Community: Edition 4 (Summer) 2007
Vice-Chancellor's comment
The University of the Sunshine Coast has had a remarkable year in 2007. Campus developments, the introduction of new programs and our achievements in gaining government funding have allowed us to progress our vision for the Coast.
But what stands out the most has been the recognition that the University has earned this year for its dedication to enhancing the experiences of our students.
The recently-released 2008 Good Universities Guide gave USC five stars for our staff qualifications, teaching quality, and graduates’ satisfaction with the generic skills they have gained here. We also scored well in other key areas like graduate employment and overall satisfaction.
These achievements show that USC is continuing to build its reputation in areas that also were commended by the Australian Universities Quality Agency (AUQA) earlier this year.
These include our growing list of “extra experiences” such as the Global Opportunities (GO) international exchange program, Work Integrated Learning (WIL), and our Headstart program for high school students.
Next year, USC will be able to introduce additional, professional degree programs thanks to our strategic planning and investment in infrastructure like the Stage II Science Building, which was officially opened in May, the Chancellery Building opened by the Governor in May, and the Indoor Sports Stadium opened by Minister Julie Bishop in July.
The Accelerator phase of the Innovation Centre should be ready by Christmas and by mid-2008, we expect to complete construction of a A$12 million five-storey Health and Sport Centre.
The infrastructure and degree program developments provide a window of opportunity for Sunshine Coast residents to follow a university career at a quality institution.
Professor Greg Hill
Acting Vice-Chancellor
With 5 star ratings, the sky’s the limit
The 2008 Good Universities Guide has described the University of the Sunshine Coast as a five-star performer. The Guide awarded top marks (five stars) for USC’s staff qualifications, teaching quality, and graduates’ satisfaction with the generic skills they gained while at the University. USC also scored impressive results (four stars) for graduate employment, overall satisfaction, gender balance and for access by equity groups.
News in brief
Media internship
Final-year Bachelor of Arts (Communications) student Katrina Scott has just completed an internship with the University of the Sunshine Coast’s Office of Marketing and Communications. Katrina, 20, who has majored in Journalism, worked in USC’s Media Unit from June to October. She wrote news articles on a variety of topics including University research, government funding, interesting achievements of students and the employment success of graduates. Her work has been published on the USC website and has helped gain publicity for the University on radio, television and in newspapers. Many of Katrina’s articles are included in this edition of Community.
Funding successes
USC’s achievements have been recognised by several considerable funding successes in recent months. In early September, the Federal Government announced USC would receive A$3.2 million to improve productivity by upgrading its information technology software. Later that month, the Government announced funding of almost A$1.8 million to three Collaboration and Structural Reform Fund (CASR) projects involving USC. The University is the lead organisation in two of these projects. In October, USC received A$1.51 million from the Federal Government’s Learning and Teaching Performance Fund (LTPF), placing it equal 15th of Australia’s 38 universities in the competitive fund which recognises excellence in teaching and learning.
Thousands attend USC open day
A record crowd of more than 3,000 people attended the University of the Sunshine Coast’s recent annual open day—Courses for Careers Day.
Visitors braved wet weather to take part in campus tours, attend lectures about various degree programs and chat with USC staff and students.
The annual event featured seminars on job prospects in particular fields and presentations for prospective students about how to apply to study, financial support available and USC’s support services.
Popular attractions were the ‘hands-on’ scientific experiments presented by the Faculty of Science, Health and Education, and the Education Minister’s Awards for Excellence in Art exhibition at the USC Gallery.
The University will offer a range of new study options in 2008 including engineering, psychology, paramedic science and occupational therapy.
For a full list of degree and certificate programs for 2008, visit the USC website. To find a study program that suits you, go to the courses and programs finder.
Health and Sport Centre will lead to greater degree options
Earthworks have begun at the University of the Sunshine Coast for construction of a A$12 million Health and Sport Centre alongside the University’s recently-opened Indoor Sports Stadium.
This five-storey facility is expected to be built by mid-2008 and will be used for research, teaching and improving community health.
The centre will accommodate USC’s new school of Health and Sport Sciences, public health clinics, testing and research laboratories, a fitness centre, premises for the USC Centre for Healthy Activities, Sport and Exercise and staff offices.
It will enable the University to introduce new programs, like physiotherapy, in the future, and will offer specialised facilities for programs starting in 2008, like occupational therapy and psychology.
CHASE director Brendan Burkett said the new centre would enable the University to do further research that would directly benefit Sunshine Coast residents.
“The Health and Sport Centre will give us that conduit to reach out into the community,” he said. “It will help us deliver services in training medical professionals on the Coast as well as patients.”
The Department of Education, Science and Training have contributed A$6 million to the construction of the centre under its 2008–2009 and 2009–2010 Capital Development Pool funding programs.
The University last year launched a A$3.5 million public fundraising campaign to assist with the construction of the centre, and this Building Excellence Campaign has gained strong community support.
State of the Region Conference tackles major issues
What the future holds for the Sunshine Coast after the council amalgamation in March 2008 was top of the agenda at the third annual State of the Region Conference at the University of the Sunshine Coast on Tuesday 30 October.
The conference, with the theme ‘Revelations: the new Sunshine Coast’, brought together major decision-makers, researchers and strategists from public and private sectors to discuss major issues facing the Sunshine Coast.
Queensland’s new Treasurer Andrew Fraser outlined the State Government’s position on the new Sunshine Coast, while the final session of the conference featured a forum involving the three current mayors Don Aldous, Joe Natoli and Bob Abbot having their say on the future of the region.
The conference also featured the presentation of new research into other key issues affecting the Sunshine Coast, such as an increase in the number of seniors expected in the next 15 years, training and development needs for the region, and housing affordability.
This research was conducted by USC lecturers Dr Scott Prasser, Wayne Graham and Tim Eltham, and was funded by companies Munro Thompson Lawyers, CADET Employment and Training and INVESTA Property Group.
Two hundred delegates attended the conference which was co-hosted by USC and the Committee for Economic Development of Australia, with support by the above companies as well as Parsons Brinckerhoff.
Lecturers gain A$10,000 awards for excellence
Two lecturers from the University of the Sunshine Coast have received A$10,000 awards for their outstanding contributions to student learning.
Marketing and Tourism lecturer Gayle Mayes and Cultural Studies senior lecturer Dr Karen Brooks each received citations from the Carrick Institute for Learning and Teaching in Higher Education.
The citations are part of an Australian Government program to recognise and reward teaching excellence in higher education. They were presented at a special ceremony in Brisbane in August.
Gayle Mayes received her award for enhancing students’ employability and work readiness by providing a motivational work integrated learning experience.
The 1992 Olympic kayaker and former adventure tourism business operator was delighted that her work in providing students with experiential education through tourism-related work placements was so highly regarded.
“The award is really fantastic recognition and a wonderful thrill,” she said. “I always thought there’d be so many people ahead of me."
“Hopefully, this will encourage other academics to look at their work and consider applying as well, because we all tend to underestimate the contribution that we are making to students, USC and teaching and learning.”
Dr Brooks received her award for sustained public engagement in the field of communication and cultural studies resulting in both theoretical and practical learning outcomes for students.
The popular culture expert has established a national and international reputation for her work, is a newspaper columnist, regular social commentator on television and has had five fantasy novels published.
Dr Brooks said she was thrilled to have received the award.
“The award recognises that good teachers can be facilitators for change in a positive way, and it is a reminder that what we’re doing is worthy of recognition,” she said.
Healthy research on agenda
Professor of Population Health Sciences John Lowe says he feels “like a kid in a candy store” after becoming the University of the Sunshine Coast’s first Head of School of Health and Sport Sciences.
Professor Lowe is referring to the wealth of experience among his academic staff and the opportunities available to him to expand USC’s range of degree programs.
With a commitment to applied research and meeting the workforce demands of the region, he has many reasons to be excited about USC’s moves to introduce degrees in occupational therapy and paramedic science next year.
“At USC, we’ve got different pieces of the puzzle that we can put together to address problems in a way that other universities can’t,” he said.
“We already have nursing, biomedical science, nutrition and dietetics, sports science and public health.
Next year we’re adding occupational therapy and paramedic science, and soon we’ll be adding physiotherapy.
“We’ve got a lot of talented young academics in a variety of disciplines who can work together to make unique teams in addressing issues directly related to improving the quality of life for people on a local, state and national level, and in some cases international.”
Professor Lowe has plenty of experience in establishing new schools within universities, having done so at the University of Queensland from 1990–2000 and at the University of Iowa from 2000–2007.
He was the inaugural director of the Cancer Prevention Research Centre in the Faculty of Medicine at the University of Queensland.
The Centre was one of Australia’s top cancer control and prevention research centres in the 1990s, particularly for its work in promoting sun safety in Queensland and for encouraging women to have regular screenings for breast cancer.
At the University of Iowa, Professor Lowe established a new Department of Community and Behavioural Health in the College of Public Health.
He also ran a Disease Control and Prevention Centre focusing on physical activity and nutrition in the community and a quit-line for smokers.
USC studies how TV affects women
By Katrina Scott
The University of the Sunshine Coast is conducting ground-breaking research into the effects of certain television programs and advertisements on women’s health.
USC lecturers Dr Fiona Burnell, Lily O’Hara and Jane Gregg, and Science Honours student Carolyn Siddel, are studying the psychological and physical reactions of women when watching health messages about weight on TV.
The research aims to assess the positive and negative impacts these messages have on women.
Ms O’Hara said 26 volunteers, aged 19 to 60, watched samples of television programs and advertisements and underwent a series of tests examining blood pressure, heart rate and hormonal changes in their saliva.
“We monitored the volunteers’ blood pressure and pulse rate while they were watching television to see if the levels of stress caused were from excitement or stemmed from self-esteem issues,” she said.
“We wanted to see if there were immediate health responses and whether or not we could detect them.
“We decided to focus on women as we thought they were more prone to self-esteem and weight problems.”
Dr Burnell said this study was unique because it was multidisciplinary, incorporating aspects of immunology, public health and health promotion.
“Our areas often work separately and it is good to see them connect,” Dr Burnell said.
Scientists to research spread of horse flu
The widespread outbreak of horse flu in Queensland has spurred scientists at the University of the Sunshine Coast to launch a study into how humans help spread the equine influenza virus.
Immunologist Dr Fiona Burnell is leading a team of USC biomedical scientists in a research project that could help better contain future outbreaks of the disease, not only in Australia but around the world.
The project also will assess whether exposure to the virus affects people’s health.
Dr Burnell’s team, which includes biochemist Dr Mark Holmes, epidemiologist Dr Anne Neller and public health expert Professor John Lowe, is working with scientists at the University of Iowa in the United States on the project.
Their two-year study will involve 600 people with variable levels of exposure to horses to assess whether they have previously had zoonotic influenza infections (those transferable between animals and humans).
Dr Burnell said the study would analyse risk factors, including the hygiene practices of humans in spreading the virus, which has affected horses at more than 1,000 properties across Queensland since early August.
“This is the first time the horse flu has appeared in Australia, but it is common in other countries,” she said.
“Humans can carry it for up to three days in their respiratory tract but it has never been shown to cause illnesses in humans.”
Accounting student gains scholarship
By Katrina Scott
The decision to study accounting at USC this year has paid an unexpected dividend for former Maleny State High School captain Arlo Goozee.
Arlo, who finished Year 12 in 2005 with an OP score of 2, recently received the A$3,500 Poole and Partners Scholarship, which is available to Caloundra City or Maroochy Shire residents who are studying accounting at USC.
The three-year scholarship will assist Arlo in his studies.
“I found out about the scholarship after I had decided to study a Bachelor of Business (Accounting) at USC,” he said. “The scholarship provides a great context for networking and will definitely help me in finding a job.”
Arlo took a year off studying after completing his secondary education and he worked full-time at the Maleny IGA supermarket during 2006.
For more information about bursaries and scholarships available for USC students, contact Kathryn Hughes in Student Administration on +61 7 5459 4520.
Going green is in the bag
By Katrina Scott
A new study by a University of the Sunshine Coast researcher has shown that Australia could be moving away from being a ‘disposable’ society.
USC lecturer and PhD candidate Tristan Claridge is conducting research into the social factors that have contributed to people using the environmental green bags in place of plastic shopping bags.
Tristan’s three-year research project titled ‘Knowledge to practice: sustainability behaviour change and adoption of the green bag’, began early this year and was already showing interesting results.
“Green bags are not that great,” he said. “However, the fact that they are not thrown away and can be reused makes them a better alternative to plastic bags and represents a move away from a ‘disposable’ society.”
Tristan has a background in environmental management and, for his PhD, wanted to research why people adopted products they felt were environmentally beneficial.
“The purpose of the study is to gain a better understanding of the social influences that result in people making these changes,” he said.
USC runs program to empower entrepreneurs
University students from across Australia, New Zealand and the United Kingdom recently took part in an exciting four-day residential entrepreneurship program at the University of the Sunshine Coast.
The visionary Enterprisers program, developed by the University of Cambridge and the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) to empower young entrepreneurs, was held in September and involved 55 students, five high school teachers and a team of 18 facilitators.
The students were from five Queensland universities, from Southern Cross University in NSW, the University of Ballarat in Victoria, Otago University in New Zealand and from four UK universities.
The Enterprisers program was led and facilitated by MIT Sloan School of Management’s Professor Neal Hartman and the Director of the Centre for Entrepreneurial Learning at the University of Cambridge Professor Shai Vyakarnam.
Organiser Colin Graham, the CEO of USC’s Innovation Centre, said these lead facilitators provided invaluable insights about identifying and seizing opportunities, building social networks and teams, being creative and making things happen.
“For many of the students, this will be the single biggest thing impacting on them in a five-year period,” he said.
“It’s not often that you’ll get this group of students, facilitators and other business people together.
“It will make a lasting change in their attitude and confidence.”
Funding for the Enterprisers program was boosted by a generous A$15,000 donation by Dr David and Val Simons. The gift was made as part of the University’s Building Excellence Campaign which is featured on page 10 of this edition.
This was the second Enterprisers program to be held in Australia, after USC staged the first one in February this year with help from the University of Cambridge team.
Experts research offshore university education programs
A University of the Sunshine Coast education expert is involved in research that could help ensure Australian universities deliver high quality offshore education programs throughout the world, particularly in Asia.
Professor of Education Tania Aspland and academics from the University of Western Australia and Curtin University of Technology recently secured a A$149,573 Carrick Institute for Learning and Teaching grant for the research.
The team will study existing university offshore education programs in Singapore, Hong Kong and Kuala Lumpur and develop a database of international and national policy documents relating to offshore education.
It will then produce reports that feature specific case studies and detailed principles for enhancing Australia’s existing quality frameworks, professional development and policy development.
Professor Aspland, who has previously developed programs for offshore delivery in Singapore, Hong Kong, the Philippines, Vietnam and Canada, said this research was timely and internationally significant.
“There’s a huge market for offshore education in Asia … and the United Kingdom, United States and Australia are the key providers,” she said.
“But there is no quality document that can be wrapped around those experiences.
“What we’ve noticed, in the development of our engagement with higher degree students offshore, is that not all universities offer the same level of quality.”
Property professor joins USC
Helping Sunshine Coast property developers create sustainable new communities is one of the key objectives of the University of the Sunshine Coast’s recently-appointed Professor of Property and Development Mike Hefferan.
Professor Hefferan, who was previously the Director of the Institute for Sustainable Resources at Queensland University of Technology, said USC could significantly contribute to sustainable, regional development in many ways.
These include conducting research that has relevance and impact and providing industry-ready graduates of the University’s new degree in Property and Asset Management.
Professor Hefferan said he was particularly interested in researching the development and re-use of residential and commercial buildings, infrastructure and master-planned communities.
“Buildings are not only places where we live but places where businesses work and the primary form of investment for many people,” he said.
“Given the pace of development on the Sunshine Coast, issues such as environmental protection and sustainability also must be seen as core issues to be addressed.
“All of us have an acute interest in the built environment working well and efficiently.
“It must be designed for efficiency and liveability, produce profits, and be properly managed to adapt and evolve over time.
“It’s not just about viewing property as bricks and mortar. It’s the ‘value add’ of property for investors, users and the general community.”
Professor Hefferan said he planned to work closely with the local property and asset management industry in making the new Bachelor of Business (Property and Asset Management) program highly interactive.
“Students will be doing placements and work experience, and we will be involved in case studies and have guest lecturers from industry,” he said.
Professor Hefferan has a wealth of experience in property and asset management and is one of only two Professors of Property and Development in Queensland.
GO program wins State award
The State Government has paid tribute to the University of the Sunshine Coast’s efforts in encouraging local students to study overseas.
USC’s Global Opportunities (GO) program won a major award at the Celebrating International Education and Training Industry Showcase in Brisbane on Thursday 30 August for promoting internationalisation.
The GO program enables students to spend up to two semesters studying overseas while earning credits toward their degrees.
USC has partnerships with more than 70 universities and institutions around the world and offers grants of up to A$2,000 towards airfares for GO participants.
USC Pro Vice-Chancellor Professor Robert Elliot said he was delighted the University won the prestigious award.
“This is a really strong external confirmation about the value and good management of our Global Opportunities program,” he said.
“USC is offering terrific international opportunities for students and this award confirms that our international project is going in the right direction.”
Sports dietitian to help fuel Olympic performances
The performances of the world’s top athletes at next year’s Beijing Olympics could depend as much on the efforts of University of the Sunshine Coast Sports Dietitian Dr Fiona Pelly as anything else.
Dr Pelly is leading an international expert committee that is reviewing the menu for the 2008 Olympic Games and assessing the nutrition support services that will be available for athletes.
She said the Professionals in Nutrition for Exercise and Sport’s Olympic Food Service Working Committee would forward its recommendations about the menu to the International Olympic Committee (IOC).
“The IOC will pass on this report to the official caterers who we are hoping will implement our suggested changes,” said Dr Pelly, who recently became a Fellow of Sports Dietitians Australia in recognition of her outstanding contribution to sports nutrition education.
Top student turns attention to saving the environment
By Katrina Scott
Outstanding University of the Sunshine Coast science graduate Vanessa Moscato was keen to put theory into practice when she finished her Honours degree in Environmental Management last year.
Vanessa, 29, of Nambour earned the University Medal for high academic achievement when she graduated in May for having a near-perfect grade point average of 6.889.
Her talent for learning is equally matched by her enthusiasm to apply her scientific knowledge to help protect the environment … and she is not afraid to get her hands dirty in the process.
Vanessa now works full-time for the Noosa and District Landcare Group in a job that includes three main roles.
“For one day of the week, I act as the Noosa Waterwatch coordinator,” she said. “For another couple of days, I act as the Noosa Bushland Care program coordinator, and the rest of the time is made up with project work.”
Since starting with Landcare, Vanessa has been involved in the Noosa Festival of Water, attended workshops with other natural resources organisations, and has helped in the removal of the weed hygrophila costata from Lake Macdonald and the revegetation of 400m of lake-foreshore.
Vanessa said she was able to incorporate the practical skills learnt at the University of the Sunshine Coast into her working life.
“I always had an interest in the environment, so at university I wanted to learn more about nature’s complexities and gain a better understanding of the ecological impacts of human behaviour,” she said.
“At USC, I gained a good scientific and analytical basis which has helped me when reading through documents and summarising information.
“University also gave me the time management skills to meet deadlines, and the people management skills through group work and oral presentations,” she said.
Vanessa’s work with Landcare also involves encouraging children and other members of the community to protect the environment.
Graduate lands job at UnderWater World
Lorin Willson has travelled extensively around the world and now has a degree that could land her a job at many of the exciting places she has visited.
But the University of the Sunshine Coast business graduate is pleased to still call the Sunshine Coast home.
Lorin, 21, graduated from USC in May with a Bachelor of Business (Tourism) degree and is enjoying working as the marketing coordinator for UnderWater World at Mooloolaba.
“I was attracted to this position due to the diversity of the work, as I knew every day would be different and challenging,” she said.
“My major roles include assisting with promotional campaigns, website development, customer evaluation, research, media analysis, financial control and maintaining the day-to-day running of the marketing department.
“I have always had an interest in tourism, as I have lived on the Sunshine Coast my whole life, and understand the significance of the industry to the local economy.”
Lorin said USC provided her with many of the skills she required for the job as well as with the opportunity to demonstrate these skills to UnderWater World while she was a student.
“I gained the position via a practicum placement as part of my Tourism degree,” she said. “The placement was one day a week for three months, so I basically had a three-month interview before being offered the job.” — Katrina Scott
Milestone for Building Excellence
Major campaign donations: A$15,000
- from Dr David and Val Simons will support the Innovation Centre’s Enterprisers program to empower student entrepreneurs.
- Jacqueline Caskey has set up the DHF Mitchell Bursary for Education students with learning disabilities. The bursary was named in memory of Ms Caskey’s great grandfather.
- John and Gail Shadforth have pledged A$15,000 towards the new Health and Sport Centre.
- Shadforth Civil Engineering Contractors Pty Ltd has given A$10,000 in the form of a bike and pedestrian pathway to link the Health and Sport Precinct with the main campus.
The Building Excellence Campaign has passed the halfway mark in its bid to raise A$5 million for University initiatives in health and sport, student scholarships and campus enhancements.
University of the Sunshine Coast Foundation Executive Officer Andrew Pentland said there was a growing wave of support for the campaign among USC staff, former students and the community.
Mr Pentland said Tim Fairfax AM recently boosted the campaign by pledging one of the largest philanthropic gifts to the University in support of the new Health and Sport Centre.
Other major donations for the Building Excellence Campaign are listed above.
More than 40 USC graduates have donated A$250 each to the planting of trees along Alumni Way—a pathway linking the main campus with the new Health and Sport Precinct.
Tristan Kurz, who graduated in 2004, was one of the first tree donors.
“The Building Excellence Campaign isn’t just about big corporate donors,” he said. “It’s about all of us making what impact we can for our university.”
USC alumni will be invited back to visit the campus and to see the new trees along Alumni Way, tour new parts of the campus and celebrate the campaign’s progress.
Meanwhile, dozens of USC staff turned out for the official launch of the Building Excellence Campaign Staff Appeal on 13 September.
The Staff Appeal committee, led by business lecturer Wayne Graham, organised a barbecue and a friendly game of futsal (indoor soccer) in the new sports stadium.
For information on participating in the Building Excellence Campaign, contact Andrew Pentland at the University Foundation. Tel: +61 7 5459 4418 email: apentlan@usc.edu.au.
Community gives students a boost
Growing community involvement in the University of the Sunshine Coast was celebrated on Friday 12 October when scholarships, bursaries and prizes worth A$20,000 were presented to 15 USC students.
USC Foundation Executive Officer Andrew Pentland said USC now had about 85 community-funded scholarships, bursaries and prizes, worth about A$190,000.
In addition, 14 Headstart students from 11 Sunshine Coast high schools received scholarships of A$375 each on Wednesday 10 October. Most were provided by the Kirk Foundation.
Surfing team claims University Games trophy
The University of the Sunshine Coast broke the NSW stranglehold on the Tag Teams Challenge trophy at the recent Australian University Games Surfing competition at Narrowneck on the Gold Coast.
The team, comprising team captain Kristen Veltmeyer, Kari Martin, Kelli Anderson, Stephanie Holliday and Junior Pro circuit competitor Joe Schwarz, staged an upset victory over their more fancied rivals.
It is only the second time that a university in Queensland has won the trophy since the Tag Teams Challenge began in 1968, with Griffith University claiming it as far back as 1993.
In the challenge event, competitors surf for 12 minutes before tagging their next team mate. Each team can nominate a power surfer, who can indicate after a wave to claim a ‘double whammy’, or double points, for that ride.
The USC victory hinged on the performance of Joe Schwarz, who competed in the team event shortly after winning the Men’s Shortboard division at the Games.
Kristen said Joe turned his best ride in the Tag Teams Challenge, an 8.25, into his ‘double whammy’ score to steal victory from favourites, the University of Wollongong.
World Mental Health Day event success
A man who used art to help overcome depression was among the guest speakers at a public World Mental Health Day event at USC on Wednesday 10 October.
Painter and sculptor Greg Wilson discussed his battle with depression after being involved in a series of motorcycle accidents. He explained how he turned his life around to the point where he now runs an art gallery in the Hunter Valley.
Mr Wilson, who is Lifeline Australia’s national patron, joined former Mental Health Council of Australia chief executive John Mendoza and USC’s Centre for Multicultural and Community Development director Narayan Gopalkrishnan in discussing mental health issues at the USC event.
Hundreds of people enjoyed the event that featured stalls, live music and free food.
Award-winning illustrator shares creative genius
Award-winning author and illustrator Shaun Tan shared the secrets of his creative genius at the University of the Sunshine Coast in October.
Mr Tan, whose wordless book The Arrival this year won the Australian Publishers’ Association Best-Designed Children’s Illustrated Book and the NSW Premier’s Literary Awards Book of the Year awards, was artist-in-residence at the University from 4–11 October.
During this time, he worked alongside USC’s Senior Lecturer in Creative Writing Dr Gary Crew, provided consultations for University students and staff, and lectured in creative writing.
The Melbourne-based author also had some public consultations and presented a free public lecture about illustration at the USC Gallery.
Staff get ‘loud’ to help deaf children
By Katrina Scott
Some normally quiet achievers at the University of the Sunshine Coast decided to get ‘loud’ recently in order to help deaf children and their families.
The hard-working staff of USC’s Student Administration and Student Life and Learning took part in national Loud Shirt Day on Friday 14 September in support of the Hear and Say Centre.
The aim of the day was to raise funds for the purchase of listening devices that will help deaf children acquire speech and language skills.
USC Disability Services Officer Bronwyn Crowther said University staff enjoyed dressing up for the day and raising money for a good cause.
“It was a wonderful opportunity to get everyone together to have some fun, lots of laughs, and to wear some really way-out shirts,” she said.
Gallery exhibition
Grassland: Yvonne Mills-Stanley
18 February–29 March 2008
Yvonne Mills-Stanley is a well-known Queensland artist who has been painting since the mid–1960s. In the past few years, her work has focused on the spirituality of grass, inspired by the drought-ravaged but former grasslands areas of western Queensland. Mills-Stanley explores the changes brought on by human intervention and climate change.
The 2007 USC Gallery Exhibition Program is proudly supported by Sajen Legal.
USC events
USC Options: Change of preference event
Wednesday 19 December, 4pm
This ‘USC Options’ information evening is for anyone who has chosen USC as a preference for study in 2008. It will give prospective students a chance to meet University staff and to learn how to improve their chances of getting into the degree they want. The event will include a guided tour of the campus, an information session about scholarships and a free barbecue before the ‘USC Options’ session.
For more details tel: +61 7 5456 5000, email: options@usc.edu.au.