Business Matters

Did you imagine that university was going to be much more than units, exams and assignments? Are you hoping to be a part of an active social community and do you want future employers to recognise your leadership and organisational skills? If you answered yes to any of these you should join your Business and Law student association.

The start of the new student association was literally kicked off late last year with a staff vs. student soccer match. The game drew a crowd of over 100 students and staff including Vice-Chancellor Kerry Cox who was caught enjoying the barbeque dished up by the day's Iron Chef and Marketing Lecturer K.Y Lee.

The DJ pumped, staff struggled for victory and lost, Henry Lim won sexiest legs on field and strange prizes were handed out. More than 90 students signed up to join the association, and the following week a meeting was held to decide its first-steps.

Direction from students suggested that the common room needed a facelift. A new look Business and Law student common room will be officially opened during Orientation Week showcasing new items including a fridge, microwave, couches, stereo system, table tennis, darts board, a foozeball table and social boards. There had been some requests for a Jacuzzi and Foxtel... watch this space.

If enough funds are raised through the student association it could happen, which means you need to get active now. To get the student association up and running a special committee of staff are on hand in the first semester of 2007 to support any initiatives. By the end of semester the momentum is sure to take off and students will be able to run their own events and fundraising. The Faculty of Business and Law is keen to provide ongoing support to the association be it hands-on or financial.

The new association needs a name and representatives who want to get involved. We are calling out to the leaders amongst you to step up to the roles of an executive team that will contribute to a vibrant campus life. I hear you ask when's the next Party? I say join the association and make it happen.

An ECU researcher has uncovered surprising findings on children's attitudes to cigarette addiction, which could help develop more effective smoking prevention programs for young people.

In a study involving 875 boys and girls in Years 5 to 10 from a range of Perth schools, Dr Calvin Wang of ECU's Centre for Applied Social Marketing Research found addiction – or loss of personal control – was a major issue for children when considering smoking.

Presented with a list of items which could potentially be addictive, 91 per cent of the surveyed children ranked cigarette smoking number one – naming it above other drugs, alcohol and gambling.

“For children in our study who believed they could become addicted to cigarettes – some considered tobacco addiction solely an adult problem – the possibility was a significant deterrent to taking up the habit,” Dr Wang said.

“In fact, the children were more concerned about becoming addicted to smoking than they were about its long-term health outcomes. Health issues were a consideration, but the concept of ‘losing control’ through addiction was a stronger concern.

“The loss of control factor was a surprising finding. We never really think of children in this age group as wanting or having control or autonomy over their lives, but it was a big issue for them and it needs more investigation.

“These findings are particularly important since recent U.S. research has shown that adolescent smokers can become addicted even before they have established a daily smoking habit.

“So this fear of addiction could be a protective factor when it's linked with evidence on the speed and strength of addiction onset, and could be a basis for developing more effective adolescent and child smoking prevention programs.”

Dr Wang said successful health-related campaigns must convey two things about the particular issue – seriousness and immediacy. “Current anti-smoking campaigns certainly show seriousness in health terms, but the immediacy factor doesn't gel with children and adolescents,” he said.

“For a child of 10 to 14 considering smoking, the associated lung cancers, emphysemas and heart disease happen so far down the track that it's meaningless to them. The immediacy factor just doesn't apply.

“But my research findings show children perceive addiction as both serious and immediate and this perception had a protective effect.

“They were much less likely to say they intended to try smoking or to smoke regularly if they believed they could become addicted and that addiction onset was quick.

“These findings could have a tremendous impact on stopping children taking up smoking. “Building a smoking prevention program for young people around these two concepts could be the powerful deterrent we've been looking for.”