Archive

Forsyth Barr Stadium May Be Sinking

Posted 3:48pm Sunday 1st September 2013 by Irrelevant Irvine

Critic has been informed by “people in the know” that Dunedin’s Forsyth Barr Stadium is sinking on its foundations. Built on reclaimed land, which requires buildings to have floating foundations, it is believed that when steel was added to the monstrous construction it immediately began to Read more...

Late Crate Debate Suffocates After Eight Great Speight’s-Fuelled Dates With Mates

Posted 3:48pm Sunday 1st September 2013 by Claudia Herron

Acknowledging the “harmful drinking culture in New Zealand,” the Otago University Debating Society (OUDS) will “no longer sanction” the infamous Crate Debate. The decision, which has been kept under wraps, first came to Critic’s attention after moderators deleted a comment attacking the decision on Read more...

Shit System to Be Made Less Shit

Posted 3:48pm Sunday 1st September 2013 by Thomas Raethel

The Performance-Based Research Fund is set to undergo changes in an effort to save time and reduce compliance costs for researchers. In a 26 August press release, Minister for Tertiary Education, Skills and Employment, Steven Joyce, confirmed that a review is underway. The Government plans to Read more...

DCC Shafts Students Despite Withdrawing Poll

Posted 3:48pm Sunday 1st September 2013 by Sam McChesney

The Dunedin City Council has scrapped plans to introduce a polling booth on campus during the upcoming local body elections. The returning officer, Pam Jordan, made the decision after concerns were raised that the booth could give the appearance of favouritism toward OUSA President Francisco Read more...

NZUSA to Face Do-Or-Die Reforms

Posted 7:41pm Friday 23rd August 2013 by Sam McChesney

Student presidents around the country are calling for sweeping reforms to the New Zealand Union of Students’ Associations (NZUSA), after the Waikato Students’ Union (WSU) notified its withdrawal from the organisation. In a press release circulated on 22 August, the Presidents of OUSA, VUWSA Read more...

Christchurch Rebuild a Safety Shocker, Says Worker

Posted 4:47pm Sunday 18th August 2013 by Jack Montgomerie

A temporary worker in the Christchurch rebuild has alleged shocking health and safety lapses during his time there earlier this year. Ferdinand Schuster, a 20-year-old German student on his gap year, told Critic that he had been put at risk and injured due to unsafe practices on a number of Read more...

New School to Research How to Research

Posted 4:47pm Sunday 18th August 2013 by Josie Cochrane

The University of Otago now has a Graduate Research School, which aims to provide more academic support, more services to graduate research candidates and a focus on leading research on how to research. The School replaces the research services department and now welcomes a Dean, Professor Rachel Read more...

University Council Meeting

Posted 4:47pm Sunday 18th August 2013 by Jack Montgomerie

The University Council unanimously endorsed a strategic document as well as a flatting standards bill, and engaged in light-hearted banter at its meeting last Tuesday. Council Member Michael Sidey clapped when Vice-Chancellor Professor Harlene Hayne told the meeting that her two-year Read more...

SOGOS Go Sci-Fi

Posted 4:47pm Sunday 18th August 2013 by Lindsey Horne

It turns out SoGoS fund more than just keg parties. The International Centre for Society, Governance & Science (SoGoS) funded a roundtable discussion on Genomics in Queenstown earlier this month. The Director of SoGoS (and no doubt the mastermind behind the title) is none other than University of Read more...

Fran Keeping Bus-y

Posted 4:47pm Sunday 18th August 2013 by Zane Pocock

OUSA, in partnership with the Dunedin City Council (DCC) and Otago Regional Council (ORC), has announced they are working towards an improved Dunedin bus service for students. This will involve simplifying routes and timetables, and addressing student pricing. The ORC has committed to a Read more...

Shearribly Dull

Posted 4:47pm Sunday 18th August 2013 by Claudia Herron

A contingent of Labour MPs consigned to forever working as the Opposition – including party leader David Shearer – held a public lecture on Monday 12 August at Knox Church Hall to tell us that “we are being ripped off.” Apparently, this problem can be solved by their NZ Power policy, which claims to Read more...

No Confidence Distraught as Tenci Wins By-Election

Posted 4:47pm Sunday 18th August 2013 by Jack Montgomerie

OUSA has a new Finance Officer after Nick Tenci trounced loveable sock puppet No Confidence at the close of voting in last Thursday’s by-election. In the final count, the third-year Finance and Biochemistry student received 470 votes (81.31 per cent). “No confidence in these candidates” received 108 Read more...

“Sit Back Down,” Says Joyce

Posted 4:47pm Sunday 18th August 2013 by Thomas Raethel

In response to the Otago Daily Times’ call to “Stand Up Otago,” Economic Development Minister Steven Joyce provided a rebuttal that was published by the newspaper on 10 August. In the rebuttal, entitled “Government Assisting Otago in Multiple Ways,” Joyce cited a $15 million contribution to Read more...

Xmas Present for EXMSS Pres

Posted 4:47pm Sunday 18th August 2013 by Bella Macdonald

Massey University’s Extramural Student Society’s (EXMSS) President is firing off scandalous allegations after MASSIVE magazine revealed how much she receives for her part-time position. In a MASSIVE article published online on Friday 9 August, it was revealed that EXMSS President Jeanette Read more...

The GCSB Bill

Posted 2:29pm Sunday 11th August 2013 by Bella Macdonald

What is the GCSB?The Government Communications Security Bureau (GCSB) is, amongst other things, New Zealand’s external spy service. The intelligence agency was set up by then-Prime Minister Robert Muldoon in 1977. It was tasked with keeping government communications and computers secure, and spying Read more...

Internet Totally Shithouse

Posted 2:29pm Sunday 11th August 2013 by Zane Pocock

Students and staff alike have been frustrated at the University of Otago’s slow Internet service over the past few weeks, coming at a crucial time for most students who are facing mid-semester assignment deadlines. The University’s Information Technology Services (ITS) never responded to Read more...

“Lack of Jobs Gives Students Chance to Study More, Eat Less.” – OUSA

Posted 2:29pm Sunday 11th August 2013 by Zane Pocock

Total Student Job Search (SJS) earnings in Otago have dropped by 12 per cent, equating to a loss of income of more than $450,000 over the course of the past year. Total weeks worked was also down 12 per cent, from 8,094 in the corresponding period last year to 7,145 this year. The Read more...

OUSA Tries to Keep Q-Jitsu Secret

Posted 2:29pm Sunday 11th August 2013 by Jamie Breen

Last week was OUSA Diversity Week, devoted to celebrating the diversity of Otago students and raising awareness and understanding of those who are queer or questioning. Different events, each focusing on queer support, were held every day of the week. The OUSA Queer Support group ran the Read more...

Sammy's to Be Someone Else's

Posted 2:29pm Sunday 11th August 2013 by Josie Cochrane

After 35 years of owning Crawford Street venue Sammy’s, the Chin family wants “younger people with new, fresh ideas” to step in. Sam Chin, the owner of Sammy’s, says he wants “new energy” and is “open to any new ideas” in terms of the venue’s Read more...

Provincials Reach For Their Pitchforks

Posted 2:29pm Sunday 11th August 2013 by Thomas Raethel

A former presenter of New Zealand’s Funniest Home Videos has called for the formation of a political party devoted to the South of New Zealand. Dunedin businessman Ian Taylor formulated the idea in conjunction with the Otago Daily Times’ “Stand Up, Otago” front-page editorial of 3 August. The Read more...