ARO Weekly Newsletter #46 - 21November 2016
Admissions:
(International)
-The International Admissions Team are delighted to introduce to you Kristin Yang as the new International Admissions Officer. Kristin Yang will be covering for Julie Gikonyo who is away on extended leave. Please feel free to come and say hello
Careers and Employment:
-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 onCareerConnecttoday!Numbers strictly limited (recent graduates welcome to attend).
-Careers Week 2017– Monday 27th 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, Panel Event and The Big Meet Careers Fair are all part of a busy Careers Week program.
Curriculum and Academic Policy:
-There was a packed Agenda at the November 16thACAC meeting , so much so that there will be a follow up meeting to completea number of outstanding matters before the end of the year. The formal advice regarding the outcomes of the meeting will be circulated via the usual fashion, but some of the highlights from the meeting to be aware of prior to that formal advice:
- It was agreed that the Master of Counselling (M1143) could raise its IELTS admission requirements to 7
- A new extension program, Ngoolark, proposed to be run through the Kulbardi Aboriginal Centre was recommended to Academic Council for approval
- Removal of mid-year admission at the South Street campus for the Bachelor of Nursing (B1335) for 2017 was approved. Mandurah will continue to accept midyear admission.
- A clarification of the English competency for transferring students and alternate pathways students into the Bachelor of Nursing (B1335).
- Revisions to the Waardong (N1022) extension program to better reflect a broader biological sciences emphasis
- Formal discontinuation of M1000 MBA (Offshore); M1053 MHR (Offshore); M1146 MPA (Offshore) – note these are only the qualifications with <Offshore> in the title
- A number of non-standard teaching periods were proposed for use by the FlexiTrack Enabling Course and these were approved
Communications and Events:
Conversion schedule
-We are working through a conversion schedule which incorporates a range of targeted activities to encourage both International and Domestic students to accept their offer for S1 . The Schedule consists of eDMs, telephone campaigns, SMS and social media.
-Please find attached an example of an eDM which was sent out to 62 students last week from the TISC preliminary rounds who have not yet accepted their offer (Nursing students received a separate eDM with the early start date)
-The Meet Murdoch Team called 247 domestic students who have still not submitted their documents. 85 of these students will be uploading their documents soon.
-A social media post on the International facebook page reached 12,239 people and 2485 likes
-If you would like more details about the schedule or have any further suggestions for conversion activities, please contact Jo Hulme ext. 6352
CUTL:
(Academic Development)
-Advance notice that next year’s Induction for new academic staff will run on the following dates: Wednesday February 15th 2017 (Semester 1), Tuesday July 18th 2017 (Semester 2). Further details will be available before the end of this year.
-Beginning next week, a Task and Finish Group for Continuing Professional Development (Academic staff) is meeting, sponsored by DVC(E) Prof Romy Lawson. This group will produce the principles and essential elements of development for academic staff at Murdoch and agree a new delivery approach.
(Access Programs)
What is FlexiTrack?
-It’s a fully online university preparation course that qualifies you to apply directly for any undergraduate degree at Murdoch University that has an indicative ATAR of 70 or less
-FlexiTrack offers the flexibility of part-time and full-time study or a combination, so the program can be completed in 10 weeks (intensive mode) to 12 months
-You can apply for FlexiTrack directly to Murdoch:https://myadmission.murdoch.edu.au/connect/webconnect?pid=MY2016_UG_OT_btn_OnTrack
(Learning Support)
-The extended UniEdgeteam (which has brought together the Guild, SAN, TRO, Library, Counselling, Equity and CUTL) had an extremely productive meeting on Wed last week and have planned
to run an intensive day of workshops/library tours on the Monday of week 4 of 2017 (which is non –teaching week).
-We will kick off with a 9.30-10.30 Academic Study Skills session, have a half hour coffee break and then have a Counselling workshop from 11.00-12.00. There will be a free lunch (possibly something simple like a sausage sizzle provided by the Guild and TRO area with Mentors and PASS leaders hopefully around) then a 30 mins academic skills workshop from 1.00-1.30pm followed by a Library tour finishing the day at 2.30pm.
-Then we will run it all again on the Wednesday!
Engagement:
(Domestic)
-Alyssa Rawnsley & Christine Bryant have worked hard on revitalising the Year 9 Career Taster offering we present to high schools around Perth throughout the year. In the past this has largely been Student Ambassadors presenting on their study areas and talking about the course experience; it is now aimed at being a bit more interactive between the Ambassadors and school students, and now also incorporates an opportunity for the students to complete a “Uniquely Me” questionnaire and exercise, which Alyssa and Christine gave developed, helping them to pinpoint possible areas of interest or career paths. This new offering is already being rolled out across a number of high schools.
-Christine Bryant has worked hard on presenting an interesting and exciting booth at next week’s Rockingham Kwinana Chamber of Commerce Expo, at which Business & Governance will also be present. May Chong will be helping and joining Christine and several staff at the Expo, at which Murdoch staff will be presenting and engaging with this important Southern Corridor audience
-Annie-Pierre Fortier and May Chong continue to work on rejigging Murdoch presentations for next year to be more exciting for audiences across Perth and WA (examples soon); Annie-Pierre has also conducted many an exciting campus visit over the last few days for a number of schools, including a different take on a campus tour – being an Amazing Race-style exploration of campus. All FSOs have dabbled in this fun new format in the last few days, which is great for younger audiences.
-Alyssa Rawnsley is due to attend the First in Family conference next week in Wollongong, the outcomes of which will be briefly shared in the coming week or two
-Sheryl Goh has been nominated as Murdoch’s NAPSA (National Association of Prospective Student Advisors) committee member, and has already been working well with her opposite numbers across the other four WA unis to coordinate regional schools events and visits, and to also communicate as a group to all schools in WA about who the teams are and what the unis would ideally like to do with Schools in 2017.
-And lastly the team of six in the Future Student team, me included, welcome Kerina Puttman back from a well-deserved 5-week break. Great to have you back, KP.
(International)
-China BDM, Maple Fu alongside Associate Professor Kevin Wong of SEIT visited SCBC in Guangzhou and conducted a seminar to a potential IT bound students to Murdoch
-Driven by SEIT, SCBC entered into an artic agreement with MU early this year. To see a photograph please click here
StudyPerth Welcome Desk
-StudyPerth are on track for the opening of the Welcome Desk at Perth Airport on 11 January 2017.
-From 11 January to 1 March 2017, International students will be warmly welcomed at Perth Airport with the opening of the StudyPerth Welcome Desk located directly opposite of the Arrivals Hall in Terminal 1.
-The Welcome Desk will be open from 5:00am to 9:00pm and will ensure that new International Students feel welcome in Perth. The Welcome Desk will be staffed by local and international students who will distribute essential information to assist newly arriving international students during the settling-in period before they attend orientation on campus.
-When the Welcome Desk is not in operation, students can still pick up a pack from the Perth Airport Information Desk, located adjacent to the Welcome Desk.
Enrolments & Fees:
Enrolments
-The Team is dealing with enquiries as students encounter the usual issues and request exemptions and approvals for their desired enrolments.
-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 in the units they want to do in 2017 now, and the units will be transferred when we do the course transfer after the release of results.
Fees
-Students can now calculate the fees for Summer units with a census date this side of 1 January 2017. Fees for units with census dates in 2017 will be available in 2017.
-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 HELPloans 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 upfront). 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:
-We continue to have only have one Disability Advisor on board. So, please try to assist students with disability/medical conditions in the shorter term if at all possible.
-The ALLY discussion group is not meeting again this year and will recommence in 2017. In the meantime, please forward queries in relation to ALLY or LACE to Abigayle Carmody Ext 2719 te that Abigayle work 0.5FTE.
-Please note that the Equity and Social Inclusion Office will be closed on Tuesday 22 Nov until 2pm as staff will be in a planning session
Student Support:
Scholarships
-Uni Bank scholarships have closed with 8 very strong candidates. We look forward to the outcome.
-Banksia Association Honours ScholarshipEvening was a great success. Banksia winner – Claire Greenwell
Special Programs
-DFAT Australia Awards Farewell/Welcome Ceremony running on 1 December, 2016 – Murdoch Australia Awards Student Samuel Okang-Boye is giving the speech for commencing students (Sam is due to finish at the end of semester 2, 2016 but DFAT felt he was the best person to give the commencing speech)
-Semester 2, 2016 Australia Awards Murdoch on-campus farewell running on 14 December, 2016 at 2pm
-12 Australia Awards students confirmed for Semester 1, 2017
Transition and Retention
-Organisation of the Uni-Edge transition plan is underway in collaboration with other areas of student services, the library and guild, as well as the Student Advisor Network
TNE:
Week 12 September Trimester
-This week is the last week of the September Trimester. Students will have their study break next week prior to the final assessment period for the trimester.
-Murdoch Academic Staff have travelled to Singapore over the past week to conduct training with local lectures on blended learning. Murdoch will introduce MUCC in a blended learning format in 2017.
-Preparations for the January Trimester are tracking well, Kaplan opened their enrolment portal on Thursday 17th for the first round of enrolments for TJA2017
-Recent changes to the assessment policy regarding supplementary assessment have been captured on the TNE Web Resource for staff and partners easy access http://www.murdoch.edu.au/TNE/Assessment-Moderation-and-Results/Supplementary-and-Deferred-Examinations/
-The Murdoch Singapore Office now has their own website
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