Note to Staff 23 May 2003

Reconciliation Day lecture by Gerard Neesham

To mark Reconciliation Day, a free public lecture by Gerard Neesham, inaugural coach of the Fremantle Dockers and Director of the Clontarf Football Academy, will be held on Monday 26 May, commencing at 4.30pm over wine and cheese at Curtin on the Park.

Mr Neesham will speak on “The Way Forward for Indigenous Youth”, drawing on his work at the Clontarf Football Academy. The Academy was established at the Clontarf Aboriginal College in January 2000, and has developed programs for Indigenous youth using football as a vehicle to assist in developing self-esteem as well as physical wellbeing. The Academy team competes regularly with teams from various other schools, encouraging acceptance and ultimately reconciliation. The Academy also has a strong commitment to education, including links with Curtin.

Within a year of the Academy’s establishment, attendance at training sessions had increased from 15 to 93, and the team won the Barry Cable division of the ‘Smarter Than Smoking’ Cup. Of the original group of 25 players, 18 continued their education, three were drafted into the AFL, three gained employment and one returned to his community in the North-West.

To attend what I am sure will be a fascinating lecture, please RSVP to events@curtin.edu.au or ring extension 2563.

---

Investiture of new Chancellor

The investiture of Curtin’s new Chancellor, Dr Eric Tan, by His Excellency Governor Sanderson, took place yesterday.

The event was held in the Elizabeth Jolley Lecture Theatre, which was filled to capacity by senior representatives of government, industry, business and the tertiary sector, as well as many Curtin staff and students.

The event proceeded flawlessly and the undoubted highlight was Dr Tan’s acceptance speech. Numerous people commented to me at the reception afterwards how impressed and moved they had been by the Chancellor’s remarks, a sentiment I shared.

Those who missed the event itself can view it via the Curtin website and I encourage all staff to take the opportunity to do so. A text version of Dr Tan's speech will also be linked to that site, and the Governor's speech can be accessed at the Government House website.

An event of this size and importance requires extensive planning, and I know staff from Corporate Communications, Properties, Information Systems and the Learning Support Network in particular worked extremely hard over a long period to ensure the investiture went smoothly. The result was a credit to all concerned. It reflected extremely well on the University, and as importantly, was a joyous celebration for Dr Tan and his family. My thanks to all staff from across the University who contributed to this outstandingly successful event.

---

Address to Staff

At 12.30pm on 9 June I will once again address staff at the Elizabeth Jolley Lecture Theatre. The focus of my remarks will be the higher education reforms in the recent Budget, and their potential impact on Curtin.

After talking through the key points of the Government’s package, and exploring their implications for Curtin, I will be most interested to hear the views of staff. No decisions have been made regarding the University’s response to the Nelson reforms, and I hope this discussion will inform the decision making process.

Information on the reform package is available from the following websites:
http://www.budget.gov.au/2003-04/index.htm
http://www.dest.gov.au/
http://www.avcc.edu.au/news/Budget/2003/index.htm

Please take the time to consider the Government’s proposals, and how you believe Curtin should respond, before 9 June. Staff will have the opportunity to ask questions or make comments after my 20 minute presentation.

---

Nominations for Honorary Awards

The annual process for considering nominations for the following honorary awards is about to begin:

In addition to honouring individuals external to Curtin, the contributions of past members of Council and retired members of staff may be acknowledged by nomination for:

Each nomination should be accompanied by a supporting statement providing information to assist in the consideration of the nomination.

Candidates should not be advised of their nomination, as not all nominations are supported, and it is important that the goodwill between the University and the candidate is not damaged through premature advice which may subsequently have to be withdrawn.

The decision to make an award rests with the Council acting on the advice of its Executive Committee.

Please send your nominations to the University Secretary by Friday 29 August 2003.

---

Staff of the Office of the Vice-Chancellor (OVC) - Sue Shephard

There have been a number of changes to the staff of my office over the past year, and I understand some members of the University are unsure who to approach with questions and issues. Accordingly, a series of short profiles of the people who work directly with me will be included in Notes to Staff to clarify their roles and responsibilities.

Sue Shephard has been my Personal Assistant since 2001. She joined Curtin in 1995 after over twenty years experience in secretarial/personal assistant roles in England, New Zealand and Australia. Her first position at Curtin was as personal assistant to the Head of the Department of Property Studies, and three years later she moved to a similar position in the School of Marketing.

In 2001 she took on the role of Senior Secretary (a position now revised and retitled Administrative Officer) in the OVC, and acted in the Personal Assistant role later that year when Shirley Walters retired. Sue was confirmed as Personal Assistant to the Vice-Chancellor in early 2002, after being successful in a competitive selection process.

As my PA Sue is responsible for the overall management of the office, supervises two other staff, and coordinates all my extensive diary and travel requirements. She has excellent secretarial, organisational and communications skills, and is well equipped to deal with the pressure and challenges inherent in her role.

Sue can be reached on extension 7001 and should be contacted on all matters relating to my appointments and travel, both within Australia and overseas.

---

Staff member recognised

Professor Richard Nile, Director of the Australia Research Institute, has been short listed for the 2003 WA Premier’s Book Award for his history of Australian literature, The Making of the Australian Literary Imagination.

Congratulations, Richard!