University Defends Job Cuts

BY KAYNE STEPHENS

The University of Newcastle is defending its proposed restructure following a national petition launched against the changes.

The restructure will is estimated to cut 120 job cuts across the institution.

Vice Chancellor Alex Zelinsky says the changes are a necessary response to the university's current financial position.

"We have a financial sustainability problem that at some point our expenses exceed our revenue so we become financially unsustainable.

"It's a $35 million problem and we're addressing it through the reduction of costs and that includes, unfortunately, some job cuts."

The National Tertiary Education Union launched the petition, calling for community support to reject the proposal.

Vice Chancellor Alex Zelinsky says the loss of international students due to international border closures has had additional impact on the university's financial position.

"We've used international students to balance the books," Mr Zelinksy said.

"With COVID, international students didn't come here. So our international student enrolments this year are down 33% compared to the previous year. So that translates to a funding gap.

"The government has put in a package I would say is adequate for teaching only. But we also need to worry about research, so we need other funds for research and we have to work with industry," he said.

Vice Chancellor Alex Zelinsky says the restructure will allow greater resources to meet student demand.

"Students vote with their feet. They enroll in certain courses, they like certain courses more than they do others and in the end we need to match the resources that are available," Mr Zelinksy said.

"There are certain courses that become more popular, like criminology but we don't have the academics to teach there," Mr Zelinksy said.

"So what we're proposing to do is create more resources where the teaching load is and obviously diminishing where the student load doesn't exist," he said.

Fears For Threatened Species Following Kooragang Fire

BY JARROD MELMETH

Fears are being held for a population of Bell Frogs, which are listed as endangered, following a blaze which burnt through 102 ha of wetlands at Kooragang Island over the weekend.

According to the International Union for Conservation of Nature's Red List of Threatened Species, the number of green and golden bell frogs are estimated to have declined by more than 30 per cent in the past 10 years.

University of Newcastle PhD candidate Chad Beranek is studying the restoration and ecology of the green and golden Bell Frog on Kooragang Island and said he fears a site inspection will uncover the charred corpses of the threatened species.

"There is only about 40 populations of them known across the entire coast of Australia, where they used to be found right up the coast from northern New South Wales right down to far-east Gippsland in Victoria.

"There are only a few pockets remaining and Koorangang Island is one of the more productive pockets for this frog species.

"Kooragang island is definitely known to attract the attention of interesting types of people since it is a publicly accessible island, even after hours. It is not uncommon to see burnt out cars and the like.

"However, in the last few months, the amount of deliberately lit fires has increased hugely. In my first season I saw two the entire six months, but in the last four months, I have counted eight.

"These persistent perpetrators need to be caught or at least educated. Please share this post so that we can build momentum and pressure to have this seriously investigated, as I don't want to spend any more of my PhD wandering wastelands looking for corpses of the animals I love and have studied days ago while they were alive," Mr Beranek said.

A Green Bell Frog. Photo: The Australian Reptile Park.

University of Newcastle students embroiled in 'hazing' incident

BY JARROD MELMETH

A number of University of Newcastle students have been identified in online videos participating in a number of bizarre rituals called ‘Hazing’.

The sickening videos show new students being forced to take part in degrading initiation rituals. It is a custom most popularly associated with Greek Fraternities and Sororities in the United States where students are subjected to embarrassing tasks in order to pass initiation.

Newcastle University Student Association President Christy Mullen said the behaviour is unacceptable and the University must do more to rid campuses of this culture.

"The Univerisity and the Colleges need to put in place policies to make students more comfortable to be able to report this so those students that are the problem are dealt with.

"This behaviour is that bit by bit erosion of students personal boundaries. This behaviour is also what results in, and contributes to sexual violence and sexual harassment and assault," Ms Mullen said.

A UON Spokesperson said the University is appalled at the behaviour displayed in the videos.

"The University takes all allegations of student misconduct seriously and act swiftly to remove offensive behaviour from our campuses where it is reported.

Four years ago, the University took over additional management responsibilities of the residential colleges. Since that time, we have worked consistently to develop and implement targeted programs aimed at educating students and their support staff on the appropriate behaviours and our expectations of conduct in our community.

As well as the education and preventative measures, students found to have behaved in this way are subject to severe penalties."

Photo: Jarrod Melmeth

It's A Fact. We're Fat.

BY JESSICA ROUSE

It's a fact. Australians are getting fatter.

The latest research from the Australian Institute of Health and Welfare has found nearly 70 per cent of people living in the Hunter New England and Central Coast health regions are classified as being overweight or obese.

The figure is above the national average of 63 per cent. Put another way, 1 in 3 adults are overweight and not obese, and 1 in 4 adults are obese.

Nutrition and dietetics professor Clare Collins from the University of Newcastle said there is a difference between being obese and being overweight based on your Body Mass Index (BMI), but either way it's not good.

"Essentially the higher your BMI, the more likely it is that you're carrying excess body fat particularly around your waist and around your body organs and its that type of excess body fat that's related to higher risks of diabetes, heart disease and some cancers."

The statistics also look at overweight and obesity in children and show 1 in 4 Australian children and adolescents aged between 2 - 17 years old were overweight or obese.

Professor Clare Collins said the statistics are alarming and it should be a wake up call for more to be done to stop the statistics going up even more.

"These statistics are alarming, they're continuing to go up; it tells you that we're not doing enough to change the food environment so that basically its better for your health and your hip pocket to eat more healthily,"

"It needs to be a call to action that we change the food environment, that we work together across all sectors so the health and wellbeing of people here in the Hunter and the central coast is the thing that drives us to making it better," said Claire.

Rumoured staff outsourcing at University of Newcastle

BY BROOKE HEINZ

After-hours staff tasked with ensuring the welfare of on-campus residents at the University of Newcastle may be outsourced under a new proposal, according to The Newcastle Herald.

There are reports staff were shown plans to replace after-hours student living support officers with what one staff member described as "security guards" under the University's restructure of its Infrastructure and Facilities Services (IFS).

However, a University of Newcastle spokesperson has told 2NURFM staff have not seen a formal consultation paper.

"The formal consultation paper with the proposed changes has not yet been presented to staff," said the spokesperson in a statement. 

The Newcastle Herald also reported environmental and business support officer roles will be cut, along with the downsizing of the department's management.

When asked for further comment, the University of Newcastle spokesperson did not confirm or deny the specific claims published in The Newcastle Herald, but did acknowledge possible upcoming staff changes.

"UON’s Infrastructure and Facilities Services (IFS) will announce proposed staff changes in the coming weeks," their statement read.

"The change proposal will only be finalised following consultation with staff about the proposal and after all feedback is considered."

"The University understands the important role IFS staff play in providing services to students and staff across a range of areas, and this high-quality support and service will continue to remain a priority for the University."

Phoney consultation the hot topic at a community forum in Newcastle tonight

BY JESSICA ROUSE

Phoney consultation and a disregard for professional and sensible advice is what the Hunter Community Coalition (HCC) believes is leading to the downfall of Newcastle.

The HCC is made up of numerous community groups formed in a response to what they see as non-existent consultation between the council, urban planning groups and the community in regards to construction and planning projects throughout the city.

The group is hosting a public forum titled Taking the "Con" Out of Consultation tonight open to all residents and community groups concerned with what is happening in their city without their consideration. The forum will start at 7pm in the Hunter Room at City Hall.

Three guest speakers will be in attendance including NSW Greens MP David Shoebridge, Corrinne Fisher from Total Environment Centre and founding convener of Better Planning Network, and Paul Scott a lecturer in Communication at the University of Newcastle and community advocate.

David Blithe from the HCC says people aren't being taken into account, communities aren't taken into account and overall the whole city is losing out.

"We are treated a bit like mushrooms, we're kept in the dark and fed on manure - decisions seem to be made and certainly are made before a phoney consultation process goes through."

The major concern is, of course, the upcoming Supercars event which has left many residents fuming.

"All of these things are concerns that we have that could've been resolved if planning had been open the residents and the other interested people like commuters, businesses and visitors had been consulted beforehand."

The government could be adding insult to injury on the University of Newcastle

BY JESSICA ROUSE

New figures have revealed the University of Newcastle could be set to lose $79 million if the Turnbull Government's higher education reforms get through Parliament.

The loss would come as a result of particular reforms for enabling programs like New Step and Open Foundation, which would be opened up to the private sector and an addition of fees in excess of $3,000.

Newcastle Mp Sharon Claydon along with her Labor team is fighting against the reforms and she believes it would really add insult to injury for the university.

"That's a lot of money and it's coming on top of additional $100 million that the university is set to lose through the so called efficiency dividend over the next ten years if this government's higher education package gets through the parliament."

Tens of thousands of students get into degrees through the enabling programs and Newcastle is the biggest provider of the programs in Australia.

Deputy Leader of the Opposition and Shadow Minister for Education Tanya Plibersek hosted a roundtable at the University of Newcastle with Sharon Claydon and Deputy Vice Chancellor Professor Daryl Evans last month to discuss the changes and the effect they'll have on students wanting to undertake study.

The government's views haven't budged since and the Newcastle MP says the reforms will put students off the idea of high education rather than encouraging them to better their learning.

"It's my firm view if the government is looking for savings they'd better look away from education because that's an area we should always be investing - Australia's greatest asset is our people and investing in our people is a long term investment for our future."

Newcastle MP Sharon Claydon and Deputy Leader of the Opposition
Tanya Plibersek at the roundtable last month.

Dumb and short-sighted: Plibersek

BY JESSICA ROUSE

Labor is forming a united front against the Federal Government's proposed changes to university enabling programs which would see programs such as NewStep and Open Foundation which are free, cost students up to $3,200 in fees.

Deputy Leader of the Opposition and Shadow Minister for Education Tanya Plibersek hosted a roundtable at the University of Newcastle yesterday with Federal Member for Newcastle Sharon Claydon and Deputy Vice Chancellor Professor Daryl Evans to discuss the changes and the affect they'll have on students wanting to undertake study.

The University of Newcastle is one of the largest and oldest providers of these enabling programs, and Tanya Plibersek says in an area where youth unemployment is high and university participation rates are already low, the changes would make higher education impossible for some students.

All smiles here, but not for the government's proposed changes
Newcastle MP Sharon Claydon & Deputy Labor Leader
Tanya Plibersek.

"They (students) wouldn't have even considered it even if was a much smaller fee, some of them just wouldn't have had the money, others are saying they wouldn't have had the confidence to spend that money on themselves because they had such a tough time at high school, because their marks weren't good,"

"They wouldn't have had the confidence to say its worth putting thousands of dollars into an educational opportunity like this because they would've thought they were going to bomb out," said Tanya Plibersek.

Also known as 'university preparation courses', Sharon Claydon says they focus on higher education pathways for Indigenous and mature-age students as well as recent school leavers between 18 and 20 years old.

"The fact that Newcastle has more than 1,000 Indigenous students enrolled and trains more than half of the nation's Indigenous doctors is no coincidence - this is directly attributable to decades of hard work and Newcastle University's steadfast commitment to delivering equity in education through high quality enabling programs."

Tanya Plibersek says the enabling programs give students the option to study who otherwise wouldn't even consider taking the step into higher education. She believes it's dumb and short-sighted to propose fees now.

"It's absolutely typical for the liberal government to be handing out tax cuts to millionaires and tax cuts to big business and a new fee for uni students who've had a tough time, who are trying to turn their lives around and they're slugging them with all of these fees."

NeW Space ready for staff

BY JESSICA ROUSE

With arguably the best view in Newcastle's CBD, the University of Newcastle's NeW Space is one step closer to being officially open for business with staff moving in on Monday.

Once the 320 staff are settled in, around 3,000 students will be moving into the building when Semester 2 begins from the Faculties of Business and Law as well as the Creative Industries.

The $95 million facility is embracing the renewal of Newcastle changing the skyline with a visually impressive building being a reflection of the city, the building's materials and the Indigenous culture of the site.

University of Newcastle Chief Operating Officer Nat McGregor says the building looks to the future with a focus on collaboration between students and staff in a close working environment.

"We call it a vertical campus, we've got a mix of student spaces and staff spaces from the floor down so it's not designed to have the students on the ground level and the staff at the top, you'll see staff and student spaces merged throughout the whole eight floors so it's going to change the way that we educate students and it's going to change the way that the staff collaborate."

Active travel and public transport has been considered and students are being strongly advised to use it to avoid the stress of trying to get a carpark in what is a busy CBD.

"We are actively encouraging staff and students to consider a range of travel options, including more sustainable modes of transport, such as walking, cycling and public transport," said Nat McGregor.

Staff are excited to get working in a fresh new building and Student Assistant Hannah Hill says not only is she excited to work there but when students see just how beautiful the building is inside and out when they start their studies.

"I think once you have a look inside and have a look at the views of Newcastle students will be excited to come here and learn which will be great."

Claire Patterson, a Student Hubs and Enquiries Officer agrees,

"Its a beautiful building, its like a lot of imaginative design, a lot of thoughts gone into it, I've heard the architects speak on a tour so that's a really nice perspective to hear from a staff point of view just being able to work in a space that gets lots of natural light and nice views and you're able to engage more with the staff, students and the community as well."

Ladies you can't eat for two!

BY JESSICA ROUSE

A new study at the University of Newcastle is aiming to prove simply knowing the right sized servings of food can hugely impact your health, particularly if you're pregnant.

The study is helping women understand, and lift the confusion, on how big a serving size of carbohydrates is because having too much can be bad for both mother and baby's health. When too much carbohydrate is converted to blood sugar, high levels can adversely affect their health.

PhD candidate and dietician Hannah Brown says knowing about portion size plays a vital role in protecting the health of both mother and baby.

"We're focusing on carbohydrate knowledge, food label use and food intake to develop new ways to support women and help improve nutrition in pregnancy," said Hannah.

The study will test an app which visually shows the right portion size of food you should be eating, because despite popular belief, you can't use the excuse of eating for two while you're pregnant!

"The app uses augmented reality and what it does is it overlays one standard serve of a carbohydrate food onto a plate so the participate can actually see what one standard serve looks like and then they can put this into the context of their overall diets for the day," said Hannah.

Women who participate in the study can either come to the labs at the University to get access the app to take home on their phones, or alternatively there's an online survey women can complete at home.

The study is open to women over 18 years of age and from 12 to 22 weeks' gestation, with no previous diagnosis of type 1 or type 2 diabetes. If you'd like to participate contact Hannah on 4985 4255 or hannah.m.brown@uon.edu.au . The survey is available at http://tinyurl.com/uonpregnancy 

Image HMRI Twitter

Party Politics has no place in Port Stephens: Cr Ken Jordan

BY JAMES WARD and JESSICA ROUSE

The Labor Party has been slammed for the announcement of their intention to bring party politics to the floor of Port Stephens Council.

Councillor Ken Jordan, a former Liberal candidate for Port Stephens, believes party politics has no place in local government because whether they're Labor, Liberal or Greens they'd only answer to their political superiors.

Over the weekend nine people were selected by local Labor Party members to contest the 2017 Port Stephens Council election including Desmond Maslen for mayor.

Cr Ken Jordan claims the Labor Party doesn't have the betterment of the community at heart and believes they will only have negative impacts on the community.

"The negative impacts are having people that are not there for the people, they're there for the party - they don't answer to the community, they don't answer to people, they're not there for the people, they answer to what the party tells them to do."

He adds if Port Stephens is to maintain its image as one of the best councils in the state, party politics can't come to pass within the council.

"Local government is grassroots, it's about the people and you know the parties in there, you wan't people to answer to the community. Port Stephens Council is one of the best councils in the state on just about every measurement you can measure, why do you want to ruin it?" said Cr Ken Jordan.

Professor of Politics at the University of Newcastle Jim Jose says there is merit in the argument that when you're a member of a political party you follow the political ideology.

"There's some merit in that argument that when you're a member of a political party and there is a party platform on a given issue then given that issue comes up in council and is up for debate there is a significant amount of pressure from the particular party to ensure that as a member for that party you tow that line."

"However there have been occasions when members of parties have stood up and basically followed the issues to do with their local constituency and sometimes they pay the penalty for this and sometimes they're applauded," said Professor Jim Jose.

Uni ranking at risk: union

BY GARY-JON LYSAGHT

The NTEU are warning UoN's world ranking is at risk.

The University of Newcastle is at risk of falling down the world rankings after it announced 30 jobs would be cut from non-academic staff over the next two years.

That is the view from the National Tertiary Education Union, who claim the job losses will cause extra stress on academic staff.

NTEU Newcastle branch president Associate Professor Tom Griffiths said it could also hinder academics' ability to teach students.

"[Academics] are supported by a professional staff who do an outstanding job, but cutting those positions further impacts further on their capacity to do that," Mr Griffiths said.

Tom Griffiths [Picture: UoN].

"Ultimately, that can impact on academics and their work and teaching."

The job losses will come from departments like human resources and finance, while other departments that interact more directly with students are undergoing a review.

In an email sent out to staff, vice-chancellor Caroline McMillen said the cuts were coming amid "global, technological, professional and social change".

However, Mr Griffiths says the job cuts are a bit ironic giving a recent advertising campaign for the University of Newcastle.

"Things are always changing ... but that doesn't mean you have to proceed with a cut of 30 jobs to save $3 million," he said.

"It's rather unfortunate that that happens at the same time that a million dollars is spent on a rebranding campaign - NEW."

"There's nothing new about these sorts of job cuts."

Fairfax Media reported last November that the NTEU were predicting up to 170 jobs would be cut from the University of Newcastle.

While these cuts are lower than expected, Mr Griffiths said it is "just phase one".

"There's going to be subsequent phases, which will involve further job losses over the next couple of years," he said.

"Rather than do it all at once, they're going to phase it in over a period of time."

There could be an end to the sniffles!

BY JESSICA ROUSE

The common cold has long eluded scientists, but researchers from Newcastle have teamed up with Melbourne researchers in a bid to use a molecule which could block the virus responsible for giving us the sniffles.

Based at the Hunter Medical Research Institute (HMRI), the groundbreaking research has been given a $6.3 million funding boost for trials which will use a molecule called 'TLR agonist' to stimulate the body's innate immune system and protect it against rhinovirus, better known as common cold infections.

The molecule goes directly into the respiratory tract and aims to block viral infections at their source whereas traditional cold remedies only dampen the symptoms. The rhinovirus has also been found to trigger common respiratory diseases such as asthma where symptoms can be severe and life-threatening.

Dr Nathan Bartlett.

Head of the viral immunology group at the University of Newcastle based at the HMRI Dr Nathan Bartlett, says the flu gets a lot of attention in the public but the rhinovirus is also causing lots of problems including costing society money due to a loss in productivity and is even more troublesome for people already suffering from respiratory problems.

"We've been working on the site where the virus replicates and that's the airway epithelium, or the cells lining the airways, so this is where the virus replicates and really its the event that triggers a cascade of inflammation that makes these chronic airway diseases worse and that's what we call the exacerbation or an asthma attack for example," said Dr Bartlett.

Dr Bartlett's reputation has impressed researchers throughout the country after spending 13 years in London where he perfected a way of producing the rhinovirus in a laboratory. He was then contacted by a Melbourne microbiologist who asked him to join his project developing the TLR agonist molecule.

The TLR agonist molecule isn't a new discovery, Dr Bartlett says it's really just taken time to identify the right molecule into a format that can target viruses such as the rhinovirus directly at the site of airway infection.

"We're in a really exiting phase here and I think the data we've got to date looks extremely promising. I've been working in this field going on 20 years now and certainly the most promising anti-viral I've had the opportunity to be working with so we're very optimistic and I think it's an excellent molecule," said Dr Bartlett.

He says he's confident the TLR agonist molecule will provide protection against all of the known subtypes of the common cold as well as other respiratory infections such as influenza and that if all goes according to plan, clinical trials could start as early as next year.

"We could really have a target candidate molecule identified before the end of the year hopefully, and then be looking to getting this into man clinical trials in 2018 and then hopefully have it approved and ready a small number of years after that - it's hard to predict exactly."

A NEW brand for the University of Newcastle

BY JESSICA ROUSE and ALEX MURRAY

The University of Newcastle has unveiled a powerful new campaign this morning aiming to bring new ideas and new people to the campus.

The World Needs New and New Needs You are the two messages being pushed by the campaign to reflect the university's innovative approach to education and research which doesn't only deliver regionally, but worldwide.

"It is about two things, it's about recognition regionally, nationally and globally of the amazing things that we do at Newcastle. We're Australia's best kept secret and we're very quiet achievers and so that story needs to get out," said Senior Deputy Vice Chancellor of Research and Innovation Kevin Hall.

"The second piece is around recruiting students. It's a very competitive field and we're very interested in getting top leading students to Newcastle."

Researchers behind the rebranding say not only will students be encouraged to come to the university, students already on campus will be encouraged to take part and learn about the research happening right where they're studying.

"What we find is when we do go globally or in fact when we ask around students about what goes on in Newcastle in terms of research, there's a blank stare and so this campaign was tested amongst our student population and they absolutely loved it. They thought it gave them a sense of identity and a sense of pride in what the university has accomplished," said Kevin Hall.

Meanwhile, a small group of protestors have gathered today at the University of Newcastle calling for a 'Zero Carbon Campus', innovating a completely renewable energy efficient campus.

Carbon dioxide is constantly increasing with adverse environmental effects, as a result, the support for sufficient renewable energy plans is also growing.

With other Australian Universities such as Monash, Charles Sturt and Melbourne all decreasing their reliance on fossil fuels, the campaign believes Newcastle should follow. 

A representative from the 'Zero Carbon Campus' campaign, George Parry says the university council needs to consider the possibility of going zero carbon.

"The university has the ability to go one hundred percent renewable over a period of ten years with zero upfront costs with the clean air energy corporation and at the end of the ten years there will be an annual saving of $2 million to the university."

Confidence in Hunter after GDP rise

BY GARY-JON LYSAGHT

A University of Newcastle economist is confident the rise in gross domestic product (GDP) during the December quarter is good for the Hunter.

Dr David Savage

Behavioural economist Dr David Savage said the GDP increase will also help reduce youth unemployment across the region, which currently sits at more than 13 percent.

"Youth unemployment is up everywhere," he said.

"When the whole economy grows, you start to find the lower end jobs start to improve as well.  So, you'll find the local cafes start to hire more, the corner stores are hiring more ...  because more products are being sold.

"When we have GDP growth, more people get employed, more people want to buy things - because they have more money - the general economy starts to grow.

"We start to see wage increases and start to see the standard of living increase with it."

The nation's GDP rose by 1.1 percent during the December quarter, quashing fears of a recession after a drop by 0.5 percent during the September quarter - the first drop since the Global Financial Crisis.

Treasurer Scott Morrison made the announcement yesterday, adding it has become the envy of the world.

"These growth figures say we are are at the top of the pack," Mr Morrison said.

But, Mr Morrison added that not every region in Australia was feeling the benefits of higher GDP, and Dr Savage believed the Hunter has been one, citing the downturn in the mining industry.

"When the mining economy doesn't run so well, you'll find that [mining dominate places like] Western Australia suffers, especially the Hunter - that it is so very mining sector based - and parts of Queensland have the same problem," he said.

"If the mining sector isn't firing, unemployment rates are very high, they take a very long time to catch up and we have this conversation of a two-speed economy.

"But it works in both directions, so when we do have a mining boom, you'll that these areas are doing very, very well."

However, he also said low employment in the mining sector is not related to youth unemployment, because youth employment often comes "from the general sector".

What has been boasted as another boom for the region's economy is the upcoming V8 Supercars race in November, and Dr Savage said it will help funnel huge revenue into the local economy.

He said a good case study was the Gold Coast 600, where there was - and still is - community disquiet around the race, but strong business enthusiasm.

"For businesses, it's really good and that sort of thing can spark a lot of tourism and money flow for even that short period of time," he said.

"It's also very good promotion [for Newcastle] Australia-wide.  Now that the Supercars are going to different places like New Zealand and China, we also get telecasted to those regions.

"So it's good for tourism across the board."

University of Newcastle Indigenous Student Graduates with Double Degree

BY TANYA DU PREEZ

University of Newcastle student Karlie Noon will be the first Indigenous graduate to obtain a double degree in science and mathematics at a ceremony later this week.

The 26 year old is the first in her family to attend university, and hopes to continue in her education by undergoing postgraduate studies.

"I will definitely go on to do my PhD," Ms Noon said.

"It is the epitome of academia and at the moment there are no Indigenous people with a PhD in physics."

Ms Noon also currently works for the Commonwealth Scientific and Industrial Research Organisation (CSIRO).

This year the University of Newcastle reached a milestone of 1000 Indigenous enrolments, making up 3.5% of the University's population.

This is the largest number of Indigenous students at any Australian university.

Karlie Noon is the first Indigenous student to graduate with a double degree in science and mathematics in NSW

Digital Innovation Precinct For Newcastle CBD

BY IAN CROUCH

Premier Mike Baird is in town today to announce plans to turn the Newcastle C.B.D into a digital precinct.

There will be free Wi Fi, high speed broadband, cutting edge smart parking as well as a dedicated innovation hub to be built at the corner of Auckland and King Streets aimed at attracting new industries and jobs to the region.

The state government is putting almost $10 million dollars into the project, with a further $8 million coming from Newcastle City Council and the University of Newcastle.

The Hunter Innovation Hub Proposed For The Corner of King & Auckland Streets

Community mourns the Death of Former Chancellor Trevor Waring

BY BRIDGET GUNN AND JAI MCALLISTER

The University of Newcastle community is mourning the passing of former Chancellor Conjoint Professor Trevor Waring.

The Professor made a significant and enduring contribution to the University of Newcastle both as a student, a leader in clinical psychology and also by serving as Chancellor from 2004 to 2012.

University of Newcastle Chancellor Paul Jeans says Professor Waring made a significant and wide-ranging contribution to the community.

"Trevor of course had an impact on the community as a whole so that impact reflected on the good will that was present between the community. Trevor and certainly his specialty area of Psychology, where he was very well recognized."

Source: The University of Newcastle

Snack Survey will Promote Consumer Awareness

BY BRIDGET GUNN

Dietetics researchers at the University of Newcastle hope to prompt changes in labelling of snacks with the results of their new online snack survey.

The results of the study will be used to inform consumers about their dietary choices and perceptions about nutrition values.

Doctor Tamara Bucher says this survey will help establish how people find out the nutritional information about snacks, and how they evaluate the nutritiousness of different snacks, which could be vital in helping consumers make healthy choices in the future.

"We aim to use the results of this study to better inform people that make nutrition labels and to improve nutrition information for consumers in the long term."

"We will also use these results to make new labels which will consider portion size to a certain extent."

Source: maven.co

SMART workshop putting students to the test

BY JESSICA ROUSE

The University of Newcastle's SMART program is hosting a sold out two day coding and computer workshop beginning today, teaching students the importance of computer science for their future careers.

The Coding and Computer Science Workshop will put the students aged between 10 and 14 years to the test, as they learn the fundamentals of coding and its applications by designing and constructing their own apps.

SMART Team Leader Sarah Pilgrim says coding and computer science are valuable skills which should be taught at a young age.

"It's all about getting them engaged with it, showing them that it's something that can be really fun and it's also about showing them the importance of them having these skills to be able to be equipped for the jobs of the future."

Students will be given the opportunity to explore cutting edge technology from around the University in between each coding session.

They will be given the opportunity to experience a robotics and virtual reality session hosted by the Faculty of Engineering and Built Environment and also given the chance to delve into another world with Virtual reality headsets from the Faculty of Science and IT.