CQUni campuses come together for Nepal

There have been few times I have been as proud of the CQUniversity community as I have been over the last two weeks, watching how we’ve responded to the devastating earthquake in Nepal. The way our colleagues have rallied around our 700-strong Nepalese staff and students during their time of profound grief and sadness has been truly amazing. It surely is a mark of a great university.

I have been overwhelmed with the response I’ve received from our Nepalese staff and students to the University’s initial donation of $10,000 towards Rotary Emergency Shelter boxes, along with the support mechanisms we have put in place for those personally affected, and the spontaneous morning tea fundraisers that have sprung up around some of our campuses. 

Tragically, the death toll in Nepal is still climbing - in fact, it has tripled since the University’s initial response. As the full scale of the tragedy becomes more clear, many CQUniversity staff and students have been looking for ways we can do even more for Nepal.

Dannii Battersby, a School Administrative Assistant who works at our CQIRP facility in Rockhampton, alongside many of our talented Nepalese staff, put her hand up to hold a BBQ on her campus to raise money for more Rotary Shelter boxes. One thing led to another and Dannii’s idea has now become a campus-wide simultaneous lunchtime fundraiser, with most of our campuses hosting a lunch on Thursday at 12pm – 1pm.    

I urge all staff and students to take an hour out of your busy schedules and head to your closest lunch time fundraiser – there is one being held on almost each of our campuses. Bring a pocket full of gold coins (or notes!) and join with your colleagues not only to reflect on the terrible tragedy that has fallen on Nepal, but also to celebrate the wonderful contribution our Nepalese students and staff make to our great university. 

I look forward to seeing plenty of photos from each campus getting together, and to sharing them with the entire university. Details of each campus fundraiser event  are below:

Campus	Location	Event
Cairns Study Centre	Main Foyer	Staff cook-off
Townsville Campus	Downstairs foyer, Bulletin Building, 538 Flinders St	BBQ/Sausage sizzle
Mackay City campus	Between A & C Block	BBQ/Sausage sizzle
Mackay Ooralea campus	Refectory/outside BBQ area	BBQ/Sausage sizzle
Emerald Campus	Atrium Area, ground floor, A Block	BBQ/Sausage sizzle
Rockhampton North Campus	BBQ area in front of library	BBQ/Sausage sizzle
Gladstone Marina Campus	Student Common Room	BBQ/Sausage sizzle
Gladstone City Campus	Under croft B Block	BBQ/Sausage sizzle
Bundaberg Campus	Between buildings 1 & 3	BBQ/Sausage sizzle
Noosa Campus	Plaza outside 24hr computer lab	BBQ/Sausage sizzle
Brisbane Campus	Level 7 foyer	Traditional Nepalese feast + raffle
Sydney Campus	Student Recreation Area, basement level	Traditional “Mo Mo & Chai” Nepalese lunch
Melbourne Campus	Level 6, open area	Pizza lunch
Adelaide Campus	Campus foyer area	BBQ/Sausage sizzle

Heartfelt thanks to all organisers, and to everyone who supports this worthy cause.