Issue 17. 1 November 2010.pdf - UWA Staff - The University of ...

Celebrating
the ‘mightiest
force’
One of the great strengths of this
University is its vibrant community
spirit, a spirit that is particularly
visible whenever volunteers are
needed.
A 24-hour relay organised by students
recently raised around $90,000 for
cancer research, education, prevention
and services for people living with the
disease.
Students in the Guild Volunteering Hub
worked with Cancer Council WA on its
Relay For Life in which teams walked or
jogged with a baton in relay style for 24
hours to highlight the fact that cancer
never sleeps. These students are to be
applauded for their involvement in this
very worthwhile event.
Others have been engaged in a twosemester
program that is fundamental to
helping our commencing students each
year – the UniMentor scheme.
The program not only reflects our
tradition of valuing new students and
providing services to help them reach
their full potential, it also allows the
student mentors themselves to develop
their communication and leadership
skills through helping others in a
voluntary capacity.
The energy and enthusiasm of all those
involved is a true reflection of the
altruism that exists within our University.
And I particularly commend the efforts of
our student mentors, who have so
enthusiastically given up so much of
their time.
We can all take heart from the generosity
of so many of our students – whether it
is as part of UniMentor, or helping at
events such as the annual Parents’
Welcome and our recent record-breaking
Open Day.
Alan Robson
Vice-Chancellor
At the Open Day in August, it was
notable that there were more staff and
student volunteers than in any other
year. This is a very positive reflection
on the willingness of staff and
students to support the University.
As well as student volunteers, we are
very fortunate in having so many
career mentors involved in our Career
Mentor Link program. This continues
to grow in numbers, helping students
not at the beginning of their University
education but towards the end, when
they are making the transition into the
workplace.
This program is now making positive
differences in the lives of students not
only here, but also in Singapore,
where it was launched in June. All our
Singapore mentors are alumni,
including one who took part as a
‘mentee’ here on our Crawley campus
a few years ago.
Without involvement such as this –
from willing volunteers at all levels –
our University would not be the great
institution it is today, an institution
recognised nationally and
internationally as one of quality and
substance through knowledge,
teaching and discovery.
Generosity of spirit is a wonderful
attribute, termed by American
theologian Charles Dole as ‘the
mightiest practical force in the
universe’.
‘Giant of the
profession’
enters hall
of fame
Emeritus Professor Philip Brown, a
modest but brilliant accountant, has
notched up more firsts than some of
the recently-feted Commonwealth
Games stars.
The long-time star of accounting and
finance in the UWA Business School
(pictured) has attracted many awards in
more than 40 years, including at least
three major accolades for which he won
inaugural titles.
The latest of these is Professor Brown’s
inaugural membership of the Australian
Accounting Hall of Fame, recently
established by the University of
Melbourne’s faculty of Business and
Economics. Along with four other
accountants who have made significant
contributions over the past 100 years, he
was honoured at a ceremony in
Melbourne last month. Director of the
Hall of Fame, Phillip Cobbin, said the five
inaugural members were “giants of the
profession” who deserved to be
recognised and celebrated.
Professor Brown’s status in the
accounting profession was triggered by
a co-authored seminal paper, in 1968,
that defined the course of accounting
research for at least 40 years. An
Empirical Evaluation of Accounting
Income Numbers looked at the relevance
of earnings data and the timeliness of
announcements. It revolutionised the
community’s understanding of the
impact of corporate disclosure on share
prices and laid the foundation for much
of the modern accounting literature. That
paper later received the American
Accounting Association’s inaugural
award for Seminal Contributions to the
Accounting Literature.
Professor Brown was one of the youngest
professorial appointments to UWA in
1970. He helped to establish the
University’s MBA course, one of the first
in Australia.
Winthrop Professor Izan, Deputy Dean of
the Business School, said Professor
Brown was without peer in Australia. “He
is amongst the most respected accounting
scholars in the world,” she said.
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UWA NEWS 1 November 2010
the University of Western Australia