Staff Notices: 30 June - 4 July 2008

Table of Contents

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

Uni in the News

Uni deal seals student services

The University of Adelaide and its student union, the Adelaide University Union, have signed a 10-year funding agreement to continue student services and activities at the University. The new funding agreement is worth $1.2 million a year and will be reviewed annually. "The good working relationship between the University and the AUU meant we were able to ensure the continuation of services... including student support and employment services, sports and clubs, student representation and activities and events on all campuses," said Vice-Chancellor and President Professor James McWha.

Source: The Advertiser (24 June 2008)
Uni full story: Funding agreement secures student services

General Information for Staff

Changes to Superannuation Guarantee Obligations of Employers

From 1 July 2008, amendments to the Superannuation Guarantee (Administration) Act 1992 will require the University to use quarterly "ordinary time earnings" (OTE) as the basis for calculating the minimum superannuation contribution the University is required to make on behalf of each of its employees. OTE is what an employee earns for their ordinary hours of work and includes over-award payments, higher duties allowances, shift loadings and commissions but generally excludes such things as overtime.

For most staff, the University makes an employer contribution to superannuation of 17%, so this change in Superannuation Guarantee legislation will have no impact.

For those staff who receive a 9% employer superannuation contribution on base salary, AND who currently receive Higher Duties Allowances, Attraction/Retention Loadings, or Performance Bonuses on which no employer superannuation contribution is paid, you will receive 9% employer superannuation contributions from 1 July on these additional allowances, loadings or bonuses, to meet the new legislative requirements. There will be no impact on take home pay.

University staff are not required to take any action in respect of these changed legislative requirements. The University has taken the necessary steps to ensure that its superannuation guarantee obligations continue to be met.

Further information about these changes are available on the Australian Taxation Office website or by contacting the University of Adelaide HR Service Centre on 8313 1111 or at: hrservicecentre@adelaide.edu.au.

Unlimited Discounts all around town, for only $20

Much cheaper than the Entertainment Book, the AUU Membership card is only $20 and gives you unlimited two-for-one discounts at restaurants, movies and other entertainment venues in Adelaide and around Australia!

PLUS, you'll get The Advertiser free Monday to Friday during term-time.

For further details on discounts and how to become an associate member, visit: www.union.adelaide.edu.au/student/memberships/.

Review of Undergraduate Economics Programs, offered by the Faculty of the Professions

Members of the University community are invited to contribute to the review of the undergraduate programs in Economics.

The University is currently undertaking a review of the undergraduate programs in Economics. Staff, students and members of the community are invited to make a submission to the review on matters relevant to the Terms of Reference, which are available from Quality and Reviews through Susie Smith, Reviews Officer on 8303 8393.

The deadline for submissions is 5:00pm, Friday 1 August 2008. All submissions remain confidential.

ITS Hot Tips

You can access the files in your home and shared folders from any web browser. Details of how to use the service can be found on the online services pages of the ITS web site.

To undo use Ctrl + Z and to redo use Ctrl + Y.

University of Adelaide teaching, supervision and support awards

Applications close on Friday 12 September for the following:

• Stephen Cole the Elder Awards for Excellence in Teaching
• Award for Excellence in Support of the Student Experience for Professional Staff
• Award for Excellence in Higher Degree by Research Supervision

For further information about these awards, and for guidelines and nomination forms, email Barbara Brougham or phone 8303 4721 or 0437 649 976.

New feature in MyUni - Online Content

From July 2008 a new database will be used to manage Digital Resources Management Centre (DRMC) copyright material. The new system will allow you to place links to copyright material within MyUni using a new drop down tool called Online Content; this tool will be readily available inside your MyUni course.

The Centre for Learning and Professional Development (CLPD) will be offering information sessions on the changes.

For more details please visit the MyUni news website or contact CLPD; Allan Carrington, phone 8303 8085.

Questions relating to DRMC services, such as article scanning should be directed to: drmc@adelaide.edu.au.

Vacant Positions

www.adelaide.edu.au/jobs/

Events

Carbon Capture and Storage:
Reducing Greenhouse Gas Emissions to the Atmosphere

Presented by the History of Science, Ideas & Technology Group.
Date/Time: Monday 7 July 2008, 7:00pm
Venue: Ira Raymond Exhibition Room, Barr Smith Library
Speaker: Professor John Kaldi, Australian School of Petroleum, University of Adelaide
Supper: Gold coin donation.
Visitors welcome.

Fossil fuels supply around 85% of the world's energy needs, but their burning is a major source of CO2, the gas most blamed for the increased concentration of greenhouse gases in the atmosphere and for global warming. There is no 'silver bullet' to deal with the massive challenge faced; rather a range of solutions is needed. The talk will describe one of the options: carbon capture and storage (CCS), which involves the longer term storage of CO2 emissions in deep geologic formations. CO2 has to be captured at the source (e.g. power plant or gas production facility), then transported, typically via a pipeline, to a suitable site.

The talk will be followed by discussion. For further details contact Bob Major, Secretary on 8352 8949 or Peter Adamson on 8344 3709.

Field Geology Club of SA lecture

The Nile in Prehistory
Venue: Mawson Lecture Theatre, Mawson Laboratories
Date/Time: Thursday 10 July, 7:45pm
Presenter: Professor Martin Williams, Foundation Professor of Environmental Studies &
Affiliate Professor in Geology and Geophysics, University of Adelaide
Visitors welcome.

The lower Nile valley was one of the cradles of urban civilisation, totally dependent on floods from the upper Nile, just as Egypt is today. This great civilisation was based upon sedentary agriculture and a complex social structure, in strong contrast to the hunter-gatherer communities of the Later Stone Age who occupied the Nile valley before the advent of Neolithic farming some 8,000 and more years ago. The question then arises as to how these prehistoric communities might have interacted with the changing environments in the Nile basin and what light this might shed upon the beginnings of food production in this region.

For further details contact (the Publicity Officer) Paul Curnow, phone 0402 079 578.
The Field Geology Club of SA is associated with the School of Earth and Environmental Sciences.

School of Chemical Engineering Seminar

Two speakers short-listed as candidates for appointment to the position of Professor of Chemical Engineering in the School of Chemical Engineering will give a seminar on Wednesday 2 July, Robert W F Tait Room (N123b). Professor Stephen Allen will speak at 9:30am on Adsorption - whatever colour the cat as long as it catches the mouse. In his seminar Professor Allen will present his findings on the use of natural absorbents for the removal of pollutants. Dr Mark Biggs will speak at 11:00am on Chemical engineering at the interface. In his seminar Dr Biggs will present examples of his research findings in the area of nanoporous materials. All welcome.

2008 Annual Conference on Excellence in Teaching & Scholarship
and the Kevin Marjoribanks Memorial Lecture

The School of Education presents this special event for educators in South Australia.
Date/Time: Friday 4 July, 9:00am-5:30pm
Venue: Theatre 102, Napier Building

We invite you to join us at the second annual Conference on Excellence in Teaching and Scholarship. This is one of South Australia's annual celebratory events for education. Vice-Chancellor & President Professor James McWha will launch the 2nd Annual Conference, and the keynote/plenary address will be presented by Professor Roger Thomas, Director - Centre for Australian Indigenous Research and Studies. Approximately thirty teachers from DECS, CEO, AISSA and TAFE will present their passion, knowledge and experiences on best practice and professional learning at the paper presentations. At the conclusion of the conference, Professor Pascale Quester, Executive Dean, Faculty of the Professions will introduce the speaker for the Kevin Marjoribanks Memorial Lecture, Jury Professor Penny Boumelha, Head of the Discipline of English at the University of Adelaide. This will be followed by the presentation of the University of Adelaide's awards for the recognition of excellence in teaching to outstanding teachers from the four education sectors.

RSVP to Andrew Tarnowskyj, Conference Secretariat, phone 8303 5628.

Download: Conference flyer.
Further details: www.education.adelaide.edu.au/cets/

Healthy Development Adelaide - Thematic Evening

New Insights in Diabetes: Developmental and Social Origins - What's Next?
Date/Time: Thursday 17 July 2008, 4:15-7:00pm
Venue: Lecture Theatre H2-02, Basil Hetzel Building, Frome Rd, UniSA

Four expert speakers will be presenting on topics:

• Early life origins of diabetes: new ways to intervene (Professor Julie Owens, University of Adelaide)
• Type 1 and 2 diabetes: overlap or overlay? (Professor Jennifer Couper, University of Adelaide)
• The SA/NT islet cell transplant program (A/Professor David Torpy, University of Adelaide)
• Health of young Indigenous women in far north Queensland (Professor Robyn McDermott, UniSA)

RSVP by Friday 11 July to: Anne Jurisevic, phone 8303 8222.

Download: HDA program.
Further details: www.adelaide.edu.au/hda/events/

Arbor Wind Quintet

Performing music by Bach, Mozart, Prokofiev, Joplin, Debussy and Dvorak.
Date/Time: Sunday 20 July, 2:00pm
Venue: Urrbrae House, Waite Campus
Tickets: $15 at the door (includes light refreshments). Seats are limited.
Bookings and enquiries: Jennifer Gardner, phone 8303 7405.

Presented by the Friends of the Waite Arboretum.

Download: Concert flyer (pdf 352kB).
Further details: www.waite.adelaide.edu.au/arboretum/events/

Training & Development Opportunities

Counselling Services Free Workshops Semester 2, 2008

Conscious Breathing Workshop
Using the breath as an aid to managing stress, anxiety or depression
Monday 11 August, 1:00-2:00pm
(Bookings Required)

Managing Stress and Being a Successful Student
Monday 8 September, 1:10-2:00pm
(Bookings Required)

Managing a PhD
For first year PhD Students
Thursday 18 September, 1:10-2:00pm
(Bookings Required)

Stress Less Exams Workshop
Monday 27 October, 1:10-2:00pm
(Bookings Required)

Counselling Services, Ground Floor, Horace Lamb Building. Phone 8303 5663.
Full schedule of FREE workshops at: www.adelaide.edu.au/counselling_centre/

ERGA Conference 2008: Call for Papers

The 2008 ERGA Conference will be held 24-25 September at the University of Adelaide. The aim of the conference is to bring together colleagues from the higher education sector to discuss best practice and new approaches in the tertiary environment. The conference theme for 2008 is Motivating and Engaging Students. Our keynote speaker will be Professor Kerri-Lee Krause from Griffith University. Prof Krause's research expertise spans across higher education policy areas, with a particular focus on the quality of the student experience in higher education and implications for learning, teaching and policy.

For full details and submission deadlines please visit the ERGA website.

Teaching @ University: Enrol for Semester 2

There are still vacancies in the Semester 2 Teaching @ University course for academic staff.

Please visit the Teaching @ University webpage to download an enrolment form.

Spoken Language Strategies for NESB Staff

This is a course for staff from language backgrounds other than English, who may have concerns, or have had feedback, that their spoken English is difficult for students to understand.

Date: Monday 18, Tuesday 19 & Wednesday 20 August, 4:00-6:00pm
Venue: CLPD, Level 2, Schulz Building West

Email: Ursula McGowan for further information and bookings.

Professional & Continuing Education

Advanced Language Courses

Advanced language courses start in late July and run one night a week for 12 weeks. Languages offered:

• Chinese (Mandarin)
• French
• German
• Italian
• Japanese
• Spanish

For further information or to enrol please email Rupert Irudayaraj or phone 8303 4777, or visit our website at: www.adelaide.edu.au/pce to view our extensive program offering.

Upcoming Professional Development Courses

Professional Telephone Skills
Thursday 3 July

Managing Stakeholders Effectively
Tuesday 8 July

Writing Winning Tenders and Proposals
Wednesday 9 July

5% discount for University of Adelaide staff.

For further information or to enrol please email Jo Carrick or phone 8303 4777, 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.