Popular options in the medical course White-water rafting, a visit to a health farm, rural and alpine medicine, and the role of humour in medicine are just some of the interesting options available for first and third-year Monash medical students, according to academic programs director Mr Michael Lewenberg. First introduced into the medical program in the early 1990s, the activities are designed to extend the students' personal capabilities and broaden their knowledge. "The faculty has been able to respond to student interest which has even resulted in a unit on the history of World War II," Mr Lewenberg said. According to Complementary Medicine Research Unit director Dr Marc Cohen, the students believe the options are a very worthwhile addition to their medical course. "One of the more popular options, white-water rafting, is often chosen by students for the sheer adventure. Students do not realize that they will be learning team-building and leadership skills as well as about their own preferred working styles," he said. Another popular option is a week at a health retreat, which gives students the chance to explore and experience a range of complementary medical practices and to discuss their scientific basis. "Feedback from students indicates that they believe the program will help them develop the strategies they need to tackle their future studies and a career in medicine," Dr Cohen said. Medical students receive instruction in complementary medical practices during a recent health retreat.

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Vice-Chancellor's Awards for General Staff Nominations for the Vice-Chancellor's Awards for Exceptional Performance by General Staff are invited from heads of administrative units or staff outside a work area who are aware of exceptional performance by individual general staff or work teams at Monash. The awards, which are equivalent to the Vice-Chancellor's Awards for Distinguished Teaching, are intended to recognise the contributions of general staff which exceed the normal requirements of their positions. Exceptional performance must have been sustained for at least a three-year period. Once the nominations have been considered by the selection committee and decisions made, a total amount of $15,000 will be distributed among the award winners. Further recognition is given by a permanent citation in the university Calendar. The closing date for the 1999 awards is Friday 19 November. Full details of eligibility criteria and the nomination process can be found at www.monash.edu.au/personnel/pdt/awards/ index2.htm Inquiries should be directed to Ms Trish Morris on extn 56876 or email trish.morris@adm.monash.edu.au

IT systems in idle mode for Y2K As part of the university's risk minimisation strategy for Y2K, services provided by Information Technology Services (ITS) will be closed down on 31 December 1999 and opened up progressively from the morning of 1 January 2000 once checks are completed. A server to provide a limited Monash presence on the web throughout this period will advise inquirers when normal services will resume. At the request of deputy vice-chancellor Professor Peter Darvall, deans and heads of divisions have been asked to indicate by mid-November any areas of the university which have a pressing need for access to an ITS-provided service, including networks, during the 48-hour period from noon on 31 December 1999. These needs will be considered by the Y2K Steering Committee and a decision made on the action to be taken. All operational areas are advised to take similar steps to protect systems, programs and data for which they have responsibility. Advice and assistance is available from Mr Alan Bell on extn 51640 or email alan.bell@its.monash.edu.au

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Bin there, done that ...

New recycling bins were launched at Clayton campus last week, the first in a range of initiatives under the Waste Wise Program which Monash has recently joined.

The red recycling bins will be placed in central areas of the campus and will take aluminium and steel cans, glass and plastic bottles, and milk and juice cartons. The not-for-profit Waverley Industries Group will collect the waste free of charge.

It will be followed early next year by a greatly improved paper and cardboard recycling system, a litter campaign and a waste minimisation program.

Monash Student Association's newly appointed environment project officer Mr Elya Tagar said the new program had come about as a result of cooperation between the MSA, university staff and Unicomm.

"Staff and students are working together on this program - there is a growing sense of community around the recycling issue," he said.

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Berwick students tour

In a first for Berwick, a new second-year subject devised by tourism lecturer Dr David Dunstan will feature a four-week guided tour of the cultural institutions of North America.

"This is an important development, as this is the first overseas study tour credit course to be offered to Berwick tourism students," he said.

According to Dr Dunstan, the cultural institutions of North America are among the world's most professionally run, best endowed and most influential.

During the tour, students will meet with tourism professionals and educators from museums in Los Angeles, Chicago and Washington, the San Diego Zoo, the National Air and Space Museum in Washington DC, the Metropolitan Museum of Art, the Guggenheim Museum, and Ellis Island in New York.

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Re-establishing history

The campus coordinator of the Faculty of Education at Gippsland, Associate Professor Tony Taylor, is to head a national inquiry into the teaching of history in schools.

The inquiry, announced last week, has been commissioned by the Federal Education Minister, Dr David Kemp, to look at ways of halting the steady drop in students studying the subject nation wide.

Associate Professor Taylor said the establishment of the inquiry was significant as it was important for Australians to know and understand the history of their own nation and how they stood in relation to other nations. "This is all part of defining our national identity," he said.

The number of students studying Year 12 history has been declining since the 1980s. In Victoria, there has been a steady decline, from 4838 in 1992 to 2290 in 1998.

Associate Professor Taylor and his team hope to gain feedback by running focus groups with history teachers and curriculum officers, and to seek submissions from a range of individuals and professional associations.

"Experience from overseas has shown that there is a real need to keep an inquiry such as this within the profession, rather than for the issue to become politicised," he said.

His inquiry team also plans to focus on best practice in primary, middle and secondary schools and to survey clusters of representative schools.