Issue 3, Monday 1 March 2004

 Monash Peninsula receives compassionate employer award

The Peninsula campus was last week awarded an Inaugural Compassionate Employer Award for showing extra care and compassion above and beyond normal policies to an employee who has suffered the loss of a loved one.

Lee Tierney from Works Branch, who lost her daughter Kelly last year, nominated the campus based on the following key criteria:

1. Employer who has personally supported the employee after bereavement;
2. Those who arranged for additional time off, beyond the familiar three days bereavement leave;
3. Those who provided support services and/or time off eg to obtain counselling or seek a support group;
4. Caring attitude and ability to empathise demonstrated by employer’s entire workforce;
5. Those who showed flexibility in work assignments and evaluation of job performance during the stress and personal pain associated with the death of a loved one;
6. Other acts of compassion that the bereaved will remember forever.

The awards have been established by The Compassionate Friends (TCF) Victoria in conjunction with Rotary Club of Geelong Central. TCF is part of a world-wide organisation offering friendship and understanding to families following the death of a son or daughter, brother or sister.

Lee, together with Campus Manager Jill McLachlan and Works Branch Manager Greg Brown, attended a moving presentation ceremony at Melbourne Zoo's Butterfly enclosure last week. Lee added that "everyone at the campus has good reason to feel very proud as they are all wonderful".

Other organisations recognised included the Australian Securities & Investment Commission – Traralgon, Centrelink – Box Hill, Colorpak Packaging, AMCOR Flexibles Australasia, Australian Pacific Touring Pty Ltd and Ambassador Property Services.

Bushfire protection for homeowners

The School of Applied Sciences and Engineering at the Peninsula campus is running a one and half day short course on ‘Bushfire protection for homeowners’ over two Saturdays on 17 and 24 April.

This course is aimed at people who are concerned about bushfires each summer and who want to know how the right knowledge can save them stress, money and bring them peace of mind every fire season.

Participants will learn how their home can survive a bushfire, why houses burn down and how to prevent it. The course will look at bushfire behaviour, how homeowners can conduct safer and smarter fire fighting and the responsibilities of owners of adjacent land.

Sessions will be led by respected fire fighter and forestry expert, Denis O’Bryan. The cost of the course is $132. For further information, contact Liz Kemp on extn 44365.

Short courses at Monash Peninsula

Chisholm Institute of TAFE is offering a number of their short course programs at Monash University's Peninsula campus during first semester.

ENROLMENTS AND PAYMENTS
Enrolment forms are available from MONSU Service Desk, Ground Floor,
building U or Campus Administration, building C. The form together with
payment should be submitted no later than two working days prior to the
commencement of the course.

CPR refresher course

Occupational Health, Safety & Environment (OHSE) will hold a CPR refresher course at the Peninsula campus on Tuesday 20 April at 2 pm to 3 pm and 3.30 pm to 4.30 pm. 

In accordance with the Monash University First Aid Policy, staff are required to update their CPR refresher skills every six months for a period of three years, at which time, they must re-do their First Aid Course. It is extremely important that first aid staff undertake this training to gain the experience and confidence to act as a Monash first aider.

The cost of the refresher is $35. Please contact Michael Mirra on extn 44212 to book.

Staying healthy in 2004

The Monash Peninsula Fitness Centre offers a range of exercise and group fitness classes for all levels. The following classes are being offered:

All classes will be on a casual basis and cost $5 per class unless staff are on a payroll deduction with a previous membership that includes fitness classes. For further information, contact Fitness Centre manager Kate Wallis  on 9770 1495. Bookings for classes are essential.

Introduction to campus for new staff

New staff at the Peninsula campus are invited to attend an introduction session on Tuesday 23 March at 3 pm.

All staff who have commenced at the campus is the last six to 12 months are invited to attend this informal session over afternoon tea, which will cover general information about the campus followed by a campus tour.

If you would like to attend, please register with Julie Ryan on extn 44015 by Thursday 18 March.

 Peninsula notes

Faculty of Business and Economics seminars

Tuesday 23 March
Business Associates Breakfast on 'Sport, Coaching and Business', presented by Phil King, former teacher, Olympic track and field coach and successful owner of several swimming centres. Registration from 7.15 am in the Seahorse Tavern. Cost: $35. RSVP to Narelle Krueger, extn 44074

Thursday 25 March
The Department of Marketing and the Faculty of Business and Economics (Peninsula) invites all staff to a research seminar by a visiting professor (and former editor), Arthur Kover, on the topic of 'Getting published: Some insights from a grizzled veteran of the publishing wars.'
Venue: Room A4.16
Time: 4pm-5.30pm
RSVP: Mike Ewing

Some of the topics to be covered in this informal talk will include: The art of concentration, finding the 'right' journal, the risk factor, scoping the territory and hints that can make a difference. Overall, the emphasis will be on research quality and publishing in quality journals.

Arthur Kover is a Cornell/Yale educated sociologist who has taught OB/management, marketing and advertising at some of the best universities on the east coast of the U.S. and in Europe/Australia/Hong Kong. He was review editor of Administrative Science Quarterly in the late 70s and is the immediate past editor of the Journal of Advertising Research (1997-2003).

Flu vaccinations

The 2004 season flu vaccines are here and available to all staff, students and their families for $15. For further information and to book an appointment, contact Community Services on extn 44223.

Authorised by the Office of the Academic Director - Peninsula