Archive

OUxit: Why some students leave OUSA

Posted 5:33pm Saturday 6th March 2021 by Runze Liu

Despite being the oldest, and one of the most influential students’ associations in the country, people still opt to leave the Otago Uni Students’ Association (OUSA). One of them — a third year student Otago student — opted out of OUSA membership in September last year by Read more...

OUSA Cancels Exec Meeting Because They Have Nothing to Talk About

Posted 5:17pm Saturday 6th March 2021 by Alex Leckie-Zaharic

The Exec meeting last week was cancelled because there was nothing on the agenda. In an email sent to members of the OUSA Exec February 26, the meeting scheduled for Monday was cancelled because there were only two agenda items. Both items had papers pending, preventing full discussion on either Read more...

Egg Sales Spike During O Week

Posted 5:13pm Saturday 6th March 2021 by Callan George

There was a “small spike in egg sales” during O Week, thanks to the long-held tradition of egging freshers. A Countdown spokesperson said that they saw “a small spike in egg sales at our Dunedin stores over Orientation Week”. However, they encourage people to think Read more...

Students Still Want Crossing, DCC Say They’re Working on It

Posted 5:01pm Saturday 6th March 2021 by Fox Meyer

The DCC will no longer confirm whether students will get an Albany Street pedestrian crossing. Last year, the DCC said it was “likely” in “late 2021.” A 2017 poll showed that more students supported the crossing (78.6%) than discounted Lime scooters (68.9%), or even Read more...

Dunedin Students Worried For Their Families in Myanmar

Posted 4:38pm Saturday 6th March 2021 by Aiman Amerul Muner

As the Myanmar Coup continues to unfold, students in Dunedin with deep ties to the Southeast Asian country can only watch and wait in fear. Two students from Myanmar spoke to Critic about the ongoing unrest. “It’s no longer safe for anyone to be outside, even if they’re heading Read more...

Otago Takes Three Years to Develop Climate Action Plan

Posted 2:23pm Saturday 6th March 2021 by Adam Currie

Otago Uni approved a Carbon Zero Programme in 2019, but did not hire a staff member to work on it until last month. The programme was first proposed in 2018. “The programme business case, including a road map to carbon zero, will be created approved and well underway by the end of Read more...

OUSA Apartments Generate Outrage

Posted 2:15pm Saturday 6th March 2021 by Denzel Chung

Your students’ association plans to turn the first floor of the University Bookshop into rental accommodation, and past Exec members are not happy about it. Two previous Exec members have questioned why a proposal rejected three times in the last five years was resurrected in Read more...

Tutors Receive a “Pay Cut By Stealth”

Posted 2:03pm Saturday 6th March 2021 by Erin Gourley

Some experienced tutors at the University of Otago will be paid less than they were last year. The change comes from a change to the requirements of the payscales for tutors and demonstrators.  Tutors who do not take on a role in organising the paper or co-ordinating other tutors will move Read more...

Med Entry Grades Rise Again

Posted 9:38pm Tuesday 2nd March 2021 by Erin Gourley

The average mark required to enter medicine from the Health Sciences First Year (HSFY) programme has increased for the sixth year in a row.  In response to an OIA, the University confirmed that the lowest average mark required for a first-round offer into 2021 med was 96.57%, up from 93.43% Read more...

Cops Still Don’t Get D&B, Gather Around Castle to Learn More

Posted 8:55pm Tuesday 2nd March 2021 by Alex Leckie-Zaharic

If you haven’t been permanently blinded by the flashing lights, sickly vape clouds, and freshers dancing like electrocuted cats along our favourite glass-paved party-street, you might have noticed the increased police presence during Flo and O-Week.  With cops lining either side of Read more...