Staff Notices: 12 - 16 February 2007

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Table of Contents

• Uni in the News
• General Information for Staff
• Events
• Training and Development Opportunities
• Information for Researchers

Uni in the News

Drill rigs may make way for plants in minerals search
Research from the University of Adelaide shows that native plants bring up the minerals underneath into their leaves, which can be analysed to find what rocks are below the surface. Dr Steve Hill, Lecturer in the Discipline of Geology & Geophysics, said they have had success identifying uranium deposits in the Curnamona Craton in SA's north. "We're starting to find mineralisation and mineral deposits that other exploration approaches haven't been able to find," he said.

Source: ABC News, 5 February 2007

General Information for Staff

Course Evaluation Questionnaire (CEQ) & Graduate Destination Survey (GDS)
CEQ & GDS results for University of Adelaide in 2006 are available through the Data Warehouse
You should all now be aware that in the 2007 Learning and Teaching Performance Fund (LTPF) the University of Adelaide was successful in getting extra funding of $1.34 million.
This funding is directly linked to the results of the CEQ and GDS survey data from 2005.
Next year, the LTPF grows to more than $100 million, which means that the CEQ and GDS survey results continue to be important.
The Data Warehouse has been updated with the results from the 2006 CEQ & GDS survey round, which means that University of Adelaide information is available for 2004, 2005 and 2006.
The benchmark information for all Australian universities is expected to arrive in the next month or so, and will then be loaded into the Data Warehouse.

Standard reports on the CEQ and GDS are available to all staff at: www.adelaide.edu.au/sp/data_warehouse/
For further information, please email Tom Grieve from Strategy and Planning or phone 830 38386.

New faces for Adelaide Research & Innovation
From 1 March, Mr Robert Chalmers will assume the position of Acting Managing Director after 12 months as Deputy Director. Rob brings to the position more than 17 years experience in the field of technology development and commercialisation from both legal and commercial perspectives. Rob will be supported by Dr Elaine Stead in the role of Acting Deputy Director after 4 years as Commercial Development Manager.
This follows the announcement that Managing Director, Mr Mark Szolga is leaving ARI to pursue a new opportunity. During his time as Managing Director, Mark has successfully evolved the business into a service-orientated culture with a focus on research impact.
ARI is also pleased to welcome aboard Ada Lester, Contract Services Associate and Carole Cumberford, Administrative Assistant, as well as Dr Jane Rathjen who returns to ARI in the position of Commercial Development Manager, Earth & Environmental Sciences.

New Pro Vice-Chancellor (Learning and Quality)
Professor Birgit Lohmann will commence in her position as Pro Vice-Chancellor (Learning and Quality) on Monday 19 February. This position is a senior leadership role aimed at strengthening the University's performance in its core values of learning, teaching, and quality assurance. The full story on Professor Lohmann's appointment is available at: www.adelaide.edu.au/news/news15721.html

Launch of Online Situational Learning Project
The Online Situational Learning Project has been established to promote and develop online situational learning at the University of Adelaide. It is funded by a University of Adelaide Business and Resource Learning & Teaching Funding Grant and the Faculty of Engineering, Computer and Mathematical Sciences. The project is being managed and supported by the Centre for Learning and Professional Development (CLPD).

Date: Thursday 29 March 2007, 4:00-5:00pm
Venue: CLPD, Level 2, Schulz Bldg, North Terrace campus (map).
RSVP: email Ann Davenport by Monday 26 March.

Project Manager Ann Davenport will be running workshops and seminars and also promoting a 'community of practice' for staff interested in developing situational learning approaches within their teaching programs.
For more information visit the University Situational Learning web site.

Are you preparing a Course Handbook for students?
Brief information and contact details about the CLPD's Language and Learning Service and the Mathematics Learning Service are available. If you are preparing student or course handbooks, or updating related web sites and would like a copy of these details, please email Peter Murdoch at the CLPD.

Vacant Positions
www.adelaide.edu.au/jobs/

Events

Rae Cocking Memorial Concert
Date: Sunday 18 February, 2:30pm
Venue: Elder Hall
Cost: $25/$20

Music lovers will remember the well-loved Adelaide soprano, Rae Cocking. Proceeds raised by this concert will go towards establishing a prize in her memory at the Elder Conservatorium of Music, where she taught for 18 years.
For further information, email: Guila Tiver

Copyright compliance: what to do in the online environment
Date: Wednesday 14 February, 10:30am-12:30pm or 1:30-3:30pm
Venue: Ira Raymond Room, Barr Smith Library

Presented by Trevor Gerdsen, Director, Infrastructure Services, University of Newcastle and author of Copyright: a users guide. (RMIT Press, 2003)
An information session for teaching and administrative staff, particularly staff using MyUni.
This session will highlight the key copyright issues that academic and administrative staff need to be aware of when placing digital resources online.
Download: information leaflet
To register your interest, please email Betty Radford or phone 830 35225.

Annual Meeting of the University Community
Date: Monday 26 February 2007, 12:00noon-1:00pm
Venue: Bonython Hall

A meeting of the University community will be held at 12:00-1:00pm on Monday 26 February 2007 in Bonython Hall. "University community" means the Council, members of the academic staff, members of the general (professional) staff, graduates and students.

Section 18 of the University of Adelaide Act 1971 requires the University Council to convene a meeting of the University community within 2 months of the commencement of each financial year. (The University's financial year commenced on 1 January.)

The meeting will include reports from the Chancellor and Vice-Chancellor & President and an opportunity to ask questions. The Vice-Chancellor & President will preside at the meeting.

There will be a video link from Bonython Hall to Room 205 of the Charles Hawker Centre at the Waite Campus and to Room GO5 of the Eastick Building at the Roseworthy Campus. Viewers at these locations will be able to see and hear proceedings in Bonython but will not be able to ask questions.

School of Mathematical Sciences - Fluid Mechanics Seminar
Speaker: Professor Frederic Dias (Ecole Normale Superieure Cachan, Paris)
Title: "On the generation of tsunamis by earthquakes and on the effect of dissipation on water waves"
Date: Monday 5 March, 3:00pm
Venue: Mathematics G08. All welcome.
Enquiries to Associate Professor Jim Denier: jim.denier@adelaide.edu.au.

Australian Institute of Physics - Free Public Lecture
Title: "Out of Africa: a 2 billion year old nuclear reactor" by Dr Robert Loss (Curtin University of Technology)
Date: Thursday 15 February, 7:30pm
Venue: Union Hall
Further information: www.physics.adelaide.edu.au/aip-sa.

Training & Development Opportunities

What's New in MyUni Information Sessions
For MyUni Instructors
There has been a recent upgrade to MyUni with several new features and enhancements. Information sessions for staff will be held as follows:

Date: Tuesday 13 February, 3:00-4:00pm
Venue: Napier LG23

Date: Thursday 15 February, 3:00-4:00pm
Venue: Napier LG23

Date: Monday 19 February, 1:00-2:00pm
Venue: CLPD, Level 2, Schulz Bldg, North Tce campus (map)

Date: Wednesday 21 February, 1:00-2:00pm
Venue: CLPD, Level 2, Schulz Bldg, North Tce campus (map)

Please RSVP via email to Online Education, indicating which session you will be attending. Further information about What's New in MyUni is available at MyUni News.

Designing Assessments in MyUni
The first in the Effective Use of MyUni series of workshops for 2007, it will focus on techniques for developing assessments in MyUni.

Date: Thursday 1 March, 2:00-4:00pm
Venue: SITTS 1, Level 2, 10 Pulteney St
For further information please email Judi Baron or phone 830 36040.

Indigenous Staff Scholarships Program
The Indigenous Higher Education Advisory Council (IHEAC) has asked for the University's support in promoting the Indigenous Staff Scholarships Program.
Applications for the Program must be received before the closing date on 11 May 2007.
All managers who have Indigenous staff reporting to them are encouraged to bring the Indigenous Staff Scholarships Program to their attention as part of the Planning and Development Review process.
Five national scholarships are awarded each year which provide up to $11,100 (indexed annually) to cover tuition fees and/or student contribution amounts for the year and a stipend payment of $22,300 (indexed annually).
A copy of the ISSP Guidelines, Application Form and Information Package is available at: www.dest.gov.au/sectors/indigenous_education/

Planning and Development Review - have you attended a training session?
As part of the University of Adelaide's staff development program, the Centre for Learning and Professional Development is running training sessions for staff in Planning and Development Review (PDR). The PDR process provides a formal framework for discussion between managers/supervisors and staff members. Staff on continuing and fixed term contracts of 12 months or more should attend training.

The next training session will be held on:
Date: Tuesday 20 February, 9:00am-12:00noon
Venue: CLPD, Level 2, Schulz Building (map).
For more information and to enrol, visit the PDR webpage.

Introduction to Tertiary Teaching
An introduction for newly appointed academic teaching staff (sessional, contract or tenurable). This workshop is an opportunity for new staff to meet with CLPD staff, to focus on initial learning and teaching issues and to plan access to further support and development opportunities available to academic teaching staff at the University of Adelaide.

Date: Thursday 22 February, 9:00-11:00am
Venue: CLPD, Level 2, Schulz Building
For further information, visit CLPD's Learning and Teaching web site.

Professional Management Program - Adelaide Graduate School of Business
For middle to senior managers or professionals, this interactive program will help you to broaden and strengthen your management skills. It is presented over 12 months in 6 x 2 day modules.
The PMP is a non award program, suitable for graduates and non-graduates and carries status of 2 courses in the Adelaide MBA.

5% discount for University of Adelaide staff.
For further information, email: Rosemary Tanner or phone 8303 4579.

PCE Short Courses
Professional and Continuing Education (PCE) are offering the following short courses in February:

Strategic Thinking and Planning
Tuesday 20 February

Project Management
Wednesday 21 February

Project Management & MS Project
Wednesday 21 February and Monday 26 February

How to Avoid Negative Stress
Tuesday 27 February

For further information or to enrol please email Nicolle Kelly or phone 830 37502, or visit our website at: www.adelaide.edu.au/pce to view our extensive program offering.

Information for Researchers

Adelaide Research & Innovation
The latest 'commUNIcate RESEARCH' newsletter is available online.

Research Branch
See the Research Branch newsletter for the latest information on major grant rounds and information sessions, a selection of competitive grants and prizes now open for application and other research-related news.