Charles Sturt University (CSU) at Bathurst is giving staff, prospective students and their parents the opportunity to inspect the new 200-bed student residences on Thursday 27 November. The on campus residences will be completed in early 2009. On completion, 10 modular concrete and corrugated iron buildings will each house 20 students in self-catered accommodation. The development will include ‘open plan’ kitchens and living areas in each block, with two buildings enclosing an open courtyard. The corrugated iron, which is light, strong, adaptable and durable, shields the internal concrete walls from the summer heat, enabling the buildings to maintain a more constant temperature without the use of expensive air conditioning.

A Charles Sturt University (CSU) expert in the management and restoration of aquatic ecosystems has been appointed to advise the Rudd government on the use of water purchased to restore the rivers and wetlands of the Murray Darling Basin. Associate Professor Robyn Watts is one of a panel of scientific experts appointed to the Environmental Water Scientific Advisory Committee by the federal Minister for Climate Change and Water, Senator Penny Wong. The committee will provide advice on setting environmental watering priorities, monitoring the benefits of environmental flows, and identifying knowledge gaps. Associate Professor Watts is a Principal Researcher in the University’s Institute for Land, Water and Society where she researches biodiversity and connectivity in aquatic ecosystems and the ecological responses to flow regimes in regulated rivers. She also teaches river ecology and restoration at CSU at Albury-Wodonga.

The doors to new student residential accommodation under construction at Charles Sturt University (CSU) at Wagga Wagga will be open to staff and students for inspection on Wednesday 26 November. The work, being undertaken by Joss Construction, will provide 200 new on campus beds for CSU students in the 2009 academic year, and is part of a large scale project for 600 new on campus beds across CSU campuses that will expand the range of student accommodation at the University to about 3 000 beds. Each block of 10 modular concrete and corrugated iron buildings will provide self-catered accommodation, with open plan kitchens and living areas, dedicated study facilities and high quality data networks. The new residences are clad with corrugated iron, which is light, strong, adaptable and durable, shields the internal concrete walls from the summer heat, enabling the buildings to maintain a more constant temperature without the use of air conditioning. Rainwater collected from roofs will be used to flush toilets.

Landholders in the Greater Hume Shire of southern NSW can state the land management incentives that they prefer - such as fixed grants, rate relief, stewardship payments for existing practices or tenders - in a study being conducted by Charles Sturt University (CSU). Social researcher with CSU’s Institute for Land, Water and Society, Mr Jonathon Howard, said the study was the first attempt in Australia to map landholder preferences for different types of land management incentives across the landscape. “Government agencies are looking for more effective ways to achieve environmental outcomes,” Mr Howard said. “Catchment management authorities usually provide incentives through fixed grants or tenders but rarely ask people on the land what they actually need. This survey allows landholders to have their say on what sorts of programs should be available to them.” The study will help catchment authorities select the best incentive programs to address particular environmental issues. Landholders in the Greater Hume Shire are encouraged to complete a survey they will receive in the post during December. The study is in association with the Murray Catchment Management Authority, CSIRO and the Council.

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.

The summer perennial weed Silverleaf Nightshade is estimated to cost agriculture millions of dollars every year in reduced crop and pasture production. Researchers at the EH Graham Centre for Agricultural Innovation, an alliance between Charles Sturt University (CSU) and the NSW Department of Primary Industries, are half way through a project to look for innovative solutions to tackle the invasive weed. At a field day to be held on Thursday 4 December, Dr Rex Stanton will speak at a Leeton trial site about the effective chemical control of Silverleaf Nightshade. At a second site at Narrandera, he will discuss the use of mulch crops in suppressing the weed. The trial sites were established to investigate the role that competitive crops and herbicides can play in challenging the weed’s dominance.

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.

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.

Charles Sturt University’s (CSU) Institute for Land, Water and Society has welcomed three new members to its Advisory Board who will support the Institute’s development as an internationally recognised provider of research in social and environmental sustainability. Ms Samantha Edmonds from the Council of Social Service of NSW (NCOSS) has joined Dr Shayne Williams, Senior Lecturer in Indigenous Education Studies at CSU, and PhD student Ms Anna Lukasiewicz, as the new appointments. The new board appointees reflect the diversity of ILWS members and research. Ms Edmonds, who is NCOSS’ Deputy Director, Policy and Communications, will meet with ILWS researchers on Wednesday 10 December at CSU at Wagga Wagga. She will speak about social services policy and needs, and discuss research collaborations with ILWS members.