ARO Weekly Newsletter #45 - 14November 2016

ARO Weekly Newsletter #45 - 14November 2016

Admissions:

(International)

-This is a key time for International Admissions whoare very busy with both applications and acceptances, both of which are tracking higher than this time last year

-Staff are working on Saturdays to keep up with the higher work load

-If you need to contact the International Admissions team please use ext. 7455 or 9360 7455

Careers and Employment:

Future Events

-Careers Boot Camps – Wednesday 22nd – 24th February, 2017 - Whether you’re half way through your degree or soon to graduate, it’s never too early to get career ready! One-day intensives will include interactive workshops and activities facilitated by Career Development Advisors and Industry Professionals. Get involved and get ahead.

Register on CareerConnect today! Numbers strictly limited.

-Careers Week 2017– Monday27th Feb – 3rd March, 2017 - Careers Week 2017 is all about giving you the information and assistance you need to help you make a successful transition to employment. Employer presentations, Job Search Workshops, Resume Checks and The Big Meet Careers Fair are all part of a busy Careers Week program.

-We have now added Information for Murdoch Staff on the Careers Centre webpage – Working with us to enhance student employability

Student Opportunities

-Public Sector Commission cadetships – Pilot program for students with a disability – Applications close 1st December – further details on CareerConnect

-Public Sector Commission cadetships – Pilot program for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander students – further details on CareerConnect

CUTL:

(Learning Innovations)

-CUTL and ITS are collaborating on a major upgrade to Echo360 that delivers new student response tools to promote student engagement in class as well as improved learning analytics and dashboards. We have received positive feedback from a pilot we’ve been running with lecturers in second semester. Off-shore will start in trimester 1 and on-shore in semester 1.

-Work continues to support the TNE Transformation project. The Capture Studios are being well utilised by lecturers with support from Jeff Asselin and Paul Dawson. Outcomes are being demonstrated through the TNE QA panels.

-We have completed the recruitment for a replacement Learning Innovations Officer – the successful candidate will be commencing on January 9

Engagement:

(Domestic)

The Future Student Team:

-On November 2nd 30 South Fremantle Senior High School students visited Murdoch and participated in facial reconstruction; light painting photography; and an amazing race! The day ended on a bang, with an over-enthusiastic student causing one of our beanbags to explode, panting Bush Court white in time for Christmas.

-The FSO team has 10 (and counting) up-coming Career Taster events with high schools, with a newly-developed approach and fresh-faced ambassadors keen to inspire students

-The FSO team have been visiting priority schools across Perth to thank careers counsellors and staff for a fantastic and productive year, with discussions for 2017 engagements building momentum

-The FSO and Outreach team are working closer than ever, with some fantastic collaborations coming up – watch this space

-On Monday, we welcomed on campus 60 ATAR students from the Agriculture College. They had the chance to learn about our degree options, hear from current Murdoch students, do a meat workshop and visit the anatomy museum and the farm

-We went to our local high schools to give free pairs of Murdoch Community Cinema tickets to the top achieving students -> awarded 10 top students during the Year 10 assembly at Canning Vale College

-We are working hard to create amazing Murdoch presentations for 2017!!!

(International)

Murdoch University alongside Murdoch Institute of Technology hosted the StudyPerth China Agents Inbound, in conjunction with Austrade China Agent Familiarisation:

-The agent familiarisation trip aimed at capitalising on the current market trend and favourable operating environment to facilitate wider engagement between Australian education providers and Chinese education agents that in turn will strengthen the promotion and marketing platform in China.

-The visit provided the opportunities for visiting agents to:

• gain first-hand experience in knowing and experiencing the teaching, learning environment and living conditions at Murdoch
• utilise the information and experience gained from the trip as training materials for other counsellors in their agency to promote and recommend Murdoch University and Murdoch Institute of Technology in China.

-The visit to Murdoch included a demo session at the Chiropractic Clinic as well as to the Media Centre facilities.

-To look at some of the photos that were taken please click here.

(Outreach)

St Stephens GATE Games Project

-Last Monday, we had 8 Gifted and Talented Education (GATE) students from St Stephen College visit Murdoch who had been working on an extra-curricular Games Design project. The St Stephens students were mentored by 4 current Games Art and Games Technology students who provided them feedback and direction for their projects and showed them the work they have been producing in their programs at Murdoch.

-The Teacher in Charge, Lee Swingler, remarked “[Murdoch] have quickly become the most accessible university and the best at organising authenticate experiences for High School Students”.

All Saints Storylines Festival

-The culmination of months of planning came to fruition last week during the two day Storylines Festival at All Saints College. The Festival saw over 2000 secondary school students who had an opportunity to listen to a range of inspiring storyteller speakers which included our very own Helena Kadmos, Damian Fasolo and Andrew Porter.

-Students also had the opportunity to participate in engaging activations coordinated by Outreach in Story Central which included; a virtual reality Games Art and Design gallery of student work, a Storytellers Tent where students played games to practice their story telling skills and a Google Cardboard station where students got a taste for 360 degree video as used in Journalism.

-A big thank you to the Outreach team, student ambassadors, Media Arts Centre staff, Erin MacNeill, Helena Kadmos, Damian Fasolo and Andrew Porter for their support.

Asia Education Foundation – Intercultural Intersections Masterclass

-Murdoch University hosted the Asia Education Foundation’steacher professional development Masterclass Cultural Intersections: Islam and Muslims Today on Monday 7th November. The Masterclass aimed to give teachers the skills to become a leader in intercultural understanding and equip them with the tools necessary to deliver on the intercultural understanding requirements of the Australian Curriculum.

-Distinguished guest speakers included Dr Eeqbal Hassim, Professor Carmen Lawrence and our own Professor David T. Hill AM. Participants enjoyed hearing the personal experiences of speakers and understanding how schools in Western Australia were developing strategies and frameworks to embed intercultural competencies in their school communities.

Enrolments & Fees:

Enrolments

-The Team is dealing with enquiries as students encounter the usual issues and request exemptions and approvals for their desired enrolments. Several set-up issues with unit and course enrolment rules were identified in Nursing, Education and Law, and are being resolved through Academic Planning amendments.

-After taking 15 minutes to identify what caused a breach of the rules for a 4th year education unit, we have identified simplifying rules for students and staff as an important area for review in 2017.

-The Course Transfer window is open, and a notice in on the students MyInfo portal. The online forms need to be fully completed and submitted, and will go through to the Enrolments and Fees MyAnswers Transfer mailbox. Remember that we advise students to enrol now in the units they want to do in 2017, and the units will be transferred when we do the course transfer after the release of results.

Fees

-Students will be able to calculate the fees for Summer units with a census date this side of 1 January 2017 later this week. Fees for units with census dates in 2017 will be available in 2017 (Finance does not like having 2017 fee liabilities appear in the 2016 Financial Year).

-Please remember that there are a couple of important changes for 2017:

• The 10% HECS discount for upfront payment disappears, as does the 5% discount for early payment of all HELP loans with the ATO
• The HECS statuses of 202 (upfront payment with 10% discount) and 203 (permanent residents, NZ citizens paying full up-front fees) also disappear from our reporting, being replaced with 204 ( Pay up-front). We are looking to retain the distinction for those students who want to pay some or all, and those who have to pay all, internally within the fee set-up so we can continue to give students an accurate reflection of their intentions.

Equity and Social Inclusion:

-Transgender Day of Remembrance is Friday, 18 November. Please show your support by attending a short vigil being held at the Peace Pavilion at 12.30pm. The Transgender Day of Remembrance raises public awareness of hate crimes against transgender people, an action that current media doesn’t perform. The Day of Remembrance publicly mourns and honours the lives of our brothers and sisters who might otherwise be forgotten. All welcome.

-Please note we only have one Disability Advisor on board. So, please let students know that there may be a wait to see a Disability Advisor and try to assist them in the shorter term if at all possible.

-The next ALLY discussion group is on Thurs 17 Nov in ECL 1.026 (tea and coffee making facilities available). Through this discussion group students and staff will have the opportunity to meet in a safe place and discuss issues that affect the LGBTIQ community. So come along for an hour with your lunch and join us for an informative, friendly and inclusive conversation. Please forward this info to other colleagues as you wish. All are welcome!

-Language and Cultural Exchange (LACE) – LACE is an intercultural friendship group open to everyone in Murdoch's University's community. Students can join LACE to:

• Make friends from all around the world
• Learn about language and culture, share your own culture
• Develop culturally diverse connections
• Develop English conversations skills and/or practice another language you are learning
• Develop cross-cultural understanding for your own personal and professional development.

Contact: Abigayle Carmody Ext 2719

Exams & Assessment:

-Semester 2 exams started on Saturday 12 November 2016

• S2 exam period is between 12-25 November 2016

-Trimester 3 2016 exam period is between 19-25 November 2016

-Exam timetable is available on the web (

-Information about exams can be found on the web (

Graduations and Results:

Graduations

-We will be posting graduation documents for graduands that did not attend the Perth/Singapore graduation ceremonies. This cohort of graduands have not let us know if they we would like their documents posted, or if they would like to defer their graduation to the next ceremony round

-Semester 2 2016 graduation check are almost complete. Once these are done we will start graduation checking for TS 2016

Results

-Semester 2 result submission deadlines can be viewed by clicking in the following link

Partnership & Contract Support:

-The new shared email address for Partnership and Contract support is (no longer)

-Xavier Rafart and Natalie Johnston currently respond to this email address.

Student Centre:

Summer Class Sign-Up

-Class Sign Ups for SUMMER-EY, SUM1 and SUM 2017 Teaching Periods opened today (Monday 14/11/2016 at 0900). This is the first cohort of students who will be accessing Class Sign-ups using the new schema of Venue Codes and descriptive text.

• There is no change to Class Sign Up functionality
• All existing rules regarding Clashes, Real and Published limits etc. remain the same
• Students with queries should be directed to their Unit Coordinator

Student Support:

Scholarships

-We have two scholarship that have been extended for applications from the VET Trust:

• Alistair Murdoch
• Len Cullen Veterinary

-Working on new Financial Support content which will encompass the ‘Stretch Your Dollar’ goals and support for students

Special Programs

-More good news for Elite Athletes the VC’s office have confirmed they’ll fund $3,000 to be used from now until 2017. We have two applications up for review in the next coming weeks.

Transition and Retention

-Welcome back to Abbey who has returned from her travels.

-The analysis work for the Orientation focus groups for both international and domestic have been compiled. If you would like to see the main themes that were captured please contact us at r now some key findings driving the change and seeing us being innovate in what we do going forward are outlined below:

Some of the top drivers for international students are:

• Getting set up: cheap accommodation options; how to get a job; cost of living in Perth; best ways to transfer money; financial support, scholarships; and getting around and transportation options
• Academic expectations: specific information about chosen course; Responsibilities as a student (adult learning environment, workload and studying requirements); and When/ how to contact academic staff & advisors

Some of the top drivers for Domestic students are:

• Useful Campus Map(hardcopy or mobile app)
• Better Chance to Familiarise Themselves with the Campus; School-Specific Campus Tours; Info about Good Study Spaces; and More Library Tours (including opportunities to meet subject librarians)

TNE:

Week 11 September Trimester

-The TNE Blended Learning User Group had its last meeting late October and will not be required to meet again as the project nears completion, 30th October is the target completion date.

-Schools are finalizing affiliate lecturer assessments for Singapore and Dubai

-Kaplan will open its enrolment portal this week 17th November for January enrolments

-The target date for LMS sites and UILG’s is the 1st December

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