Offcourse
Issue 4 May & June 2007 | Email
Offcourse -
Christel.Kent@adm.monash.edu.au.
International Student Connections
Calling for Volunteers
We’re calling for volunteers from
Caulfield campus staff members to participate in the International
Student Connections Program. The program is a joint initiative of
Health, Wellbeing and Development and Campus Management.
The commitment
required for this role is half an hour contact with international
student(s) on a weekly basis to help him/her adjust to life in
Australia and to provide pastoral support throughout semester two.
For example, helping students to get around Melbourne (eg.
purchasing a Met ticket, where to shop, what to do), teaching
him/her AFL rules, explaining social customs (eg. whether to bring
something, what to bring when you’re invited to someone’s house).
Staff
volunteers participating in the program receive training prior to
commencement and ongoing support.
If you’re
interested in the role and being involved in the program, you are
invited to attend an individual short meeting (approximately 10
minutes) where you will be given more detailed information about the
program. Please contact Mio Ihashi at
Mio.Ihashi@adm.monash.edu.au if you are interested in
participating.
Some comments
from current participants:
“It is great to
make contact with the locals outside the classroom. Though the
connection, I got a clear picture of Australian economics, politics
and even their core cultural values. I can practice my English under
the casual and relaxing meeting environment. It's a very good
opportunities for students to enhance our conversational English.”
(Clara, student)
“I can tell she
has been so serious to this connection program. She really cares
about me. She told me a lot of her life experience. She kept
encouraging me when I was upset by some unhappy things, like poor
mark assignments. She also gave me many useful suggestions, like how
to put the priority of work. I really learned much from her.” (Emma,
student)
“XXX (student)
is quite stress with her exams and assignments (as usual for this
period of time). I just be a good listener for her.” (Poy, staff
member)
“I really
enjoyed my weekly catch-ups over coffee with 2 bright and fun-loving
students who were keen to learn about and participate in local
activities. Our talks ranged from the plight of aborigines in
Australia to the difficulty of enjoying Melbourne activities without
transport and it seemed to me that we were all aware of this unique
opportunity to share ideas.” (Lynn, staff member).
Educating the Professions for Sustainability
One Day Conference - Friday 13 July - Caulfield Campus
The Monash Sustainability Network will be holding
a one day "Educating the Professions for Sustainability" conference
at the Caulfield Campus. The conference is being supported by
The Graduate School of Business. There will be a range of
internal and external presenters and the day will feature lots of
opportunities for discussion and networking.
For early registration and further details
about the conference please contact Jeff McLean on ext 32608 or
Wayne Gumley ext 32784.
Monash Metro Games - Only 2 weeks to go!!!
Thursday 12
July and Friday 13 July will see the 6 Victorian campuses of the
university come together to take part in fun and friendly modified
sports. This unique event will rock Monash Sport Clayton with
everything from dodgeball to soccer to teeball with an emphasis on
getting out there and ‘having a go’.
Monash Sport is
looking to have as many people as possible involved so whether its
participating in a team, lending a hand in running the event, or
just coming down to offer support it would be great to see strong
numbers from the Caulfield Campus.
Staff and
students of all skill levels are welcome to participate and everyone
is encouraged to join in the fun. So organise a few people and enter
your own team or register as an individual and Monash Sport will
find a team for you. A social night after the event is planned at
the Nottinghill Hotel to relax after hard day of playing sport and
meet fellow members of the Monash community!
To register on
line or for more information on Metro Games visit
http://sport.monash.edu.au/sportsprograms/metro-games.html.
Registration
can be completed on line with a credit card otherwise cash payments
can be made in person to your campus contact listed on the Metro
Games website. The cost is only $10 per player for up to 5 sports or
$5 for community card holders.
Entries close
in just over a week so hurry and lets give the other campuses a run
for their money.
If you have any
questions please contact Kris McCarthy directly on 32519 or 44498 or
via mobile phone 0402 847 767.
Monash Sustainability Network
Did you know that there is a Monash
Sustainability Network? Any suggestions for events and
activities that would assist in developing and expanding the Monash
Sustainability Network would be welcomed. Do you know of other
people who would like to be part of the Network? Do you have
any suggestions for events/workshops - eg., Making your Home "Carbon
Neutral". Do you have any great fundraising ideas or
activities? If you would like to be a part of this Network,
please email Jeff Mclean at
Jeff.mcLean@buseco.monash.edu.au
10,000 Steps - Happy Feet
Challenge
The get
ACCTIVE Group is happy to announce the following winners and
award the following prizes as follows for the 10,000 Steps Happy
Feet Challenge held between March and May 2007.
Most active
individual - Malcolm Jenkins
(Team - Rinaldo's Amigos). Malcolm stepped an amazing 1,860,225
steps during this 5 week challenge - well done Malcolm!!! He will
receive a certificate and a massage voucher from Health, Wellbeing
and Development. Congratulations Malcolm.
(Malcolm Jenkins - Most
Active Individual)
Most
improved individual - Andrew Cowen
(Team - Walkie Talkies). In the first week of the challenge Andrew
stepped 106,400 steps and in the last week of the challenge
increased his steps to 275,000 steps - a terrific improvement.
Andrew will receive a certificate and a massage voucher from Health,
Wellbeing and Development. Well done Andrew and enjoy the massage!!
First Team
to cross the finishing line - Twinkle Toes.
Twinkle Toes are staff from Social
Work who have been great supporters of the 10,000 steps walking
challenges and always have a high stepping rate. They finished the
event on 8 May, well ahead of schedule!! The team will receive a
certificate and each team member will receive a double pass to the
movies - a great opportunity for them to rest their weary feet!!!
(On behalf of Team Twinkle
Toes, Rosemary collects the prizes from Napoleon)
Team with
the Highest Average Steps - Fiery Footnotes.
The Firey Footnotes are staff from the Library and also terrific
supporters of the 10,000 steps walking challenges. There is always
keen rivalry between Twinkle Toes and The Fiery Footnotes - with
both these teams placing first or second in all the challenges we
have held here at Caulfield. The Fiery Footnotes will receive a
team certificate and each team member will receive a Monash scarf -
just the thing for these very cold days.
(Napoleon salutes Team Fiery
Footnotes - Highest Average Steps)
Finally, a
certificate for the Most Improved Team. This has been awarded
to Walkie Talkies. Team Walkie Talkies is made up of staff from the
Caulfield Service Centre - appropriate name, given that they spend
the majority of their day providing advice and assistance to
students. Walkie Talkies will receive a team certificate and each
member of the team will receive a double pass to the movies.
Enjoy!!
(Team Walkie Talkies - Most
Improved)
The get
ACCTIVE Group will be launching another challenge in a couple of
weeks, so please keep an eye out for a campus wide email inviting
you and other members of the Caulfield campus community to
participate.
On behalf of
the get ACCTIVE Group, and our mascot Napoleon, thanks for
being part of the Happy Feet Challenge.
Changes to Learning Support
Services
Staff and students at the Caulfield campus will be aware that
responsibility for the provision of learning support services to
students is moving from the Centre for the Advancement of Learning
and Teaching (CALT) to the Library, with effect from semester 2,
2007.
The new model
builds on the concept of the learning commons by integrating student
learning support with other support services available in or through
libraries, including information literacy programs and advice on
effectively locating, evaluating and using information.
CALT is retaining ongoing responsibility for the provision of
services to staff, including professional development and
educational technology support.
Over the period 4 June to 13 July inclusive, Caulfield students who
require learning support should contact the CALT office on ext
31198. Caulfield staff who wish to arrange for learning support over
this period should also contact the CALT office.
The Caulfield Campus Language and Learning Resource Centre closed on
31st May. Students and staff should search the Library catalogue at
http://www.library.monash.edu.au for language and learning
resources held by the Library.
From the start of semester 2 the Learning Skills services for
students that will be provided by the Library will include drop-in
sessions open to all students at the Caulfield and other branch
libraries, classes and workshops at Caulfield and other campuses,
and appointment contacts (for HDR and other identified students).
Details of these services will be provided via the Library website
and other mechanisms as appropriate.
Commencing in early June and continuing through July, Learning
Skills Advisers appointed to the Caulfield Library will be
co-located with the Library's team of Information Services
librarians on level 3 of the Library. Learning Skills Advisers will
be particularly interested in working with academic staff to embed
and integrate academic skills development into Faculty coursework
and curricula.
In moving into a new area of service provision, the Library will not
be reducing the service at Caulfield or other campuses but will be
looking for ways to most effectively support students from the
undergraduate through to HDR levels via the new service. 2007 is a
transitional year, and in that there may be disruptions. The Library
and CALT are working together to minimise these in particular during
the period from the beginning of June to the start of semester 2.
Meditation has no religious affiliation, but is based on traditional
meditation practices. Research shows that the practice of
mindfulness meditation reduces anxiety and depression and improves
health and wellbeing.
Presented by
Renee Gedge, Clinical Psychologist - Health, Wellbeing & Development
on Tuesdays from 12.00 noon to 1.00 p.m. in the Caulfield Campus
Spiritual Centre - Building B, Level 1. No need to register,
just go along.
Collaboration between Faculty
of Art & Design and Health, Wellbeing and Development
The launch of the Health, Wellbeing and Development (HWD) poster
campaign sees student artwork connect with students. The aim of the
campaign is to bring to students’ attention to some of the issues
which may be addressed in counselling . The posters are the result
of a collaboration between HWD and Jenny Allen and Dorothy Pauder of
Visual Communication.
Designed to communicate with students in a novel way, the 7 images
were selected retrospectively from students' past work. The themes
are: Adjustment to University , Depression, Culture Shock, Anxiety &
Stress, Relationships, Grief & Loss, and Academic Enhancement.
Throughout semester 2, the posters will be showcased one at a time
over the campus every 2 weeks. Each one will be launched
individually at Mamadukes Café on alternate Fridays at 4.30 pm
starting on Friday 27th of July. Please note the
dates in your diary and come and have a look. The posters are all
on permanent display in the Building B corridor going from the
tunnel to Sir John Monash Drive.
Change of Name - Offcourse
Is it time for Offcourse to change it's name?
If you think it is, and you have a suggestion as to what the
newsletter could be called, please email
christel.kent@adm.monash.edu.au
Also look forward to hearing from people who think the title should
remain as is.
Mindfulness Meditation
Meditation has no religious affiliation, but is based on traditional
meditation practices. Research shows that the practice of
mindfulness meditation reduces anxiety and depression and improves
health and wellbeing.
Presented by
Renee Gedge, Clinical Psychologist - Health, Wellbeing & Development
Now being
offered twice a week Tuesdays and Thursdays from 12.00 noon to 12.30 p.m. in the Caulfield Campus
Spiritual Centre - Building B, Level 1.
No cost/fee. No need to register,
just go along.
Post Office Boxes
Private Post Office boxes are
available for lease at The Plaza in Dandenong Road. People
with inquiries can see the staff there between 8.00 - 10.00 a.m for
more information and an application form or via the Australia Post
website:
http://www.auspost.com.au/BCP/0,1467,CH2149%257EMO19,00.html
Women's Networking Group
If you enjoy
meeting other staff on campus over lunch, why not join the Caulfield
Women's Networking & Support Group? The group meets monthly on
Mondays and always has interesting speakers. If you would like
to join or have further queries, please contact Helen Dunne on ext.
31595 or via email:
helen.dunne@adm.monash.edu.au
Members from the Women's
Networking Group and other staff have formed a campus quilting group
and have been meeting on a regular basis. Here are is a photo
of some of the baby quilts the group has made.
New Buyers for Monash Merchandise
An invitation is extended to all members of
staff to contact Gay Bakewell or Niki Filinis who can assist with
all Monash merchandise requirements. With Open Day fast
approaching, they can assist with some suggestions, including many
new items not featured in the Monash University Shop. Gaye can
be contacted on ext 54188 and Niki on ext 51428.
Charity Mail
All departments are advised that Monash University is endorsed as
an income tax exempt charitable institution by the Australian
Taxation Office, under subdivision 50B of the Income Tax Assessment
Act 1997. As a result there may be opportunities of making
savings when posting out bulk small letters for charitable purposes
on any of the Monash Australia Post accounts.
Please refer to the Facilities & Services web page for specific
information on Charity Mail:
http://www.adm.monash.edu.au/facserv/campuses/clayton/departments/mail/index10.html
Witnessing of Documents
If
you need documents witnessed, please contact Christel Kent who will
provide you with names of other staff who can assist.
If you are qualified to witness documents and you are happy to be
added to the list of those who can assist, please contact Christel
Kent by telephone ext. 31000 or via email: christel.kent@adm.monash.edu.au
Caulfield Profiles
This month Suzanne Wolf of Health Wellbeing and
Development tells us a little about herself and time here at
Caulfield .....
How long have you
been at Monash/Caulfield/Chisholm and could you please tell us a
little about your role here?
Would you
believe 20 years? Hard for me to believe.
You would have
seen many changes in the University during your time here, could you
please give us your views - both good and bad.
When I first
came to Chisholm there were many part-time students who came at
night and they weren't around so much. Now there is much more of a
buzz on campus and it feels more like a university. The student
profile has changed completely, with so many international students
which is very exciting. The physical nature of the campus has also
changed very much for the better with green areas and some really
interesting buildings.
Where were you
before coming to Monash?
Wavecare, a
counselling service in Glen Waverley and also at the Council of
Adult Education running groups in "Assertiveness Training",
"Building Self- Esteem" and "Women, Eating & Body Image".
What do you like
to do in your spare time?
I love cycling,
walking on the beach and in the country, reading, and movies.
Do you have a
favourite quote you would like to share?
"To dare is to
lose one's footing momentarily. Not to dare is to lose oneself."
Soren Kierkegaard.
Have you done
much travelling? If so, where is your favourite destination?
I've done a few
cycling tours overseas. I loved France and am learning French and
Italian. The Vietnam cycling tour was great too.
I know that you
have recently become a grandmother - could you tell us a little bit
about the new addition to your family?
Leo is
absolutely gorgeous and a miracle. I feel I have entered a most
wonderful new phase of life.
If you would like to be "profiled" in an upcoming edition of
Offcourse, please email me at
christel.Kent@adm.monash.edu.au.
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