![](/-/media/feature/micrositesnewsandevents/staffnews/suzanne-chambers-460px.jpg)
Innovation in practice
News 24 JulyA message from Executive Dean of Health Sciences Professor Suzanne Chambers: Winter has so far been a season of future-thinking and action for the Faculty of Health Sciences.
13 September 2023
Share
A message from Interim Provost Professor Meg Stuart: Tomorrow is R U OK Day? - an important reminder to reach out and check in with the people in our lives. As ACU passes through this time of organisational change, it’s also important to be kind to ourselves and to others, and to access more support when needed. I’d like to share some practises with you that I’ve found helpful in coping with times of change and challenge.
As we mark R U OK Day? on Thursday 14 September, I encourage us all to reach out to others with this question and offer support – as well as to check in with ourselves.
Times of change and challenge often mean we need to move further out of our comfort zone than we’d like. Organisational change can be confronting. I want to acknowledge that it can be upsetting to work through uncertainties, learn new ways of working and re-form professional relationships.
I’d also like to acknowledge the efforts of each staff member that has supported the work of ACU through the extra uncertainties of the pandemic years. I thank you for continuing to engage during this difficult time, providing feedback on the necessary changes that will bear ACU sustainably into the future - and will continue to provide our students with a pathway to their futures.
As part of the ACU community, it is very evident that each of us invest in doing a good job and delivering something we’re proud of. Organisational changes can challenge our sense of identity and contribution at work. It is also evident that our ACU community is all about the people - and it can be particularly distressing when change affects people that you know well and care about. I encourage us all to be gentle with ourselves during these times.
Caring for ourselves can help us build the resilience needed to face challenges, and to ensure we have enough ‘energy in the tank’ to support others. Self-compassion practices can help us to accept the range of thoughts and feelings that arise. I invite you to learn more about how you can use the three elements of self-compassion.
If worries are weighing on your mind, another practice that can help is to focus on your circles of influence and control in thinking about what actions you could take.
Turning to the people around us and asking R U OK? is something we can all do. This simple act can help remind someone who is struggling that they are connected to people who care about them. Often the most valuable thing you can offer to someone who is having a bad time is a listening ear. Follow these simple steps on how to foster a supportive conversation.
ACU staff have access to free professional counselling services and I encourage you to reach out if you’d like more support. I personally have used the Employee Assistance Program (EAP) on a number of occasions and have found the counsellors to be a wonderful support.
I want to acknowledge that ACU managers have a particularly important and challenging role in helping their people to navigate change. EAP also provide a Manager and Supervisor Support service, which I highly recommend to managers for advice on navigating people matters and supporting their team. I have found their tailored coaching on how to have difficult conversations to be extremely helpful.
You can make an appointment via EAP by calling 1800 818 728.
ACU Campus Ministry is also available to staff to provide a listening ear or pastoral care.
Kind regards,
Professor Meg Stuart
Interim Provost
A message from Executive Dean of Health Sciences Professor Suzanne Chambers: Winter has so far been a season of future-thinking and action for the Faculty of Health Sciences.
From Monday 22 July to Friday 9 August, Service Central will be available for extended hours to support staff.
A message from Vice President Father Anthony Casamento csma: From 5 – 9 August we will celebrate Mission Week across our campuses. This is an opportunity for us to come together as a community to cele...
Are you going to be a grandparent soon? Did you know ACU offers personal leave for staff to care for their child or grandchild after birth or adoption?
Discover the learning and career development opportunities that are available online, including the brand-new leadership development program, 'The Edge Series'.
Join ASCILITE and become a member of one of Australasia’s most vibrant professional technology enhanced learning communities, with more than 2200 members from tertiary institutions across Australia an...
Phones will be removed from all classrooms over the mid-semester break, from 23 September to 27 September.
Include an additional survey item in the Student Evaluation of Learning and Teaching (SELT) survey for units that are offered in Professional Term 5 (202455).
Australia’s first five-time diving Olympian, a Kiwi gymnast and the woman who taught actor Chris Hemsworth to row will be among 15 ACU students and alumni to compete at the Paris 2024 Olympic and Para...
A message from acting Executive Dean of Theology and Philosophy Associate Professor Richard Colledge: Recently, the faculty has hosted opportunities for reflection on the possibilities for reconcilia...
Are you on your parenthood journey? A practical guide is now available to support staff, and their supervisors, through the stages of becoming a parent and transitioning back to work.
Embark on an exhilarating journey into the mysterious world of enrolments. Register to attend an enrolment information session for Semester 2, 2024.
Join upcoming online workshops in preparation for Semester 2. Secure your spot today to learn how you can utilise Canvas and its features to enhance your teaching practices.
A limitless professional horizon awaits ACU students after its three IT programs were awarded certification by the nation’s most trustworthy player in the tech sector, the Australian Computer Society.
Following evaluation and voting by a panel of ACU judges, Co-Lab is delighted to announce Thomas Clark and Xavier Chalkley as the winners of the $1000 prize for the ACU Co-Lab Social Enterprise Pitch ...
ACU Library staff will participate in professional development activities on Thursday 18 July. While away from their usual posts, they'll be working together across three locations to plan our future ...
Applications for 2024 Teaching Development Grants, Citations and Awards are open. Explore guidelines and resources to enhance your teaching project’s impact or gain recognition for your contributions.
As we sit in this small window of the winter break gearing up for Semester 2, it's important to recognise that not everyone experiences this period as downtime. For many, workloads and busy lifestyles...
This week is NAIDOC Week, an opportunity to recognise and celebrate the history, culture, and achievements of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples.
ACU staff who are also members with UniSuper can now access free expert medical advice and services to support their health and wellbeing through MetLife 360Health.
Visit Service Central to access Corporate Services.