Issue 16 - Thursday 21 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

• NSW Scholarships presented
• Caution on Government funding for digital education
• Creative edge on display in Brisbane
• Investment in ACU National
• Dramatic life skills online
• Ballarat commences the first Clemente program in regional Australia
• Human resources degree accredited
• Applications open for business awards
• Maxine McKew delivers child care lecture in Ballarat
• Vice-Chancellor promotes the attraction of Federalism
• Indigenous elder honoured for higher education contribution
• North Sydney students get involved
• Rose Garden seminar
• ACU National’s own Scottish heritage
• Melbourne Campus Open Day delights

NSW Scholarships presented

Around sixty scholarship and bursary recipients were acknowledged at the 2008 NSW Prizes and Awards Ceremony, held at the Isabel Menton Theatre, North Sydney last month.

The Terry Harrison Prize in Science and Technology, in honour of the late Terry Harrison, a former ACU National education lecturer, was presented to education student Elisabeth Powell by School of Education (NSW) lecturer Dr Julie Clark.

Award recipients and their guests gathered with University staff and supporters of the University to enjoy light refreshments following the ceremony.

Caution on Government funding for digital education

Chair of Education Leadership Professor Michael Gaffney has warned that the Federal Government’s investment in digital education will not be enough to bring about a revolution in digital education in a new publication which he has joint-edited.

Leading a Digital School was officially launched in Canberra on Tuesday 19 August. Professor Gaffney believes that unless the Government’s $1.2 billion investment in technology is accompanied by more money to train teachers and connect schools with each other the funds will be wasted.

Creative edge on display in Brisbane

Creative Arts and Culture students on the Brisbane Campus (McAuley at Banyo) will perform two gothic melodramas this week. Both shows have been devised and directed by the students.

The two performances, the creatively titled Duke Dastardly’s Develish Design or What the Butler Saw and The Voluptous Vampire’s Villainous Adventures or The Adventures of Ramon and Tinly will be presented on Thursday 21 August at 6.30pm and Friday 22 August at 7.30pm in the Brisbane drama studio.

The melodramas will be particularly cheeky, and as such are not suitable for children.

Tickets are available for $5 through Dr Tracey Sanders on 07 3623 7187 or at the door.

Investment in ACU National

Vice-Chancellor Professor Greg Craven has announced the allocation of the $5.9 million Commonwealth Government’s Better Universities Renewal Funding (BURF) program.

Following consultation with a working party led by Dean of Students Ms Anne Cummins, $2 million has been set aside for projects to improve student amenities on each of the six campuses.

Almost $4 million will be invested into general improvements of University facilities and buildings, including Information and communications technology (for research and teaching), laboratories, libraries, student study spaces and teaching spaces.

Dramatic life skills online

Counselling Manager Carolyn Toonen is collaborating with first year drama students on the Brisbane Campus (McAuley at Banyo) to develop an interactive online life skills section of the Blackboard site to benefit all ACU National students.

The project, funded by Pro-Vice-Chancellor (Academic Affairs) Professor Gabrielle McMullen, will seek to provide a communications skills experience to students.

Ms Toonen has worked with Dr Tracey Sanders’ group of drama students, who will act in three scenarios to be filmed on campus on 11 September.

Ballarat commences the first Clemente program in regional Australia

The first Clemente program in regional Australia has commenced on the Ballarat Campus (Aquinas), with fourteen students participating in a unit focusing on ‘Indigenous Peoples Past and Present.‘

The enrolled students, who were recruited and supported by Centacare and The Smith Family, are aged from mid-20s to mid-60s and are excited about the opportunity to engage in learning.

Many of the group revealed that even in their ‘wildest dreams’ they did not think they would have the chance to attend university.

ACU National covers the course fees for students, while the City of Ballarat has provided the recurrent funding to run the course.

The Ballarat Clemente program aims to provide educational pathways that enhance the wellbeing and resilience of people who are marginalised.

A signing of the MOU acknowledging the contribution of each of the agencies and institutions working together to implement the Ballarat Clemente Program will take place on 12 September 2008. Vice-Chancellor Professor Greg Craven will attend this event that will be hosted by the City of Ballarat.

Human resources degree accredited

The Bachelor of Business (Human Resources) degree has been officially accredited by the National Accreditation Committee of the Australian Human Resources Institute (AHRI), for an initial three year period.

Director of the Institute of Business Professor Adam Steen thanked Head of School of Business and Informatics (NSW) Dr Robert Compton and Associate Professor Nasir Butrous for their work in gaining the accreditation.

Applications open for business awards

Applications are currently being sought for the 2008 B-HERT (Business, Higher Education Round Table) Awards, which recognise achievements in initiatives that advance the goals and improve the performance of both business and higher education for the benefit of Australian Society.

Award categories include Collaboration in Research and Development, Education and Training, Community Engagement, Entrepreneurial Education and Philanthropic Support of Higher Education. Membership of B-HERT comprises Australian universities, corporations, professional associations and major public research organisations.

Please visit www.bhert.com for further information and application forms.

Maxine McKew delivers child care lecture in Ballarat

Federal Member for Bennelong and Parliamentary Secretary for Early Childhood Education and Child Care Maxine McKew presented a public lecture on the Ballarat Campus (Aquinas) on Monday 4 August.

The lecture focused on the Federal Government’s agenda for early childhood and on providing Australian families with high-quality, accessible and affordable early childhood education and child care.

Ms McKew addressed the group of 120 industry representatives and community members on the government’s plans to implement higher staff to child ratios and better quality facilities and equipment within child care settings.

In her address Ms McKew noted that that ACU National is the second largest provider of teachers in the country and commended the University’s move to look at student’s community engagement and volunteer work when offering places at university.

Ms McKew ended her address encouraging the audience to champion the notion that teaching is a fine thing to do and that the community should honour teachers by giving the teaching profession the prestige it deserves.

Vice-Chancellor promotes the attraction of Federalism

Vice-Chancellor Professor Greg Craven relished his rare opportunity to speak with students recently, when he presented a guest lecture for the Modern Australia unit at the Strathfield Campus (Mount Saint Mary).

The lecture, Why Federation is a sexy topic, was thoroughly enjoyed by unit lecturer Associate Professor Malcolm Prentis and students, some of whom mentioned that he had brought to life a topic they told the Vice-Chancellor they feared would be ‘boring.’

Indigenous elder honoured for higher education contribution

Aunty Deslie Lillyst has been awarded a 2008 Indigenous Elder Award for her lifelong contribution to Indigenous people in higher education in Australia by the Higher Education Advisory Council.

Aunty Delsie is a Gunditjmara woman from south-west Victoria who is also a part-time student in the Bachelor of Education degree program at the Melbourne Campus (St. Patrick’s) and is heavily involved in Indigenous education initiatives across all of Catholic education, from pre-primary to tertiary level. She also works as an Indigenous Education Officer with the Catholic Education Office in Melbourne.

Staff and students of the University's Victorian Indigenous Support Unit, Jim-baa-yer, know Aunty Delsie as a strong and proud Aboriginal women who is a committed mentor to those around her.

She is actively involved in University and community events, and has membership on a number of government and educational boards and committees and numerous reference and advisory groups throughout the Victorian Aboriginal community.

The development of resources such as the Yarra Healing Website and literacy resources including the Dancing in the Dust DVD and the Guiding Tracks literacy resource folder have been part of Aunty Delsie's commitment to Indigenous education.

Aunty Delsie is also responsible for the training and development of Koorie Education Workers within Catholic schools and she constantly encourages those staff members to further develop their skills and to discover and participate in further education.

Vice-Chancellor Professor Greg Craven has expressed his warm congratulations to Aunty Delsie on receiving this important award.

North Sydney students get involved

The North Sydney Campus (MacKillop) Student Association welcomed new members recently with a sausage sizzle, fairy floss and a range of activities.

Second-year business students David Vu and Chris Firbank and media and communications representative Alexandra Sim, also a second-year business student, signed up students for the Australian University Games coming up in Melbourne from 29 September to 4 October.

“It was a great success,” David said. “The day helped promote not only sports and recreation but also what the student association has to offer, and hopefully we can get the same support from the students for future events.”

National Sport and Recreation Officer Mark Young is coordinating student involvement in the Australian University Games. Visit http://my.acu.edu.au/student/community/sport/events/aug_2007/ or email mark.young@acu.edu.au for more information.

Rose Garden seminar

The National School of Social Work hosted the August Rose Garden seminar at the Canberra Campus (Signadou) on Monday 18 August.

The seminar was led by ACU National Honours student Kate Haughey, who presented her research exploring the personal practice frameworks some social workers use in their families and with young people who have a disability.

The Rose Garden seminars are a joint venture between the Australian Association of Social Workers ACT Branch and the School of Social Work.

ACU National’s own Scottish heritage

School of Arts and Sciences (NSW) Associate Professor Malcolm Prentis addressed The Sydney Institute on Scottish Settlement and Australia on Wednesday 6 August.

Associate Professor Prentis discussed some of the themes of his new book, The Scots in Australia, including religion and education.

He also referred to ACU National and its link with Scottish immigrants called MacKillop, a family who produced both Mother Mary and Father Donald MacKillop.

Please visit http://www.thesydneyinstitutepodcast.com/2008/08/07/MalcolmPrentisScottishSettlementAndAustralia.aspx for a podcast of the presentation.

The Scots in Australia is available through UNSW Press, for $39.95, and is currently available for loan at the Brisbane Campus (McAuley at Banyo) library.

Melbourne Campus Open Day delights

Future ACU National students were met with friendly, smiling faces, balloons, sizzling sausages and answers to all their questions at the Melbourne Campus (St. Patrick’s) Open Day, which took place on Sunday 17 August.

Open Day was a result of team work by a significant number of staff members. Many information sessions were filled beyond capacity and a tangible excitement was in the air. Over 2,200 future students attended Open Day, and a total of over 6,000 visitors came through the campus foyer.

Upcoming Events

• University Experience: Monday 30 June – Thursday 2 October.
• Open Days: 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