Collaborating to protect small courses at universities

April 30, 2007

The University of New England is to host a conference for the Carrick Institute that will address an urgent need for Australian universities to increase collaboration if they are to continue to offer courses that have had a decline in student or staff numbers.

Given its relevance in helping to shape the future of higher education in Australia, the organisers expect the conference to attract a great amount of interest. The "Collaboration to offer small courses/subjects" conference will explore how universities can offer greater flexibility in the future through small or short courses offered in association with other institutions.

UNE's Dr Belinda Tynan (pictured - left), Associate Professor Kerry Dunne (pictured - right), and Dr Robyn Smyth, together with the Director of the Grants Scheme at the Carrick Institute, Professor Elizabeth McDonald, are convening the conference, which will be held on 17 and 18 May. (The Carrick Institute for Learning and Teaching in Higher Education Limited is an innovative Federal Government funding body with a role comparable – in the field of teaching – to that of the Australian Research Council in funding research in the nation's tertiary education sector.) For more information on the conference, contact Dr Tynan on (02) 6773 3196, or visit www.une.edu.au/collaborating/

This unique conference is limited to 60 delegates: two each from organisations, to ensure interactivity and a representative spread from the tertiary education sector. "The Carrick Institute has recognised the importance of the conference, underwriting the conference costs for delegates over the two days," Dr Dunne pointed out. "Delegates only need to cover travel and accommodation costs."

"Australian universities pride themselves on being able to offer a broad range of study and course opportunities," Dr Tynan said. "That depth of course options can be threatened when the numbers of students or staff decline, rendering them unfeasible. However, universities can continue to offer these small courses and maintain a high degree of diversity through creative collaboration between each other, alternative institutions and the private sector. Once you start reducing courses at a university, it impacts upon a range of things, such as the capacity for research, the interaction between students in different disciplines, and even the foundations for higher-level courses.

"The speakers at the colloquium have been – or are currently – involved in a collaboration to support specialist or low-enrolment courses/subjects. Through presentations, questions to presenters, and round table discussions, higher education specialists will develop their understanding of the nature of a successful collaboration and the issues that must be resolved to collaborate successfully on the delivery of small courses between institutions. Delegates will also be exposed to a range of models and the latest initiatives."

"There are many successful programs in the sciences and education," Dr Dunne said, "but the programs I know best are two in languages. When staffing levels at the University of Newcastle declined in 2005, UNE began delivering the German program there. At James Cook University in Townsville, there was one remaining staff member in French, so a collaborative approach has seen UNE supplementing what that staff member can deliver. These resourceful arrangements mean that students at these universities can continue to study a wide range of language subjects."

Posted by Jim Scanlan at 04:54 PM

New book lifts the lid on "crime in rural Australia"

April 27, 2007

Crime in Rural Australia, the first nationally-focused, broad-ranging book to attempt to understand the problem of crime in rural and regional Australia, has been strongly endorsed by the NSW Assistant Police Commissioner, Steve Bradshaw.

During the launch of the book yesterday at the University of New England, Assistant Commissioner Bradshaw said that he would push to see the "valuable new resource" in as many NSW police stations as possible.

Responsible for the Western Police Region (65 per cent of the area of NSW), Assistant Commissioner Bradshaw said: "Violence in rural communities is very severe and, on a pro rata basis, is worse than in urban metropolitan areas. We have needed a tool like this in rural law enforcement. In policing, we need some form of academic research to prove our argument. It's one thing to have anecdotal stories and to present what we believe are the facts; but when we're looking for extra resources – such as staff – it is important to have this kind of academic research to provide the data that governments rely on when allocating resources and creating sound law enforcement policies. Many of our recruits come from the city, and the insights in the book will help them to adapt to a foreign rural setting."

In launching the book, the Member for Northern Tablelands, Richard Torbay, described the book as an important tool in addressing issues of rural crime – issues, he said, that were not appreciated by city-centric governments.

The groundbreaking resource was edited – and largely written – by the Director of the Centre for Rural Crime (a research centre within the Institute for Rural Futures at UNE), Dr Elaine Barclay, Sociologist and Bachelor of Arts Coordinator at UNE Dr John Scott, Associate Professor Russell Hogg from UNE's School of Law, and Professor Joseph Donnermeyer from Ohio State University in the United States.

According to Dr Scott, crime is generally viewed as a problem affecting city people. "Anyone who lives in a rural community knows this is just plain wrong, yet we frequently see it reflected in the media, academic studies, political rhetoric and popular television," he said. "If crime is highlighted in rural communities, it tends to be presented as an Aboriginal problem and/or in terms of property crime. This also misrepresents the reality and extent of crime in rural and regional Australia."

"Our book shows that one of biggest problems facing rural Australia is violent crime, and that this problem cannot be reduced to being an Indigenous problem alone," he continued. "The book is 'a must read' for anyone who cares about rural and regional Australia and its future."

"The book examines problems unique to rural communities – such as stock theft – which have huge economic and social impacts but tend to be neglected in research into crime and public discussions of crime," said Dr Barclay. "Some of the worst crimes and most notorious murders in Australia, such as the Ivan Milat backpacker murders, have been in regional areas, yet city residents let their guard down and feel safe in the country."

"Crime in Rural Australia draws on the knowledge of professionals who have worked in rural communities," she said, "and includes contributions from such people. It presents a range of issues affecting rural and regional communities, and practical solutions are presented in a readily understandable format."

"The book is designed to be especially useful for people involved at the forefront of the criminal justice system in rural and regional Australia: that is, lawyers, the police, magistrates, and social workers," said Mr Hogg. "Rural communities face more crime per capita than our major cities, but their courts lack the sentencing options available to their city counterparts. In our major cities, sentencing options can draw upon greater resources – including the drug courts, drug treatments, even counselling and anger management – but in rural areas the magistrates have one real option: jail. This is an unfair aspect of 'crime in rural Australia' that the book highlights."

The authors used interviews, focus groups, and surveys to hear the voices of rural and regional Australians. The book also allows professionals involved with the criminal justice system to speak for themselves, reflecting candidly on their experiences.

"In compiling the material for the book, we literally talked to people in rural and regional communities, gathering direct input from them as to their understanding of crime and what can be done about it," Mr Hogg said. "That's what really sets this book apart – relevant people giving first-hand insights."

Crime in Rural Australia capitalises on UNE's growing expertise and solid national and international reputation in the area of rural crime research. The book represents a multidisciplinary approach at UNE to addressing rural crime issues - in line with UNE's overall Strategic Plan 2007-2010, especially in the areas of cross-institutional collaboration and the development of rural and regional expertise.

Crime in Rural Australia, edited by Elaine Barclay, Joseph Donnermeyer, John Scott and Russell Hogg, is available through the bookshop at the University of New England and other leading book stores, as well as through the publishers, Federation Press (www.federationpress.com.au).

THE PHOTOGRAPH displayed here shows the NSW Assistant Police Commissioner, Steve Bradshaw, with UNE's Dr Elaine Barclay at yesterday's book launch.

Posted by Jim Scanlan at 05:25 PM

Reducing class sizes 'doesn't work', conference told

April 26, 2007

Class size, in itself, is not a significant factor in school students' learning outcomes, according to a prominent New Zealand educationist speaking today at an international conference at the University of New England.

Professor John Hattie, from the University of Auckland, was presenting the first keynote address at UNE's "Narrowing the Gap" conference.

"Don't waste your money on reducing class sizes," Professor Hattie advised his audience, explaining that "the real issue" was "the quality of the teaching". He said he had seen exercises in class size reduction that had made no impact on learning outcomes because "the nature of the teaching didn't change".

He listed other "structural" aspects of the classroom – including the presence of disruptive students – that are often thought to have a negative impact, saying that they, too, are insignificant in comparison to teaching quality. (He pointed out that, with disruptive students, the important issue was not their presence in the classroom, but how the teacher dealt with them.) "It's the teachers we have to work with if we want to make a difference," he said.

Professor Hattie said the emphasis should be on interactive rather than "structural" aspects of the classroom, and talked about "the incredible power of feedback" – feedback that can inform teachers about the learning strategies their students are employing, and enable students to amend those strategies if they are unsuccessful.

He also deplored the lack of "a climate in school staffrooms where talking about our teaching is legitimate and safe". "If we're going to make a difference in our schools we've got to get teachers talking about teaching," he said. "The principal has to create a school where talking about teaching is safe."

Professor Hattie was speaking to about 100 delegates to the conference, which is aimed at "addressing educational disadvantage". The National Centre of Science, Information and Communication Technology, and Mathematic Education for Rural and Regional Australia (SiMERR) – based at UNE – is hosting the conference, which will continue until Saturday 28 April. It is the first conference of its kind to be held in Australia.

Dr Lorraine Graham, SiMERR's Associate Director (Student Diversity) and the convener of the conference, said: "It is increasingly important to address educational disadvantage, whether that disadvantage is due to student diversity, learning difficulties, or geographical factors. This inaugural conference will enable 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."

THE PHOTOGRAPH displayed here shows Professor John Hattie and Dr Lorraine Graham.

Posted by Jim Scanlan at 05:30 PM

Professional body addresses 'decline' in school geography

April 24, 2007

The President of the Institute of Australian Geographers (IAG), Professor Jim Walmsley, says the teaching of "core geographical skills" is being neglected because school subjects that incorporate a very broad range of topics have tended to squeeze geography from the curriculum.

Professor Walmsley (pictured here), from the University of New England, said the IAG and the Australian Geography Teachers' Association had joined forces to voice their concern to the Australian Government about "the decline in Higher School Certificate geography". "Core geographical skills and training are being lost as traditional geography studies are replaced by subjects like 'Studies of Society and Environment'," he said.

He explained that the organisations were concerned about the position of geography in tertiary as well as secondary curricula, but that "enhancing the position of geography in secondary education should flow through to more enrolments in tertiary institutions".

"Some of the most important issues facing us in the twenty-first century are geographical issues," Professor Walmsley said. "We need people who, through training in traditional geographical skills, understand at least the rudiments of processes such as climate change, the water cycle, and the global movements of people.

"We're losing pace in comparison with other countries, and we need to lift our game a bit."

"If, as a result of Australian Government initiatives, history is taught as a separate subject in Years 9 and 10," he said, "the place of geography in the school curriculum needs to be considered, as geography is currently combined with history as 'Studies of Society and Environment' in most States and Territories. The IAG is urging the Government to work with the States and Territories to develop a common core to the geography curriculum, but one that allows scope for local and regional variations between and within States and Territories."

Professor Walmsley became President of the IAG – the peak professional body for Australian geographers – in the second half of last year. He believes his perspective from a regional university could help to foster an enhanced awareness of the "profound changes" occurring in rural and regional Australia. ("The changing nature of our rural heartlands" is the subject of one of the large-scale, collaborative research projects – funded by the Australian Research Council – that he and other UNE geographers are engaged in.)

He said that, under his leadership, one goal of the IAG was to keep the Government informed about the positive impact of geographical research in regional areas.

Professor Walmsley is a Fellow of the Royal Geographical Society, a Fellow of the Academy of the Social Sciences in Australia, and a Member of the Planning Institute of Australia. A former Editor of Australian Geographical Studies, he is currently on the editorial board of The Australian Geographer.

Posted by Jim Scanlan at 03:46 PM

Distance students get on-campus experience at UNE

April 23, 2007

Residential schools at the University of New England, which began on 10 April, have been drawing distance education students from throughout Australia to the Armidale campus. They will continue until 28 April.

Residential schools provide distance education students with an intensive program of lectures and tutorials, usually held over four very full days. Many units involve a compulsory residential school, while attendance at others is optional. All, however, are valued as part of "the UNE experience". They provide an opportunity for face-to-face teaching and remain an important part of distance education, despite the Web-based delivery of that education becoming increasingly interactive through new technologies.

"We are way beyond the old 'learning by correspondence' days, when audio tapes were mailed out, along with course material and recommended readings," said UNE Assistant Registrar, Greta Williamson. "Now, unit materials may be provided online, lectures may be available as podcasts, and interactive discussion with lecturers is possible from anywhere in the world through the Web. Yet, even with the most advanced distance education methods at UNE, nothing will entirely replace the face-to-face teaching of the residential schools, or the opportunity for students to learn from each other in tutorials."

UNE has close to 18,000 distance education students. They range in age from school leavers to retirees in their 80s, and are studying at their own convenience right across Australia and overseas. Up to 3,000 students are coming to UNE residential schools this month. The units they are studying are drawn from a broad cross-section of subjects on offer at UNE: from law to genetics, from nursing to geology, from rural science to history, and from education to languages.

Twenty-nine-year-old Catherine Jackson travelled up from Wollstonecraft, north Sydney, to attend her 3rd year History residential school as part of her Bachelor of Arts / Bachelor of Laws degree program. "I work full-time for an insurance firm," she said. "Distance education through UNE fits in with my schedule. It's really good.

"I'm at my first compulsory residential school, so it's totally new to me, even though I've been studying for 10 years. It is mentally exhausting but a lot fun. Hearing other people's ideas, and seeing other people studying what I am – it's boosted my learning experience."

Drew Ingleson (aged 27), from Narellan in south-west Sydney, attended Sociology and Psychology residential schools. He completed UNE's Bachelor of Counselling degree program in 2006. Working for Lifeline, he is continuing his studies externally to enhance his contribution to the organisation and his career prospects. "Studying externally is challenging but good," he said. "It's a different way of learning: a lot of work – so you've really got to apply yourself."

"The lecturers really know their stuff," he continued, "and they give it to us in a way that is easy to learn, helping us through areas we have difficulties with. It's also important that we can get to know other students facing the same learning process."

"Armidale has a comfortable and welcoming feel to it," he added. "It's a world away from Sydney."

Cathy Wright, aged 19, is also from south-west Sydney, and doing an English residential school. "I've found the residential school I'm in is a great way to make sure I've understood what I've been learning along the way," she said. "It's full-on, but worth it. Distance education through UNE is just so flexible. I work as a swimming teacher, and I can fit my studies around that."

THE PHOTOGRAPH displayed here shows Drew Ingleson and Cathy Wright during their visit to UNE for this month's residential schools.

Posted by Jim Scanlan at 02:30 PM

Fond farewell to Jenny Edmunds

April 20, 2007

Mrs Jenny Edmunds, Executive Officer to the Vice-Chancellor of the University of New England, has tendered her resignation after 20 years at the University.

To thank Mrs Edmunds for her service to UNE, the Vice-Chancellor, Professor Alan Pettigrew, hosted a farewell function yesterday in "Booloominbah", the landmark heritage building at the heart of the University. A large and diverse cross-section of the University community attended.

"Jenny has made an enormous contribution to the work of the University," Professor Pettigrew said. He noted that she had served in the Vice-Chancellor's Unit since 1990, and as Executive Officer to four Vice-Chancellors since 1994. "That level of experience and dedication to the institution needs to be recognised and celebrated," he said.

Vice-Chancellors have found in Mrs Edmunds a reassuring, reliable source of support. Her smile of greeting in the morning "set you up for the day", Professor Pettigrew remarked.

"I saw the University go through some periods of change that were quite dramatic," Mrs Edmunds reflected. "The disamalgamation probably stands out as the most dramatic. Every challenge we faced helped the University to move in a different direction, and ultimately shaped it into a better institution."

"Working here at UNE has been a wonderful experience," she said. "I feel very privileged to have been part of teams that have helped the University move forward and grow. I have worked with some truly inspirational people. I do very much appreciate all the support that everybody gave me while I was here." She received farewell gifts from the University including a framed photograph of "Booloominbah", a hand-crafted necklace of semi-precious stones, and a jewellery gift voucher.

Late in 2005, Mrs Edmunds was honoured with a special Award for Excellence in Service presented to her by the then Vice-Chancellor, Professor Ingrid Moses. "In my eight years plus as Vice-Chancellor of UNE, Jenny has been of invaluable assistance and has provided outstanding and exemplary service," Professor Moses said at the time. "She assists, prompts, encourages, sympathises, organises, supports, protects, troubleshoots, and mothers me. She is tireless in her pursuit of organisational efficiency and effectiveness, and of high standards in the Vice-Chancellor’s Office and in customer service."

Like many professionals at UNE, Mrs Edmunds was an active and committed member of the local Armidale community. She was a pivotal figure in Hockey New England's fight to upgrade its facilities over recent years. She played a central role in the securing of over $1 million in government funding and in-kind support from local businesses to make an Olympic-quality, water-based hockey facility a reality for the New England region. The facilities, owned by Hockey New England and also including a dry sand field, are located behind Sport UNE. As well as her enduring contribution to the University, there would be "a memory of Jenny Edmunds whenever we see the lights going on in the hockey field", Professor Pettigrew said.

Mrs Edmunds has moved to Port Macquarie, where she will take up a position as Marketing and Community Coordinator for The Westport Club early in May.

THE PHOTOGRAPH displayed here was taken at yesterday's farewell function. It shows Jenny Edmunds (centre) with two of her colleagues from the Vice-Chancellor's Office: Skye Ruurda (left) and Brenda Bell. It expands to include another colleague, Jane Gow.

Posted by Jim Scanlan at 03:03 PM

UNE helps Bhutan boost teachers' skills

April 19, 2007

A University of New England lecturer is spending three weeks in Bhutan this month, helping the staff of the Samtse College of Education prepare distance-education material for the professional development of primary school teachers throughout the Himalayan kingdom.

Dr Robyn Smyth (pictured here), a Lecturer in Higher Education at UNE's Teaching and Learning Centre, is sharing her knowledge and methods with distance educators at the College to help them lift the level of primary teachers' expertise to Australian Bachelor's degree standards.

"I will be helping with the design and content of the printed materials they send out for their distance education program, based on recent work I have done and the processes we have used here for many years," Dr Smyth said before leaving for Bhutan. "Resources will be an issue, though; I'll have to adapt the way I teach them according to the resources I find."

She will recognise a few friendly faces in Bhutan, as one of her previous Master's students, Namgay, is currently the Coordinator of Distance Education at the College. Namgay is just one of a number of Bhutanese postgraduate students who have studied at UNE since 1991 with the aim of returning home to assist in the development of their country.

The current project grew out of a visit to Bhutan last year by the Program Director of UNE's Bhutan Project, Associate Professor Tom Maxwell, and several of his colleagues. Dr Maxwell said that the aim of the project was to find ways of improving the qualifications of primary school teachers, and distance education was the best way to do that in Bhutan.

"The most important thing we identified was that their instructional materials needed a lot of work," he explained, "and this is Robyn's field of expertise. These students are practising teachers, so the materials had to be related to their work."

Although UNE has been teaching Bhutanese students for over a decade, the Armidale chapter of the Australian Bhutanese Friendship Association (ABFA) is a relatively new one. It was started when the Minister of Education of the Royal Government of Bhutan, Dasho Thinley Gyamtasho, and the Vice-Chancellor of UNE, Professor Alan Pettigrew, launched it last year.

The Armidale chapter of ABFA plans to hold a fund-raising dinner on the 7th of June. The event will have a silent auction of artefacts, photographs, and items brought back by Dr Smyth, raising funds for teachers' housing in remote Bhutan. For further information on ABFA or the dinner, contact Dr Maxwell on (02) 6773 2583.

THE PHOTOGRAPH of Dr Robyn Smyth displayed here expands to include Associate Professor Tom Maxwell.

Posted by Jim Scanlan at 10:27 AM

School student graduates with UNE Diploma

April 18, 2007

Sixteen-year-old Matthew Tunbridge, after studying Chinese through the University of New England since the age of 12, has just graduated with a Diploma in Modern Languages.

"It's really expanded my horizons more than anything I could have done," said Matthew of the UNE Chinese program he has successfully completed in addition to his schoolwork. He is now in Year 12 at St Joseph's College, Brisbane.

Matthew (pictured here) – accompanied by his mother, father, grandfather, and other members of his family – visited UNE late last month for the graduation ceremony at which he received his diploma. He was following a family tradition, as his mother and father both hold UNE degrees.

He has been learning Chinese since he was five, when he began attending a Sunday school in Cairns where the language was spoken. "My father worked in Immigration," he said, "and wanted me to learn a foreign language." His exposure to Chinese continued in this way throughout his primary school years, fostering a love of the language that carried him, from the age of 12, through a demanding university course.

"In the beginning, there were things I was asked to write about that were more for adults," he explained, "but by the time I reached the later units I was a bit more mature."

He said that, after completing his HSC studies this year, he would like to combine his career ambition of becoming a doctor with his interest in Chinese, and perhaps practise medicine in China for a time. "I'm interested in Chinese from a cultural perspective," he added.

He said that undertaking a university course while still at school takes "real dedication" – particularly in the junior high-school years. "But I would recommend it for students in Years 11 and 12," he continued. "It's a good way of getting into a language in depth."

Brennan Wales, the Senior Lecturer who coordinates UNE's Diploma in Modern Languages program, said he was "thrilled that a young person of such obvious dedication and ability" had successfully completed the program. "I'm glad the popularity of the program has reached someone like Matthew, and hope that it attracts other young students in the future," Mr Wales said.

Posted by Jim Scanlan at 05:43 PM

Sport UNE Vacation Care a vital service to local area

April 17, 2007

These school holidays, Sport UNE has experienced unprecedented demand for its vacation care program. Sport UNE, Vacation Care Manager, David Schmude has described the demand for vacation care services in the Armidale area as extremely high. “We are the largest vacation care provider in Armidale and we're booked out a month in advance. We normally have had 30 spots available here. Just over the Christmas break we increased that to 45 and those places are full on most days,” he said.

Sport UNE has long been celebrated for the high standard of facilities it contributes to the local region. Now, parents and children from the Armidale area are increasingly taking advantage of what is on offer.

“Parents are keen to see their children enjoying being active. It is great to be able to provide that to the local community through the resources available here at the University of New England. This morning, we had the kids running around on our great playing fields and this afternoon, it will be craft in one of the fitness rooms,” continued Mr. Schmude.

Sport UNE hosts Vacation Care during all school holiday periods, from 8:15am to 5:15pm for primary school aged children.

In a spin-off benefit, staffing levels are temporarily increased by six to eight to meet the demand. The extra staff are senior UNE education students, who gain much from the paid work experience, such as Rachael Watkins and Catherine Norton who are pictured in the above-right photo with David Schmude.

While taking advantage of the resources at Sport UNE, Mr. Schmude said the vacation care program involves so much more. “There is an emphasis on educational and developmental programs including art, craft, excursions and even dancing,” he said. “The kids have just finished making models of the solar system and posters about themselves.”

“The Sport UNE facilities do offer a world of fun for kids. We've got everything from painting to climbing wall, supervised activities in the pool with a fun inflatable to huge range of indoor games,” added Mr. Schmude.

As an authorised Childcare provider, Sport UNE Vacation Care is subsidised by the Child Care benefit.

“The Vacation Care service provided to the local community by Sport UNE is extremely important. It helps out some of the working parents in the area, and gives the kids something to do that is good for them over the school break,” said Mr. Schmude. “The attraction for the kids is simple, we keep it fun.”

For further information, please contact David Schmude: 0418 436 267

Posted by Jim Scanlan at 12:05 PM

Public lecture on 'the rule of law in Blair's Britain'

April 16, 2007

One of Britain's most respected authorities on constitutional law will deliver the University of New England's annual Sir Frank Kitto Lecture for 2007. Professor Adam Tomkins (pictured here) from Glasgow University will speak on "The Rule of Law in Blair's Britain".

Associate Professor Mark Lunney, who has organised the lecture, urged members of the public – as well as the University community – to attend the lecture, saying it "promises to be an insightful and thought provoking evening".

"It is a truly exciting opportunity to hear from a leading international academic in the legal, political and human rights fields," said Mr. Lunney, from UNE's School of Law. "Professor Tomkins is one of the leading authorities in Britain and Europe in public and constitutional law. He is widely published, and a respected public speaker on republican theory and constitutional law. He also has very strong views on the subject of human rights, and I expect him to give a very interesting and challenging lecture."

The lecture will be at 6:15 pm on Tuesday 17 April in Lecture Theatre 4 within UNE's Faculty of Economics, Business and Law. It will give a critical account of the ways judges have – and have not – sharpened the rule of law in UK constitutional cases in the Human Rights Act era, providing valuable insight into how the legal system has evolved to meet the demands of an "age of terrorism". (For more information on the lecture, contact Associate Professor Mark Lunney at the School of Law, UNE, on 6773 2713.)

"The post-September 11 'terrorist age' has presented real challenges to the rule of law," Mr Lunney said. "While we might be familiar, to some extent, with what is happening in Australia, it is very important and instructive to see what is happening in the United Kingdom. That legal system is the one from which we draw our roots, including our fundamental commitment to the rule of law, and so it is interesting to see how these challenges have been dealt with in the United Kingdom. It is clearly important for the general public, as well as academics, to gain a better understanding of how the rule of law is working in Australia in the post-September 11 era, and an awareness of what is happening in our closest 'neighbour' (in legal terms) adds to that understanding."

The public lecture is hosted by UNE's School of Law. "We believe that it is very important to attract the most eminent legal scholars – both in Australia and internationally – to UNE's School of Law," Mr Lunney said. "It fits in with our aim of building the research profile of the School so that we are recognised as a significant player in legal research in Australia."

This lecture series is in honour of Sir Frank Kitto, Justice of the High Court of Australia (1950-1970), Chancellor of the University of New England (1970-1981), and inaugural Chairman of the Australian Press Council (1976-1982), who died in Armidale in 1994.

Posted by Jim Scanlan at 05:29 PM

Jack Evans, father of UNE Physiology, dies aged 84

April 13, 2007

One of the pioneering academics who helped Professor Bill McClymont achieve his vision for the now world-renowned Rural Science program at the University of New England, Emeritus Professor Jack Evans, died on Wednesday 11 April aged 84.

Many Armidale residents of today would recognise Professor Evans as a bearded, quietly sociable man who cut a striking figure despite being confined, in his final years, to an electric scooter. But few would know of the legacy he left UNE.

A New Zealand-born veterinarian, Jack Evans (pictured here) was appointed Associate Professor of Physiology in the Faculty of Rural Science in 1957. He was responsible for setting up the Physiology Department’s facilities and courses after its creation in 1960 and was appointed to the Chair in Physiology in 1964, receiving a Doctor of Science degree from UNE in 1965. Excepting a short break, he remained Head of Department of Physiology until 1982 and was, for a time, Dean of Science.

The creation of the Rural Science program and Department of Physiology established degrees offered at Bachelor's, Master's and PhD levels. The program celebrated its 50th anniversary – and the achievements of its more than 1,500 graduates – when around 150 alumni attended celebrations on the UNE campus in September last year.

Dr Richard Passey, a former Senior Lecturer in Biochemsitry, Sub-Dean of Science, and Master of Wright College, worked alongside Professor Evans during those formative years. "We all agreed we wanted what McClymont wanted for Rural Science," Dr Passey said, "but we disagreed often on what was the best way to achieve it. Jack Evans always expressed his views strongly. Sometimes we agreed and sometimes we didn't, but no one ever pulled rank. He was honest, upright and honourable. He was a very good person."

After his retirement, the University honoured Jack Evans by making him an Emeritus Professor. He went on to pursue his interest in mohair goat breeding, becoming Inaugural President of the Goat Industry Council of Australia in 1988. In 1996 he and his wife Jean moved into a house in Armidale, while maintaining his cherished goat herd on 80 ha of rural property.

He leaves behind his wife Jean and children John and Lynleigh Evans and Christine Hanbury-Brown. The funeral will take place on Saturday 14 April at 10.30 am at Piddington’s Chapel, Uralla Road, Armidale.

Posted by Jim Scanlan at 03:08 PM

UNE, Armidale linked in Walk Against Want effort

April 12, 2007

Amarjit Kaur, Professor of Economic History at the University of New England, is one of the driving forces behind the Oxfam Walk Against Want in Armidale. Professor Kaur (pictured here) is urging everyone who can to take part.

"Take the chance to contribute to the work Oxfam is conducting in 30 countries around the world, including Australia, and get some exercise to boot," she said. "UNE students are encouraged to participate and earn points towards the University's New England Award, which recognises students' community involvement."

Professor Kaur's academic expertise centres on the economic development of South-east Asia and the role of factors such as non-governmental organisations (e.g. Oxfam) in the development of a country, region or community. So, when she pulls on her joggers and walks the 5 km along the bike path in Armidale on Sunday morning [15 April] at 10:30 am, she'll do so with the knowledge of what Walk Against Want can achieve and how sorely any achievements are needed in impoverished communities. "Oxfam enhances quality of life where it's desperately needed," she said, mentioning the provision of basics necessities such as clean drinking water and communal vegetable gardens.

"The work of Oxfam Australia helps communities to help themselves through local initiatives," she said. "Typically, a local community prioritises its own needs and approaches Oxfam for assistance."

"We'll be starting from the Community Garden at 219 Dumaresq Street," she explained. "It's a light walk along the bike path to the University of New England and back, or you could run, cycle or skate. You can even take your dog – on a leash, of course."

The humanitarian awareness and fund raising effort began 41 years ago, with Armidale taking up Walk Against Want just two years later.

"Just turn up and make a contribution," urged Professor Kaur.

Posted by Jim Scanlan at 03:32 PM

Joint Committee hears concerns about anti-terrorism laws

April 11, 2007

A law researcher from the University of New England has warned a Parliamentary Joint Committee about the pitfalls of new anti-terrorism laws.

Associate Professor Russell Hogg (pictured here) addressed the Joint Committee on Intelligence and Security last week in Canberra, outlining grave concerns about the Criminal Code provisions for listing terrorist organisations.

The Joint Committee, which has the task of reviewing all of the Government's decisions to list organisations as "terrorist organisations", is currently conducting a special inquiry into the provisions in the Criminal Code that relate to the listing of terrorist organisations. Following a written submission, Mr Hogg was invited to convey his professional opinions and legal assessments of the controversial legislation that was introduced in Australia after the September 11 terrorist attacks in America.

"Many of the 19 organisations currently listed are involved in long-running armed conflicts on the other side of the world," he said. "They have no links with al-Qa'ida and do not threaten Australia. While violence against civilians by both sides of these conflicts deserves condemnation, defining the violence of one side only as 'terrorist' serves to implicitly justify the violence of the other. And it does nothing to resolve the conflict. This requires a political – not a legal – response."

Mr Hogg also warned the Joint Committee of the potential flow-on effect of listing such foreign organisations as "terrorist organisations". He advised the Committee that it exposed residents and citizens of Australia with a connection to a listed organisation to prosecution on serious charges. "They may be refugees from such conflicts living in Australia," he said. "They may be Australians donating to international aid organisations or working with non-government organisations in these regions. Providing support, aid, or training of any sort qualifies as a serious crime under the Criminal Code. It is not necessary to prove it was related to terrorism."

"The worst case scenario is that we could see entire ethno-religious communities in Australia – such as Kurds or Lebanese Shia – caught in a sort of dragnet," he continued. "The laws could actually increase the risk of violence in Australia, by inflaming tensions here and transposing distant conflicts to Australian soil. This is because in listing an organisation Australia is, in effect, taking sides in a conflict, often in disregard of the policies of the governments it is supporting (including their use of torture and extra-judicial killing) or the justice of the cause driving the listed organisation. To be a mere supporter of the cause then becomes a serious crime in Australia."

The problem, he argued, is that the criteria for listing terrorist organisations are too broad. "According to the Code," he said, "organisations can be listed as 'terrorist organisations' without reference to any link or actual activity in Australia; without reference to the history, context or cause of the conflict in which they are engaged; and without reference to the desirability to seek a political resolution to the conflict. This is simplistic in the extreme when it comes to entrenched conflicts like, for example, that between Israel and the Palestinians.

"The issue, then, is not simply the threat to important political and legal freedoms, but the long-term failure to seek political settlements and the possibility that listing could make matters worse. This is clear from the way the listing of the Palestinian organisation Hamas inhibited governments from responding more constructively after it won the Palestinian Authority elections in 2006. The upshot has been a serious deterioration in the economic, social and security situation in the Palestinian territories – something that is in no one's interests."

Mr Hogg also responded to the claim that the laws are not being misused because there have not been any prosecutions relating to listed organisations. "This overlooks the strong likelihood that enforcement activity may be more covert in nature," he said. "The threat of prosecution hanging over whole communities of people can be used to compel cooperation in a way that escapes legal scrutiny."

Speaking at the University of New England campus in Armidale, Mr Hogg did not go so far as to call for the abolition of the anti-terrorism powers. "Apart from anything else, this is just not politically realistic," he said. "But we do need to be vigilant that these powers are exercised with care and restraint."

Posted by Jim Scanlan at 03:33 PM

Tackling early psychosis 'head on'

April 10, 2007

Hunter New England Health and the University of New England are combining forces to address one of the most serious health problems facing young people in the bush – mental illness.

They are bringing some of Australia's most experienced people in the early detection and treatment of psychosis to the University's campus in Armidale for a two-day forum titled Focus on Psychosis.

One of the organisers of the forum – Rhonda Wilson – said psychosis among young people in rural areas was "much more prevalent than we used to think", with improved methods of detection resulting in the diagnosis of about 80 new cases in the Hunter New England Health (HNEH) area over the past year.

Ms Wilson (pictured here), a Clinical Nurse Specialist who is the Early Psychosis Officer for HNEH, said the increasing use of methamphetamine ("ice") in the bush could be contributing to the overall problem. "The use of methamphetamine can lead to a particularly aggressive form of psychosis," she said. "Methamphetamine and psychosis" will be one of the topics under investigation during the forum, which will be on Thursday 31 May and Friday 1 June.

Focus on Psychosis will include five keynote sessions presented by experts in early psychosis, three workshop sessions designed to integrate theory into practice, and a final panel session for delegates' input. Ms Wilson said the forum would be of vital interest to GPs, nurses, social workers, psychologists, and all other health and community workers. For more information about it, contact her on (02) 6776 9827 or 0428 618 680 (or e-mail: RhondaL.Wilson@hnehealth.nsw.gov.au).

Dr Mary Cruickshank, a Senior Lecturer in UNE's School of Health, emphasised the significance of a major health-care provider (HNEH) collaborating with a major health-care educator (UNE) in addressing this serious health problem.

Ms Wilson said that the aim of the forum was to determine and then set in place the best possible techniques for the early detection of – and intervention in – psychotic illness. "People between the ages of about 18 and 24 who live in rural areas face particular conditions that can trigger, exacerbate and prolong mental illness," she explained. "These can include a lack of appropriate educational opportunities, and a social environment in which people are inclined to overlook (or 'cover up') a young person's antisocial behaviour in the belief that they are helping them. This can extend the period during which a psychotic illness goes undetected and can lead, in some cases, to increasingly serious psychotic episodes and chronic mental illness."

"With this forum we're tackling the problem head on," she continued. "It will help rural health workers to develop the skills they need in order to pick up the early signs of psychosis, and to know what to do about them."

THE PHOTOGRAPH of Rhonda Wilson displayed here expands to include UNE's Dr Mary Cruickshank.

Posted by Jim Scanlan at 05:38 PM

Dr Carmen Lawrence champions the humanities

April 05, 2007

Dr Carmen Lawrence, speaking at the University of New England, has emphasised the importance of the humanities in a world with an increasingly "utilitarian" approach to tertiary education.

Dr Lawrence, the Federal Member for Fremantle, was visiting the University's Faculty of Education, Health and Professional Studies last Friday to launch a book about an innovative twentieth-century educationist, and to be informed about current UNE initiatives in education policy and practice and regional business development.

She said the "utilitarian" view – that the primary function of education was to prepare people for specific jobs – was "ultimately flawed". "The humanities need vigorous champions," she said, "but too many of our politicians pay only lip service to the value of a broadly-based education in the humanities."

Dr Lawrence launched a book – co-edited by UNE's Associate Professor Cathryn McConaghy – about the controversial New Zealand educator Sylvia Ashton-Warner (1908 – 1984). The book, titled Provocations: Sylvia Ashton-Warner and Excitability in Education, has just been published in New York by the Peter Lang Publishing Group. Its other co-editor is Professor Judith Robertson from the University of Ottawa in Canada.

"Her work evokes a sense of intellectual adventure," Dr Lawrence said of Sylvia Ashton-Warner. Both Dr Lawrence and Dr McConaghy (both pictured here) spoke about the central role of "creativity" in her teaching practice and theory.

"The current conditions are such that we need reminding about creativity in teaching and learning," Dr McConaghy said. She contrasted the "smoothing-over" classroom management procedures required of today's teachers to "the chaotic, exciting environment" of Sylvia Ashton-Warner's classroom, adding that "teacher stress" was often a result of an "over-regulation" that did not allow teachers to "act socially within the teaching context".

Dr McConaghy explained that the vitality of Sylvia Ashton-Warner's teaching practice derived from her ability to connect her "intimate life" with her "pedagogy". She expressed the hope that books such as Provocations could help to "reconnect teaching and living".

Provocations includes contributions from authors in the United States, Canada, New Zealand and Australia.

THE PHOTOGRAPH of Associate Professor Cathryn McConaghy and Dr Carmen Lawrence displayed here expands to include (at left) Professor Victor Minichiello (Pro Vice-Chancellor and Dean, Faculty of Education, Health and Professional Studies, UNE) and the Vice-Chancellor of UNE, Professor Alan Pettigrew.

Posted by Jim Scanlan at 05:12 PM

Students feel the thrill of creative engineering

April 04, 2007

Teams of science students from schools around the Northern Tablelands created practical solutions to a variety of engineering and technological problems today when they competed in the Highlands Science and Engineering Challenge at the University of New England.

The challenges they faced included building (and firing) a military-style catapult and a compressed-air "leprechaun cannon", and building and operating a hovercraft, a vehicle for exploring the surface of Mars, and a fan-propelled railcar.

The 200 students – mostly in Years 9 or 10 – came from schools in Armidale, Ashford, Bundarra, Inverell, Tenterfield and Walcha.

This was the fifth annual Highlands Challenge that UNE has hosted as part of a national program that now involves about 12,000 students from more than 400 schools throughout every Australian State and Territory. UNE's Dr Peter Lye, the coordinator of the Armidale event, said the activities had totally engaged the students, stimulating them to develop creative solutions to the problems posed. "This experience has given them an insight into the exciting world of the professional scientist and engineer," he said.

"You've all been problem solvers," Dr Lye told the teams before presenting them with their participation trophies at the end of the day. He then presented the Champion's Trophy to the team from Tenterfield High School. (The runner-up was the team from Walcha Central School.) The victorious Tenterfield team will go on to participate in the Super Challenge in Newcastle in August.

The Highlands Challenge is sponsored by UNE, Engineers Australia, Young Engineers Australia and Armidale Central Rotary Club. The Rotary Club's David Steller, who chairs the organising committee, said that the national program had attracted Federal Government funding and had contributed to an increased interest among high-school students in technology and engineering careers.

Several Rotary members joined about 30 people from UNE – including lecturers, technical officers, postgraduate students and science-teaching students – in guiding the teams through the activities today in UNE's Lazenby Hall.

THE PHOTOGRAPH of the "Mission to Mars" vehicle displayed here expands to show its creators Amber Woodward and Kate McMeniman from Tenterfield High School with UNE's Rex Glencross-Grant and Augusta Macdonald.

Posted by Jim Scanlan at 04:50 PM

Two exceptional Kenyan students graduate

April 03, 2007

The High Commissioner for the Republic of Kenya, His Excellency Mr John Lepi Lanyasunya, was a special guest at the University of New England's graduation ceremony for students from the Faculty of Economics Business sand Law (EBL) on Saturday 31 March.

Mr Lepi saw 236 graduands accept their awards in the last of four UNE graduation ceremonies this autumn. While he attended graduation last year as an unofficial guest, he said he was very happy to attend this time in an official capacity.

"I was particularly delighted to see my countrymen graduate," Mr Lepi said. "Michael Muchiri finished his PhD, and his compatriot, Francis Karanja, got his Master's degree. All the Kenyan students I have talked to speak very well of this university and I look forward to coming again to see more Kenyans graduate from here."

The two Kenyan graduates have been exceptional students. After finishing his studies at UNE, Dr Muchiri was appointed as a lecturer at Central Queensland University’s Rockhampton campus, where he currently teaches Human Resource Management and Management. Francis Karanja completed his Master's program in Economic Studies late last year with eight straight High Distinctions, and is expected to complete his PhD, which he started at the same time as his Master's studies, next year through the School of Environmental Sciences and Natural Resources Management.

Dr Muchiri said that the Occasional Address given by the retiring Executive Dean of EBL, Professor Roley Piggott, had been inspirational. (Professor Piggott is pictured here.)

"The address gave us the challenge to reach out to the world in the best way we can," he said. "I want to go back to Africa and contribute to the development there."

Roley Piggott graduated from UNE with Bachelor's and Master's 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 of EBL in August 2003. He will formally retire from UNE in July this year.

In his address, Professor Piggott described how the new graduates could help the University achieve its vision of regional focus and global impact while also extending their own careers. He gave examples of previous graduates' contributions through government and private industry.

He noted three main changes since he graduated: less regulation of the economy (meaning that individuals have more decisions to make), the necessity for awareness of other cultures, and the need to reduce our "environmental footprint".

"Our graduates will have to help ensure that our leaders do not revert to earlier thinking, causing us to experience, again, the negative consequences that result from over-regulation of the economy, cultural unawareness, and environmental nonchalance," Professor Piggott said.

THE PHOTOGRAPH of Professor Roley Piggott displayed here was taken at last Saturday's graduation ceremony.

Posted by Jim Scanlan at 06:42 PM

Light-hearted quest for the heaviest veggies

April 02, 2007

Cries of "genetic modification" caused a frisson of controversy during the weigh-in of the annual Agronomy and Soil Science Giant Veggie Growing Competition at the University of New England last Friday.

This year’s winning pumpkin was grown by Michael Edmonds of UNE's Facilities Management Services, whose Atlantic Giant pumpkin weighed in at a whopping 105.5 kg. Mr Edmonds said there were no secrets to growing such a monster, "just lots of water and standard fertiliser".

Mr Edmonds's winning pumpkin was nearly upstaged by an entry from UNE’s Professor of Horticultural Science, Acram Taji. Professor Taji’s pumpkin, measuring only 10 cm in diameter, weighed in at a surprising 1.6 kg. Amid cries of "genetic modification", it was revealed that the pumpkin in question was actually made of stone, having been bought in Zimbabwe specifically for the competition. Professor Taji picked up the award for the Best Pumpkin Fraud and Best Fraudulent Exhibit.

The award for Best Sunflower Fraud went to Associate Professor Brian Sindel (who managed to present only photographic "evidence" of a sunflower that could have been). Past years have seen similar shenanigans, with some competitors filling pumpkins with concrete and entering them under other entrants' names in an apparent attempt to get them disqualified.

The coordinator of the event, postgraduate agronomy student Mark Trotter, said the "almost biblical" adverse weather conditions last year had affected the number of entries. "The late snow, frosts and hail meant numbers were slightly down this year," Mr Trotter said. He joked, however, that for some (like last year's winner, Dr John Stanley, who blamed "the weather and cockatoos" this time) it had provided "a convenient excuse".

The competition, whose only rule is that vegetables must be grown within 50 km of Armidale, includes categories for pumpkins, zucchinis and sunflowers. The entrance fee is five dollars, with pumpkin and sunflower seeds provided. Growers are advised to plant at the end of October to maximise the growing season, but are warned to remain wary of frosts – and other competitors.

Anyone interested in entering the competition can contact Mark Trotter in Agronomy and Soil Science, UNE, on (02) 6773 2143.

THE PHOTOGRAPH displayed here expands to show Michael Edmonds with his winning pumpkin.

Posted by Jim Scanlan at 05:56 PM