ACU Update - Issue 2

ACU Update is produced fortnightly for staff, students and friends of Australian Catholic University (ACU). To submit a news article or event, please email editor@acu.edu.au or call 02 9739 2514.

• ACU forges aged care partnership
• ACU to honour Vatican education expert
• Street Stories air time for Clemente program
• ACU exhibits a rare insight into Indigenous lives
• 2007 Orientation Week
• Lecturer features on ABC program, I and Thou
• Award for Education Graduate
• Students attend Rotary Youth Leadership Awards
• Lecturer volunteers in Peru
• Vice-Chancellor to address each campus
• Upcoming Events

ACU forges aged care partnership

ACU and Catholic Homes for the Elderly (CHE) will jointly fund and appoint an Associate Professor of Aged Care in Victoria.

The appointee, to be based both at ACU’s Melbourne Campus (St Patrick’s) and at various CHE facilities, will conduct evidence-based research into local aged care services to help inform industry policy and best practice. The position is expected to be advertised in February.

ACU Deputy Vice-Chancellor (Academic Affairs) Professor Gabrielle McMullen said she was delighted the University was collaborating with CHE on this project.

“ACU has a proud tradition in nursing and midwifery education, including aged care nursing, so this partnership with Catholic Homes for the Elderly is a perfect fit,” Professor McMullen said.

“In appointing an Associate Professor of Aged Care, we are jointly confirming our commitment to improve education, research and development in this important area of health care, for the benefit of a priority group within the community.”

Deputy Vice-Chancellor (Academic Affairs) Professor Gabrielle McMullen, CEO of CHE Ms Joan Donoghue, Board Member of CHE Mr Ted Exell and Rector of Ballarat Campus (Aquinas) and Board Member of CHE Associate Professor Anne Hunt

ACU to honour Vatican education expert

Vatican Secretary of Catholic Education Archbishop J Michael Miller CSB is to be presented with ACU’s highest honour – Doctor of the University (honoris causa) – later this year.

Archbishop Miller is expected to receive the honorary doctorate at a ceremony in Sydney in August, in recognition of his services to Catholic education worldwide over three decades.

“Archbishop Miller is recognised all over the world for his commitment to excellence in Catholic education, especially in the face of an increasingly secular society,” said ACU Vice-Chancellor Professor Peter Sheehan AO.

While in Sydney, Archbishop Miller will address the Fourth International Conference on Catholic Educational Leadership, to be held from 29 July to 1 August. The theme of this year’s conference, hosted by ACU’s Flagship for Creative and Authentic Leadership, is Catholic Educational Leadership for the 21st Century.

Archbishop Michael Miller CSB

Street Stories air time for Clemente program

The Clemente Education for Homeless program, provided by ACU in collaboration with Mission Australia and the St Vincent de Paul Society, will feature on an ABC Radio National broadcast this Sunday 4 February at 1.30pm and Sunday 11 February at 8pm.

The Street Stories show, Life Theatre, will feature School of Arts and Sciences lecturer Michael Griffith from the Strathfield Campus (Mount Saint Mary) and some of his students who are marginalised and homeless. They have been interviewed and recorded reading some of their poetry written during the literature course and giving a rehearsed reading of a Michael Gow play, Away.

ACU is the first Australian institution to implement the ideas of American Earl Shorris, who believes in the value of teaching the Humanities to the poor. For details on how to tune in, visit http://www.abc.net.au/rn/freq/

 
A photograph from the previous Clemente Education performance, a Midsummer Night's Dream

ACU exhibits a rare insight into Indigenous lives

The University will provide city dwellers with a rare insight into the lives of Indigenous children living in remote communities, thanks to a national art exhibition opening today.

The Home Island – Home Country exhibition, featuring more than 50 works by children from 16 far north Queensland Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander communities, will be exhibited at ACU’s Brisbane, Melbourne and Sydney Campuses throughout February, March and April.

All works are based on the theme of home and celebrate the joys and challenges of life in a remote community.

Home Island – Home Country also features images from acclaimed photographer Kerry Trapnell, demonstrating the beauty and remoteness of the communities from which the artwork is drawn.

The exhibition will be held on the following dates:

• 9 February-2 March at the Brisbane Campus (McAuley at Banyo) at 1100 Nudgee Road, Banyo, in the ACU Gallery Banyo, room EC01
• 13-23 March at the Melbourne Campus (St Patrick’s) at 115 Victoria Parade, Fitzroy in the ground floor foyer
• 19 April-4 May at the Strathfield Campus (Mount St Mary) at 25A Barker Rd Strathfield, in the ACU Gallery

Segment 14 of collective work by Josephine Kiwatt of Darnley Island

2007 Orientation Week

New students will mingle with academic staff and current students on all six campuses during Orientation Week, from Monday 19 February to Friday 23 February.

There will be tours of computer labs and libraries, talks on balancing life and study, invitations to join student associations, and tips for making the most of the first year experience at the University.

To view the program for each campus please visit www.acu.edu.au/orientation or to view the First Year Experience website visit http://my.acu.edu.au/node.cfm/82949997-3473-1618-CC604B093BBE5F6B

Lecturer features on ABC program, I and Thou

ACU lecturer in the School of Theology Terry Veling explores with friends, students and colleagues the way we form identity and meaning through our relationships and respect for the other on an ABC Radio National Encounter program, I and Thou. 

The program went to air on ABC Radio National on January 28 and will be repeated tonight at 7.00pm.   

The program features students from Dr Veling's theology class at the Brisbane Campus (McAuley at Banyo), along with contributions from Dr Gerard Hall and Dr Damien Casey from the School of Theology, Aboriginal elder Aunty Joan Hendriks, and Nudgee College Dean of Community and Mission Ms Mary Veling.

For more information visit:
http://www.abc.net.au/rn/encounter/stories/2007/1835316.htm

Award for Education Graduate

Recent graduate Dani Thomson has been awarded a prestigious Endeavour Language Teacher Fellowship for her commitment to teaching Indonesian language and culture and to improving the teaching of Indonesian.

Dani, who holds a Dip Ed (Sec)\Grad Cert RE degree from the Melbourne Campus (St Patrick’s), took part in a three-week course of intensive language training and looked at ways of improving the teaching of Indonesian, as part of the Fellowship.

The program, funded by the federal government, took place in Darwin from 1 to 21 January, as travel warnings prevented the course being held in Indonesia.

Dani will begin teaching Indonesian and Religious Education at Avila College in Melbourne next week.

Dani Thomson with Gracie a child she met on the Endeavour Language Teacher Fellowship in Darwin

Students attend Rotary Youth Leadership Awards

Four students from the Strathfield Campus (Mount St Mary) attended the annual District 9690 Rotary Youth Leadership Awards (RYLA) from 6 to 13 January.

Dominic Fricot and Melody Gardiner were sponsored by The Rotary Club of Burwood; Stephanie Gibbs was sponsored by The Rotary Club of Liverpool; while Strathfield Student Association Past President Adrian Pulley was a RYLA staff member for the week.

The Awards recognise leadership potential and have benefited nearly 2,000 young people in the local Rotary district since its inception in the 1960s. The intensive week-long seminar is an opportunity for young people from different backgrounds to work together, to exchange experiences and equip them with effective leadership skills.

The program included group sessions and communication skills development as well as opportunities for the acceptance of responsibility. Led by professional presenters, the daily sessions of seminar topics were supplemented by group activities each evening including a campfire, bush dance, camp concert and a formal evening.

(left to right) Stephanie Gibbs, Adrian Pulley, Melody Gardiner and Dominic Fricot

Lecturer volunteers in Peru

School of Education lecturer Joyce Martin from the Strathfield Campus (Mount St Mary) recently spent six weeks in Peru volunteering to help street kids.

Joyce worked with Bruce Peru, a non-government organisation which provides education to primary aged children. As a volunteer, she showed them how to brush their teeth and wash their hair, prepared food for them and created teaching aides.

For more information on how to volunteer with the organisation please contact Joyce on joyce.martin@acu.edu.au

Joyce Martin (centre) with a Bruce Peru teacher and Bruce Peru student, Octavio.

Vice-Chancellor to address each campus

The Vice-Chancellor’s Address for 2007 will be conducted at each campus this year, starting with Strathfield Campus (Mount St Mary) on the 14 February. The address in Brisbane will be on Friday 16 February, North Sydney on Friday 23 February, Ballarat on Tuesday 27 February, Melbourne on Monday 5 March and Canberra to be confirmed.

To assist with catering arrangements or for further information please contact the relevant campus contact:

Brisbane Campus (McAuley at Banyo) - Anne-Maree Phillips at anne-maree.phillips@acu.edu.au
Strathfield Campus (Mount St Mary) - Robyn Vandy at robyn.vandy@acu.edu.au
North Sydney Campus (MacKillop) - Cynthia Donald at cynthia.donald@acu.edu.au
Canberra Campus (Signadou) - Susan Love at susan.love@acu.edu.au
Ballarat Campus (Aquinas) - Nola Jenkins at nola.jenkins@acu.edu.au
Melbourne Campus (St Patrick's) - Margaret Harrington at margaret.harrington@acu.edu.au

Upcoming Events

• Friday 9 February - Harry Potter and the Quest for Values: How the boy wizard can be used to teach personal values (Melbourne)
• Wednesday 14 February - Vice Chancellor's address (Strathfield)
• Friday 16 February - Vice Chancellor's address (Brisbane)
• 19 – 23 February – Orientation Week (all campuses)
• Wednesday 21 February – 2007 Lenten Lecture (North Sydney)
• Friday 23 February - Vice Chancellor's address (North Sydney)
• Tuesday 27 February - Vice Chancellor's address (Ballarat)
• Monday 5 March - Vice Chancellor's address (Melbourne)

Details on these and other upcoming events can be found at www.acu.edu.au/events

Promote your event by listing it on the myACU events section and by emailing details to editor@acu.edu.au.