2008 Newsletter

This year the Commercial Education Society of Australia will enter its 98^th calendar year. At the Annual General Meeting on 28 March 2008, the President and Directors invite members and their guests to attend to reflect upon and recognise the endeavours of the Society during 2007.

The Society's core business, that being external, public examinations in business subjects, is now almost non-existent. This is mainly a result of the assessment policies and procedures of the Business Service Training Package at all training levels. The assessment strategies outlined in the Training Package are competency based and are conducted as a continuous process which negates the need for an end-of-course external examination. The need for external recognition of assessment appears to be of little of no significance in today's training and employment environment.

The training package determines the qualifications required for trainers and assessors and there is a strong emphasis on the generic workplace training and assessment qualification. This has resulted in a steady decline of applicants needing subject qualifications at a teaching level.

The Examination Administration Board has revised the syllabus and specifications for all subjects to meet the requirements of the most recent version of the training package. Each year the Society's website is updated and well used by active examining centres. However, the volume of usage is not reflected in the actual examination entries and new business is non- existent.

The Society is managed and operated as a not-for-profit organisation and most of the administrative tasks now fall to the eight Directors who give their time voluntarily. Six of the nine examiners and assessors also work on a voluntary basis. Despite their work and the many cost-saving measures introduced since 2005 the Society is operating at a loss that appears to be difficult to reduce and correct.

This year's Annual General Meeting will not include the usual Prize Presentation to deserving candidates. Certificates of Merit will be awarded to candidates who met the requirements and these will be posted to the respective examining centres for presentation to those candidates. This will allow members to devote the meeting time to discussion about the current state of the Society and put forward practicable suggestions about the future of this august organisation.

NEW OFFICE: The Society relocated its office to LEVEL 1, 66 King Street, SYDNEY in November 2007. This move became essential to save a large increase in rental following the purchase of the building by a new company. It has provided us with a more congenial floor space and allowed us to stay at the same inner-city address.

ALL OUR COMMUNICATION CONTACT DETAILS REMAIN THE SAME

Thomas Richard Cooper

Tom Cooper retired in 1987 as Chief Editor of Debates, NSW Hansard after a career which started in 1943 when he learnt shorthand and typing as a Junior Clerk at the New South Wales Railways. He became a court reporter with the NSW Attorney General's Department in 1952 then moved to the Commonwealth Attorney General's Department in 1955. Tom's dedication to education and training began early in his career when he became a Member of the Commercial Education Society of Australia in 1955. In 1958 he was appointed to the Examination Administration Board. His reporting career took him to London in 1963 where he reported in the Privy Council. On his return to Australia he took a position as a reporter in NSW Hansard and became more active in the Society. From 1969 until September 2006 he held the positions of Vice President, General Secretary, Director and Registrar. Tom was made a Fellow of the Society in 1970.

Tom's role at the Society has covered every aspect of the operation of examining the administration, recording results, granting awards and encouraging the pursuit of excellence.

These tasks have been executed with competence, integrity and professionalism that are recognized by students, teachers and members of the society all over Australia and the Pacific. Tom was instrumental in putting into place administrative and electronic changes in the office which has assisted greatly in the smooth running of the office. Tom's enthusiasm and consistent voluntary effort has maintained the high quality of the entire assessment process and the benefits are being experienced by everyone associated with the Society.

In 2001 he was welcomed into the Hall of Fame at the Shorthand Reporters' Association of Australia Annual Conference.

In recognition of his long association with the Society Tom accepted Life Membership in 2006 and a Thomas Cooper Medal was awarded to the most successful student that year.

It is with great sadness that we report Tom's passing on 31 January 2008.

Life Membership—THOMAS COOPER

The Directors of the Society unanimously agreed to award Tom Cooper Life Membership of the Society. Tom has been a Member and Fellow of the Society since 1955. In 1958 he was appointed to the Examination Administration Board. Then, from 1969 he has held the positions of Registrar, Vice President, General Secretary and Director. Tom has represented the Society on many committees dealing with education, assessment, training, curriculum and recruitment of teachers and reporters. In 2001 he was welcomed into the Hall of Fame at the Shorthand Reporters Association of Australia.

New Life Member

Jacqueline Jeremy, the Society's webmaster has been granted life membership. Jacque lives in a remote part South Australia and supports the Society in many ways. Jacque became a member of the Society in March 1994 and was granted Fellowship in May 1999. Since that time she has been the Society's webmaster and has voluntarily used her advertising and editing skills to update and perfect CESA'S website.

Fellowship Granted

Paula Young was appointed a Director in March 2007 and is now the computer manager for the Society. Paula volunteers her services, skills and knowledge in business education to assist the Society to maintain relevant syllabus and examination specifications up to the Teacher Diploma level.

New Member

Virginia McMurray, a business teacher at Passmores' Business College in Newcastle, after gaining the Society's Teacher's Diploma in Word Processing has successfully applied to be a Member.

The Directors congratulate these people on their appointments.