Macquarie University

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**Macquarie University**

Motto	And Gladly Teche from Chaucer's Canterbury Tales
Established	1964
Type	Public
Chancellor	Maurice Newman AC
Vice-Chancellor	Steven Schwartz
Staff	1,811 (2005)
Students	30,774 (2005)
Location	North Ryde/Macquarie Park Sydney, NSW, Australia (33°46′31″S, 151°6′50″E)
Campus	Suburban
Named After	Lachlan Macquarie
Affiliations	Member of Innovative Research Universities Australia
Website	http://www.mq.edu.au

Macquarie University is an Australian university located in Sydney. It is ranked 7th in Australia and 82nd in the world by the UK's 2006 Times Higher Education Supplement. More than a third of Macquarie University's students are enrolled in postgraduate programs, and just under a third of Macquarie's students are international students. The grounds of the University have creeks, grasslands, a lake, trees, a sculpture park and a marsupial research facility. Macquarie University is a member of Innovative Research Universities Australia. The emblem of the university depicts Macquarie Lighthouse, the first and longest operating lighthouse in Australia.

1 Location
2 History
3 Academic structure
4 Library
5 Student life
6 See also
7 External links

[edit] Location

University publications and material indicate that its campus is located in the suburb of North Ryde, although the Geographical Names Board of NSW indicates it is located in the suburb of Macquarie Park. The University has its own postcode: 2109.

The grounds of Macquarie University contain the Macquarie University Research Park. The Research Park is a joint venture between Macquarie University and Baulderstone Hornibrook and is designed to attract high-technology organisations to the area. North Ryde and Macquarie Park are often referred to as "Australia's Silicon Valley" and are home to more than 500 technology companies, which means Macquarie University is well placed for collaborative research in the technology field. The University is also located adjacent to Macquarie Centre, a large shopping centre for the district.

Joy at Macquarie University

Macquarie University is home to Joy, the only public statue of a prostitute in the world. The statue has a particularly eventful story: it was originally located in Darlinghurst, New South Wales, but was vandalized numerous times, including by a woman who believed that it bore too close a resemblance to her deceased prostitute daughter. After the statue was moved to Macquarie University, an urban legend surfaced, alleging Joy was an homage to Lachlan Macquarie's illegitimate daughter.

[edit] History

Affectionately known as "club mac" for its laid back and casual atmosphere, Macquarie University has a long history of excellent sporting and academic results. With the rapid expansion of Sydney's size and population in the 1960s, there arose a need for a third tertiary institution in the Sydney metropolitan area (in addition to the more centrally-located University of New South Wales and the University of Sydney). A future campus location was selected in what was then a semi-rural part of North Ryde, and - after much debate - it was decided that the future university be named after Lachlan Macquarie, an important early governor of the colony of New South Wales.

The Macquarie University was formally established in 1964 with the passage of the Macquarie University Act 1964 by the New South Wales Government, the university first opening to students in 1967. At the time the University was hailed as a "radical, bold experiment", with all students undertaking a single degree with a wide variety of subjects. While this is no longer the case, interdisciplinary study remains a defining feature of Macquarie University.

The Macquarie Graduate School of Management was subsequently established in 1969. In 1990 the university absorbed the Institute of Early Childhood Studies of the Sydney College of Advanced Education, under the terms of the Higher Education (Amalgamation) Act 1989.

Macquarie University founded the Macquarie Trio musical ensemble, described as one of "Australia's top chamber music ensembles", in 1992, but the group was disbanded in August 2006.

In debating, the Macquarie University Debating Society hosted the Australian Intervarsity Debating Championships in 1993, won the Australasian Intervarsity Debating Championships (Australs) in Tasmania in 1994 and the World Universities Debating Championship in Ireland in 1996.

Macquarie University was the only university to offer an actuarial studies program in New South Wales for many years until the University of New South Wales began their program in 1998.

During the late 1990s the Macquarie University campus was used as an outdoor set by the soap opera Home and Away.

[edit] Academic structure

The central courtyard at the heart of the campus, with the SAM building visible through the trees

Macquarie University has the unique academic rank of Emeritus Deputy Chancellor, a post created for Dr John Lincoln on his retirement from his long-held post of Deputy Chancellor in 2000. The new position is not merely an honorary title, as it also retains a place in the University Council for Dr Lincoln.

[edit] College of Commerce

Division of Economic and Financial Studies covers the fields of Accounting, Economics, Business, Statistics, Actuarial Studies and Finance. These distinct, but complementary academic departments are augmented by the Applied Finance Centre, Graduate Accounting and Commerce Centre and the Centre for Japanese Economic Studies. EFS has enjoyed very strong growth in recent years and is the largest academic division at Macquarie and one of the largest commerce/economics divisions/faculties in Australia. Department of Economics is ranked top 6 among Australian universities' Economic Departments and top 25% around the world.
Macquarie Graduate School of Management is a business school run by the university.

[edit] College of Humanities and Social Sciences

Australian Centre for Educational Studies includes the school of Education and the Institute of Early Childhood.
Division of Humanities includes the departments of Ancient History, Modern History, Languages and Politics.
Division of Law includes the departments of Law, Business Law and Environmental Law.
Division of Society, Culture, Media and Philosophy. covers the areas of Anthropology, Indigenous Studies, International Communications, Media, Sociology, Philosophy, Women's Studies, and Cultural Studies.

[edit] College of Science and Technology

Division of Environmental and Life Sciences covers the fields of Chemistry, Biology, Earth and Planetary Sciences, Geography, Environmental science and Chiropractic
Division of Linguistics and Psychology includes the departments of Linguistics and Psychology
Division of Information and Communication Sciences includes the departments of Mathematics, Physics, Electronics, Computer Science and the Postgraduate Professional Development Program

[edit] Affiliated organisations

Sydney Institute of Business and Technology (SIBT) provides diploma (first-year university-equivalent) courses in economics, information technology and media studies for full fee-paying, mainly international, students. Upon graduation from the 1-year SIBT diploma program, SIBT graduates are eligible to enter Macquarie University degree programs directly at second year level, with full credit given for units completed. The SIBT compound is located in the center of the Macquarie University campus.

National Centre for English Language Teaching and Research (NCELTR) provides English language courses for international students. NCELTR is located within the SIBT compound.

Macquarie Christian Studies Institute provides theology courses, recognized by the University for the purpose of accumulating credit points towards gaining a university degree.

The Macquarie Dictionary, Australia's first and national English dictionary, was founded by Macquarie University. In October 2006 its publishing staff moved away from Macquarie University to the University of Sydney Library. However, Macquarie University retains the actual copyright to the Macquarie Dictionary.

[edit] Library

Macquarie University contains several prime examples of the Brutalist architecture prevalent in the 1960-70's, the largest of which is the Macquarie University Library. The Library hosts some intriguing pieces of art, ranging from the most sublime portraits to the most vivid depictions of nature in full bloom.

The Library currently has over one million volumes. Apart from professional librarians, the Library also has a small number of casual positions for university students.

[edit] Student life

The university grounds, showing the lake and fountain

The university offers many types of programmes, from Bachelor's degrees through to Doctorate level qualifications. Courses may be offered as full-time, part-time or through correspondence.

The students' union Students at Macquarie (SAM) provides its members with services and facilities such as food outlets, the fully licensed SAMbar, entertainment such as live music gigs and themed Bar parties, etc. The Macquarie University Students' Council Inc. (MUSC Inc.) officially represents students, and has Legal Aid Services, Accounting Services and Academic Services, along with other student services. Postgraduate students are represented by the Macquarie University Postgraduate Representative Association (MUPRA), a member of the Council of Australian Postgraduate Associations.

Macquarie University is nicknamed Club Mac (an allusion to Club Med), because Macquarie students supposedly have more holidays than their counterparts from the other universities in Sydney. This is only half-true, for while Macquarie students have longer holidays, they do not have pre-exam breaks ("stuvac" or studying vacation) as students from the other universities do. Typically, full-time undergraduate students attend classes for 26 weeks a year, this excludes exam time, which can add 1-4 weeks to each semester (depending on timetabling and individual circumstances).

A one-day alternative music festival was held on the Macquarie University campus in 1997 called Equinox (as it was held on the Southern Hemisphere Autumn equinox) - which included major international acts including Tool, Skunk Anansie and a then relatively unknown blink-182. Noise complaints were received from neighbouring suburbs including Epping and Beecroft. The cause was apparently the just constructed M2 Motorway as it had "channeled" the sound from university into the neighbouring suburbs, and thus no major rock concerts have been held at Macquarie since besides Conception Day.

[edit] Conception Day

The biggest event at the university is Conception Day, an annual festival organised by SAM. Traditionally held on the last day of classes before the September mid-semester break, the day is supposedly named after the day the university's namesake, Lachlan Macquarie, was conceived (although this is in fact impossible, since Lachlan Macquarie's birthday was on January 31). It features many big-name bands, and a lot of sun and alcohol. Conception Day was open to all persons aged 18+, but in 2005, entry was for the first time restricted to Macquarie University students and staff. In 2006, SAM members were able to purchase one guest ticket for a member of the general public. Unlike previous years, in 2006, Coneption "Day" didn't begin until the afternoon, and was characterised by entrance queues taking more than an hour in some cases.

[edit] Transport

Access to the university is primarily by means of bus and car, although students who live on or near campus will often walk or ride. The nearest railway station is at Epping; however the university will eventually gain its own station with the completion of the Epping to Chatswood Line set for 2008.

Parking is available, costing from $4 for one hour to $125 for a full-year permit. There is significant demand for parking at the University, and it is often difficult to find car spaces, especially in the middle of the day.

[edit] Accommodation

While the majority of students reside off-campus, there are several options on-campus for accommodation. Dunmore Lang College and Robert Menzies College are both traditional residential colleges, providing students with individual rooms and fully catered meals. Macquarie University Village provides townhouse style accommodation.

[edit] Sport

The university has a large number of sporting clubs and extensive facilities, which are co-ordinated by Macquarie University Sport and Recreation Inc (MUSR). Clubs participate in local competitions and also send teams to the annual Eastern University Games and the Australian University Games. In what has been dubbed one of the most successful performances by a university at the Eastern University Games (2006), Macquarie University has claimed the Champions Trophy from defending champions, the University of Sydney. Macquarie University’s impressive medal haul of 13 Gold, six Silver and two Bronze and is one of the most dominant performances by any university at the annual competition.

One of the most famous clubs is the Rugby Club, commonly referred to as the "Beacons". The club recently won a Bronze medal at the prestigious Australian University Games in Perth and are known Australia wide for their tenacious "thirsty thirds". The Macquarie University Real Tennis Club is working to build a new court on university grounds to replace the old real tennis court, one of only four in Australia (and the only one in Sydney).

Construction of a swimming pool began in 2006. Macquarie has its own golf driving range which is open to the public.

[edit] Education

Students at Macquarie are increasingly finding denser classes as the popularity of the university increases.

The University has spent considerable dollars building a new Commerce building and a renovation of the East to West pathway. Both changes have made the University look even more beautiful and modern.