• Fulbright to Monash student

Monash PhD student Ms Kyllie Cripps is one of two candidates selected to receive a 2000 Fulbright Postgraduate Student Award for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander People, sponsored by the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Commission.

Kyllie is currently enrolled in a PhD program with the Centre for Women's Studies and Gender Research.

As part of her Australian PhD program and in affiliation with the University of Arizona, Kyllie will undertake comparative research among native American communities in Arizona. Her research, through extensive fieldwork both in Australia and the US, will seek to identify, examine and provide a comprehensive analysis of programs that are successfully addressing family violence in indigenous communities.

Kyllie is one of 19 Australians to receive an award in 2000 under the auspices of the Australian-American Fulbright Commission.

• New committee for journalism

A select group of media industry professionals will join staff from Monash's Gippsland campus to form a course coordination committee for the university's journalism program.

The committee, to be chaired by head of the School of Humanities, Communications and Social Sciences Professor Harry Ballis, will bring together representatives from ABC and commercial TV, radio and print media.

"It is crucial that vocational courses such as journalism maintain strong ties with professionals active in the media industry. I expect this committee will provide invaluable experience and advice," Professor Ballis said.

The Bachelor of Arts (Journalism) commenced in 1995 and the Gippsland staff now teach students on four locations: Gippsland (on campus and by distance education), Berwick, Monash University Malaysia and in Singapore. The journalism teaching section is currently headed by Dr Errol Hodge.

Committee members are:

• Professor Harry Ballis, (chair) head, School of Humanities, Communications and Social Sciences;
• Dr Errol Hodge, head of journalism;
• Ms Usha Manchanda, lecturer in journalism;
• Ms Rebecca Lean, elected student representative;
• Ms Michelle Fonseca, ABC TV journalist;
• Ms Alison Harding, editor, Weekend Magazine, Herald-Sun;
• Mr David Johnston, journalist-presenter, Channel 7;
• Mr Andrew Kruger, SBS radio news executive;
• Mr Colin McKinnon, training editor, The Age;
• Mr Lynne Smith, editor, Latrobe Valley Express;
• Mr Ross Warneke, TV columnist, The Age, talk-back radio host, 3AW.

Online staff questionnaire

All academic and general staff are being asked to fill out an online staff questionnaire to determine the breadth and depth of expertise within the university. The questionnaire has been developed by staff from Budget and Statistical Services and a range of Monash staff have been consulted in its development. See bass.adm.monash.edu.au/statistics/sq/sqintro.htm for further details.