Monash University, Gippsland campus
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The Gippsland campus of Monash University is located in the town of Churchill 142 km east of Melbourne. There are around 2,000 students studying on-campus and 5,000 students who study off-campus. The campus faculties include Business and Economics, Arts, IT, Nursing, Education, Science and Art and Design. The current head of the campus is the acting Pro-Vice Chancellor, Associate Professor Harry Ballis, who was appointed in 2006. The Gippsland Education Precinct was recently completed at the Campus, which provides education and training for Year 11 and 12 secondary school and TAFE students.
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[edit] History
The campus began as the Yallourn Technical School in 1928, in order to train State Electricity Commission workers for the Yallourn Power Station. It became Yallourn Technical College in 1958. The Gippsland Institute of Advanced Education (GIAE) took over College courses after it was formed in 1968 at its current location of Churchill. It was amalgamated with Monash University in 1990, initially becoming Monash University College, before becoming a campus of the University in the mid-1990s. In recent years, the campus has undergone substantial expansions and upgrades of its buildings, Science and Engineering (1986), Information Technology (1994), a two level library (1997), Gippsland Education Precinct (2006), and a new auditorium is under construction to replace the Binishell
[edit] The Binishell
A distinctive architectural feature of the Gippsland campus is the Binishell. A binishell is large concrete dome that is inflated into place. Its inventor, architect Dr. Dante Bini, directed the construction of the Binishell in December 1979. The eleven metre high binishell, using 300 tons of concrete and reinforcing steel, was inflated by a large membrane in around one hour, using Dr. Dante Bini's ferrocement method. The Binishell is used as a place for exams and graduations. However, due to its diminished structural integrity, during 2004 and early 2005 the building was not used for either of these purposes whilst a new structure support was installed. Normal use of the building was resumed in Semester 1 2005. Monash University plans to demolish the Binishell and replace it with a new square shaped building.
[edit] Student Organisation
- Further information: Monash University Gippsland Student Union
The student organisation at the campus is known as the Monash University Gippsland Student Union (MUGSU). Every student enrolled at the Gippsland campus is by default a member of MUGSU. The organisation began as the GIAE Union in the early 1970's. Each year students are elected to the student union board, with each office bearer in charge of a portfolio of various student issues. The organisation runs a student publication called Emit, which is distributed throughout the Latrobe Valley by a local newspaper. The organisation has lost much of its funding due to Voluntary Student Unionism. VSU was among the issues for which MUGSU campaigned against John Howard and in particular the now local member Peter McGauran in the 2004 Federal election.
[edit] Threshold student newspaper
The campus produces the Monash University Gippsland Student Newspaper that represents all students at Monash Gippsland. The paper is edited by students, and consists of student articles. It is seen as a tremendous initiative which allows Journalism students the chance to improve their writing skills as well as develop experience in the field of Journalism.
