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Issue 13 - Wednesday 4 July

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.

7.30 Report to feature Clemente/Catalyst Program

The University’s Clemente/Catalyst education for the homeless program, operated in conjunction with community partners, is being profiled on the 7.30 Report on ABC Television. A seven-minute segment is tentatively scheduled to appear on Thursday 5 July, subject to news priorities.

Annual Report online

ACU’s recently released 2006 Annual Report may now be viewed online in easily-accessible html format.

The report has a revised format and focuses on the year in review and five key themes including quality teaching and learning, serving the common good, and the student experience

It also includes the ties that bind, covering the foundation, graduate relations, student recruitment, communications and partnerships, and employer of choice, which looks at personnel relations, management profiles and the organisational chart.

report cover displaying an image ofbeans and leaves neatly placed upon tiles

acunique online

Volume 6 of the University’s latest acunique magazine Building a strong foundation, has also been made available for viewing online in html.

This issue focuses on philanthropy. It includes interviews with the University’s donors, supporters and scholarship winners, as well as profiles on academics whose research and activities have been expanded through donations and partnerships with other organisations.

strong columns forming a solid foundation for the ceiling

International depression expert at ACU

Eminent Californian clinical psychologist and marriage and family therapist Dr Michael Yapko will be based at the Brisbane Campus (McAuley at Banyo) during August and September.

Dr Yapko, internationally recognised for his work in depression and outcome-focused psychotherapy, will hold numerous professional development workshops and public lectures for psychologists, counsellors, social workers and students during August and September.

While most of his events will be held at the Brisbane Campus, Dr Yapko will also host a professional development workshop and public lecture in Melbourne on 20 and 21 August.

Hope, solidarity and human rights

International human rights expert, Professor Cathleen Kaveny from the John P Murphy Foundation Professor of Law and Professor of Theology at Notre Dame Law School in Indiana, USA, spoke on Hope, solidarity and human rights, launching the University’s Institute of Legal Studies with a series of well received conversaziones and public lectures in Brisbane, Sydney and Melbourne.

Professor Kaveny’s speech set the tone for two groundbreaking new legal studies courses – the Graduate Diploma in Human Rights and Graduate Certificate in Human Rights – to begin at ACU’s North Sydney Campus (MacKillop) in second semester 2007.

These ILS-facilitated courses will feature such high-profile lecturers as Professor Frank Brennan, Professor Raimond Gaita and Dr Annemarie Devereux and will explore a wide range of topics including terrorism, Indigenous rights and international human rights mechanisms.

The ILS was established as a national initiative of ACU, to foster professional education and to promote interdisciplinary studies in law with a focus on ethics, philosophy and theology.

ILS_pic_3 Lunchtime conversation at Sir Gerard Brennan’s chambers in Sydney. Left to right Brother Julian McDonald CFC AO, Professor Cathleen Kaveny, Professor Frank Brennan SJ AO, Sir William Deane AC, Sir Francis Gerard Brennan AC and Megan Davis

ACU welcomes $1 million donation to establish Chair of Law

ACU has welcomed a generous $1 million donation by leading legal figure Allan Myers AO QC to fund a national Chair of Law.

The Allan Myers Chair of Law, initially funded for a period of five years, will be based on the Melbourne Campus (St Patrick’s) and will oversee the University’s Institute of Legal Studies across its six campuses.

Vice-Chancellor Professor Peter Sheehan AO said it was fitting that the Chair would bear Mr Myers’ name, given the combined focus on legal education and promoting social justice and ethical concerns.

“Education is one of the most effective ways to enrich and add meaning to life; it has certainly been a defining factor in my own career successes” Mr Myers said. “It is my hope that the Allan Myers Chair of Law will build upon ACU’s foundation of academic excellence by overseeing the provision of quality legal education with a strong focus on issues of ethical practice and social justice.”

alan_myres-_pic_4 Maria and Allen Myers. Photo: Richard Crawley 2004.

Applications open for community engagement awards

Community engagement awards at ACU recognise and reward the time and effort many staff and students give to engagement with the University’s many communities.

“Community engagement is highly valued by ACU and the approach we take to it is distinctive” said Deputy Vice-Chancellor (Quality and Outreach) Professor John O'Gorman.

The award for staff carries a prize of $5,000 for use in an approved community engagement project, while the award for students is a prize of $2,500.

Information about the awards, including details on how to apply, can be found at www.acu.edu.au/communityengagement. Information will also be available from student centres on each campus in the coming weeks.

Applications close on Friday 10 August.

For further inquiries and applications please contact Melinda Scott in the Office of Quality and Outreach on extension 7234 or melinda.scott@acu.edu.au

Issue 10 of the Australian Ejournal of Theology available online

The latest Ejournal of Theology begins with a focus on reconciliation. “This issue of the EJournal begins by acknowledging the wrongs and hurts of our colonial past which continue today in racist attitudes and policy failures that shame our nation,” notes the editor, Rev Dr Gerard Hall SM from the School of Theology. “We commit ourselves to the task of ongoing reconciliation among all peoples, especially among Indigenous and non-Indigenous Australians.”

Other topical articles raised in the Ejournal include a reflection on Karen refugee students on the Thai-Burmese border by Assistant Head of Theology Dr Terry Veling; and explorations of the role of lay people in the Asian church, the efficacy or otherwise of human rights in a time of escalating violence.

The ACU online theology publication is increasingly popular, receiving more than 400,000 unique hits in 2006. For the first six months of this year, the past nine issues have received more than 321,000 unique visits. The third and final issue for 2007 will be out in early November.

The latest Ejournal may be accessed at http://dlibrary.acu.edu.au/research/theology/ejournal/aejt_10/index.html

Practical workshops for research higher degree supervisors

Professor Barry Fallon, who won 2007 University Award for Postgraduate Research Supervisor, will offer a practical workshop for supervisors of research higher degree students at the Brisbane Campus (McAuley at Banyo) in Room EA-04 on Thursday 26 July from 12pm until 2pm.

The workshop follows a recent all-campus videoconference on the subject by fellow award winners Dr Graham Rossiter, Dr Helga Neidhart and Dr Annette Cunliffe, and will be repeated at the Melbourne Campus (St Patrick’s) shortly.

The workshops are aimed at promoting a discussion of supervision matters among participants. Staff may email Professor Fallon with questions in advance and may bringing along their lunch to the workshop.

To RSVP or for more information telephone extension 3838 or email robina.bamforth@acu.edu.au

Professor_Barry_Fallon-_pic_5 Professor Barry Fallon

Cycling against nuclear power

Web Support Officer Evan Wills from the Strathfield Campus (Mount Saint Mary) is helping organise a cycle ride from Rockhampton to Port Augusta from July until November called Cycle against the nuclear cycle III.

“As our name suggests we are riding to raise awareness about why nuclear power is no answer to climate change and why the nuclear and uranium mining industry is bad for Australia”, Evan said.

“As part of our campaign we will be cycling around the coast of eastern Australia, past sites likely to be selected for nuclear power stations. On our journey we will be holding public meetings and information stalls, talking with community groups and visiting schools. Our aim is to show how we can create and realise a vision for Australia that is truly sustainable for generations to come.”

For details, please visit http://canc.org.au; and to subscribe to the weekly e-bulletin and keep up to date with CANC3's progress, visit http://canc.org.au/announcement

Australian Association for the Study of Religion Conference 2007

The Australian Association for the Study of Religion Conference, The end of the world as we know it? New directions in Australian spirituality, will take place at the Melbourne Campus (St Patrick’s) from 6-8 July.

The conference will address spirituality and health, ageing, children, Gen Y, religious education, different faith traditions and secularism.

Visiting research fellow

The University welcomes Rev Bernard J Lee SM ThD as an honorary distinguished visiting research fellow.

Rev Lee is Vice President for Mission and Identity at St Mary's University in San Antonio in the US. He also holds graduate degrees in philosophy and theology from the University of Fribourg and the Graduate Theological Union in Berkeley.

His numerous books and articles have addressed many areas related to church, sacraments, Christology, small Christian communities, practical theology and religious life.

Rev_Bernard_pic_6 Rev Bernard J Lee SM ThD

Theological event

Panel members from a variety of Catholic sectors will discuss Culture and prophetic critique in Catholic sponsored universities and institutions in Murray Hall at the Strathfield Campus (Mount Saint Mary) on Thursday 12 July from 3pm to 5pm.

The event is sponsored by the Institute of Theology, Philosophy and Education. For more information and to RSVP, contact Truc.Nguyen@mary.acu.edu.au or at (02) 9701 4252.

Retiring staff invited to keep in touch

Staff retiring from ACU are invited to join the Graduate Association, a contact point for those who would like to keep in touch with the University community and stay informed about events and opportunities. Former staff of the University and predecessor colleges are also welcome to become members. Those wishing to join should email graduates@acu.edu.au with their contact details.

New organ for Brisbane Campus (McAuley at Banyo)

Staff, students and friends of the Brisbane Campus recently celebrated the installation of an organ in the Chapel of the Holy Spirit with a concert featuring the ACU Choir and the inaugural performance of the ACU Junior Choir.

The concert also included superb performances from organists Dr Ralph Morton and Greg Mayer and a new "dedication" work for organ and choir composed by Dr Morton. The Junior Choir was conducted by School of Arts and Sciences Lecturer Judy Fromyhr and is an initiative of the School’s ‘All Arts’ classes for children. T.Nguyen@mary.acu.edu.au

kidschoir

Mid-year Orientation

Local students commencing study at ACU from second semester are encouraged to participate in Mid-year Orientation programs in the week beginning Monday 16 July.

These programs are designed to introduce new students to the social, cultural and academic aspects of University life. For information regarding campus activities visit www.acu.edu.au/orientation

Student Recruitment

Open Days and Open Nights give future students a chance to find out what it's like to be a student at one or more of our campuses. “They are a wonderful opportunity to talk with academic staff and students about courses and career options” says Dean of Students Tim O'Hearn.

Collect an Open Day bookmark from your student centre or visit the 2007 Open Day Schedule www.acu.edu.au/openday

The Student Recruitment Team in University Relations also tailors targeted recruitment events to individual interests and discipline areas such as Be A Student Nurse For A Day and Buzz With Business both held last month on the Brisbane Campus (McAuley at Banyo), along with the Social Justice Youth Forum. Over 150 Higher School Certificate students experienced life as an undergraduate nurse in the Be A Student Nurse For A Day program at the North Sydney Campus (MacKillop) yesterday.

Students from a large cross section of schools and colleges from across New South Wales participated in the program, which aims to give Higher School Certificate students an opportunity to attend lectures and lab sessions, giving them a taste of what it is like to be a student nurse. “We really want to show the students making important decisions about their future study that ACU goes above and beyond the curriculum to give nurses the broad range of skills they need,” says Lecturer in the School of Nursing Jennifer Evans.

The Be A Student Nurse For A Day program will be held at the Ballarat Campus (Aquinas) next Thursday 12 July.

Upcoming Events

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.