ON THE MOVE campusreview. com. au
MARATHON MAN TO CSU AS PVC
Multiple Paralympic gold medallist and marathon champion Kurt Fearnley has taken up the role of pro vice-chancellor of
Charles Sturt University’ s northern region.
A 2006 graduate from CSU’ s school of teacher education, in Bathurst, Fearnley said he was both honoured and delighted.“ I’ m a proud alumnus and a staunch advocate for the positive impact regional universities have for both students and the communities they reside in.”
CSU chancellor Lawrie Willett said the ceremonial office was a key role as it provides“ a local bridge between the university and its communities” whilst reinforcing“ the importance of our regions in the life of the university”.
WOZNIAK JOINS UTS
Steve Wozniak – who along with Steve Jobs co-founded Apple – has joined the university as an adjunct professor.
Wozniak, an inventor and computer programmer who designed and created Apple’ s earliest computers, is internationally credited with helping revolutionise computer microchip technology.
While he has previously had involvement with computer-related education programs in the US, the UTS appointment is the first university role he has ever accepted.
Whilst he will remain based in his native US, Wozniak will visit UTS to work with staff and students in its Magic Lab( Innovation and Enterprise Research Laboratory), school of software and centre for quantum computation and intelligent systems within the faculty of engineering and IT.
ONLINE LEARNING GURU JOINS UWS
The University of Western Sydney has announced professor Denise Kirkpatrick as deputy vice-chancellor academic.
Kirkpatrick – now pro vice-chancellor student experience at the University of Adelaide – will join UWS in January.
UWS VC professor Barney Glover welcomed Kirkpatrick’ s extensive experience and knowledge in developing open, distance and eLearning initiatives at a number of institutions, including universities both in Australia and the UK.
“ In particular, she will play a pivotal role in leading the university’ s academic program and launching UWS Online next year,” Glover said.“ I look forward to working closely with her in the future.”
MACQUARIE PROF TO LEAD RIGHTS ENQUIRY
Adjunct professor Mike Smith, from Macquarie University’ s Department of Policing, Intelligence and Counter Terrorism, has been appointed Chair of a new United Nations commission to investigate alleged human rights violations in Eritrea.
Smith will join a three-person commission charged with investigating extrajudicial killings, enforced disappearances, arbitrary arrest and detention, torture and prison conditions, freedom of expression and opinion, freedom of association and assembly, freedom of religious belief, freedom of movement and forced military conscription.
Until June 2015, Smith will spend much of his time in Geneva with travel to and within Eritrea subject to the approval of the North African state’ s government.
ACU EDUCATION & ARTS NAMES EXEC DEAN
Professor Tania Aspland has been appointed executive dean of the Australian Catholic University’ s faculty of education and arts.
Aspland took up the role from November 3, replacing professor Claire Wyatt-Smith who will now head up the university’ s new Learning Sciences Institute of Australia.
ACU acting VC Pauline Nugent said Aspland, whilst head of education NSW / ACT in 2013 and more recently national head of education, had provided strategic leadership through growth and change.
“[ Her ] well regarded professional standing and influence will help shape the faculty’ s future success and innovation in both the education and arts disciplines,” Nugent said.
CQUNI VC TO ADVISE ON NORTHERN AUSTRALIA
Central Queensland University VC professor Scott Bowman has been appointed to a new federal advisory group charged with helping shape government policy direction in northern Australia.
In unveiling the Northern Australia Advisory Group last month, Federal Member for Capricornia Michelle Landry said the initiative was a significant milestone for Central Queensland“ in its bid for greater recognition in the future development of Northern Australia”.
Landry, who has previously argued that local voices in the region surrounding Rockhampton and inland Capricornia had been ignored during previous policy planning discussions, said the new panel’ s advice would assist a government White Paper due to be released later this year.
STRICTLY SPEAKING
SHILL-BIDDING
The internet is a great generator of new words, but it can also serve as a means of breathing new life into old or obscure terms. Shill-bidding describes the practice of bidding for something you are selling yourself in an online auction, to push up the price. It’ s a form of fraud, and shills have been successfully prosecuted in recent years. The word shill, as a noun and a verb, dates back to the early 20th century. It was originally used in America, of people posing as enthusiastic customers – at fairs, casinos and even auctions – to encourage others to spend their money. Its origins are unknown, and it had limited currency until it caught on as the popularity of eBay grew in the 1990s. The use of shill online has now earned it an entry in the latest edition of the Macquarie Dictionary( 6th edition, 2013). A recent quote from CIO Australia suggests familiarity with the word:“ News stories … have accused some think tanks and advocacy groups of … quietly shilling for large broadband carriers.”( 25.10.14). Shills might have started out just trying to gain a few shillings – now the stakes appear considerably higher.
Written by Adam Smith, senior research assistant at the Centre for Language Sciences, Macquarie University.
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