Archive

Private Residential Colleges Accidentally Made Bank From Wage Subsidy

Posted 9:10pm Thursday 21st May 2020 by Erin Gourley

Otago’s private residential colleges claimed a combined total of $789,893 under the Covid-19 wage subsidy. Turns out a chunk of this was surplus to their needs, so some money will be returned.  The wage subsidy is only available if a business can show a 30% reduction in monthly revenue Read more...

Vic’s International Students Petition for 30% Fee Reduction

Posted 9:06pm Thursday 21st May 2020 by Erin Gourley

The VUW International Students’ Association (V-ISA) are petitioning their University to get a 30% fee refund for international students who returned home for lockdown. The petition, hosted on ActionStation, was created on 16 May and has 849 signatures at the time of writing.  VUW Read more...

Students Are Considering Leaving Otago Uni Over “Invasive” Exam Software

Posted 9:00pm Thursday 21st May 2020 by Sinead Gill

As of publishing, a petition that calls for the removal of ExamSoft software from Otago examinations has raised almost 600 signatures. Students are reportedly so unhappy that they are considering transferring University. Deputy Vice-Chancellor (Academic), Professor Pat Cragg, denies many of the Read more...

Noise Complaints on the Rise Since Lockdown

Posted 8:53pm Thursday 21st May 2020 by Erin Gourley

Picture this: you’re having a rave with your ten friends. Yeah, it’s loud, but this is North Dunedin ffs. Not like anyone’s gonna call noise control at 10:30 on a Saturday. But then, as you’re blasting Poi E and dancing alluringly in view of the breathas across the fence, a Read more...

Cops Get Back-up From Aviation Security to Monitor Parties

Posted 8:50pm Thursday 21st May 2020 by Erin Gourley

Aviation Security (AvSec) officers have joined Campus Watch and police in foot patrols on the streets of North Dunedin. The AvSec officers, who wear black uniforms without hats and are not trained police officers, do not have the power to enforce Level 2 rules. A police spokesperson confirmed Read more...

University Libraries Reopen

Posted 7:36pm Thursday 21st May 2020 by Jack Gilmore

The University of Otago has reopened many libraries across campus with new social distancing measures in place. At the time of writing Central, Science, and Roberston libraries have fully reopened with new social distancing measures. Libraries initially opened with reduced hours, closing at 5pm. Read more...

Restoring Voting Rights to Prisoners: What Students have to Say

Posted 7:31pm Thursday 21st May 2020 by Wyatt Ryder

New Zealand’s prisoners have been unable to vote in elections for the last ten years. The law that removed their ability to vote was passed in 2010. At the time, the Ministry of Justice estimated that 27,000 Kiwis lost the right to vote. Since then, the New Zealand’s Human Rights Read more...

Proctorial Justice Stocks Just Vibing in University Storage

Posted 7:27pm Thursday 21st May 2020 by Wyatt Ryder

The University has the Proctorial Justice stocks tucked away in storage, and it looks like that’s where they’re staying. The stocks were removed during the first weeks of 2019, when they were loaned out to the Otago Museum as a feature in their Dare to Be Wise exhibition. The Read more...

Referendum Will Ask Students if NZUSA Is Any Use

Posted 2:22pm Tuesday 19th May 2020 by Erin Gourley

OUSA will propose a theoretical alternative to NZUSA at their upcoming referendum.  Three of the draft OUSA referendum questions relate to NZUSA. The first, which is traditionally included in every OUSA referendum, asks whether students think OUSA should leave NZUSA. According to the Read more...

The Future Is Now: University Implements Examination Software For Upcoming Competitive Exams

Posted 1:01am Friday 15th May 2020 by Alex Leckie-Zaharic

Fresh off announcing their long-awaited exam timetable, the University lobbed a curveball at Accounting students and the massive Health Science First Year cohort on Tuesday afternoon by informing them that their exams would be surveilled. Many students are concerned. Yes, you read that right. In Read more...