Issue 6, Monday 7 April 2003

Welcome to new academic director

Professor Phil Steele, Associate Dean, Industry in the Faculty of Information and Technology, has been appointed Academic Director at the Peninsula campus.

The position is a restructured version of the previous role held by John White who retired at the end of last year.

Many staff may know Phil who was head of the Peninsula School of Computing and Information Technology and was instrumental in establishing the School of Network Computing before heading to the Caulfield campus.

Phil will continue his role as Associate Dean in the Faculty of IT based at Caulfield but plans to be at the Peninsula campus every Monday and Friday. Phil can be contacted on extn 44339.

New ramp provides better access

A new ramp being installed on the east side of the Student Union building will provide improved access for all students and staff  and assist people with disabilities traverse the Peninsula campus.

The $86,000 construction (pictured right) will provide a more direct route between the east and west sides of the campus especially around the student union, student residences and hockey field. The ramp should be completed by the end of April.

Relay for Life - it's on again

Monash University and MONYX is again taking on the organisation of the annual Frankston Relay for Life event this year for the fourth year in a row.

Last year, the local Monash community as well as the general Mornington Peninsula community got behind the event raising a phenomenal $115,000 for The Cancer Council Victoria. In the three years to date that the Relay has been run in Victoria more than $250,000 dollars has been raised.

Last year the committee consisted of largely Monash and Monyx staff from a variety of campuses and this year the organising committee is keen to hear from anyone who might be interested in getting involved on a different level than participating in a team.

According to event chairmanager Ravi Chand, Relay for Life at Ballam Park is one event where you really feel you are part of something special.

Due to the public response, this year's event will be held on Friday 14 November and Saturday 16 November.

Anyone interested in getting involved at a committee level should contact Chairmanager Ravi Chand on 0405 100 000 by Thursday 17 April 2003

A day at the maize maze

Nineteen children from the Monash Peninsula Childcare Centre had a great day recently visiting the maze at Arthur's Seat.

The children, aged three to five years, were accompanied by staff from the centre and parents, and were able to enjoy the variety of mazes before having lunch and returning to the centre.

The children where able to enjoy the range of mazes at Arthurs Seat including one grown from maize (pictured left) and the children's maze.

Peninsula notes

IT gets best practice stamp

Information Technology has become the first Monash faculty to attain International Standard Organisation (ISO) certification.

It has achieved the international certification in the key administrative areas of admissions, student services, research services, executive services, quality and document management services, personnel administration, purchasing and international operations across all Australian campuses including the School of Network Computing.

Dean of the faculty Professor John Rosenberg said the ISO 9001 standard is known throughout the world as a symbol of quality.  The faculty aims to attain ISO 9001:2000 certification of its academic processes by 2006.

Staff Social Club

About 30 staff enjoyed dinner at Chisholm Institutes Bunurong Restaurant last week organised by the Staff Social Club.

Authorised by the Office of the Academic Director - Peninsula