Archive

DCC Proposing to Delay Tertiary Precinct Upgrade

Posted 9:01pm Sunday 18th April 2021 by Erin Gourley

The DCC’s draft ten year plan for 2021-2032 proposes to delay the tertiary precinct upgrade into the 2030s. In 2017, the DCC voted to spend $20 million during the 2018-2028 period upgrading the Tertiary Precinct. The plan would upgrade the streets with street art and bike lanes, to create Read more...

Thousands Protest About Climate Inaction

Posted 8:51pm Sunday 18th April 2021 by Denzel Chung

Around 1,500 people — ranging from high-schoolers to pensioners — marched from the Dental School to the Octagon on April 9th, Ōtepoti’s contribution to the nationwide School Strike 4 Climate (SS4C). Despite the Covid-19 lockdown forcing the cancellation of last year’s Read more...

Otago Tutors and Demonstrators Have Formed a “Network”

Posted 10:30pm Saturday 10th April 2021 by Erin Gourley

Tutors and demonstrators at Otago Uni have formed a network aimed at getting better, and more consistent, pay rates. Spokesperson for the Otago Tutors and Demonstrators Network, Joshua James, said that the Network was started because “we've heard anecdotally many breaches of employment Read more...

Breathas Pretend to be Reporters to Watch Themselves Get Tackled on CCTV

Posted 10:24pm Saturday 10th April 2021 by Fox Meyer

"Hello, I’m Joseph Fare from the Critic magazine and we would like to know if we could possibly have the cctv recordings of the smoking area where a couple people were seen jumping the fence and getting taken out by the bouncers. We’d like to make a story on the Read more...

Beerfest For JAFAs Went Well

Posted 10:19pm Saturday 10th April 2021 by Fox Meyer

The Auckland Beerfest run by OUSA went well. “We think there’s about 3,600 people here,” said OUSA Events Manager Jason. He spoke over a background of rambling guitar and slurred conversations. “OUSA gets some funding from the uni, but we are constantly having to find new Read more...

Almost Half of Hyde Lottery Winners Don’t Follow Through

Posted 10:13pm Saturday 10th April 2021 by Denzel Chung

802 students did not claim Hyde tickets in the most recent lottery, with work and money stopping many from going.  OUSA Events and Operations Venues Manager Jason Schroeder said that: “Overall there were 4,694 lottery registrations. The initial lottery returned 1,922 winners. Not all Read more...

Hyde Resident Concerned About Party’s Music Funding

Posted 10:07pm Saturday 10th April 2021 by Erin Gourley

A Hyde resident was surprised to discover that OUSA does not fund the music or staging at the Hyde Street Party. Organising the DJs and music is left up to the residents. “Imagine the party without music,” Amelia said. “I was astounded.” OUSA’s CEO, Debbie Downs, Read more...

Otago University Stops Funding The Conversation

Posted 10:01pm Saturday 10th April 2021 by Quintin Jane

The University of Otago has stopped funding academic publication The Conversation as part of pandemic-era budget cuts. Every other University in New Zealand currently funds the service, according to logos displayed on the publication’s website. The Conversation, launched in 2011, is an open Read more...

David Seymour Shoots Nerf Guns, Discusses Student Life

Posted 9:55pm Saturday 10th April 2021 by Fox Meyer

David Seymour was on campus, and in an exclusive interview with Critic he revealed that he does not know how long six inches is.  When asked how many beer cans tall he believed himself to be, David did some quick maths based on the assumption that a can of beer was “about six inches Read more...

Myanmar Fundraiser Yeeted From Campus Then Promptly Un-Yeeted

Posted 9:48pm Saturday 10th April 2021 by Denzel Chung

The University initially refused to allow an on-campus food fundraiser for activists in Myanmar, but reversed its decision after a “strongly-worded email” from OUSA President Michaela Waite-Harvey. The fundraising Burmese students were shocked when Property Services said their food Read more...

Goodbye, Harlene

Posted 9:35pm Saturday 10th April 2021 by Denzel Chung

It was a Friday afternoon that no human alive will ever forget. 19 March 2021, the day that Great and Glorious Vice-Chancellor Doctor Professor Vada Harlene Hayne ONZM BA MS PhD left our beloved University. Temperatures plunged as the Sun hid its face in sorrow. Angels wept in the skies up above. Read more...

Studylink: Cancer Recovery Not a Valid Reason for Part-time Study

Posted 3:43pm Thursday 1st April 2021 by Erin Gourley

An Otago student who is recovering from stage four cancer has not received living costs all year because Studylink declined his application for limited full-time status.  “I have a bit of savings but I’m chewing through that quickly,” said Bradley Jackson. He studies sports Read more...

Myanmar Fundraiser Yeeted From Campus Then Promptly Un-Yeeted

Posted 11:39am Wednesday 31st March 2021 by Denzel Chung

The University initially refused to allow an on-campus food fundraiser for activists in Myanmar, but reversed its decision after a “strongly-worded email” from OUSA President Michaela Waite-Harvey. The fundraising Burmese students were shocked when Property Services said their food Read more...

Landlords Using Op-Shops As Dumping Ground

Posted 6:59pm Sunday 28th March 2021 by Denzel Chung

The manager of an op-shop has accused landlords of using their shop to dump waste, but the head of the Otago Property Investors’ Association (OPIA) said students are mainly to blame.  April Topi-Elliot, who has managed the SPCA Op-Shop in North East Valley since it opened 5 years ago, Read more...

No Kerbside Recycling for Inner City Residents

Posted 3:02pm Sunday 28th March 2021 by Asia Martusia King

It’s hard to recycle in the city, according to concerns raised by students. Residents flatting in the CBD and George Street’s retail district do not have access to kerbside recycling.  The Dunedin City Council has implemented three $80,000 neighbourhood recycling drop-off Read more...

Subeditor Delegated Very Important Task of Putting an Overly Long Title on Tedious OUSA Article

Posted 2:53pm Sunday 28th March 2021 by Denzel Chung

Once a quarter, Critic Te Arohi put themselves through the punishing process of reading and summarising the OUSA Exec’s reports for you, our readers. We do it because the only emotion we’re capable of feeling at this point is pain and we kind of like it we feel a strong sense of duty and Read more...

“Sign-tology” on the Rise in Dunedin

Posted 10:19pm Friday 26th March 2021 by Fox Meyer

In a time when our lives are increasingly meaningless, in which we feel evermore like a digital drop in a vast online ocean, Sign Up Club is a beacon of hope. It offers community, it offers connection, it offers meaning. And all at the click of a button. But all is not well in SignUpVille. Above Read more...

14% Rise in Postgrad Enrolments at Otago

Posted 10:15pm Friday 26th March 2021 by Erin Gourley

There are 14% more students doing postgraduate qualifications at Otago this year, in what has been termed “doing a panic masters”. The largest increase is in humanities students, with a 30.5% increase in the number of students doing masters from last year. Health Sciences masters Read more...

New Zealand Robot Fights Other Robots and Wins

Posted 10:04pm Friday 26th March 2021 by Oscar Paul

New Zealand are now officially the world champions of robot combat, becoming the first non-American team to hold the top spot. The University of Auckland's Faculty of Engineering have successfully won the most recent Battlebots season, which many fans consider the world championship league Read more...

OPINION: Opinion: You Don’t Have to Go to The Rugby

Posted 9:43pm Friday 26th March 2021 by Oscar Francis

Let’s just be clear on one thing: I’m not being anti-rugby. Rugby is a great game. It’s something that we orientate our identity around, both as individuals and a nation. Going to the stadium gives a lot of us a feeling of fitting in, and stability in an uncertain Read more...

NZUSA and You

Posted 9:39pm Friday 26th March 2021 by Runze Liu

The OUSA pays $45,500 (1.16% of their total revenue) as membership fees to the NZUSA according to their 2021 budget. So, what the hell is the NZUSA? Is it a local ripoff of the country that brought you David Hasselhoff drunkenly eating a hamburger off the floor? Maybe it’s the New Zealand Read more...

Netsky Still Headlining Ori Despite Pūkana Controversy

Posted 9:33pm Friday 26th March 2021 by Denzel Chung

Belgian DJ Netsky will still be headlining OUSA’s Ori 2021 concert, despite sharing a video on Instagram showing people mocking the pūkana at a post-America’s Cup celebration party. In a statement shared with Radio One, OUSA President Michaela Waite-Harvey acknowledged that Read more...

Trans Student Raises Concerns About Otago University

Posted 9:29pm Friday 26th March 2021 by Erin Gourley

A trans student at Otago has raised concerns about the lack of gender neutral bathrooms and the use of deadnames in University systems. Ethan*, a trans student, said that “student wellbeing should be prioritised on campus, to ensure we are in the best state to learn. A lack of vital Read more...

14% Rise in Postgrad Enrolments at Otago

Posted 4:22pm Wednesday 24th March 2021 by Erin Gourley

There are 14% more students doing postgraduate qualifications at Otago this year, in what has been termed “doing a panic masters”.  The largest increase is in humanities students, with a 30.5% increase in the number of students doing masters from last year, according to Read more...

Student Hardship Fund Remains Hard

Posted 2:37pm Sunday 21st March 2021 by Fox Meyer

Pūtea Tautoko supported 12.5% of all students enrolled last year. Plans are underway to ensure the hardship fund continues into 2021. Last year, the Pūtea Tautoko coffers were filled by $2 million directly from the University, around $500k donated by staff, alumni and friends of the Read more...

Universities Provide MIQ Subsidy for International Students

Posted 2:34pm Sunday 21st March 2021 by Erin Gourley

New Zealand’s universities, including Otago, have agreed to subsidise 50% of the cost of MIQ for returning international students. The New Zealand International Students’ Association (NZISA) announced the subsidy in a Facebook post on Friday 12 March. “NZISA applauds the Read more...

Drug Safety Club Back in Talks With OUSA

Posted 2:31pm Sunday 21st March 2021 by Fox Meyer

The Students for Sensible Drug Policy (SSDP) club and OUSA are working together to get the club affiliated. Affiliation would allow the SSDP to take advantage of OUSA’s resources and reach a wider audience, objectives supported by both parties. Originally, OUSA denied SSDP their application Read more...

ODT Ends Half-Century Contract For Distribution Manager

Posted 2:29pm Sunday 21st March 2021 by Denzel Chung

A woman who has helped to deliver newspapers to Dunedin for 45 years, employing 60 children and disabled people, had her contract ended in a single letter from the ODT on Friday.  Sue Loan has worked as the distributor for the ODT for 45 years. She managed 60 people, including children and Read more...

Activist Urges More “Bongs On The Ground” Activism

Posted 2:26pm Sunday 21st March 2021 by Denzel Chung

Bert Holmes, a veteran environmental and cannabis law-reform activist, has called for more “loud and proud” cannabis activism by students on campus, saying “that’s how we got to where we are today.”  In an interview with Critic Te Arohi, Bert, now coordinator of Read more...

St Paddy’s Was A Wholesome Time

Posted 2:22pm Sunday 21st March 2021 by Denzel Chung

On the ground reporting from Critic Te Arohi showed that, despite the ODT reporting “a night of St. Patrick’s Day carnage,” students largely commemorated the death of the patron saint of Ireland in a wholesome way.  In keeping with the time-honoured traditions of yore, a Read more...

A Quarter Of Health Scis Disappoint Their Parents

Posted 2:16pm Sunday 21st March 2021 by Denzel Chung

Out of the 1323 students enrolled into Health Science First Year (HSFY) at the start of 2020, 300 had changed courses for semester two, a total of 23% of the cohort.  Students Critic Te Arohi spoke to weren’t surprised by the numbers, generally agreeing that it sounded “about Read more...

Uni Cuts Medical Imagery Degree

Posted 2:12pm Sunday 21st March 2021 by Alex Leckie-Zaharic

The University of Otago has decided to kill off three postgraduate programmes based around medical imaging.  The Masters of Medical Imaging, as well as the Postgraduate Diploma (or Certificate) in Medical Imaging were announced back in 2018, but never officially opened to students. Since Read more...

Prices Go Up At Uni Again

Posted 2:10pm Sunday 21st March 2021 by Alex Leckie-Zaharic

The University has raised prices yet again at their food outlets. Those on the study grind are notoriously poor, and after prices went up multiple times last year, this latest increase will be another gut punch to the food court faithful. According to Campus and Collegiate Life Services Read more...

“Fear on Both Sides”: Students and Community March in Support of Burmese People

Posted 12:00pm Sunday 21st March 2021 by Fox Meyer

On Saturday 13 March, 60 people walked from the Train Station to Octagon in solidarity with the people of Myanmar. The mix of students and community members gave speeches and protested the military coup that took place in Myanmar on the first of February.  Eileen Corcoran of Radio One was at Read more...

Student Fined $300 for Eating a Pie

Posted 11:52am Sunday 21st March 2021 by Sean Gourley

A local student has been slapped with a $300 fine after eating a pie in the Night ‘n Day Regent line on St Patrick's day.  “I think it’s fair enough on their part to give me a fine but I did not expect it to be a ridiculous amount of money,” said Greg*, who admits Read more...

$10,000 Set Aside For Mysterious Clubs

Posted 11:42am Sunday 21st March 2021 by Erin Gourley

OUSA has $10,093 set aside from selling equipment belonging to old clubs. The money is currently held in trust for future clubs who are similar to the old clubs that were disaffiliated.  OUSA came across this issue when discussing whether to sell the Dunedin Fire and Circus Club’s Read more...

Harlene Gives Harlene an Honorary Law Doctorate

Posted 11:33am Sunday 21st March 2021 by Denzel Chung

Outgoing Vice-Chancellor Harlene Hayne got a very special going-away gift from the University: A honorary PhD in Law.  Some get gold watches or silver spoons, but not Harlene. Despite her academic background in psychology, Harlene was awarded a law degree at a graduation ceremony two Read more...

Student Fined $300 for Eating a Pie

Posted 1:04pm Friday 19th March 2021 by Sean Gourley

A local student has been slapped with a $300 fine after eating a pie in the Night ‘n Day Regent line on St Patrick's day.  “I think it’s fair enough on their part to give me a fine but I did not expect it to be a ridiculous amount of money,” said Greg*, who admits Read more...

VUW Accidentally Wipes Desktop Computers

Posted 3:08pm Wednesday 17th March 2021 by Erin Gourley

Victoria University of Wellington accidentally deleted all the files stored on its desktop computers last Friday. Items in the H: drive, M: drive, or the cloud were still accessible. This morning, staff and post-grad students received an email saying that IT were “still working on a Read more...

ODT Ends Half-Century Contract For Manager of Paperboys

Posted 5:10pm Monday 15th March 2021 by Denzel Chung

A woman who has helped to deliver newspapers to Dunedin for 45 years, managing 60 children and disabled people, had her contract ended in a single letter from the ODT on Friday.  Sue Loan has managed the distributors of the ODT for 45 years. She managed 60 people, including Read more...

Queer Space Will Open By End of April

Posted 11:24pm Saturday 13th March 2021 by Denzel Chung

A queer space, which has been in the works since 2018, will open on campus by the end of April.  President Michaela Waite-Harvey said that “the space is located on the first floor of the University Union building near the Terrace Lounge. “We’re putting the final touches on Read more...

KnowYourStuff Tested 161 Drugs During Flo and O

Posted 11:20pm Saturday 13th March 2021 by Erin Gourley

KnowYourStuff tested 161 drug samples during Flo and O Week in Dunedin, according to a preliminary report on their testing service in Dunedin.  This is an increase on samples tested in previous years. During Re O last year, KnowYourStuff tested only 91 samples.  Of the 161 samples, Read more...

One Student’s Trash Another’s Treasure

Posted 11:16pm Saturday 13th March 2021 by Fox Meyer

OUSA’s O Week Drop for Good initiative kept thousands of items out of landfills, and put them back in student flats, where garbage belongs. The event also made $5,400 for OUSA, according to their meeting last Monday.  “So much of this stuff is high-quality,” said Emily Read more...

Student Meant to be Near Epicentre of Quake

Posted 11:06pm Saturday 13th March 2021 by Fox Meyer

Four Otago students were meant to be on a boat offshore of the Kermadec Islands on the morning of March 5. This would have placed them near the epicentre of the M7.4 and M8.1 quakes that triggered Tsunami warnings in the North Island.   In a weird twist of fate, a last-minute Covid Read more...

School of Fishermen Need Herring Aid

Posted 11:03pm Saturday 13th March 2021 by Oscar Paul

No one caught a fish at the Otago Salmon Angling Association’s (OSAA) fishing competition last Saturday.  In the fishing competition, 200 fishermen and fisherwomen had 24 hours to catch any Salmon, Kingfish or Kahawai in the Otago Harbour. The biggest fishes caught could net the Read more...

Second-Year Discovers New Species of Dolphin

Posted 10:55pm Saturday 13th March 2021 by Fox Meyer

Students have discovered what is “almost certainly” a new species of dolphin while on an annual geology field trip. The mandatory second year field trip spends one afternoon at the Tokorahi lime quarry, where students are given some time to poke around for fossils in the limestone Read more...

More Students Studying At Otago Than Ever Before

Posted 10:46pm Saturday 13th March 2021 by Alex Leckie-Zaharic

With international gap years now off the market, and a lack of jobs available, about a thousand naive lads and lasses with nothing better to do have enrolled at Otago, boosting the total number of students back to pre-Covid levels.  The student numbers have risen by 952 students from last Read more...

Increased MIQ Fees for International Students

Posted 10:43pm Saturday 13th March 2021 by Erin Gourley

The 1000 international students allowed into New Zealand next month will pay increased MIQ fees. For temporary visa holders like international students, the cost of a one-person stay in managed isolation will increase from $3100 to $5520 on 25 March. These international students are required to Read more...

Students Obsessed With New Pyramid Scheme

Posted 10:33pm Saturday 13th March 2021 by Fox Meyer

The largest club on campus is now the Sign Up Club. Everyone so used to signing up or scanning in for Covid that there is now a club just for that. The club is formless and exists mostly as a Facebook page. But its numbers are rapidly growing. “We don’t want to overshadow Read more...

Mysterious Movie Being Made on Campus

Posted 10:24pm Saturday 13th March 2021 by Fox Meyer

There’s a movie being filmed on campus. Critic reached out to the Netflix production team of The Royal Treatment, who were unable to provide comment on their closed set.  Students saw a crew filming what appeared to be a market scene outside of Geology, complete with old-timey cars Read more...

Otago Uni’s Printing Costs the Highest in the Country

Posted 10:18pm Saturday 13th March 2021 by Denzel Chung

Students feeling the pain of forking out for yet another printing credit top-up can finally validate their hurt and trauma: Otago’s student printing costs are the highest of all Aotearoa’s universities. This year, Uniprint has hiked student’s printing costs by a staggering 33% Read more...

Otago Campus Christians Described As “Insular” and “Controversial”

Posted 10:12pm Saturday 13th March 2021 by Denzel Chung

“I lived across the street from the Campus Christians on Grange. They were weird, but not “bad weird.” They were just very exclusive, and I never saw a new face.” Kayla’s biggest problem with the Campus Christians was that they’ve “monopolised the Read more...

OPINION: Freshers, Stop Leaving the Game Early

Posted 6:33pm Saturday 6th March 2021 by Alex Leckie-Zaharic

Being born and raised in Dunedin, I’ve got a special place in my heart for the mighty Highlanders. I was there for their last game at Carisbrook over ten years ago, I watched as we lifted our first trophy in 2015. Since arriving at uni, I’ve been to almost every ‘Landers game at Read more...

Your Student Association is Hosting a Beerfest for JAFAs

Posted 6:20pm Saturday 6th March 2021 by Fox Meyer

The success of Dunedin’s annual Beerfest inspired OUSA to organise a similar event this year in Auckland, despite the potential danger of another lockdown.  The festival is planned for March 27 in the Spark Arena (formerly Vector Arena). With one ticket option you get Read more...

Police Presence Boosted at Flo and O

Posted 6:17pm Saturday 6th March 2021 by Denzel Chung

Police vans, as well as marked and unmarked police cars, regularly patrolled the Castle/Leith area during Flo and O Week, as early as 6pm. Critic can confirm that this wasn’t just a figment of boozed-up paranoia. There were actually more police than usual. On Big Red Finale night, two Read more...

Dunedinites Devotedly Down Dogs

Posted 6:09pm Saturday 6th March 2021 by Elliot Weir

Data from Regent St Night ‘n Day suggests students absolutely frothed $2 Hot Dogs during O Week. On the Tuesdays of Flo and O Week, Night ‘n Day sold over 600 hot dogs. During Slo Week (a term Critic has coined for the week before O and Flo Week), Night ‘n Day Regent sold an Read more...

Boutique Hotel Takes the L, Repurposed into Student Accommodation

Posted 6:01pm Saturday 6th March 2021 by Quintin Jane

Otago University has converted its Executive Residence boutique hotel into student accommodation for 2021.  The Executive Residence, also known as “that fancy house on Union Street East,” is now being managed by University College as a part of the University’s expansion of Read more...

Uni Smoothly Transitions to Level 2

Posted 5:57pm Saturday 6th March 2021 by Denzel Chung

The University’s response to recent yo-yoing between alert levels has not come under scrutiny from students. This is a far-cry from the student reaction during the first Covid outbreak. Critic spoke to Andrew Ferguson, the University’s Emergency and Business Continuity Coordinator, Read more...

Flat Break-Ins Rampant Over Flo and O

Posted 5:50pm Saturday 6th March 2021 by Denzel Chung

There’s been an increase in flat damage in the North Dunedin area over Flo and O Week.  Critic spoke to Lulu Gordon, a student whose flat got messed up on the final days of O Week. Lulu was in her lounge enjoying a post-bender Maccas feast with her flatties when a couple of Long Whites Read more...

The Greasy Beaver Lives to Beave Another Day

Posted 5:43pm Saturday 6th March 2021 by Erin Gourley

  The Greasy Beaver Lodge is back, baby. The famous flat sign was resurrected three weeks ago, after the tenants made a request to their property manager.  Annabelle, one of the current tenants, said that her flatmate emailed Cutlers over Christmas and said “it would make my Read more...

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...

Three Students Disciplined For Sexual Misconduct In 2020

Posted 8:42pm Tuesday 2nd March 2021 by Erin Gourley

A first-year student in 2020 was permanently excluded from the University of Otago after multiple sexual assaults against two students. This case, and three other allegations of sexual misconduct or assault, are detailed in the University’s Discipline Reports for 2020. Otago University Read more...

Nine Students Suspended For 2020 Flat Initiations

Posted 8:34pm Tuesday 2nd March 2021 by Erin Gourley

Two flats of students are unable to attend Otago in semester one because of flat initiations they organised at the end of 2020. The Proctor’s 2020 Discipline Report sets out the details of these initiations and the punishments students received. One flat initiation involved four second year Read more...

Neuron Scooters Hit Dunedin Streets

Posted 8:28pm Tuesday 2nd March 2021 by Denzel Chung

The battle of Dunedin’s e-scooters is well underway, with Singaporean company Neuron Mobility, Australia and NZ’s self-titled “leading rental e-scooter company,” heading into battle against Lime on Dunedin’s streets.   As well as their striking orange Read more...

BP Tormented By Shitposting Page

Posted 8:19pm Tuesday 2nd March 2021 by Sean Gourley

Shitposting page The boys are what has started a campaign to bring down international oil giant BP by tormenting them on Facebook. On 9 February, at 6.30pm, The boys are what opened their campaign with a post that said “good evening, fuck BP.”  Over following weeks, The boys are Read more...

Dangerous MDMA Substitutes in Dunedin

Posted 5:51pm Tuesday 2nd March 2021 by Erin Gourley

Up to 70% of drug samples tested in Dunedin have been found to contain eutolyne. Most of those samples were presumed by their users to be MDMA. Eutylone is a synthetic cathinone, part of a group of drugs also known as ‘bath salts.’ KnowYourStuffNZ’s testing during Christchurch O Read more...

Two in the Stink: University Adds Twin Share Rooms to Halls

Posted 5:44pm Tuesday 2nd March 2021 by Alex Leckie-Zaharic

In an effort to house two hundred more freshers than last year, the University has adopted an American college-comedy staple and added 11 twin rooms across multiple halls, including UniCol, Arana, and Aquinas.  In response to the influx of students, Stephen Willis, the Read more...

University Offering Online-Only Scholarships for International Students

Posted 5:37pm Tuesday 2nd March 2021 by Denzel Chung

The University of Otago is offering $10,000 scholarships for international students willing to start their first year completely online. The ‘Vice-Chancellor’s Scholarship for International Students — Online’ offers a discount of $10,000 on tuition fees for international Read more...

Student Union Turns Landlord

Posted 5:25pm Tuesday 2nd March 2021 by Sean Gourley

Otago University Student’s Association (OUSA) is converting the space above University Book Shop, on Great King Street, into six separate apartments.  A resource consent from the DCC showed that OUSA will build three two-bedroom apartments and three one-bedroom apartments in the space. Read more...

77 Incidents of Flatmate Violence Last Year

Posted 5:02pm Tuesday 2nd March 2021 by Erin Gourley

The team at OUSA Student Support dealt with 77 incidents of flatmate violence during 2020.  According to Sage Burke, the manager of OUSA Student Support, this number was “about the same” as 2019. That number was “bad to start with,” and given that a lot of Read more...

Drug Safety Club Denied OUSA Affiliation

Posted 4:55pm Tuesday 2nd March 2021 by Fox Meyer

Students for Sensible Drug Policy (SSDP) is not allowed to affiliate with OUSA. The Exec rejected their application on Thursday 18 February.  The rejection was based on a subclause in SSDP’s constitution that said that while the “social supply of drugs is discouraged”, it Read more...

Three Students Disciplined For Sexual Misconduct In 2020

Posted 4:26pm Wednesday 17th February 2021 by Erin Gourley

A first-year student in 2020 was permanently excluded from the University of Otago after multiple sexual assaults against two students. This case, and three other allegations of sexual misconduct or assault, are detailed in the University’s Discipline Reports for 2020. Otago University Read more...

Nine Students Suspended For 2020 Flat Initiations

Posted 12:38pm Wednesday 10th February 2021 by Erin Gourley

Two flats of students are unable to attend Otago in Semester One because of flat initiations they organised at the end of 2020. The Proctor’s 2020 Discipline Report sets out the details of these initiations and the punishments students received. One flat initiation involved four second year Read more...

Allegations of “Hostile, Toxic Bullying” Haunt Unsuccessful NZUSA President Election

Posted 2:27pm Monday 14th December 2020 by Sinead Gill

The position of 2021 President of NZUSA remains vacant after a reportedly “hostile” election full of “bullying” and “politicking” resulted in a stalemate between ITP (Intitute of Technology and Polytechnics) candidate, Andrew Lessells, and university Read more...

Batshit Crazy Mother Fucker Nathan Laurie

Posted 12:20pm Friday 20th November 2020 by Fibi Barkman

It’s been a year and a half with President Nathan Laurie in the hot seat of the Otago Polytechnic Students Association. He described himself as a “batshit crazy motherfucker” no less than 8 separate times throughout the interview, but in reality he is a careful, if not Read more...

OP Students Meet Your New El Presidente

Posted 3:05pm Thursday 5th November 2020 by Fibi Barkman

87 Otago Polytechnic students voted for the one and only option in the recent Otago Polytechnic Students’ Association (OPSA) presidential election: Level 3 Foundations student Ezra “Ewok” Tamati. Critic caught up with him on a rainy afternoon in the Hub to get to know him, and to Read more...

OPSA Decision on NZUSA Deferred Until November

Posted 2:36pm Thursday 29th October 2020 by Fibi Barkman

Otago Polytechnic students have voted to defer the decision on whether or not to join NZUSA for a month, to allow for an information session on what NZUSA actually is. OPSA President Nathan Laurie put the question of if OPSA should rejoin NZUSA at their special general meeting (SGM) on October Read more...

OUSA Sends Letter Following Associate Membership Rejection

Posted 2:11pm Thursday 29th October 2020 by Sinead Gill

OUSA has circulated a letter to NZUSA’s National Executive following their rejected application for associate membership status. They want NZUSA to improve it’s application process and include a means to appeal decisions made at the National Executive. The OUSA Exec applied for Read more...

Fire and Circus Club Disaffiliated After Investigation

Posted 12:19pm Thursday 29th October 2020 by Sinead Gill

OUSA has disaffiliated the Dunedin Fire and Circus Club (DFCC), citing a breach of rules around student numbers in the club.  The investigation into the DFCC began in July, when members of the club raised concerns about the ratio of students to non-students, as well as concerns about Read more...

Otago Polytechnic Students’ Association May Rejoin NZUSA

Posted 4:11pm Friday 16th October 2020 by Fibi Barkman

The Otago Polytechnic Students’ Association (OPSA) is considering rejoining the New Zealand Union of Students’ Associations (NZUSA). Otago Polytech students will be voting on whether or not to join at their special general meeting (SGM) next Wednesday.  Currently, only five of Read more...

Everyone on Campus Can Get Weed

Posted 7:33pm Sunday 4th October 2020 by Fox Meyer

Critic asked 34 students: if your life absolutely depended on it, could you suss weed within the hour? Every single person, bar one, said yes. However, Critic would like to point out that that single “no” could’ve asked any one of the other 33 people in the room. Every single Read more...

Students Struggling to Find Employment

Posted 7:31pm Sunday 4th October 2020 by Naomii Seah

Students are struggling to find jobs this summer. This may be related to the oncoming recession. 79.7% of students who responded to Critic’s online survey said that they were finding it harder than usual to find a job. Only 32.7% of respondents had actually found a summer job, compared to Read more...

New Scholarship Money for International Postgrads

Posted 7:30pm Sunday 4th October 2020 by Fox Meyer

A new scholarship appeared on the University’s website this week that would provide $10,000 in tuition fees towards one year of study for select international postgrad students. The Otago International Excellence Scholarship aims to support “high-achieving” students who are Read more...

Scarfie Weather First to Predict Snowfall

Posted 7:29pm Sunday 4th October 2020 by Fox Meyer

After announcing his departure from campus, Scarfie Weather was back online last Thursday (24 September) with a hot take: “I wouldn’t be surprised if we saw snow on Tuesday down to sea level, throughout Southland and Southern Otago.” The independent weatherman said of his Read more...

The Single Most Interesting Point from Each Exec Report

Posted 7:28pm Sunday 4th October 2020 by Erin Gourley

The OUSA Exec have to write reports about what they have done in each quarter of the year in order to continue being paid. This is a review of the best paragraph of each third quarterly report from the 2020 Exec.   President Jack Manning “This quarter has gone by about as fast as Read more...

We Harvested Your Data and Are Selling it Online

Posted 7:25pm Sunday 4th October 2020 by Fox Meyer

Oopsies, we’re reporting on politics. Can’t help but engage with a good bit of data. We polled students on the Dunedin Electorate, seeing as that’s where the majority of students live. Sorry, Taieri. We know students live there too. In the past, I’ve tried to show that Read more...

Most Predictable OUSA Election in Years

Posted 7:23pm Sunday 4th October 2020 by Erin Gourley

Michaela Waite-Harvey won the OUSA presidency convincingly. The results were announced in the Main Common Room last Thursday. There are five current Exec members continuing on in their roles or taking new positions in the 2021 Exec. Michaela is moving up from Welfare and Equity Representative to Read more...

OPINION: All Students Should be Eligible for Another Grade Bump

Posted 7:22pm Sunday 4th October 2020 by Naomii Seah

Wednesday 12 August, 2020. A new Covid-19 community cluster is found in Auckland, and New Zealand is faced with the prospect of another lockdown. Thankfully, only Auckland actually faced another Level 3. However, immediately after the announcement, I found myself once again on Zoom calls, once again Read more...

Jack’s Off: An Exit Interview

Posted 7:21pm Sunday 4th October 2020 by Caroline Moratti

After one year in the top job, Jack Manning is preparing to leave the role. On December 31 he is out of the desk, and into the lion's den of life. The OUSA President sat down with Critic in his small, intimate office to talk about life, love, chicken satay and everything in between. Jack Read more...

ExamSoft Flagged 80% of Exams for Review Last Sem

Posted 7:20pm Sunday 4th October 2020 by Erin Gourley

6670 out of the 8188 exams conducted on ExamSoft were “flagged for review” in Sem One. ExamSoft was the remote invigilating software used for all of the Health Sci exams and some Accounting papers. 87 students had their grades delayed as a result of the ExamSoft review process. The Read more...

The Capping Show Lives to See Another Audience

Posted 7:19pm Sunday 4th October 2020 by Sophia Carter Peters

Against all odds, The Capping Show has returned for its 126th year, yeeting the bar for student sketch comedy into the stratosphere. This year’s show, Flatatouille, followed a rat named Remy who just wanted to be one of the lads, and a flat’s toil against an evil landlord, culminating Read more...