LISMORE COUNCIL AND SCU: ‘UNIVERSITY CITY’ COMMITS TO FUTURE

Lismore City Council and Southern Cross University have pledged to foster higher levels of co-operation as they mark the tenth anniversary of the University’s founding.

Signing a joint Memorandum of Understanding on Tuesday July 13, Lismore’s Mayor Merv King and Vice-Chancellor Professor John Rickard said that the last ten years had been highly successful for both the University and the city.

Cr King said that the University has cemented a place in Lismore’s social and economic fabric and had altered the city for the better.

“Lismore is a regional city – and now a university city. That has had a great benefit to our community and brought with it all manner of spin-offs we had not imagined, such as job opportunities, economic development, and of course a regular influx of enthusiastic young people to our city.”

The Memorandum of Understanding records a mutual commitment between the Council and the University towards more collaboration and assistance in the future, including:

• Four new Mayoral scholarships to keep Lismore’s ‘best and brightest’ students in Lismore, and to provide research on current Council projects.

• periodic briefings between staff at both organisations to ensure maximum co-operation.

• Council meetings to be held on-campus, and University Council meetings to be held in the City Council chambers.

• University researchers to be encouraged to use the Lismore LGA as a study area.

• Councillors to be invited to University events, and University staff to be invited to city events.

• Collaboration on programmes, where possible, to save money and provide greater services to the public.

• Council to host foreign students at a luncheon during O-week.

Professor John Rickard said that the University had been encouraged by the support it had been shown by the Lismore community.

“Our recent success in obtaining funding for a greater number of university places, and our high level of research funding shows that the University is enjoying a significant new expansion.”

“But we have to remember that we are always part of a community.”

“Lismore has been good to the SCU – we are pleased that our presence in the city has also provided many tangible benefits. It is something that I am confident will strengthen as the years go by.”

Picture: Mayor Merv King (left) and the Vice-Chancellor Professor John Rickard following the signing of the Memorandum of Understanding

For more information phone Cathy Tobin (LCC) 66 250 457; Nigel Tapp (SCU) 6620-3039.