Archive

Real Change’ remains unchanged: Exec elects to say ‘bye’ to by-Elections

Posted 2:31pm Monday 15th August 2016 by Joel MacManus

2016 is shaping up to be the first year in over two decades in which no OUSA by-elections have taken place. According to records of meeting minutes and annual reports, the last Executive group to make it through an entire year without a by-election was the group from 1994. The last year in which no Read more...

Sleepy second semester students seek secure study space

Posted 2:28pm Monday 15th August 2016 by Joel MacManus

OUSA is hoping to ensure the return of the 24 Hour Study Space for second semester exam time this year. The initiative, which saw the Clubs and Socs building on Albany Street extend its opening hours pasts its usual 10:30pm closing time, was hugely popular among students, who packed out the Read more...

Gender equality takes a hit as pay gap widens

Posted 2:26pm Monday 15th August 2016 by Joe Higham

The gender pay gap widened last quarter from 12.9 percent to 13.2 percent, a seemingly small change, yet one that highlights a step away from gender equality in New Zealand’s workplaces. The Pay Equality Coalition’s spokesperson Angela McLeod spoke of how it is “time for action Read more...

Viability of computerised exams investigated

Posted 2:24pm Monday 15th August 2016 by Joe Higham

Otago University has revealed it is investigating whether widespread use of computer-based examinations (CBE) is a possibility. A Working Group set up by the University includes representatives from the Divisions of Humanities, Health Science, Science, Commerce, and also OUSA, among others. The Read more...

Funnily enough Dunedin does need students

Posted 2:20pm Monday 15th August 2016 by Hugh Baird

The annual University of Otago Economic Impact Report was released last week at the latest University Council meeting. The report, which was compiled by the office of the Vice-Chancellor reported on the economic impact that the University had on the local economy, through expenditure of the Read more...

OUSA Execrable | Issue 19

Posted 2:16pm Monday 15th August 2016 by Joe Higham

Pro-Vice Chancellor for the Division of Humanities, Tony Ballantyne, attended this week’s executive meeting in order to provide answers to the student representatives in relation to the ‘Management of Change’ process taking place in the division, in which redundancies are certain Read more...

Harawira is back, and a Maori-Mana alliance over Te Tai Tokerau is on the cards

Posted 11:26am Sunday 7th August 2016 by George Elliott

Harawira lost his seat in the Maori electorate of Te Tai Tokerau to Labour’s Kelvin Davis by nearly seven percent of the vote in the 2014 election. It was a devastating loss for Mana, which had held the seat since it split with the Maori Party in 2011. Pundits chalked the de-crowning moment up Read more...

Have you heard of a feminist foreign policy? Sweden has

Posted 11:20am Sunday 7th August 2016 by George Elliott

In the aftermath of the Cold War, a feminist approach to international relations became popular among some academic circles. Two of the movements founding scholars, Cynthia Enloe and Carol Cohn , proposed using a critical "feminist consciousness" when examining how countries do business Read more...

All Blacks name squad for upcoming Rugby Championship

Posted 11:09am Sunday 7th August 2016 by Hugh Baird

Chiefs fullback Damien McKenzie and midfielder Seta Tamanivalu are the notable omissions from an All Blacks squad named last week to play in the upcoming Rugby Championship. Instead the All Blacks coaching staff have opted for Blues midfielder George Moala, who impressed in the test series Read more...

Opinion: Three Olympic events you need to watch

Posted 11:06am Sunday 7th August 2016 by Sean Nugent

The 2016 Rio Olympics are underway! It may be the most controversial games in history. But let’s forget that for a moment and focus on the actual events and the athletes taking part. Of course, there are some events that are must-watch television. However, instead of rattling off some obvious Read more...

Man jumps from plane without parachute, world shits itself

Posted 11:00am Sunday 7th August 2016 by Charlotte Haselden

A 42-year-old skydiver has plummeted back to earth, becoming the first person to jump from a plane with no parachute, landing in a net instead. Luke Aikins jumped from 25,000 feet above the desert landscape of California's Simi Valley, landing in a 39-by-39-metre two-tiered net which was set Read more...

American man kills home intruder by tying him to a tree

Posted 10:55am Sunday 7th August 2016 by Tom Kitchin

Tying a burglar to a tree with layers of tape and a clothesline, leading to death; some things can only happen in the US.   Nathaniel Johnson, a 68-year-old resident of the town Leroy, Alabama, had become annoyed at the increasing number of burglaries at his property and decided something Read more...

Octagon Sleep-Out a resounding success

Posted 10:53am Sunday 7th August 2016 by Joe Higham

If you were drinking in town on the 29th July, you may have been wondering why there was suddenly a huge group of people sleeping in the Octagon. No they weren’t drunk students or the homeless community, but if you’d said the latter, you would’ve been close.  In fact, 150 Read more...

Hope for AIDS eradication in Africa disappearing, experts say

Posted 10:51am Sunday 7th August 2016 by Georgia Vosper

Hope for the end of AIDS in Africa is disappearing, with recent warnings by health experts suggesting that ‘the end of AIDS by 2030’ is not actually a very achievable goal. The number of infections is rising and the input of funding internationally is declining, possibly due to the Read more...

Uncertain times for humanities staff as five departments facing redundancies

Posted 10:49am Sunday 7th August 2016 by Joe Higham

A media briefing held by Otago University on Wednesday 3 August, provided few assurances to the future of staff members in the Division of Humanities.  Otago University’s Pro-Vice Chancellor, Tony Ballantyne, addressed the media, stating that five departments within the division will Read more...

OUSA on a mission to get students voting

Posted 10:46am Sunday 7th August 2016 by Joel MacManus

OUSA has launched what Administrative Vice-President Jarred Griffiths describes as “the largest student voter enrolment drive we’ve ever done”. Over the past two weeks, Exec members have been visiting halls and encouraging enrolments with the promise of pizza for the floors who Read more...

Yet another proposal could chip away at already diminishing student freedoms

Posted 10:44am Sunday 7th August 2016 by Joe Higham

A registration scheme for students planning flat parties is being considered by OUSA following its successful implementation in the Riccarton West suburb of Christchurch.  The scheme allows people who are planning to throw a party to register it in order to seek advice on issues such as Read more...

Hyde street residents fearing for safety after spate of attacks

Posted 10:41am Sunday 7th August 2016 by Joel MacManus

A number of residents on Hyde street have raised concerns over student safety after a series of attacks in the area. Police were called to the area last Saturday after a male student walking with his girlfriend was assaulted by two males believed to be non-students. No arrests were made. Another Read more...

OUSA Execrable | Issue 18

Posted 10:37am Sunday 7th August 2016 by Joel MacManus

Following the results of the 2016 OUSA Referendum, there will no longer be regulations against offensive costumes at the annual Hyde Street party. The controversial measure, which was introduced this year, was defeated by a 28 percent margin, with a total of 3205 votes cast.  In a more Read more...

The greatest ever Olympic moment?

Posted 11:34am Sunday 31st July 2016 by Hugh Baird

After a four year wait since London, this week will see the commencement finally of the Rio Olympics. In honour of that, we here at Critic decided to take a look back at likely the finest moment in Olympic history: Eric Moussambani—“Eric the Eel” Eric Moussambani produced quite Read more...