Issue 15 - Thursday 7 August
ACU National Update is produced fortnightly for staff, students and friends of Australian Catholic University (ACU National). To submit a news article or event, please email editor@acu.edu.au or call 07 3623 7491
- Queensland Catholic Education celebrated in Brisbane
- WYD08 spirit continues
- Jonathan Glover Special Seminar 2008
- Join the 2008 ACU National Melbourne Marathon Team
- Staff and students give blood
- eLearning resources launched
- Forum on climate justice in the Pacific
- Wool for the Winterveldt wanted
- ACU National represented at Beijing 2008
- Mary MacKillop Feast Day
- Lee Jong Mok exhibition at Strathfield
- Academics honoured for contributions to learning
- Upcoming Events
Queensland Catholic Education celebrated in Brisbane
The Brisbane Campus (McAuley at Banyo) hosted the launch of Queensland Catholic Education Week (QCEW) on Tuesday 29 July.
Queensland Catholic Education Commission Chairperson and former ACU National Vice-Chancellor Professor Peter Sheehan gave the official welcoming to the liturgical celebration, led by Bishop of Brisbane Joseph Oudeman.
ACU National graduate Jeanne Madden was present in her role as patron of QCEW, with Vice-Chancellor Professor Greg Craven also in attendance.
Students from Catholic colleges across Brisbane joined in the celebrations, with Arts and Sciences lecturer Dr Judy Fromyhr who conducted the children’s choir.
Drama students Shane Webb, Rebecca Fleming and Frank Turtle also performed a piece, directed by Dr Tracey Sanders, during the celebration.
QCEC Chairperson Professor Peter Sheehan with Vice-Chancellor Professor Greg Craven, QCEW patron Jean Madden, Bishop of Brisbane Joseph Oudeman and Pro-Vice-Chancellor (Quality and Engagement) Professor John O’Gorman
ACU National education graduate and St Joseph’s College (Gregory Terrace) teacher Innes Harriman with students.
WYD08 spirit continues
The celebration and enthusiasm produced by World Youth Day (WYD08) has continued at ACU National, with the many stories and photos from the event circulating among the University community.
Dean of Students, Ms Anne Cummins, has invited students and staff members to upload their photos of WYD08 activities to a dedicated website.
Please visit http://picasaweb.google.com/acuwyd08 to view the current photos and contact Mary Evripidou on mary.evripidou@acu.edu.au or 02 9739 2927 to obtain the password to upload your photos to the album.
Vice-Chancellor Professor Greg Craven soaks in the atmosphere at WYD08 with his daughter, Catherine, and son, Patrick.
Jonathan Glover Special Seminar 2008
The School of Philosophy’s Professor Raimond Gaita is proud to present a special seminar by Kings College philosophy and ethics lecturer Professor Jonathan Glover at 6pm on Thursday 7 August.
The seminar will seek to answer the question "How far is fruitful dialogue between adherents of rival belief systems possible?”
Bookings for the seminar, to be held in the Target Room, Level 2, State Library of NSW, Macquarie St. Sydney, are essential as seats are extremely limited.
Please contact Jasmin Chen on jasmin.chen@acu.edu.au or 03 9953 3160.
Join the 2008 ACU National Melbourne Marathon Team
Staff and students are invited to participate in the 2008 Melbourne Marathon, to be held on Sunday 12 October, which incorporates the marathon (42km), Half Marathon (21km), and 10km events.
This year there is an opportunity for ACU National staff and students to enter as team members representing the University and to raise money for the Cerebral Palsy Education Centre.
The first 40 ACU National entrants will receive a free ACU National Marathon Team Singlet. For those who are interested, weekly training sessions are available.
To register online go to http://www.melbournemarathon.com.au (entry fees apply). Select the ACU National team from the drop down menu on the online form.
Once you have registered and been allocated a race registration number, please email Simon Rice s.rice@patrick.acu.edu.au to find out more about team training sessions and to organise your ACU National team singlet.
Staff and students give blood
Staff and students on the Brisbane Campus (McAuley at Banyo) have donated more than their time recently, with the Australian Red Cross Blood Service van on campus this week.
The van regularly visits the Brisbane Campus, with staff and students making significant contributions to the cause.
Please visit www.donateblood.com.au to find out where you can make a donation to the Red Cross Blood Service.
Second year nursing student Carol Lewlins with Red Cross Blood Service enrolled nurse Vicki Bullock
eLearning resources launched
Pro-Vice-Chancellor (Academic Affairs) Professor Gabrielle McMullen hosted the formal launch of the new eLearning web site (www.acu.edu.au/elearning) and the Staff and Student eLearning tutorials on Wednesday 23 July at the North Sydney Campus (MacKillop).
Project sponsor Professor McMullen explained that the new eLearning resources have been developed to contribute to the implementation of the Strategic Plan For Online Teaching And Learning, particularly addressing the targeted outcomes related to the provision of support and training for staff and students in online teaching and learning.
The development of these resources has been successfully carried out by a large team of people. Professor McMullen said that it is a testament to the commitment and professionalism of ACU National staff that a diverse group of people across different disciplines and physical locations can work together so effectively towards a common goal.
The project was guided by a steering committee who supported the project throughout. Members of the steering committee were Professor McMullen, Institute for the Advancement of Teaching and Learning (IATL) Director Professor Yoni Ryan, Director of Flexible Teaching and Learning and IATL Ann Applebee, Information Technology Director Paul Campbell and Library Director Chris Sheargold.
Professor McMullen also acknowledged the many other staff and students who contributed to the project by appearing in videos, reviewing and providing feedback, undertaking user testing and helping with promoting the new resources.
eLearning Steering Committee: Ann Applebee, Chris Sheargold, Professor Greg Craven, Yoni Ryan, Sarah Rose (student appearing in video on eLearning site), Professor Gabrielle McMullen and Paul Campbell
Forum on climate justice in the Pacific
ACU National is set to host a forum in conjunction with the Pacific Calling Partnership exploring the effects of climate change on people living in Australia and the Pacific region on 25 October in the Gleeson Auditorium at the Strathfield Campus (Mount Saint Mary).
The forum, Pacific Calling for Climate Justice: A human rights framework, is calling for papers and abstracts.
Contact Jill Finnane on jillf@erc.org.au to submit a paper or to find out further information.
Wool for the Winterveldt wanted
School of Arts and Science (NSW) senior lecturer Dr Kathy Robinson has received a letter of thanks from the Good Shepherd Sisters (GSS) in the Winterveldt region in South Africa after passing on a donation of wool to the group.
The Winterveldt is a barren isolated area, a relic from the homeland policy days (part of Bophuthatswana) of the apartheid government, has massive unemployment and one of the highest incidences of HIV infection in the world with some reports that up to 80% of the population are HIV positive.
The need for wool in the Winterveldt becomes more significant during the colder months, with the GSS establishing an empowerment project whereby a person who is provided with wool or thread is taught how to make an item of clothing. From this, they are expected to sell this item to buy their own supplies, therefore creating a long-term benefit.
More wool is still needing in the Winterveldt and surrounding areas of Mmakaunyane and Madidi.Staff and students willing to donate wool are invited to contact Dr Robinson on 02 9739 2013 or email k.robinson@mackillop.acu.edu.au
ACU National represented at Beijing 2008
Four students from the Melbourne Campus (St. Patrick’s) will be representing ACU National as well as their country at the 2008 Beijing Olympics over the next fortnight.
Exercise Science has three representatives with Coral Bently and Bethany Walsh participating in the Australian Synchronised Swimming team, while Krystal Weir has qualified for Sailing.
Arts and Sciences student Carmen Marton will compete in Taekwondo.
The ACU National community congratulates Coral, Bethany, Krystal and Carmen on their selections and wishes them every success at Beijing.
Carmen Marton
Krystal Weir
Mary MacKillop Feast Day
Staff and students are invited to attend the Feast Day of Mary MacKillop at Mary MacKillop Place on Friday 8 August.
2008 marks 99 years since she died at North Sydney.
The Sisters of St Joseph, the religious order Mary MacKillop founded, established a Teachers College on this site. Over time it evolved to be the MacKillop Campus of Australian Catholic University.
Mary MacKillop Memorial Chapel in Mount Street (around the corner towards the station) is the chapel and the tomb of Mary MacKillop, where Pope Benedict visited during World Youth Day.
There are special masses being held on Friday at Mary MacKillop Place. The times are 8am, 10am, 11.15am, 12:30pm, 1:45pm and 7pm.
There is a display about Mary MacKillop's life and her journey to becoming a saint in the foyer near the Ryan Auditorium.
May we all live Mary's motto in our everyday life ‘never see a need without doing something about it.
Lee Jong Mok exhibition at Strathfield
The Gallery@Strathfield and Strathfield Municipal Council will welcome the works of South Korean painter and calligrapher Lee Jong Mok at the launch on Wednesday 6 August, with the exhibition to be officially opened by the Consul General of the Republic of Korea, Mr Woong-nam Kim.
Lee Jong Mok is a major Korean artist who works at Ewha University. The exhibition is sponsored by Strathfield Council as a community engagement initiative with the Korean Community, and will run until Saturday 23 August.
Visit www.leejongmok.com to learn more about the artist and his work.
Academics honoured for contributions to learning
Pro-Vice-Chancellor (Academic Affairs) Professor Gabrielle McMullen has congratulated the staff involved with the five nominees from ACU National who were selected to receive 2008 Citations for Outstanding Contributions to Student Learning from the Australian Learning and Teaching Council (ALTC).
The Citations , valued at $10,000 each, recognise and reward the diverse contributions that individuals and teams make to the quality of student learning. They are granted to those who have made a significant contribution to the quality of student learning in a specific area of responsibility over a sustained period, whether they are academic staff, general staff, sessional staff or institutional associates.
The successful nominees and their citations are:
- Professor Peter Camilleri, Associate Professor Morag McArthur and Dr Joanna Zubrzycki - For development of innovative and flexible programs engaging workers in Corrective and Child Protection Services in partnership with government agencies over a decade
- Dr Robert Compton and Ms Ellen McBarron - For developing a replicable and sustainable model that delivers empowering tertiary education to camp-based refugees
- Ms Laurine Hurley - For sustained commitment to enhancing the transition to higher education through improving accessibility to science, peer mentoring and leading the First Year Experience program
- Dr Judith Mulholland - For international collaborative scholarship in science education that has influenced and enhanced the teaching and learning of science for preservice primary teachers and their students
- Dr Caroline Smith and Dr Lyn Carter - For leadership in the development and implementation of an Education for Sustainability focus within teacher education and professional learning programs
ACU National's ALTC Citation winners
- University Experience: Monday 30 June – Thursday 2 October.
- Open Nights: Wednesday 23 July – Saturday 13 September.
Details on this 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
