PENINSULA ONLINE

Issue 16
Monday, 18 December 2006 

The year in review

More than 80 staff, including Monash Vice Chancellor Professor Richard Larkins, attended the staff club end of year campus lunch last week.

Academic Director Professor Phillip Steele, highlighted some of the many achievements throughout the year.

Continued strong growth at the campus with new courses commencing next year:

• Bachelor of Health Science
• Bachelor of Nursing/Bachelor of Emergency Health (Paramedic Studies)
• Bachelor of Nursing (Psychological Studies) developed with funding from the State Government

Research output and funding is increasing at the campus with a range of research projects being undertaken or completed. A snapshot of some of the research:

• Emergency Health/Physio/OT $177K from Department of Human Services to explore ways of supporting the increasing demand for clinical places in Victorian health services
• Emergency Health (Lee Boyd) $105K from Asthma Foundations of Australia to develop, distribute and evaluate an education package related to ambulance use and the '000' process in asthma in regional Victoria
• Associate Professor Sonja Petrovic-Lazarevic, from the Faculty of Business and Economics at the Peninsula campus, was awarded an ARC Linkage Grant of $175,640 to explore 'Maximising the effectiveness of public health policies: The case of the smoke-free policies'. 
• Professor Helen Keleher and Dr Rhian Parker from the Department of Health Science received a $192,000 grant from the Australian Primary Health Care Research Institute to explore broadening nurse education models for the future.
• Education received funding as part of the Federal Government's Australian School Innovation in Science Technology and Mathematics program to work with local schools with the aim of developing broader programs to demystify Science and Maths
• Professor Carol Morse and Dr Rosalind Lau to research the alarmingly high rate of suicide of older people in the Frankston Mornington Peninsula region for the Frankston Ministers Network.

Range of successful research seminars and two research forums involving staff from all campuses and external stakeholders were held in 2006

Landscaping project between Library, C and A buildings being worked on to be completed early in the new year. New hockey pavilion progressing well. Also still working on the development of the Aquatic Centre with $17.5 million committed to the project.

Continued successful engagement with the community through the Peninsula Education Precinct ie VCE Revision lectures, Library forum, Leadership program and high achievers program.

More positive feedback from the schools participating in the Schools Access Monash Program. A new school joining the project next year – Western Port SC. Thanks to all the staff who were involved in supporting this program.

Many new staff have commenced at the campus and a few ‘old’ faces have departed.

Health and Wellbeing in the campus agenda. 12 campus teams competed in the 10,000 steps challenge – Well done to the Peninsula Admin team who made if from Perth to Broome first out of all the Peninsula teams. Campus walks have also been well attended on Wednesday lunch times.

Phil congratulated everyone for their efforts during the year and wished everyone a safe a happy holiday.

Phil presented Tanya O’Brien with her award for the most steps at Peninsula campus as part of the 10,000 steps challenge. Tanya did exceptionally well with 702,409 steps over the five week challenge.

Research focuses on suicide in older people

Peninsula campus researchers, Professor Carol Morse and Dr Rosalind Lau, are undertaking a study exploring the apparent high incidence of suicide and attempted self harm in people over 65 in the Mornington Peninsula region.

Around 16 per cent of women aged 65 and over are reported as suiciding or attempting to harm themselves -- more than three times the state average -- in the Frankston and Mornington Peninsula region. The rate for men in the same age category is 5.1 percent compared 3.7 per cent for the state.

Professor Morse and Dr Lau are looking for 120 men and women in the at-risk category and are hoping to speak to 15 women and 15 men from Mt Eliza, Rosebud, Mornington and Frankston.

A second group is also being sought for the project. This control group will consist of people who have never had intentions of self harm or dark thoughts, and who consider themselves as 'ageing well'.

The research, 'Understanding intentions in and attempts to self harm among community dwelling older people on the Frankston-Mornington Peninsula', is supported by the Frankston Ministers' Network, Monash Research for an Ageing Society (MonRAS) and Aged Psychiatry at Peninsula Health.

For further information, contact Professor Carol Morse on 9904 4060.

The Peninsula campus's Health and Wellbeing Research Unit will be relocating to the School of Nursing and Midwifery in January 2007. Professor Morse and Dr Lau will still be contactable on their current numbers.

Campus close down

Mail

The last mail delivery and collection for 2006 will be on Wednesday, 20 December. Mail will be delivered and collected during the usual run on Wednesday morning. Any postage not collected must be delivered to the mail room by 11 am.

Due to insufficient number of mailroom personnel on Tuesday, 2 January 2007, mail will not be sorted, delivered and/or collected but will return to normal hours on Wednesday, 3 January 2007. If your faculty/department require urgent postage on that Tuesday, please contact Rod Rodway extn 44108 for special arrangements or otherwise all mail will be collected in the Wednesday.

Deliveries

The storeroom will be closed for Tuesday, 2 January 2007. Anyone expecting a delivery on this day, please arrange to have it delivered via the Security Office or directly to your faculty/department reception. If you require an urgent courier on the Tuesday please contact Rod Rodway extn 44108.

Pool vehicles

Any vehicle booked on Wednesday, 20 December must be returned by 11 am on that day. The campus will not be accepting vehicle bookings for Tuesday, 2 January 2007. Return to normal business on Wednesday. For all of these we apologise for the inconvenience this may cause.

Greeting cards

Could you please mark standard size envelopes with the wording - CARD ONLY to receive the postage discount.

Reminder

A reminder to all staff there is no internal mail service to the Gippsland campus. If you require mail to be sent there it will need to be placed inside external envelopes and posted. If need be we can arrange it to be couriered there at your faculty/department expense.