Southern Cross Matters

From the Vice Chancellor

Welcome to the first edition of Southern Cross Matters. I hope you will find the material in each monthly edition to be interesting, informative and useful.

Each of us brings a particular focus and frame of reference to our work at the University. But what makes life within an institution such as ours particularly rewarding is our shared sense of community, and the impact that our teaching and research brings to the lives of so many each day.

Southern Cross Matters is designed to be a platform that helps us all to stay in touch with key developments, and our many achievements as a University community.

We are moving together through a period of tumultuous change and challenge. This is asking much of every one of us. In these circumstances, knowing that we can continue to achieve excellence whilst we build for the future is important to all of us.

As you read this edition and share it with your friends and family, I hope you are inspired by the story of our recent PhD graduate, Dr Louisa Salmon and her amazing supervisor Associate Professor Gail Moloney. I hope you enjoy learning a little about some of our new colleagues, and why they were attracted to join SCU. I hope you reflect on the incredible achievements of our researchers, in this instance evinced through the work of Brad Eyre and Dirk Erler whose ARC funded projects will make a real impact on our environment and on many of the enterprises that are key stakeholders for this University.

Celebrating Coffs Harbour graduations

Dr Louisa Salmon describes herself as a quiet achiever but there was one moment in our recent Coffs Harbour graduation ceremonies that drew loud applause for her.

It was a powerful moment as Dr Salmon had her determination rewarded with a Doctor of Philosophy.

Dr Salmon has cerebral palsy and her thesis focuses on children who have had to overcome disabilities. Titled ‘Social experiences of children with disabilities: resilience, social identity and bullying’ the graduation guests were moved by that very resilience displayed by Dr Salmon in achieving her PhD.

“Working on a thesis for a decade, it was hard to see the end,” she said.

“I am a quiet achiever, but it really was great to be acknowledged for the years of work I put into my studies, along with all the other graduates.” Dr Salmon said.

 Her drive and motivation to achieve excellence was based on the desire to make a difference to the lives of people who have profound disabilities.

She’s thankful of the dedicated support from her supervisors, Associate Professor Gail Moloney (SCU),  Professor Lewis Bizo (UNE/QUT) and Professor Iona Novak (Cerebral Palsy Institute), the University’s Student Equity & Inclusion team, Duncan Blair, and Maddison Norton, as well as her parents, friends and carers. 

Southern Cross Model builds momentum

Early data shows that the new Southern Cross Model is achieving improved outcomes for students.

To date four courses have commenced under the Model:

• Bachelor of Business and Enterprise
• Associate Degree of Civil Construction (Engineering and Management)
• Diploma of Civil Construction (Engineering and Management)
• Preparing for Success Program (PSP)

On average the latest student feedback on these courses is more positive than feedback on courses in our traditional teaching format. When compared with data from Session 1, 2020, the aggregated success rate in Diploma and PSP units rose from 60% to 78%. GPA rose across all courses.

When asked in focus groups, as part of an ethics-approved research project, students have described the Model as “confidence boosting”, “stress relieving” and “the best workload experience I have ever had”.  

This from a PSP student – “I was relieved because I remember trying to juggle four subjects was hard. So only focusing on two was a big relief.”

Expert hand guiding model success

The Southern Cross Model implementation has been boosted through the applied expertise of Dr Liz Goode.

Dr Goode is a Teaching Scholar working in the Academic Portfolio Office (APO) to strengthen and lead Communities of Practice in the Southern Cross Model. She has more than 10 years’ experience in enabling education, working in the University's Preparing for Success Program (PSP) and at the University of Newcastle to support the achievements and successes of non-traditional students.

According to Professor Thomas Roche, Pro Vice Chancellor (Academic Quality), Dr Goode has been an integral part of the University’s move to the Southern Cross Model. She was part of the team that piloted the first courses in the new Model this year, including the redesign of several of SCU College’s PSP units and co-designing and teaching a new academic communication unit for the Faculty of Business Law and Art’s Bachelor of Business and Enterprise.

Together with colleagues in the APO and SCU College, Dr Goode is engaged in a number of scholarship projects that aim to evidence and disseminate the impacts of the Model on student learning, experience and success.

Expert hand guiding model success

The number of interactions with Southern Cross libraries has jumped almost 30 per cent in the last year.

Since the COVID crisis hit it’s been a rollercoaster ride for library staff and students over the last 18 months. But the pandemic has shown how versatile and nimble staff can be in keeping this vital resource functioning.

First, almost three months of lock down for all but Coffs Harbour, then in July 2020 the University’s libraries at Lismore and the Gold Coast re-opened their doors again with a reduced capacity and strict social distancing measures in place.

Floor plans and work stations needed to be reconfigured to cater for the restrictions and students relied on special kiosks to access library services with an online chat function and precautionary measures like plastic keyboard covers and hand sanitizer provided.

Throughout the pandemic a dedicated band of library staff members have been on site at each campus every day. They continued to provide services, including mail out lending, our online help resources, virtual appointments and video tutorials.

Interestingly there were 9580 chat transactions in 12 months prior to closure, and 12,282 in the 12 months following closure. Additional online ebooks and textbooks were purchased to increase access to all students.

New Library Services Director

In July Clare Thorpe joined the University as the new Director of Library Services. Clare has a strong focus on empowering staff to achieve excellence in service delivery in multi-campus and online environments.

Clare brings more than 20 years’ experience in Library services having worked at QUT, Griffith University, State Library of Queensland and since 2017 at University of Southern Queensland. She currently serves as a Board Director of the Australian Library and Information Association.

Clare explains, “I’m a long time admirer of SCU. The SCU Library is known for its innovative campus library spaces and its risk-taking early adoption of new systems and technologies. I am excited to contribute to the SCU model and looking forward to building on SCU Library’s achievements, continuing the digital transformation of our collections and services which we escalated during the pandemic.”

Did you know?

Southern Cross researchers are in elite company with the awarding of two highly sought-after Australian Research Council linkage projects totalling $1.2 million.

Associate Professor Dirk Erler aims to transform meat residue into agricultural soil improver in collaboration with Northern Cooperative Meat Company, QUT, Justus-Liebig University of Giessen, and Department of Regional NSW ($510,507).

The second project, led by Professor Bradley Eyre, in collaboration with University of Western Australia and Healthy Land & Water Ltd, will use new innovative measurements and modelling to investigate nitrogen removal pathways of the coastal zone ($704,711).