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A message from Professor Andrew O’Neil
News 28 MayAn update from the Executive Dean of Law and Business Professor Andrew O'Neil.
A message from the Vice President Father Anthony Casamento.
The other day I was pleased to be welcomed by Professor Herb Marsh and the team from our Institute for Positive Psychology and Education (IPPE) to bless their new office space in 33 Berry Street on the North Sydney Campus.
Afterwards when I joined the Institute staff for morning tea, one of the staff asked me to explain a bit more about why we bless our offices and what was it all about. This got me thinking about how many other staff across our campuses have wondered the same thing, especially given that this year we have blessed a number of buildings (Mercy in Banyo, Veritas in Signadou) and office spaces across our campuses.
So, what is a blessing? Well, the short answer is that a blessing is a proclamation that invokes the abiding, loving and sustaining presence of God upon a person, place or thing so that they might flourish according to God’s purpose and design.
At ACU, the most common things that we bless are buildings or office spaces; ourselves (at Masses, graduation ceremonies, Anzac and Remembrance Day ceremonies); and on the feast of St. Francis of Assisi, many of our staff have their pets blessed on campus in honour of the saint who so loved animals and God’s creation.
What happens at a blessing? In the Catholic tradition, blessings are rich in meaning and symbolism. A blessing usually consists of a combination of elements: prayer, a word proclaimed (from scripture), a special ritual sign or a gesture of blessing (sometimes accompanied by an object such as a crucifix, or sacred book), and, at times the sprinkling of holy water on that which is being blessed (water is understood to be a sign of life itself).
So why do we bless things at ACU? For a number of reasons. As a Catholic university, immersed in the traditions and culture of our Catholic faith, we seek God’s free gift of blessing and offer in return our response of praise, seeing blessings as signs of faith, hope and love:
Love: we want to become a positive source of goodness (a blessing) in the lives of others and particularly for the teaching and research that we undertake on our campuses.
An update from the Executive Dean of Law and Business Professor Andrew O'Neil.
Expect a few email notifications as we prepare to welcome you to Viva Engage next week.
ACU is developing a new Education and Student Success Plan to ensure our university continues to provide a high-quality, student-centred learning experience. Find out how you can contribute to the pla...
A reminder to all academic staff that the mandatory Notice of Intent, for those intending to apply for promotion in the 2025 round, must be submitted by 11.59pm this Friday (30 May).
Include an additional survey item in the Student Evaluation of Learning and Teaching (SELT) survey for units that are offered in Professional Term 4 (202547).
Register for these 15-minute sessions to learn more about the variety of online researcher profile platforms and what is involved in setting up, linking and updating your profile.
Lecturers-in-charge can make a direct determination of Poor Academic Practice (PAP) for students who engage in minor forms of academic misconduct. Learn why they can be valuable to staff and students.
You're invited to join your Campus Community of Learning Advancement - a professional learning community focused on collaborative workplace learning.
A message from the Executive Dean Faculty of Education and Arts Professor Mary Ryan.
The Semester 1 2025 Student Evaluation of Learning and Teaching (SELT) surveys will close on 29 June. Students say they are more likely to complete the surveys if they are reminded in class and unders...
ACU librarians have recently begun using Rayyan for screening and collaboration. It is a free alternative to Covidence that can assist with systematic review workflows. Read more about Rayyan and othe...
The Academic Board Digest from meeting 02/2025 held on 15 April 2025 is now available.
Tomorrow, 15 May, is International Day of Families. To celebrate, let’s hear from ACU staff member Martina Donaghy about how flexible working has helped her manage care for her young daughter after re...
Student Advocacy Service is running an information session designed to provide staff with a clearer understanding of the scope of support available to students.
Explore the future of assessment with Interactive Orals. We’ll be joined by expert, Danielle Logan-Fleming to share valuable insights into this transformative model and its impact across disciplines.
A message from the Executive Dean of Health Sciences Professor Suzanne Chambers.
Academic promotions provides an opportunity to recognise and reward your achievements at your current level of appointment that warrant promotion to the next academic level. Register to attend an info...
Advance HE is offering free webinars on Student Success and Advance HE Fellowships in May and June as part of their Australasian Member Benefit Series.
Recent cyber-attacks on Australian organisations have highlighted the need to protect yourself online. Learn more about infostealers and what you can do to stay safe.
As artificial intelligence tools become part of everyday academic work, questions around copyright are more important than ever. This workshop on 22 May will focus on the copyright implications of usi...
Visit Service Central to access Corporate Services.