Poetry as a preparation for life

March 30, 2007

The distinguished poet and literary scholar Julian Croft presented the Occasional Address today at the third of four Autumn Graduation ceremonies at the University of New England.

Professor Croft (pictured here), who gained a Bachelor of Arts degree in 1960, contrasted the time he spent on the "leisurely, generalist degree" of his "late 'teens" with today's world, in which "we work harder than the previous generation to supply ourselves with lifestyle choices we scarcely have time to utilise".

In the late 1960s and early 1970s, he said, "the commonly held view was that in the coming decades automation and high technology would significantly reduce working hours, and consequently there was a need to educate people to enjoy their increased leisure in the most fulfilling way". Today, however, the prevailing view was that "such resources should be committed to training for more and more productivity from each individual worker".

Speaking to graduands from UNE's Faculty of Arts, Humanities and Social Sciences, he emphasised the importance of generalist degree programs. "Perhaps," he said, "when we have adjusted to climate change and the limits of economic growth, we will find again that it is not necessarily bigger houses and the anxiety of too many choices that make for happier lives, but rather time – time for reflection and thought. There is no doubt we need training to acquire skills and to carry out work, but we need education to fit us for life." Speaking of his own pursuit of poetry, he said: "If you're preparing for a job, poetry would come very low on your list of necessary subjects to study, but if you're preparing for life – intellectual life – it's a very important part of that preparation."

Professor Croft concluded by observing that UNE had been "a refuge for nearly 70 years for the young and the old to find themselves by pursuing their own intellectual curiosities for a short time outside the very demanding pressures of modern life and work".

Julian Croft's latest collection of poetry – Ocean Island – was published in Melbourne in 2006. He was a member of the academic staff at UNE from 1970 to 2001, and is now an Emeritus Professor at the University.

The Chancellor of UNE, Mr John Cassidy, in his opening remarks, also contrasted the relatively uncomplicated life of 40 years ago with the potentially bewildering array of choices in today's world. He assured the graduands, however, that life can be simple – "particularly if you have a dream and a direction".

The Vice-Chancellor, Professor Alan Pettigrew, presented two Vice-Chancellor's Awards for Excellence in Learning and Teaching. One went to Dr Jennifer McDonell, a UNE English Lecturer. Professor Pettigrew said Dr McDonell was "an innovative, versatile and flexible teacher" whose "distinctive contribution" had included – among other things – "intellectual rigour and imagination", and who had been "a pioneer in the development of fully online units within the School of English, Communication and Theatre".

The other award went to the team of Associate Professor Matthew Dillon and Associate Professor Lynda Garland from the discipline of Ancient History. "Their scholarly activities have had an international influence on the development of curricula and resources that in turn have influenced and enhanced learning and teaching at UNE and far beyond," Professor Pettigrew said. Internationally recognised for their textbooks and research publications, he said, they were able "to challenge their students intellectually, and to support them academically".

About 550 people graduated from the Faculty of Arts, Humanities and Social Sciences this autumn. Of these, about 250 were able to attend today's ceremony. Tomorrow's ceremony – the last of the four – will be for people graduating from the Faculty of Economics, Business and Law.

THE PHOTOGRAPH of Emeritus Professor Julian Croft displayed here, taken at today's graduation ceremony, expands to include Dr Jennifer McDonell, who received a Vice-Chancellor's Award for Excellence in Learning and Teaching.

Posted by Jim Scanlan at 06:47 PM

'Failure' of social policies for rural youth

March 29, 2007

"Metro-centric" models of social policy designed to support victims and curb youth crime and violence are failing rural communities, according to the University of New England’s Professor Kerry Carrington.

Providing the opening address at the "Keeping Youth in Focus" conference in Tamworth yesterday, Professor Carrington noted that, generally, the further one moves from capital cities the higher the per capita rate becomes for violent crimes such as assault, domestic assault and sexual assault. Yet there are fewer services available to deal with these issues in regional and rural Australia.

She said that in 2005, of the top 50 "hot spots" in NSW for sexual assault, 39 were located in rural or regional areas, 10 in coastal areas, and only one in metropolitan Sydney. Similar figures were recorded for other types of assault. The pattern is broadly similar across most Australian jurisdictions.

Professor Carrington (pictured here) identified distinctive challenges facing rural youth. These include the lack of anonymity and higher visibility of young people (making them more prone to criminalisation for petty public order offences), and the lack of employment, educational and recreational opportunities. She said that more young women than men were leaving rural communities, leading to the entrenchment of a culture of risky drinking and violence among some of the young men that remained. "Thus," she said, "while the movement of young people away from rural areas to pursue wider opportunities is a problem, their presence is a source of constant anxiety as well."

These challenges to social policy are failing to be met due to what Professor Carrington called "metro-centric" models of human service delivery. "In order to meet needs outside of cities, policy makers have mistakenly assumed that the needs of rural communities are simply scaled-down versions of those of urban communities," she said.

Professor Kerry Carrington is Director of the Centre for Applied Research in Social Science at UNE. She is co-author (with UNE's Associate Professor Russell Hogg) of a book titled Policing the Rural Crisis, published last year by The Federation Press.

The "Keeping Youth in Focus" conference - a partnership between the Hunter New England Health Service, NSW Victims Services, the Violence Against Women Strategy, Juvenile Justice, and the Department of Community Services - continued in Tamworth today.

Posted by Jim Scanlan at 03:52 PM

UNE sponsors Autumn Festival school band competition

March 28, 2007

The Five Star High School Band Competition, a highlight of next weekend's Autumn Festival, will be a showcase for some of Armidale's brightest young musical talent.

Sponsored by the University of New England, the competition will provide prize money totalling $1,800 to support music programs in the winning schools.

Nine bands, representing all six Armidale high schools, are entering the competition. They include brass bands, jazz bands, and other instrumental ensembles. The winning bands in the inaugural competition last year came from Duval High School, The Armidale School, and PLC Armidale.

The competition will take place in Civic Park after the Autumn Festival Parade on Saturday 31 March. The scheduled starting time is 1.45 pm.

The Vice-Chancellor of UNE, Professor Alan Pettigrew, said that the University had decided to sponsor this year's competition because the high standard of music in Armidale high schools enriched the entire community. "Music is an important part of Armidale's vibrant cultural life," Professor Pettigrew said, "and the University is proud to play a role in fostering the talent of our young performers."

The prize money will help schools to buy instruments, sheet music, and equipment such as music stands.

Armidale Chamber of Commerce has organised the competition. Mark Stevens, the President of the Chamber, said it was a good example of UNE working with the community for their mutual benefit. "The University's support of music education in high schools will help provide our young people with a gift they will take with them for the rest of their lives," Mr Stevens said.

THE PHOTOGRAPH displayed here shows Professor Pettigrew with Amy Burton (alto saxophone), a member of the PLC Armidale Wind Ensemble, which will be competing in the Five Star High School Band Competition. The photograph expands to include two other members of the Ensemble: Claire Hodgson (bassoon) and Georgina Khlentzos (tenor saxophone).

Posted by Jim Scanlan at 04:46 PM

Record number of sporting scholarships

March 27, 2007

Sport UNE has announced that 25 students have been awarded Sport UNE Scholarships this year – a record for the Association.

The scholarships are awarded to University of New England students who excel in a wide range of sports – from athletics and Rugby League to power lifting and water skiing.

Three nationally ranked athletes – Jane Brotherton (athletics), Francis Fainifo (Rugby Union) and Ben Jeffree (water skiing) – have each been awarded Clem Jones Scholarships to the value of $3,400 to help with equipment, training and academic costs.

Jane Brotherton is one of Australia’s leading heptathletes, ranked first in Australia at under-23 level and fourth in open competition. Francis Fainifo is a member of the ACT Brumbies Super 14 squad and played in the Prime Minister’s XV last year against Japan. Ben Jeffree is one of Australia’s leading water skiers and is currently vying for world selection in water ski racing; he is the holder of five out of six Victorian Water Ski records and has regularly won a place in other titles over the past five years.

In addition to the Clem Jones Scholarships, two Full Scholarships, eight Development Scholarships, and 12 Training Support Scholarships were awarded this year.

These scholarships are made possible through the support of local, national and international businesses. They provide that support through a range of avenues (including the annual Sport UNE Golf Day, which this year raised $10,000 through 18 businesses each sponsoring a hole).

"Sport UNE is confident that these athletes will assist UNE to compete at a high level at the Australian University Games and championship events conducted during the year," said the President of Sport UNE, Mr Gerard Stephen.

Interested students can find out more by contacting Sport UNE directly or by visiting the UNE Scholarships Web site at: www.une.edu.au/scholarships/undergraduate/index.php

Posted by Jim Scanlan at 10:07 AM

Data show that two 'bionic' ears can be better than one

March 26, 2007

Research by a professor of psychology at the University of New England is revealing that profoundly deaf people fitted with a cochlear implant (or "Bionic Ear") can benefit from having implants in both ears.

Professor Bill Noble has been analysing data collected from more than 180 patients (including about 40 with implants in both ears) in the Cochlear Implant Program at the University of Iowa in the United States. Professor Noble, who is a consultant to the program, said it was the largest-scale subjective assessment of cochlear implants to be undertaken so far.

"A recent British study concluded that the added benefit from a second implant did not justify the additional expense," he said. "After analysing the Iowa data, I would not go along with that. The responses of these patients indicate that a second implant can increase confidence (and thus reduce anxiety) in a social context, make it easier to understand speech in a noisy environment (or speech that is unusually soft), and significantly enhance the ability to locate sounds. It can also enhance the quality – and 'naturalness' – of sounds."

Professor Noble (pictured here), who is a specialist in the psychology of hearing, began his analysis of the Iowa data in 2005, during a 12-month term as Levitt Visiting Professor in that university's College of Medicine. The patients in the Cochlear Implant Program had begun "self-rating" their experience of the implants five years earlier, at his suggestion. "Without this process of subjective assessment, the picture would have remained incomplete," he said.

He explained that the cochlear implant, developed by Professor Graeme Clark (the founder and Director Emeritus of the Bionic Ear Institute at the University of Melbourne), was an array of electrodes inserted into the inner ear to stimulate the auditory nerve directly. Designed for people with severe hearing loss, it can lead to a dramatic improvement on what can be achieved with even the best acoustic hearing aids – and thus a corresponding improvement in quality of life.

"While the added improvement from a second implant is not dramatic," Professor Noble said, "our data show that it can enhance the patient's quality of life even further by reducing the effort required for listening in more demanding circumstances."

"These findings could contribute to the formation of future public policies on the treatment of severe hearing loss," he concluded.

THE PHOTOGRAPH displayed here shows Professor Bill Noble working with an experimental acoustic hearing aid.

Posted by Jim Scanlan at 05:05 PM

Teachers urged to help build 'an ethical community'

March 23, 2007

An eminent educationist has identified "the politicisation of education" and "the unbridled growth of affluence" as the two main sources of the challenges that face today's teachers.

Professor Trevor Parmenter (pictured here), Director of the Centre for Developmental Disability Studies at the University of Sydney, was speaking today during a ceremony for people graduating in Education and Professional Studies at the University of New England.

Under the heading of "politicisation", Professor Parmenter discussed current debates about the uniform testing of school students, and responses in the United States to the introduction of such a testing regime. "The net result of the testing movement has been that teachers are teaching to the tests, and schools are refusing to enroll students deemed to be a poor risk academically. Eighty Republican members of Congress recently railed against the testing movement, insisting that it was killing innovation in schools."

Returning to Australian schools, Professor Parmenter said that other examples of political interference were "calls for major curriculum reforms, and an insistence that schools teach 'Australian values'".

The "unbridled growth of affluence", he said, had not led to the betterment of all people's lives. "Consumerism has contributed in part to a breakdown in basic family life. The greatest challenges schools currently face – and, I predict, will increasingly face – are the sociological changes around the notion of what constitutes a family. Increasing numbers of children living in dysfunctional families place an enormous burden on schools that are trying to instill a value system that is often diametrically opposed to the life experiences of many of their students."

He emphasised the need for teachers, in the face of these challenges, to foster in their students "a desire to build an ethical community – a community where there is a recognition of each-other's needs".

Professor Parmenter, who graduated from Armidale Teachers' College in 1952 and UNE (with a Bachelor of Arts degree in Education and Psychology) in 1972, concluded his address to the graduands by hoping that "the legacy of this wonderful university" would "continue to inspire" them.

During today's ceremony the Vice-Chancellor, Professor Alan Pettigrew, presented two Vice-Chancellor's Awards for Excellence in Learning and Teaching. One went to Dr David Paterson, a Lecturer in Education who, Professor Pettigrew said, "has shown a continuing commitment to his students – influencing, motivating and inspiring them to learn at a high level, while showing a genuine concern for their development as individuals".

The other award went to a teaching team from UNE's Oorala Centre for their delivery of the TRACKS tertiary preparation program. Professor Pettigrew explained that the TRACKS program provided "a student-friendly, flexible learning pathway to tertiary education for Indigenous people – particularly those from remote and regional areas, or from correctional centres". He said the team – Diane Mumbler (the Director of the Oorala Centre), Guido Posthausen and Michael Brogan – had "transformed the lives of many students previously unable to access the higher education system".

One of the award-winners – Michael Brogan – also graduated today with the degree of Master of Education with Honours.

Altogether, 282 people were handed their testamurs today by the Deputy Chancellor, Mr James Harris. At tomorrow's ceremony – for people graduating in the Sciences and Health – there will be about 300. About 2,300 people – including those unable to attend the ceremonies – are graduating from UNE this autumn.

THE PHOTOGRAPH of Professor Trevor Parmenter displayed here expands to include Dr David Paterson, who received a Vice-Chancellor's Award for Excellence in Learning and Teaching at today's ceremony.

Posted by Jim Scanlan at 06:03 PM

Museums and emotion: making history personal

March 22, 2007

A public lecture at the University of New England will examine the extent to which a visit to a museum can – and should – be an emotional experience.

Sophie Jensen (pictured here), a Senior Curator at the National Museum of Australia in Canberra, will present the 11th Annual Maurice Kelly Lecture at UNE on Wednesday 28 March. Ms Jensen will discuss an approach to history at the National Museum that seeks to engage visitors emotionally in the lives of individuals.

The lecture, titled "Fear and Loathing in Public Spaces: Museums and Emotion", will be in UNE's Education Building (Room 111) at 5.30 pm following refreshments at 5 pm. Ms Jensen said she would be asking questions such as: "Can a museum be a place of passion?", "Can exhibitions use fear to promote understanding of history?", and "Is there a way in which visitors to a museum can honestly place themselves, their lives and their experiences within the museum context?" In answer to the last question, her lecture will include a number of short films, made by people during their visits the National Museum, in which the museum serves as a context for them to relive their own experiences.

"Museums are among the key institutions through which members of the public come to an understanding of the concept of history and their place within it," she explained. "Our 'empathic' approach at the National Museum aims to illuminate the lives of real people – both famous and obscure – and thus create an understanding of history in which visitors can see their own stories not just as occurring at the same time as history, but as a crucial part of history itself."

Sophie Jensen was part of the team that curated Eternity: Stories from the Emotional Heart of Australia, one of the five permanent galleries developed for the opening of the National Museum in 2001. This gallery examines Australian people and, through their stories, looks at concepts of identity, memory and history.

The Committee of UNE's Museum of Antiquities established the Maurice Kelly Lecture series in 1997. Each year the Committee invites a distinguished speaker to deliver a lecture that relates to some aspect of museum work or museum collections. The lectures are published.

Dr Maurice Kelly came to UNE in 1954 as a lecturer in Classics, and established the Museum of Antiquities in 1959. Dr and Mrs Kelly live in Armidale.

For more information on the 11th Annual Maurice Kelly Lecture, contact John Harris at UNE on (02) 6773 2628.

Posted by Jim Scanlan at 01:06 PM

Overseas students become 'honorary citizens'

March 21, 2007

More than 50 overseas students became "honorary citizens" of Armidale yesterday during a civic reception for them at Armidale Town Hall.

Students from 14 countries – some of them in national costume – sat under a colourful array of national flags and heard the Armidale Dumaresq Mayor, Councillor Peter Ducat, and the Vice-Chancellor of the University of New England, Professor Alan Pettigrew, welcome them to the city and its educational environment.

Mr Steve Widders, as a representative of the Anaiwan people – the Indigenous custodians of the land – also welcomed the students, pointing out the significance for today's Harmony Day celebrations of their presence within the community.

The students, beginning their studies at UNE and Armidale schools this year, were from Bangladesh, Cambodia, China, France, Germany, Hong Kong, India, Indonesia, Japan, Korea, Macao, the Philippines, Papua New Guinea and Thailand. (There were apologies from students from other countries.) Each of them met Councillor Ducat and received a certificate entitling them to "all the courtesies and respect of a citizen".

Ms Xiaohui Su (pictured here), a continuing student at UNE who comes from China, thanked Armidale Dumaresq Council and UNE on behalf of her fellow overseas students, saying: "You make us feel at home."

Both Councillor Ducat and Professor Pettigrew acknowledged the contribution of overseas students to the cultural richness of Armidale life. "You've come to Armidale to learn from us," Professor Pettigrew said, "but we can also learn from you." He said that this mutually beneficial exchange included the educational environment, where class sizes were small enough to allow for more personal attention to students than in big city institutions.

"Please make Armidale part of your life," Councillor Ducat said. Professor Pettigrew added: "We can offer you an experience that we believe will remain with you for a lifetime."

THE PHOTOGRAPH of Xiaohui Su displayed here expands to include Professor Alan Pettigrew and the Mayor, Councillor Peter Ducat.

Posted by Jim Scanlan at 05:05 PM

Eminent disability researcher to speak at UNE Graduation

March 20, 2007

A leading researcher and advocate for people with disabilities will be the guest speaker at the first of four graduation ceremonies at the University of New England in the last week of March.

Professor Trevor Parmenter, who graduated from Armidale Teachers' College in 1952 and UNE (with a Bachelor of Arts degree in Education and Psychology) in 1972, is the Foundation Professor of Developmental Disability in the Faculty of Medicine at the University of Sydney, and Director of the Centre for Developmental Disability Studies. He was made a Member of the Order of Australia (AM) in 2005 for his contributions to special education.

Professor Parmenter will deliver the Occasional Address at the ceremony on Friday 23 March for those graduating in Education and Professional Studies. Renowned for his ability to translate research outcomes into practice through the setting up of model programs, he has served on the boards of several service organisations, has completed a four-year term on the Disability Council of NSW, and has been involved in the setting up of several advocacy organisations.

About 270 graduands will attend the ceremony on Friday, and the University is expecting an audience of about 1,000 visitors – friends and relatives of the graduands – to see them receive their testamurs.

Altogether, about 2,300 people – including those unable to attend the ceremonies – will be graduating from UNE this autumn.

The guest speaker at the ceremony on Saturday 24 March, for those graduating in the Sciences and Health, will be Emeritus Professor Ian Falconer. Professor Falconer was Foundation Professor of Biochemistry (1972-1997) and Head of the School of Biological Sciences (1974-1976; 1978-1982) at UNE, and held senior administrative positions at UNE and the University of Adelaide. He was made an Officer in the Order of Australia (AO) on Australia Day 2006 for "services to science, particularly through research in the area of algal toxins relating to water quality management, to education internationally, and to the conservation movement”.

The distinguished poet and literary scholar Julian Croft, an Emeritus Professor at UNE, will present the Occasional Address at the ceremony for graduands in Arts, Humanities and Social Sciences on Friday 30 March, and Professor Roley Piggott, Executive Dean of UNE's Faculty of Economics, Business and Law, will speak at the ceremony for graduands from that Faculty on Saturday 31 March. Roley Piggott graduated with both a Bachelor's and a Master's degree from UNE, the first university in Australia to offer degrees in Agricultural Economics. He took up a position as Lecturer at UNE in 1979, and served as Head of the University's former Department of Agricultural Economics and Business Management, and of the School of Economics, before becoming Dean in August 2003.

Posted by Jim Scanlan at 10:42 AM

Insight into future of Australia's wheat exports

March 16, 2007

The leading grains market analyst Malcolm Bartholomaeus will share his insight into the future of the Australian wheat export market during a public lecture at the University of New England next week.

With the Australian Government now deciding on a way forward for wheat exports, Mr Bartholomaeus, the Managing Director of the market consultancy business Callum Downs Commodity News, will present his own vision of the road to deregulation.

Mr Bartholomaeus, who holds a Master of Economics degree from UNE, will be returning to the University to deliver the 2007 Jack Makeham Memorial Lecture on Thursday 22 March. The lecture, titled "Sorting the Wheat from the Chaff: Unravelling an Export Institution", will be in UNE's Lewis Seminar Room at 4 pm.

Referring to last year's Cole Inquiry into the Australian Wheat Board's transactions in Iraq, he said: "The reality is that, even without the scandal uncovered in the Cole Inquiry, the single desk system was about to fail. It was failing primarily because, as a cooperative system, some of its beneficiaries were no longer paying the costs of achieving its benefits. It had also become an unsustainably high-cost system and, in a deregulated economic environment in a global economy, growers were still being insulated from proper price signals, and were all being forced to take the same average price. This is untenable when, elsewhere in their business activities, they are exposed to the full forces of economic and financial deregulation."

Mr Bartholomaeus is involved in the debate about restructuring the wheat export system in time for the 2007 harvest. "The Government will decide on an appropriate way forward between now and the end of April," he said, "keeping in mind that there is a review of wheat exporting arrangements due under National Competition Policy guidelines in 2010, and that World Trade Organisation agreements in place suggest that single desk marketing arrangements may need to be phased out by 2013.

"My view is that we proceed forward for the next three years with a new single desk system that is much lower-cost, has the costs borne by all wheat growers, and maximises competition in providing marketing services to growers right up to the point of export sale. Once this new competitive environment is in place, the step to full deregulation becomes an easier one."

The Agribusiness Division of the National Australia Bank is partly funding Mr Bartholomaeus's visit to UNE, and other sponsorship has come from the Armidale branch of the Australian Agricultural and Resource Economics Society and the School of Economics at UNE.

The annual Jack Makeham Memorial Lecture honours an influential lecturer in farm management at UNE who is still remembered with affection and respect by those who studied under him during several decades. Mr Bartholomaeus tutored some of Jack Makeham's students while studying for his Master's degree.

For more information on the lecture, contact Dr Maxine Darnell, in UNE's School of Economics, on (02) 6773 3595.

Posted by Jim Scanlan at 05:38 PM

Rare chance to see old images of New England family life

March 15, 2007

Visitors to the New England Regional Art Museum (NERAM) over the next month will have a rare opportunity to see photographic images of New England family life a century ago.

The photographs have been developed from fragile glass plate negatives in the University of New England and Regional Archives. They form an exhibition titled Mum's the Word, which is on display at NERAM from this week until Sunday 15 April.

The Curator of the UNE Heritage Centre (which houses the Archives), Dr Nicole McLennan, said the images had been selected from the Archives' collection of about 6,000 glass plate negatives dating from the late nineteenth and early twentieth centuries. "They form a unique visual record of family life on the Northern Tablelands during that period," Dr McLennan said.

"As the glass plates have to be kept and handled with care," she added, "the public doesn't often get a chance to see these images. The photographs on display capture not only the images themselves, but the passage of time - up to 100 years - over the photographic plates."

"The photographs are a mixture of portraits, family groups, staged images, and more relaxed shots of family members at play and at work," Dr McLennan explained. "They include an image of a merry-go-round set up in a paddock (displayed here), boys who've harnessed a sheep in their homemade cart, a girl being carried in a kerosene tin by her father, and a beautiful portrait of a seated girl with her doll.

"Most of the photographs were taken by Les Young, a dedicated amateur from Uralla, although there are also examples of images from the Saumarez Collection of negatives and photographs taken by William T. Anderson and Roy Dufty, who carried out professional photography in and around Armidale."

Mum's the Word is being presented in conjunction with the Armidale Group of the Australian Breastfeeding Association, which will host a function at NERAM at 6 pm on Friday 23 March to celebrate the mounting of the exhibition. "It was this Group that first suggested the exhibition," Dr McLennan said, "as it wanted – in the lead-up to Mother's Day – to highlight the important role of mothers and families in nurturing future generations."

Entry to the function on 23 March (including finger food and a glass of champagne) will be $7, and all profits will go towards the work of the Group.

Dr McLennan said she was hoping that visitors to the exhibition might be able to identify some of the people and places in the images on display. "They were lacking all such identification when they entered the Archives," she explained.

Posted by Jim Scanlan at 04:56 PM

'Student Assist' opens door to a wide range of services

March 14, 2007

The University of New England has brought together a range of student services into a single, centrally-located office.

Known as "Student Assist", the office houses qualified providers of free services including counselling, career development, financial assistance, and disability and equity support. "Student Assist offers services for all students – both on and off campus," said UNE's Assistant Director (Student Services), Rhonda Leece.

Officially launched last week, Student Assist first opened its doors to students during the University's Orientation period in February. "Its central location (on the corner of the Northern Courtyard), and its obvious offer of 'assistance', ensured that many new students came through our doors during that period," Ms Leece said. "It was a good time for us to start."

"We can now more quickly identify the kind of support that a student needs," she continued. "Even if we're not the right people to help, we can direct them to where they should go. In matters of academic assistance, for example, we work closely with the Library and the Academic Skills Office."

She said that Student Assist had received a great deal of positive feedback – on its central location as well as on the services it provides.

"At last Friday's launch we were able to inform members of staff from around the campus about the range of services we can offer to students," Ms Leece said. "Our careers advisers, for example, can help students with choosing courses, writing CVs and preparing for job interviews, and entering UNE's WorkReady Scheme for work experience. Our counsellors are prepared to talk to students about any problems – personal or academic. The Disability Adviser facilitates special needs support, and the Student Access and Equity Officer is available to discuss issues concerning access to courses or facilities, discrimination, or harassment. We also provide equity support for disadvantaged students, and a mechanism – through the Service Quality Unit – to resolve any difficulties related to administrative procedures."

The Student Assist unit also embraces the University's 10 Access Centres, which provide UNE students throughout northern NSW with access to the Armidale campus through the latest communication technologies.

The launch of Student Assist coincided with the launch of a booklet titled "The A to Z Guide to Social Ethics @ UNE". This booklet contains 60 entries - under headings from "Academic skills", "Access", and "Alcohol" to "Zenith", "Zero tolerance", and "Zones" - designed to guide students as they help to maintain UNE's safe and respectful learning environment.

THE PHOTOGRAPH of Deborah Page, Office Manager of Student Assist, displayed here expands to include the Vice-Chancellor of UNE, Professor Alan Pettigrew. Professor Pettigrew attended last week's launch of Student Assist.

Posted by Jim Scanlan at 05:42 PM

'Whole community' approach to educational intervention

March 13, 2007

Educational intervention could save communities millions of dollars over time, according to Professor Ian Hay, Head of the School of Education at the University of New England.

Professor Hay (pictured here) is involved in a number of projects that aim – through early intervention – at helping young people with learning difficulties steer clear of a future of unemployment and (at times) antisocial behaviour. "The evidence is, that for every dollar we spend on effective intervention programs we can save $17 in the medium-to-long term," he said.

He is working with colleagues from the University of Queensland and Queensland University of Technology on a large-scale project, funded by the Australian Research Council, to identify the approaches to reading that are most effective for different children in the first years of schooling. This research, based at UNE, builds on earlier work at Griffith University, where Professor Hay was part of a multidisciplinary team that established – and conducted trials of – the ground-breaking "Pathways to Prevention" project, involving 400 Queensland families.

Late last year the Prime Minister, John Howard, launched a report on the first five years of the "Pathways to Prevention" project. The report demonstrates the benefits of a family, community and education approach to identifying and solving developmental or behavioural problems in young children.

"The 'Pathways to Prevention' project links schools to communities in a more effective way," Professor Hay said. "Government, school and community services have tended to slice up the child and the family into particular segments: school in one area, health in another, and community services and welfare in others. Working in areas that had traditionally been disadvantaged, we found that breaking down those barriers led to greater community involvement. We did a lot to encourage reading strategies within the families in the project, and found that, over time, the amount of reading by the pre-school-aged children had doubled. When they arrived at school they were much more competent, and there were considerable improvements in their academic skills by the time they finished Grade 2."

"A holistic approach to supporting the transitions both into and out of school is needed," he explained. "At UNE, we recently received a research grant from the University to investigate how we can handle more effectively the programs that deal with school leavers identified as 'at risk' making the transition into the wider community. We know that these kids often leave school early – without the appropriate skills – and often end up in long-term unemployment, and with social or even criminal problems down the track."

At a recent forum in Coffs Harbour, Professor Hay and Dr Stephen Winn (also from UNE's School of Education) explained the project by saying: "In rural communities particularly, young people with difficulties often drop out of school and can become more 'invisible' in the community. Rural kids still have significant disadvantages in access to - and knowledge of - services. One of the things we are hoping to do with this new research project at UNE is to try and identify those individuals who are likely to drop out early, and to map their level of progress. Recent research that we have been involved with has shown that if you intervene systematically, and work with communities, parents, families, and service providers, you find increasing improvements."

The UNE team is also involved in the "Tamworth 20-20" project of the NSW Department of Education and Training. "It, too, is trying to outline existing and new approaches for improving the transition into and out of school, and how schools and communities can form positive partnerships," Professor Hay said.

THE PHOTOGRAPH displayed here shows Professor Hay with the report titled The Pathways to Prevention Project.

Posted by Jim Scanlan at 05:24 PM

Madeline first to enter the scientific fast lane

March 12, 2007

The University of New England has admitted its first student to the Bachelor of Advanced Science (Honours) degree program, which allows exceptional students to complete in three years what is usually a four-year course.

After gaining a University Admission Index score of 97.9 for her Higher School Certificate results, Lismore’s Madeline Beveridge (pictured here) chose UNE over offers from other universities in order to accelerate her career aim of becoming a medical researcher.

"Being able to do my degree in a year less was the main reason why I chose this course," she said. "And I really prefer the lifestyle, the smaller class sizes, and living on campus - it’s just nice here."

In order to be admitted straight into second-year courses, Madeline was provided with first-year notes and textbooks to study over the summer break. She then underwent an intensive interview where she was assessed on academic achievement, enthusiasm and focus for her proposed major, and maturity and time-management skills.

BAdvSc (Hons) students are supplied with specialised academic supervision through nominated supervisors, as well as the normal support – such as the Faculty Mentor – provided to all UNE students. "We have academic assistance at our college," Madeline explained, "and all the lecturers have said: 'If you need any help at all, just come and see us.'"

Madeline, who is living on campus at Earl Page College, is the recipient of a UNE Country Scholarship, which is awarded for high academic achievement, and leadership roles in school, clubs, or the community.

She is currently leaning towards a major in Genetics.

Posted by Jim Scanlan at 04:22 PM

Caterer's gift provides food for thought

March 09, 2007

A gift of $20,000 from a catering organisation will give food for thought to residential students at the University of New England.

The gift, from the Compass Group, will help to equip the Conference Centre at UNE's Duval College with video-conferencing equipment that will enable College residents to "lunch and learn".

"Lunch and Learn", conducted by staff members of UNE's Academic Skills Office, is a series of lunchtime classes in writing and study skills. Held each Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday in the Dixson Library on the University's academic campus, it is now being made available, by video-conference, to residential students who return to College for lunch.

Robyn Muldoon, UNE's Academic Skills Coordinator, said the video link had been operating – on a trial basis, and with equipment borrowed from elsewhere on the campus – for the past few weeks. "The students are able to eat their lunch in the conference room while taking part in the academic skills session," she said. "And we are training the College academic mentors to facilitate the program at their end."

Scolarest, the Compass Group company that services educational institutions, caters for Duval College. During the College's Commencement and Awards Dinner last Thursday evening, the NSW Manager of Scolarest, Mr Neil East, presented a cheque for $20,000 to the College Principal, Mrs Edwina Ridgway. The money will help with the setting up of a permanent video-conferencing system in the Duval Conference Centre.

"This will enable students of Duval College and Drummond and Smith College to participate in the 'Lunch and Learn' sessions on a continuing basis," Mrs Ridgway said. "The trial has been very successful, with the full complement of 20 students sitting in on the sessions they've needed for their work. More generally, the gift will help us enhance our conference facilities, and enable the College to access world-wide communications."

Mrs Ridgway has discovered that the Duval College video-conferencing facilities are a "first" among university residential colleges in Australia. "I attribute this to the first-class facilities that UNE is able to provide through its UNELink video-conferencing service," she said. "UNE is recognised as one of the nation's leading universities in the use of this technology."

Dr Robyn Smyth from UNE's Teaching and Learning Centre (TLC) said that the development at Duval College was symptomatic of current TLC projects aimed at making video-conferencing more widely available around the University, and at "drawing the colleges closer to the academic campus".

Posted by Jim Scanlan at 04:52 PM

Resourcefulness of rural teachers revealed

March 08, 2007

Researchers at the University of New England have documented the achievements of teachers at small country schools in adapting teaching methods and materials to a rural environment, and in taking on leadership roles early in their careers.

The knowledge gained from the project, called "Bush Tracks", will help the University to prepare trainee teachers for work in rural and remote schools.

"There are excellent teachers in these country schools," said Dr David Paterson (pictured here), a member of the "Bush Tracks" team. "We found that they had been quick to learn about the lives of people in rural communities, and to adapt teaching methods and materials accordingly. For example, much of the teaching material used in schools assumes experience of lifestyles and environments (e.g. the beach) in Australia's coastal capital cities. This often has little meaning or relevance to children in the bush."

"Bush Tracks I" began in 2004 and, with University and Faculty funding of $15,000, continued until 2006. To interview teachers, the researchers travelled to 25 schools throughout the New England region and north-western NSW. (Twenty-seven per cent of schools in the New England region are either one- or two-teacher schools – a higher percentage than the State figure of 24 per cent.) "We found that the teachers were developing new skills very quickly," Dr Paterson said. "Some who had been teaching for less than four years had taken on really senior roles – even that of principal.

"Some felt very exposed in small schools – both in their professional and in their private lives – but many of them really enjoyed the sense of belonging to a small, coherent community."

"These teachers often have to combine an administrative role at the school with the roles of teacher and parent," he continued. "This, together with their prominent role in the local community, means that they have to re-think what leadership is all about."

The latest edition of the journal Education in Rural Australia was devoted entirely to the "Bush Tracks" research on the ways in which rural teachers were developing innovative approaches to pedagogy and leadership.

"Bush Tracks II", which began this year (also with funding of $15,000) and will continue through 2008, will be looking more closely at the principals of small country schools: the way they operate in general, the way they teach in multi-age classrooms, and their understanding of leadership. "We're interested in how they adjust to policies that relate more to big metropolitan schools," said Dr Judy Miller, a Senior Lecturer in the research team, "and how they adapt those policies to make them work. We've found, for example, that they are very good at forming their own networks, both in the teaching profession and within the community."

"Our work is exploratory," Dr Miller added, "and we try not to have any expectations of what we will discover."

The "Bush Tracks" project, led by Associate Professor Cathryn McConaghy and Dr Lorraine Graham, involves eight other UNE researchers. "UNE is recognised as a centre of excellence in rural education research," Dr McConaghy said. "And, as a regional university and a leading educator of teachers, it's particularly important for us to prepare our students for what they are likely to encounter in country schools."

THE PHOTOGRAPH of Dr David Paterson displayed here expands to include Dr Judy Miller. Dr Paterson is holding a copy of the Education in Rural Australia issue devoted to the results of the "Bush Tracks" research.

Posted by Jim Scanlan at 03:20 PM

Leading educators meet to 'narrow the achievement gap'

March 07, 2007

An international conference next month at the University of New England – the first conference of its kind in Australia – will discuss strategies for "narrowing the gap" between high and low achievers at school.

The Narrowing the Gap conference, on April the 26th, 27th and 28th, has attracted speakers such as Professor James Royer from the University of Massachusetts, Amherst, USA. Professor Royer has worked as a consultant on international literacy projects in Grenada, Guatemala, Haiti, Burkina Faso, Nigeria, India, Pakistan and Indonesia.

The National Centre of Science, Information and Communication Technology, and Mathematics Education for Rural and Regional Australia (SiMERR), based at UNE, is hosting the conference. Dr Lorraine Graham, SiMERR's Associate Director (Student Diversity) and the convener of the conference, said it would be of interest to primary and junior secondary educators, parents, academics, literacy, numeracy and disability consultants, support staff, and specialist teachers concerned with improving the learning performance of disadvantaged students.

"We're particularly keen for parents to participate in our discussions," Dr Graham said, pointing out that "early bird" (i.e. reduced-fee) registration would be open until March 15. For more information, and to register online, go to: http://simerr.une.edu.au/narrowingthegap/

"It is increasingly important to address educational disadvantage," she continued, "whether that disadvantage is due to student diversity, learning difficulties, or geographical factors. This inaugural conference will enable all participants to discuss, with international experts, research on intervention programs, and initiatives targeting student diversity issues – particularly those affecting Indigenous students, gifted and talented students, and students with learning difficulties."

Another international speaker at the conference will be John Hattie, Professor of Education at Auckland University, who is Editor of the International Journal of Testing and Associate Editor of the British Journal of Educational Psychology. Australian speakers will include Professor John Pegg, the Director of SiMERR, Professor Geoff Masters, Chief Executive Officer of the Australian Council for Educational Research, Ian Hay, Professor of Special Education at UNE, and Professor Adrian Ashman of the University of Queensland.

Representatives of SiMERR's "hubs" in all Australian States and Territories will attend the conference, and discuss – among other things – their work in addressing issues of cultural diversity and geographical isolation in schools throughout rural and regional Australia.

Posted by Jim Scanlan at 04:17 PM

Students remove 100 kg of rubbish from local parks

March 06, 2007

Residents of Drummond and Smith College at the University of New England contributed to local Clean Up Australia Day activities on Sunday by removing more than 100 kg of rubbish from Armidale's Apex Lookout and Drummond Memorial Park.

Guy Ballard, the "Clean Up" coordinator for the two sites, said he had been "extremely impressed by the enthusiasm and hard work" of the Drummond and Smith team of more than 30 students. "It has made a significant difference to the appearance and safety of the two areas," he said.

"By collecting large quantities of broken glass, as well as fast food containers and other items including syringes and dumped household rubbish, the students not only improved the appearance of these important local landmarks, but ensured that they will be safer for all park users," Dr Ballard added.

Drummond and Smith College has a long history of involvement with Armidale’s Clean Up Australia Day activities, and in previous years has "cleaned up" sites including Dumaresq Dam, the Armidale By-pass, sections of Dumaresq Creek, and the Rockvale Road.

Posted by Jim Scanlan at 04:25 PM

Students urged to spread hope through education

March 05, 2007

Kate Brennan, the Assistant National Director of the Oaktree Foundation, has urged students at the University of New England to extend their youthful hope and enthusiasm to developing countries by helping to provide educational opportunities for young people there.

Ms Brennan (pictured here) delivered an inspirational address during the commencement dinner at UNE's Duval College last Thursday night. As the 2006 Young Australian of the Year for NSW, she has taken this message of "development through education" to school and university students around the State.

The Oaktree Foundation is Australia's first aid and development organisation run entirely by young people. After joining the Foundation and heading its program for schools in 2005, Ms Brennan became the organisation's NSW Director and then Acting National Director before taking on her present role as Assistant National Director in March last year. "It's been a great adventure," she said.

The Foundation's work abroad focuses on young people and education – at the moment, in South Africa, Papua New Guinea, and East Timor. It includes a peer education program on HIV infection in South Africa, and a project to rebuild schools in East Timor. Of the latter project Ms Brennan said: "If you're going to build peace, you need to build it through opportunities for education. East Timor – the world's youngest nation – also has the world's youngest population: 70 per cent of its people are under 26 years of age. Education will mean the world to them."

Ms Brennan travelled from Melbourne to speak at UNE, a university she last visited as a young child on her mother's graduation day. She herself graduated in Arts/Law from the University of Sydney, and will move to the UK this September to begin studies in International Development towards an M.Phil. degree at Oxford. In Oxford, she will take up the position of UK Director of the Oaktree Foundation.

She returned home on Friday to help paint a warehouse in Camberwell that the Foundation has just been given for its Melbourne offices and meeting rooms. About 50 young people will work – on a voluntary basis – in the new premises. Throughout Australia, about 7,000 people – all under the age of 26 – are involved in the work of the Oaktree Foundation.

Thousands of those volunteers attended last November's "Make Poverty History" concert in Melbourne, which was organised by the Foundation and featured the Irish band "U2". After the concert, they stayed on for a training conference. Later this year, the Foundation will take "Make Poverty History" on a road trip that will end with an event in Sydney on July 7.

Posted by at 11:15 AM

UNE botanist to be Australia's next Liaison Officer at Kew

March 02, 2007

A botanist from the University of New England is to be the next Australian Botanical Liaison Officer (ABLO) at the Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew, in London.

The Commonwealth Government's Australian Biological Resources Study has appointed UNE's Associate Professor Jeremy Bruhl to the ABLO position, which he will hold from September 2007 until August 2008.

As ABLO, Dr Bruhl (pictured here) will have two main roles: to help researchers in Australia and New Zealand with questions about the specimens and literature in the massive herbarium and library collections at Kew and elsewhere in Europe, and to undertake his own program of botanical research. "In effect, I'll be representing the Australasian botanical community there," Dr Bruhl said.

"Kew is one of the largest and most important of the world's herbaria, and has a wonderful and vibrant research program in plant systematics and conservation biology," he continued. "I will also have access to the herbarium at London's Natural History Museum and the original collection of Linnaeus (also in London). Together with Kew, these hold many of the collections used in the original descriptions of plant species native to, and naturalised in, Australia."

Such "type" specimens control the application of plant names even today under the rules of the International Code of Botanical Nomenclature. The herbaria at Kew and the Natural History Museum contain the personal collections of famous figures in the context of Australian botany such as Joseph Banks, Daniel Solander, Robert Brown, and Joseph Hooker.

"I'll be based in the Herbarium at Kew," Dr Bruhl said, "and will be working there and in Kew's Jodrell Laboratory. The 'Jodrell' has just been completely renovated and expanded. It is one of the world's most important centres for the study of plant anatomy and plant molecular systematics.

"I'll be working with three key scientists (Professor Mark Chase, Dr Paul Rudall and Dr David Simpson) on the systematics of the sedge family (Cyperaceae), a group I have been researching for more than 20 years. This family of about 5,000 species worldwide includes Papyrus, as well as Australian species such as Chinese Water Chestnut, Mullumbimby Couch, and the weed of cotton crops, Dirty Dora. It is tremendously important in many ecosystems around the world, especially wetlands."

Dr Bruhl is the first person from UNE and the first person from a regional university and/or herbarium to be appointed to the position of ABLO.

He will be on study leave from UNE while at Kew. He said he looks forward to strengthening the existing links between the University and the Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew, through specific research projects, and between the Kew Herbarium and the N.C.W. Beadle Herbarium at UNE.

Posted by at 05:33 PM

Department values 'practical approach' of UNE graduates

March 01, 2007

Members of a recruitment team from the Commonwealth Department of Agriculture, Fisheries and Forestry (DAFF), visiting the University of New England this week, say UNE graduate recruits bring "a rural perspective" and "a practical, common-sense approach" to the Canberra-based Department.

"And that's exactly what we want," added the Department's National Graduate Recruitment Manager, Paul Russell. "We value very highly the quality of UNE graduates and what they bring to the Department."

Mr Russell said that more than 40 UNE graduates had passed through DAFF's Graduate Development Program over the past eight years. This year, six UNE graduates (10 per cent of the annual intake of 60 from universities around Australia) have entered the 11-month program.

Mr Russell and his two colleagues have been meeting final-year undergraduates this week to outline employment opportunities at DAFF and explain application procedures. "The next six or seven weeks is the window of opportunity for final-year students to apply for next year's intake to the Graduate Development Program," Mr Russell said.

The other members of the recruitment team are Allyson Eadie, a Senior Human Resources Adviser within the Department, and Tom Fell, a UNE graduate who went through the DAFF program last year.

For a UNE graduate, Mr Fell said, the move to Canberra is made easier by the network of fellow UNE graduates already there – in DAFF as well as other Government Departments. "Through studying at UNE I developed an affinity with regional issues that gave me a head start," he said. "Also, my experience as a Resident Fellow at UNE's Earle Page College helped me to develop the inter-personal skills necessary for the job." His major project while in the Graduate Development Program for 2006 was a study of community consultation in relation to hardwood plantations in Gippsland, Victoria.

Mr Fell, who entered the graduate program after gaining an Honours degree in Natural Resources from UNE, is now working on the Future Directions Taskforce in DAFF's Natural Resource Management Division. So far, during his 13 months at DAFF, he has been promoted three times.

Mr Russell said the Graduate Development Program sought graduates in a wide range of disciplines, including economics, law, business management, commerce, science, arts, agriculture, natural resource management, rural science, social science and accounting. "Our work, based in Canberra, involves the development of programs and policies with a national and international perspective," he explained.

Posted by at 05:01 PM