Staff and students of Charles Sturt University (CSU) in Orange are gearing up for National Ride2Work on Wednesday 17 October. The CSU team will be riding as part of Ride2Uni day, which runs concurrently with the Ride2Work activities at university and TAFE campuses across the country. CSU in Orange campus services manager, Mr Mark Chapman, said the University had also held a successful ride for NSW Bike Week last month. “We had a great turnout for that event, and we’re hoping to have even more riders for Ride2Uni day,” he said. “The Ride2Work and Ride2Uni days are a great incentive for people to try riding to work for the first time and to get a sense for the enjoyment and health benefits that can be had from cycling regularly.” The CSU team will muster at Bills Beans on McLachlan Street, Orange, at 8am and leave for the University at about 8.15am. Cyclists will be served a continental breakfast at Banjo’s Café and can register for the ride online.

Charles Sturt University’s (CSU) Bachelor of Health Science (Complementary Medicine) has signed an articulation agreement with Workers Educational Association (WEA) Hunter. CSU’s Dean of the Faculty of Health, Professor Mark Burton, says “this is a significant industry partner. WEA Hunter run a variety of programs in vocational education including Advanced Diplomas in naturopathy, western herbal medicine and massage therapy.” Professor Burton explains that graduates from WEA Hunter can then join CSU and “upgrade to degree status by adding in a variety of CSU science based programs”. Ben Grushka, Executive Director of WEA Hunter, describes the agreement as “very important. It allows our graduates to project themselves into further education. We believe that once the word gets out, it will become very popular.”

Charles Sturt University (CSU) will be represented by five students from NSW and Victoria in a national crop competition in Temora in September. The 2012 Australian Universities Crops Competition (AUCC) is hosted by GrainGrowers from Tuesday 11 September to Friday 14 September. The annual event will see competitors tested in a number of categories on grains, pulses and oilseeds. The competition’s top three students will secure a study tour to the USA. Coaching the Bachelor of Agricultural Science students  is Dr Sergio Moroni, lecturer in crop agronomy from the School of Agricultural and Wine Sciences to secure the ‘University Teams' award for the third year in a row as well as aiming for places in the top five,” Dr Moroni said. CSU student Ms Georgina Rees said, “The crop competition is a great opportunity to use the knowledge we have gained over the past three years in our course and also learn more about the individual grain industries.”

Students and staff from Charles Sturt University (CSU) will put their bike riding credentials on the line when they join thousands of fellow NSW commuters and ride to the University to celebrate NSW Bike Week on Tuesday 18 September. As part of the ride-to-work activities, supported by Albury City, the bicycle commuters will receive expert advice on maintaining and repairing their machines before and after their ride, which will leave at 7.45am from the old CSU Library car park in Guinea Street, Albury, and continue along the cycle path that follows the freeway to Thurgoona. Fellow riders are able to join the group along the way. The group is due to finish at the Gums Café, CSU in Albury-Wodonga, at 8.30am, where they will receive breakfast sponsored by CSU Green. Event coordinator across the University, Ms Nicola Smith, said the event, to also be held at other CSU campuses, aims to increase the knowledge of bike paths around CSU campuses, increase bike safety and get more CSU staff and students involved in local bicycle groups. “We want more Charles Sturt University people taking part in active transport and decreasing our carbon footprint,” Ms Smith said.

Charles Sturt University (CSU) Winery has released its first Riesling entirely produced with fruit from its Orange Campus vineyard. The 2012 “R” Riesling is the latest edition to the winery’s Letter Series, which is designed to showcase varieties not traditionally produced by CSU including Merlot, Tempranillo, Grenache and Petit Verdot. CSU Winery Marketing Manager, Mr Justin Byrne said the vintage had been much-anticipated following a couple of difficult seasons. “The Riesling vines were planted on the Orange Campus at the end of 2009, but with cooler and wetter-than-usual seasons in 2010 and 2011 this is the first vintage we have produced from them,” he said. “It is a major triumph for our viticulturist Geoff Cook who nursed the vines through those trying seasons, and it will make a welcome addition to the range”. The CSU Winery Orange Campus cellar door is open 11am-4pm Friday, Saturday and Sunday. The CSU Winery Wagga Wagga Campus cellar door is open Monday to Friday 11am-5pm and 11am-4pm on weekends.

The changes in Wagga Wagga’s main street and the stories of the people who lived and worked there will be explored at a presentation by Charles Sturt University (CSU) lecturer Dr Nancy Blacklow on Saturday 15 September. As part of History Week activities, Dr Blacklow from CSU’s School of Humanities and Social Sciences will outline the collaborative research project between the CSU Regional Archives and Museum of the Riverina based on changes to Baylis and Fitzmaurice Streets. “The aim is to peel back the layers of time,” Dr Blacklow said. “The research is looking at more than just the physical changes to the buildings, as my work explores personal stories and memories.” The project will culminate with an exhibition, People and Place at the Museum of the Riverina in late 2013.

Medals marking up to 40 years employment with Charles Sturt University (CSU) and its predecessor institutions will be presented by the CSU Vice-Chancellor and President Professor Andrew Vann in Wagga Wagga tomorrow, Wednesday 12 September. A lunch will be hosted by the Head of CSU in Wagga Wagga, Mr Adrian Lindner in honour of 21 academic and general staff. Heading the long service list is Associate Professor Geoff Bamberry from the School of Management and Marketing at CSU in Wagga Wagga. He will receive a 40 year service medal during the ceremony. He began work in 1972 as a lecturer in public administration with the School of Business and Liberal Studies in the Riverina College of Advanced Education, one of CSU’s predecessor institutions. The medals recognise service for 20, 30 and 40 years.

Charles Sturt University’s (CSU) in Port Macquarie has welcomed its first Indigenous Student Support Officer, Ms Helene Jones. Ms Jones headed CSU’s exhibition space at last week’s Deadly Days Aboriginal community event held in Wauchope on 4 September, and said the public reaction to the University’s decision to open a campus in the region had been “amazing”. “Community members were extremely supportive of the University’s decision to commit to the area,” she said. “Many parents and educators of the school students who attended the event made special efforts to visit us at our marquee and thank us personally.” Deadly Days featured entertainment from Justice Crew, Casey Donovan and Troy Cassar-Daley, as well as stalls highlighting higher education and career options. CSU staff ran fun activities to inspire people to consider higher education as an option. “As a new staff member who had ‘come back to country’ after living away for many years, it was heart-warming to see so many familiar faces and to be able to be part of an organisation which is willing to provide opportunities for the people I love and is committed to Aboriginal education on the Mid-North Coast,” Ms Jones said.

Imagine the keys on a piano in front of you moving up and down as a teacher hundreds of kilometres away plays. This unique experience has been made possible for students at the Riverina Conservatorium of Music (RCM)  thanks to technical support from Charles Sturt University (CSU).  The Conservatorium is taking part in a trial which links two pianos over the Internet to allow local students to get expert, real time tuition from teachers at the Australian National University (ANU). To facilitate the trial, CSU’s Division of Information Technology has provided access to the University’s dedicated fibre optic internet connection and technical support. CSU Technical Specialist – Networks, Mr Travis Terry, said, “Charles Sturt University has immense experience in facilitating remote teaching utilising interactive technologies such as video conferencing. Coupling complementary technologies like the digital piano could be a major step forward for remote teaching and we are pleased to explore the possibilities.” Conservatorium Director Mr Hamish Tait said, “This kind of technology helps break downs some of the barriers of living in a regional area by giving local students access to highly qualified instructors hundreds of kilometres away.”