to 2pm in Lecture Theatre One.

An expert in the study of paranormal events from Charles Sturt University (CSU) believes the only scary thing about Halloween is the risk of tooth decay from all the sweets that children have an excuse to guzzle on the day. Dr Krissy Wilson, Head of CSU’s Science of Anomalistic Phenomena research unit, said the celebration of Halloween most likely started as a pagan tradition that coincided with the new harvest. “It later became a Christian celebration of All Hallows or All Saints Day. Modern times have seen it evolve into ‘Halloween’ – which came literally from ‘hallowed’ or ‘holy’ – that typically involves trick or treating, dressing up in silly outfits and watching horror movies!”

Stage Door is set to cap off a successful year of productions for the University Theatre Ensemble. Opening this Friday 3 November, the play will be the final Riverina Playhouse production for third year Charles Sturt University (CSU) Acting for Screen and Stage students. Set in post-Depression 1930s New York, it is the tale of the show that closes early, of talent unrecognized, and the attraction of motion pictures and fast money. Director Bagryana Popov said it is a play about integrity and true love of the theatre. “Not much has changed from then to today. The world of the actor is as magical as it is fragile. It takes a lot of strength to hold on and to keep going, no matter what.” Stage Door was written by Edna Ferber and George S. Kaufman in 1936. The stage hit, notable for its predominantly female cast, became a hit movie in 1937 featuring a cast that included Katharine Hepburn, Ginger Rogers, Lucille Ball and Eve Arden. It drew much praise and critical acclaim for the sparkling dialogue, excellent performances and easy shifts between comedy and drama. It received Academy Award nominations including one for Best Picture. Bagryana Popov has previously worked with CSU directing The House of Bernarda Alba in 2004. She has worked as an actor, theatre maker and director for 17 years. She was one of the founding members of Hildegard, performing, and co-producing in Woman in the Wall, The Wedding, Al Andalus, Inje and Three Sisters. Stage Door runs until 18 November and tickets can be booked at the Civic Theatre Booking Office, telephone 02 6926 9688, or purchased at the door. Tickets may also be booked online at www.civictheatre.com.au.

Albury’s teaching community will celebrate ten years of student research and dedication at the 2006 ECON conference, hosted by final year early childhood education students with Charles Sturt University’s Murray School of Education on Friday 3 November. The annual educational conference, for primary school teachers, early childhood educators and interested parents in the Border region, will address such questions as: Is childhood becoming extinct? Who's watching their weight? Is homework of value in primary school? and What are the challenges for beginning teachers? Guest speakers as this 10th anniversary meeting include former ABC TV Play School presenter Benita Collings and early childhood education experts Sue Dockett and Susan Groundwater-Smith. The conference, to be held between 11am and 3.30pm, will cost $12 on the day and includes a barbeque lunch and afternoon tea. It will be staged in the Cliff Blake Theatres on CSU Albury-Wodonga Campus, off Elizabeth Mitchell Drive, Thurgoona.

Students and staff at Charles Sturt University (CSU), some sporting silly socks, are calling on residents in Albury-Wodonga to ‘sock it to diabetes’ as part of activities recognising Foot Health Month across Australia. Students enrolled in the podiatry degree at CSU in Albury-Wodonga are providing screening tests for participants to assess the health of their feet and to show them good self-help practices to care for their feet. Podiatry course coordinator and leading ‘silly sock wearer’ Associate Professor Paul Tinley said the screening activities were part of CSU’s commitment to address the appalling number of foot amputations caused by poor foot health in people afflicted with diabetes. “It is critically important that all people with diabetes understand the risk of injury to their feet. Feet are so far from the heart that they are often the first places to show the problems of poorly controlled diabetes such as reduced sensation. This can lead eventually to lower limb amputation and a significant impact on mobility and health. Checking your feet is important for us all, plus I like the silly socks!” Professor Tinley said.