Handbook 2009

Aboriginal Student Support

Kulbardi Aboriginal Centre

‘Kulbardi: Wings to Fly’

“Yorlkooliny Kulbardi Mia Nidja Noonookurt Nyinniny Kadadjiny Kowee Wallak” — Come here to the Kulbardi Aboriginal Centre. This is where you sit, learn, laugh and share.

The Kulbardi Aboriginal Centre was established at the Murdoch campus in 1988, at the Rockingham campus in 2005 and at the Peel campus in 2007. More than just student support, Kulbardi offers friendship and cultural strength in a warm and comfortable environment.

All of the Kulbardi locations house a student room where students can meet and relax. In addition, administration services provided include support, photocopier and computer facilities. The Murdoch campus also has tutorial and study rooms and a Nyungar resource library. Kulbardi is conveniently located near the Student Guild at the Murdoch campus and on the ground floor in the ACL building at the Rockingham campus. Kulbardi at Peel is located in the central foyer of the original Murdoch University Peel campus building.

One of Kulbardi’s main objectives is to encourage increased participation in tertiary education by Indigenous students. Kulbardi provides educational pathways into both pre-tertiary and undergraduate studies. Kulbardi provides dedicated staff to assist, support and refer Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander students with academic, cultural and personal concerns. Assistance with pre-admission, enrolment advice, and research and study skills is also available to intending and current students. The Centre is ultimately designed to foster student interaction, group solidarity and cultural support.

Tutorial Assistance (ITAS)

Tutorial assistance is available to all Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander students studying at Murdoch University. Via the Indigenous Tutorial Assistance Scheme (ITAS), Indigenous students can receive supplementary coaching and study help. The overall goal of ITAS is to assist Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander students in maintaining consistent and progressive results throughout their studies. Funds for ITAS are provided by the Department of Education, Employment and Workplace Relations (DEEWR).

Student Body (MAISA) and Guild Representation

All Indigenous students at Murdoch are represented by the Murdoch Aboriginal and Islander Student Association (MAISA), which is responsible for Indigenous student rights and facilitating regular social functions. An elected member of MAISA also represents the Indigenous student population on campus via the Murdoch University Guild of Students.

Indigenous Access Scholarship

These are a one-off payment of over $4000 and are available to students commencing in their first semester in either an undergraduate course or an eligible enabling course. Students may also be eligible to receive additional Commonwealth Education Costs and Accommodation Scholarships.

Courses Offered

Enrolment into courses run through the Kulbardi Centre is available via two methods:

Direct entry: applicants gain entry through completing the Tertiary Entrance Examination (TEE), sitting the Special Tertiary Admissions Test (STAT) for mature-age entrants, or previous tertiary study.

Alternative entry: in addition to the TEE and mature-aged entry the Kulbardi Aboriginal Centre encourages Indigenous people who may not have had an opportunity to complete formal schooling to apply for admission into tertiary study. At Kulbardi we provide alternative entry pathways that do not necessarily take into account your educational background.

The Kulbardi Aboriginal Tertiary Entrance Course (KATEC) is a one-year bridging course offering graduating students a formal Diploma in University Studies and a pathway into undergraduate study at Murdoch. Each of the following pre–University courses runs for between two and four weeks at the beginning of the year:

Koora Kudidj (‘Learn Before’) Pre-Law Program

Koort Mooditj (‘Strong Heart’) Pre-Nursing Program

Kulbardi Wangkiny (‘Magpie Talking’) Pre-Media Program

For further information see the University Access Courses section of this Handbook.

Units Offered

The Kulbardi Aboriginal Centre offers the units KAC177 Introduction to Nyungar Culture and KAC2721 Wanju Boodjah ‘Welcome to Country’ to all Murdoch University undergraduate students. Students undertaking these units have the unique opportunity to learn about the cultural practices of the Aboriginal people of the south-west as well as learning the spoken language of the Nyungar people. Students do not have to be Indigenous to study these units.

Contact

Advice (including application forms) about applying for alternative entry via the Kulbardi Centre can be provided by the Kulbardi Student Support Coordinator.

Telephone (08) 9360 2128/6591

kulbardi@murdoch.edu.au

http://wwwkulbardi.murdoch.edu.au/