Just weeks after winning one of its largest ever research grants, UNE is celebrating its greatest success in years at the Australian Learning and Teaching Council (ALTC) citations for excellence in teaching – indicating that its strategies for 2012 and beyond are already having an impact.

Following on the heels of news that UNE would be a major beneficiary of the $4.8m in funding for the rural mental health project, the ALTC announced that all seven of UNE’s nominations for Outstanding Contributions to Student Learning had won citations.

The ALTC Citations recognise the diverse contributions made by individuals and teams to the quality of student learning in a specific area over a sustained period, and are awarded for a range of contributions to student learning, both direct and indirect.

The Citations covered outstanding individual contributions to student learning in areas ranging from literature and writing studies, teaching and engaging students in statistics, to easing distance education psychology students into study, and bring the law to life.

Also receiving citations were the ‘Early Alert’ team for their identification and support of students at risk of dropping out and the ‘tUNEup from Home’ team for an online program that leads students to independent mastery of their academic literacy. (Full citations at end)

In congratulating the citation winners, the Vice-Chancellor of UNE, Professor Jim Barber, paid tribute to the efforts of both individuals and teams and to their ‘creative thinking and dedication to student needs’.

‘Put together,’ Professor Barber said, ‘the expertise, focus and rigour which have led to the funding for this major project, plus the ALTC citations, affirm UNE’s continuing strength as a research institution and its capacity to nourish and enrich the student experience.

‘The timing of these awards couldn’t have been better as it sends a signal to potential students and the nation as a whole about UNE’s commitment to its students’ success.

‘I think we are seeing, as we go towards 2012 and the new, competitive, environment in higher education, that our strategies are beginning to bear fruit,’ Professor Barber added.

ALTC 2011 Citations for UNE

Dr Linley Cornish

For supporting and inspiring students to learn the discipline of education and the craft of teaching with accessible, relevant, creative and personally meaningful learning resources

Dr Elizabeth Hale

For the innovative integration of critical and creative approaches to unit design, delivery, and assessment practices that encourage student learning in literature and writing studies

Early Alert Team

For developing ‘Early Alert’, a unique system for identifying and supporting students at risk of dropping out

Dr Anthony Marks

For promoting self-efficacy in distance education psychology students to ease their transition into study, motivate them to succeed and enhance their overall learning experience

Dr Renato Villano and Pauline Fleming

For successfully engaging students in statistics by providing a supportive learning environment and utilising assessment as a learning tool

Julia Werren

For bringing law to life for students by incorporating research, social policy and ‘skills-based’ approaches in an easy to understand manner

tUNEup from Home Team

For developing an innovative and equitable online program that leads students to independent mastery of their academic literacy

Five career advisers have been honoured for their “commitment and service” to the University of New England at that institution’s recent Career Advisers’ Summit.

The career advisers, all of whom are approaching retirement, included: Bill Goldie (Lismore High School), Barry Maguire (Casino High), Bill Timmins (Westport High – Port Macquarie), John Kocek (Bellingen High) and  John Bear (Toormina High).

All have worked closely with UNE’s Student Recruitment Team over many years in promoting UNE’s courses to their students, have regularly brought students on campus for Open Days and orientation tours, organised career expos in their respective towns and actively promote UNE’s early entry programs, scholarships, on campus accommodation and UNE’s strong commitment to student welfare.

Of the five, three — Bill Goldie, Barry Maguire and Bill Timmins — did their teacher training at UNE and have been strong advocates for UNE ever since.

All five received a commemorative shield and engraved wine glass in honour of their service.

Brian See, Schools Liaison Officer with the University of New England and organiser of the presentation, said: “Many of the recipients have been career advisers for decades. In that time, they have been tremendously helpful to UNE through promoting the university’s scholarships, courses, and programs, as well as organising careers expos.”

“It has been the privilege of my colleagues and I to work with them and to not only build strong working relationships, but lasting friendships as well.”

Two former UNE staff members and a current student have been recognised in this year’s Queen’s Birthday Honours.

Former Associate Professor and Deputy Dean of the Faculty of Arts for 12 years, Bruce Marshall, now of Bundanoon, received an AM for service to the humanities and to education, particularly through the Australasian Society for Classical Studies.

Professor Stephen Dinham, now of Surrey Hills, Victoria, received an OAM for service to educational research, and to professional associations. He was Professor of Teacher Education, Pedagogy and Professional Development in UNE’s School of Education from 2002 to 2004, and has the rare distinction of holding three degrees from UNE.

Mrs Gail MacDonell, currently a postgraduate student in Psychology, received an OAM (Medal in the Order of Australia in the General Division) for service to Partners of Veterans and their families through the Partners of Veterans’ Association of Australia (PVA).
While she is a member of the Prime Ministerial Advisory Council on Ex-Service Matters with the Commonwealth DVA and of the National Veterans Health and Well Being Forum, Mrs MacDonell has been working with partners of Veterans and their families on a volunteer basis since 1997.

In 2000, however, she took this labour of love further when she decided to study psychology to gain insight into the problems of families of Veterans. She gained a Bachelor of Psychology (Honours) at UNE, and is now working to complete her PhD.

“I became involved in this area because of huge mental health and behavioural issues with my own husband, and at that time there was nowhere to obtain support,” she said. “Research has now shown the huge impact that can occur living with someone who has war-related problems.”

Currently resident in Mary White College, Mrs MacDonell is investigating the psychosocial wellbeing of partners of Australian combat Veterans and the interaction between this wellbeing and health outcomes for the Veterans.
Mrs MacDonell’s connection with UNE has also become a family affair. Not only is her daughter, Vicki Dodds of Newcastle, currently undertaking a double degree Bachelor of Criminology and Bachelor of Laws through external study but her granddaughter, Emma Dodd, is expecting to begin a Bachelor of Social Work next semester.

UNE acknowledges the assistance of material from The Armidale Express in the preparation of this article.

The University Of New England has been recognised for the outstanding support it offers to Defence Reservists among its employees.

UNE received the 2011 DRSC-NSW employer support award at a ceremony on campus earlier this week. The Defence Reserves Support Council (DRSC) recognises employers who have supported their Reservist employees either by developing a supportive leave policy or by releasing them for military service.

The university was nominated for the award by Corporal Jack McCaw, a Client Support Officer with UNE’s IT Directorate and part-time soldier with the 12th/16th Hunter River Lancers.

Corporal McCaw said he was moved to make the nomination after witnessing first-hand the generous leave provisions made available by the university for its Defence Reservist personnel.

“As a reservist, it’s great to know my employer will support me if I’m called away on exercises or deployed,” Corporal McCaw said.

The award is the latest of several accolades UNE has won over the years for its support of its Reservist staff members, including being named NSW’s best employer of Defence Force Reservists in 2005.

Accepting the award on behalf of the university from Brigadier Iain Spence (who is also an Adjunct Associate Professor in UNE’s School of Humanities), UNE Vice Chancellor Jim Barber said he was “honoured and proud to have the university recognised in this way”.

Captain Shane Green, Regional Manager of Defence Reserve Support said, “employers such as the UNE are critical in supporting Defence [to] meet its obligations and gets Reservists into areas where they are needed on operations but also to facilitate their ongoing training and development.”

UNE offers special leave to Australian Defence Force members to allow them to undertake military activities, including paid leave for short periods of military service and unpaid leave for lengthier deployments. The Federal Government helps fund leave for UNE’sReservists through its Employer Support Payment Scheme.

UNE numbers many current and former Defence Reservists among its staff and students, and UNE-employed Reservists have undertaken a wide range of military duties, ranging from two-week combined-forces exercises to extended deployments. In 1990, Andrew St John Brown, a Lieutenant Commander in the Navy Reserve, took 18 months off from his job as Assistant Registrar at UNE to support the Navy’s Gulf War operations in Sydney. During the Sydney 2000 Olympics, Tony Bock, a Warrant Officer in the Army Reserve, gave up his job in the university’s Finance Directorate for three months to serve in Operation Gold. He later received a Medal of the Order of Australia for his service in the Army Reserve.