Issue 5, Monday 19 April 2004

Nike's a regular uni student

The Peninsula campus has long been renowned for the nurturing learning environment it provides its students. Now a student of the four legged type has experienced the Peninsula campus hospitality.

Seeing eye dog Nike, pictured here with Peninsula campus PhD student and puppy carer Stephen Weeding, is an 11 month old Labrador who is training for a the very important role of eventually giving a blind person independence.

Stephen has been caring for Nike since his was eight weeks old and since that time they have spent almost 24 hours a day, seven days a week together in a variety of settings.

During the 12 to 18 months Nike will spend with his puppy carer, Stephen is responsible for basic obedience training and socialisation including learning to walk on the left hand side, and to eat and go to the toilet on command.

Apart from his time at uni, Nike has been introduced to large crowds, shopping centres and has also been taken on all modes of public transport. He is continuously visited by a dedicated Seeing Eye Dog trainer who monitors his progress and also helps with any problems that may arise.

Already Nike knows that when he is wearing his blue jacket he must not get distracted but when the jacket  is removed Nike is your usual fun loving puppy who loves to run around and chew on everything. As a part of his training Nike must undergo a series of five 'exams' and two x-rays during his time with Stephen to test his progress and monitor his physical health, and to date he has passed them all with flying colours.

Of course Stephen explains, there are times when Nike gets bored and pushes the boundaries in his attempt to be the number one dog in the pack. "The process of becoming a Puppy Carer is quite in-depth and Seeing Eye Dogs Australia (SEDA) undertakes interviews and site visits to make sure
that your living environment is going to be suitable for a new puppy," he explained. "During this time they also attempt to 'match' puppies with potential carers so they better suit each other's personalities increasing the chance of training success."

You also learn to be prepared. "As Nike goes everywhere with me we have had several embarrassing moments socially, like the time we were in the cosmetics section at Myers and Nike needed to go to the toilet urgently," Stephen explained. "Luckily we had plenty of plastic bags, tissues and wet wipes to clean up the mess!", he said adding that "Nike seemed to take it all in his stride."

Nike is Stephen's first seeing eye dog and he said it will be difficult to hand Nike back but he will be proud to see Nike graduate to a harness and continue for a further 6 months of intensive schooling at SEDA. Nike will then go onto be matched with a blind person where they are trained together at a four week residential course or on a domiciliary basis. The pairing then can last for up to 10 years when Nike will eventually take a well earned retirement.

Stephen believes Puppy Carers provide an important volunteer role in helping to train puppies who in turn help blind people to be both independent and active within the broader community. Depending on working circumstances and lifestyle at the time, Stephen says he would do it all again.

Further information about Seeing Eye Dogs Australia, visit their website or call 1800 037 773.

Secondary school students get to Experience Monash Peninsula

More than  80 senior secondary school students from around Victoria spent a day at the Peninsula campus last week undertaking a hands on school holiday program.

The Experience Monash program provided the prospective students with the opportunity to experience the many aspects of uni life at the Peninsula campus. Academic activities in Business and Economics, Education, Network Computing and Nursing were designed to inspire and inform students, allowing them to sample a variety of educational fields.

The aim of the program is to allow interested students to visit the campus during their school holidays and undertake hands on activities that give them a better understanding of what university study is really like. The 80 plus students rotated around the various academic areas on campus during the day getting a broad experience of all the Peninsula campus has to offer.

The students also met current uni students who acted as their hosts during the day and participated in sporting activities during their lunch break.

Special thanks to the staff who led the academic programs during the day including Peter Thompson (Business and Economics), Bob Greaves (Education), Wei Ye (Network Computing) and Kay McCauley (Nursing).

Vacancies in the child care centre

The state-of-the-art, new Monash Peninsula Children's Centre currently has vacancies in its baby's room (0 to 12 months) and one to two year old room. There are also a small number of places available in the three to four year old room and the four to five kinder program.

The new purpose built centre has been able to increase its numbers from 40 to 60 places. Priority is given to staff and students but the community users are also welcome.

If you, or anyone you know, is interested in utilising the centre please should contact Winnie Stewart, Centre Director, on extn 44554.

Security breaches on campus

Security has recently received several reports that staff/students are letting people into building as they leave.

Staff are reminded that this practice is dangerous and a serious breach of security. If staff could advise students who may be in their buildings after hours that under no circumstance should they let an unauthorised person into a building when they exit this would be appreciated.

Anyone who needs access to a building outside of normal working hours should gain permission from their head of department who should in turn inform security. Otherwise access will not be permitted.

In the instance that unauthorised access has been allowed Security should be contacted immediately.

Getting green on campus

Green tip for reducing paper

In 2003 Monash University purchased 206,000 reams of paper - a 10 per cent increase on 2002! This amount of paper required the felling of 8700 trees and cost Monash over $500,000.

Following are some simple ways to reduce the amount of paper you use:

• Think before you print.
• AVOID printing emails unless absolutely necessary.
• Adjust your margins and type size to fit more on the page. If you use Arial font, 11 point type, 2.54 cm left hand margins and 1.27 cm right hand margins you increase the amount of information you fit on a page by up to one third.
• Print and photocopy double sided.
• For all drafts or internal documents use the manual paper feeder and feed in once-used paper.
• Print two pages per sheet.
• Use the print preview function to check layout before printing.

It's easy to be green with only a small amount of effort, which will eventually become habit.

Peninsula notes

Business Associates budget breakfast

Professor John Freebairn will be the guest speaker at the annual Monash Budget Breakfast on Thursday 13 May.

Professor Freebairn, from the Department of Economics at the University of Melbourne, will deliver an in-depth analysis of the federal budget. The timing of the breakfast - two days after the delivery of the budget - will allow Professor Freebairn to fully assess its impact on business and local business in particular.

The breakfast will be held in the Seahorse Tavern. Registration is from 7.15 am. The cost is $35 per person. RSVP to Narelle Krueger on extn 44074 by 10 May.

Wine tasting for a cause

Lounge furniture free to a good home

Monash Residential Services has some free, used grey/beige modular lounge chairs that they are keen to relocate. This furniture is from the student residences at Samada Street but still in good/fair condition. It is temporarily being stored in B building. Anyone interested in seeing the furniture should contact Laura Thorne on extn 44338 to arrange access.

Comedy night

MONSU Peninsula presents one of the finest line ups for its first comedy night for 2004. Simon Palomares, the creator of Wogs out of Work and Acropolis Now, Hung Le, classical violinist turned comedian, Bruno Lucia and Dave Grant will perform at the Student Cafe on Thursday 29 April. Tickets are $10 for students and $15 for the general public. Limited tickets are available from MONSU reception so purchase them soon.

Seahorse Tavern deals

The Seahorse Tavern opening hours during semester are Monday to Thursday 12 noon to 7.30pm and Friday 12 noon to 3 pm

SPECIALS

• Buy one main meal receive a pot or soft drink for FREE.
• UDLS $3
• Cake and coffee $5
• Happy hour Monday to Thursday 4 pm till 6pm.

Authorised by the Office of the Academic Director - Peninsula