Archive

Student Bar Might Actually Happen After All

Posted 8:38pm Thursday 19th April 2018 by Joel MacManus

University of Otago COO Steve Willis has indicated that a new or revamped student bar on campus could be a possibility as the Uni looks at new developments over the next couple of years. The Union Food Court is “not losing money any more,” Willis said, while addressing the OUSA Exec Read more...

Men’s Only Med Group Hopes to Combat Mental Health

Posted 8:35pm Thursday 19th April 2018 by Esme Hall

The Otago University Medical Students’ Association (OUMSA) has started a men’s only social group for mental health support called “Men in Med”. It forms part of OUMSA’s wider initiative to provide social events that aren’t centred around alcohol. Third-year Read more...

Recreation Officer’s Re-Created Report Accepted

Posted 8:31pm Thursday 19th April 2018 by Joel MacManus

Success! Josh Smythe, OUSA Re-Creation Officer, has had his quarterly report passed, granting him his honorarium for the first quarter. Josh’s report, which was covered in Critic #6, was dedicated to “the breathas and the homies,” insisted on listing his title as Re-Creation Read more...

Burglars hit Hyde Street

Posted 8:28pm Thursday 19th April 2018 by Charlie O’Mannin

Hyde Street resident Sam Gallagher, says he is “pissed” after having a Playstation 4 and an Xbox One stolen from his flat. After “a big night” out on the piss, he got home and went to bed, but couldn’t sleep because he “accidentally drank pre-workout Read more...

Freshers Do Sport, Critic Makes Up Results

Posted 8:24pm Thursday 19th April 2018 by Joel MacManus

The season kicked off last Saturday for the turgid, semi-competitive shambles that is the inter-college sports league. Critic did not send a reporter down to watch any of the games, because if we wanted to watch a whole lot of sweaty freshers yell and bump into each other, we’d just go to Read more...

CCTV Cameras Begin to Roll Out

Posted 8:20pm Thursday 19th April 2018 by Esme Hall

CCTV camera installations are “running a little late” but they have arrived, says a University spokesperson. Two new cameras are now operational. One faces west on Albany Street outside the Link, while the other faces north on Leith St at the corner of St David, which “is kinda Read more...

OUSA Lobby for More Seats on University Council

Posted 8:19pm Thursday 19th April 2018 by Charlie O’Mannin

OUSA have drafted a submission lobbying the government to increase the number of student seats on the University Council. There is only one seat currently reserved for a student, held by the OUSA President. Sam Smith, OUSA Finance Officer, said that only having one student is “not adequate Read more...

By Underpaying RAs, the University is Taking Advantage of its Most Kind-Hearted Students

Posted 8:06pm Thursday 19th April 2018 by Joel MacManus

Editorial: My first year at Otago in a residential college was the worst year of my life. I had left my small school where I had known most of my classmates since childhood, and been transplanted into a hectic mixing pot where I didn’t know anyone and felt like I didn’t fit in. I was Read more...

President’s Pet Fish Murdered in Brutal Homicidal Rampage

Posted 5:47pm Thursday 19th April 2018 by Charlie O’Mannin

OUSA President Caitlin Barlow-Groome has been in mourning this past week after her beloved pet fish were eaten alive by her flatmate’s friend. The gruesome mouthal assault occurred after her flatmate and his friend had been drinking alcohol and perhaps swearing. The friend menacingly plucked Read more...

“Stress and Uncertainty” for Uni Staff Over Job Cuts

Posted 12:45am Friday 13th April 2018 by Esme Hall

The University of Otago has admitted causing “stress and anxiety” after unspecified job cuts were announced, leaving many support staff unsure of their future. The University announced in July last year that 160 equivalent full-time jobs would disappear after the Support Services Read more...

Editorial: Critic Announces Bold New Plan to Make the OUSA Referendum Suck Less

Posted 8:28pm Thursday 12th April 2018 by Joel MacManus

The OUSA Referendum is always boring as shit and no one ever submits any questions. Mostly because it seems like it takes actual time and effort and requires a passion for student politics that most people simply don’t have. The thing is, it’s not that hard to get stuff added to the Read more...

Opinion: Kicking up a Fuss About a Change in Petrol Excise Tax Is a Waste of Time

Posted 8:15pm Thursday 12th April 2018 by Ben Hay-Smith

Anyone who is calling out the current Labour government for lying and turning back on their pre-election promise of “no new taxes” until 2020 is either: An idiot. Arguing semantics to make a minor issue seem larger than it is. When the Labour party promised in the lead-up to Read more...

Wild Dunedin Festival Getting Back to Nature

Posted 8:13pm Thursday 12th April 2018 by Thea Bailie-Bellew

When you first look at the programme for the Wild Dunedin Festival, it’s a little overwhelming to see so many events crammed into only five days. There are express tours to the albatross colony, a wildlife photography exhibition, a penguin kite-building workshop, and documentary viewings, and Read more...

Anonymous Domestic Abuse Support Available on OUSA Website

Posted 8:11pm Thursday 12th April 2018 by Esme Hall

OUSA has introduced access to the Shielded Site Project through its website. Shielded Site is put together by Women’s Refuge New Zealand and is an icon that sits on any website and launches anonymous resources to help those in domestic violence situations. Victims of abuse can access Read more...

OPINION: Postgrads Need to Eat Too

Posted 8:10pm Thursday 12th April 2018 by Chelle Fitzgerald

As a third year student who depends on the student allowance in order to keep my miserable existence in a run-down flat (up a hill no less!), I have been anxiously watching and wondering about Labour’s 2017 election promise to reinstate the postgraduate student allowance. Currently, honours Read more...

BREAKING INVESTIGATIVE REPORT

Posted 8:08pm Thursday 12th April 2018 by Charlie O’Mannin

In recent weeks a sinister Wall has emerged on the bottom floor of the lie-brary, where the computers used to be. The Wall has been painted black, with strange runic symbols daubed in invisible ink, and white plastic, the colour of white, girdles its extremities.  A pair of large double Read more...

Hyde Street to Become Fully Self-Funded After Ticket Price Increase

Posted 8:02pm Thursday 12th April 2018 by Charlie O’Mannin

Ticket prices for the Hyde Street Party are increasing this year as OUSA make the event financially independent. Ticket prices for the average student are going up from $20 to $35, and ticket prices for residents are going from $2 to $5.      OUSA Events Manager Jason Read more...

Students Pay Tribute To Departing Law Dean

Posted 7:59pm Thursday 12th April 2018 by Joel MacManus

Tributes have poured in from current and former Otago University Law Students following Mark Henaghan stepping down as Dean of the Otago Faculty of Law. A Facebook group, “Seeking Mark Henaghan Tributes” was created on April 6 by former students Andrew Row and Harriet Enright, and Read more...

OUSA No Longer Offering Free Flu Jabs

Posted 8:48pm Thursday 5th April 2018 by Thea Bailie-Bellew

OUSA has decided not to give out free flu shots to students this year. As if the fresher flu wasn’t bad enough, now we don’t even have the chance to escape it. Back in 2016, OUSA ran a pilot scheme of 150 free flu vaccinations in order to gauge interest prior to launching a bigger Read more...

OPINION: How Gay Is Gay Enough?

Posted 8:46pm Thursday 5th April 2018 by Sinead Gill

I’m not sure how proud I feel during Pride Week. Let me cover my ass real quick. I’m not saying I’m not proud of the events on offer, or of the people who work tirelessly to put them on. Pride Week 2018 looks cool. I’m just saying that there are still internal conflicts in Read more...

OUSA Battle of the Bands Poster “Culturally Insensitive”

Posted 8:44pm Thursday 5th April 2018 by Joel MacManus

A promotional billboard for the OUSA Battle of the Bands event has been pulled after it sparked controversy for its use of a hodgepodge of cultural symbolism for a seemingly unrelated event. The image shows a person in some sort of traditional headdress from an unspecified South American culture, Read more...

Pride Week is back, bitches!

Posted 8:42pm Thursday 5th April 2018 by Sinead Gill

A cause for celebration! Pride Week is back after its three-year hiatus. And it looks to be a cracker week, boasting an impressive line-up of 17 events over nine days. If you’re worried about missing out on cool stuff because of classes, don’t fear! Some of their events are running Read more...

Critic Offers to Purchase Vic Uni Student Mag Salient for $1500 and a Playstation 2

Posted 8:41pm Thursday 5th April 2018 by Joel MacManus

A recent fire sale at Victoria’s Salient Magazine isn’t solving the real problem, according to Waikato and Otago student magazine editors. Salient Magazine is facing a funding crisis recently after receiving $10,000 less than originally anticipated from Victoria University of Read more...

No Third Gender Option for Otago University Enrolment

Posted 8:39pm Thursday 5th April 2018 by Joel MacManus

There is no gender option other than male or female on University of Otago enrolment forms, something critics say is alienating potential transgender or intersex students. One student, who was interested in enrolling but found there were no options which accurately reflected their gender Read more...

No Non-Binary People Allowed in OUSA Women’s Room

Posted 8:38pm Thursday 5th April 2018 by Esme Hall

OUSA has rejected a request to allow non-binary women to use the OUSA Women’s Room. OUSA’s policy says the Women’s Room in the Union Building is a safe space for women to feel “welcome and free from harassment of any kind”. After a suggestion from Otago Read more...

OUSA Battle of the Bands poster ‘Culturally Insensitive’

Posted 5:16pm Tuesday 27th March 2018 by Joel MacManus

A promotional billboard for the OUSA Battle of the Bands event will be pulled after it sparked controversy for its use of a hodgepodge of cultural symbolism for a seemingly unrelated event.   The image show a person in some sort of traditional headdress from an unspecified South American Read more...

Why I Hope Joseph Parker Loses

Posted 11:21pm Thursday 22nd March 2018 by Charlie Hantler

On April 1 this year, plenty of people will be made to look like fools all over the world, but none more so than the big kiwi, Joseph Parker. He’s almost certainly going to lose to a far better opponent, and I am thrilled about that. Not because of Joseph himself, but because of his piece of Read more...

Comp Sci Students Make Their Own Timetable App Because eVision Sucks

Posted 11:20pm Thursday 22nd March 2018 by Esme Hall

A group of Computer Science students have developed an app called WingIt to alow students to view their eVision timetable on mobile phones. One of the developers, William “your friendly neighbourhood computer nerd” Warren said, “it's 2018 already. What self-respecting Read more...

Free Te Reō Classes Return

Posted 11:18pm Thursday 22nd March 2018 by Charlie O’Mannin

In 2016 Te Roopū Māori, the Otago University Māori Students’ Association, started offering free Te Reo Māori classes. The response was impressive, with the beginners’ class in 2017 peaking at 120 people, most of whom were not Māori. “We were overwhelmed Read more...

A Conspiracy Unmasked

Posted 11:17pm Thursday 22nd March 2018 by Charlie O’Mannin

You woke up this morning ignorant and innocent. The sunshine sunk into your skin like a spoon into a puddle of thick custard, and the world oozed contentment. BUT NOW IT WILL ALL CHANGE. A letter was sent to the OUSA Exec on the 12th of March by brave whistleblower Fiona A. Bowker informing Read more...

OUSA Spent $250 on a Portrait of Sexy Garfield

Posted 11:15pm Thursday 22nd March 2018 by Joel MacManus

$250 of student money was spent by OUSA last year on a 103cm x 78cm, framed portrait of the cartoon cat Garfield wearing pink lingerie, stockings and high heels. The artwork “Lasagnerie” by student Emily Davidson, was featured as a pull out poster in Critic issue 11, 2017, and was Read more...

OUSA Executive Endorse Medical Marijuana

Posted 11:13pm Thursday 22nd March 2018 by Charlie O’Mannin

The OUSA Executive have backed a submission from the Otago Campus Greens on the Government’s new medical marijuana bill. Marijuana, also known as dank weed, the devil’s lettuce, reefer, Chronicles of Narnia, combustible herbargy, buckle truckle, wacky-backy, munt moss, canobinisinis, Read more...

Misleading Maths from the Uni on CCTV Support

Posted 11:10pm Thursday 22nd March 2018 by Esme Hall

The Uni have used some creative statistics to boost the appearance of student support for CCTV cameras which are about to be installed around North Dunedin. A brochure set to be delivered to student mailboxes says that “65% of students who provided feedback to the University said that they Read more...

Opinion: Why Is the OUSA President Making Excuses for the University?

Posted 11:08pm Thursday 22nd March 2018 by Alex McKirdy

In OUSA President Caitlin Barlow-Groome’s recent opinion piece, she discussed how our university has been trying their best at student consultation. Trying something, for sure. Caitlin, you’re doing alright, but the last thing you need to do is make excuses for our university. Take Read more...

Editorial | Boy, the ODT Sure Is Good at Journalism.

Posted 9:41pm Thursday 22nd March 2018 by Joel MacManus

In the Critic office there is a whiteboard which months ago was permanently marked by a reporter on some journalism-related rage. “Fuck the ODT,” they scrawled. Below it someone else came along and wrote, “If you do that your crotch will get dusty”. My favourite thing Read more...

Opinion: Why the fuck weren’t students consulted about sweeping changes to the Humanities Division?

Posted 10:42pm Thursday 15th March 2018 by Sinead Gill

The Pro Vice Chancellor, Professor Tony Ballantyne, has proposed a restructuring of the humanities division. This restructure would result in building shuffles (word on the street is that the Richardson Building is being considered), and the downsizing of humanities from 16 units to 7. These units Read more...

Teams I Hate and Why You Should Hate Them Too: The Golden State Warriors

Posted 10:12pm Thursday 15th March 2018 by Charlie Hantler

Fuck Draymond Green This could very easily be an article in itself. The man sits on stage alongside the likes of Steve Smith, Quade Cooper, Bernard Tomic and Justin Gatlin for the most hateable person in sports, and he probably takes out the prize. Affectionate Warriors ‘fans’ Read more...

Some Law Professors Teach You How To Talk to The Police

Posted 10:09pm Thursday 15th March 2018 by Colin Gavaghan

OUSA’s “UNI 101 2018 Guide to Student Life” advice [put together by Critic] on how to talk to the police includes the following: “Be honest. You’ve been stopped for a reason so lying to the cops won’t do you any favours. Fess up and apologise.” Not Read more...

Student Area Terrorised by Violent, Knife-Wielding Children

Posted 10:06pm Thursday 15th March 2018 by Charlie O’Mannin

Vice-Chancellor Harlene Hayne has slammed the numbers of high school kids attending student parties in North Dunedin, arguing that they cause much of the disorder in the student area. “We have a couple of unwanted visitors at parties, particularly on Castle Street and Hyde Street that are Read more...

Alcohol Crackdown at Physio and Med Flat Crawls

Posted 10:04pm Thursday 15th March 2018 by Esme Hall

The Physiotherapy and Medical Students’ Associations can no longer provide alcohol at their Flat Crawl events in accordance with stringent new University policy. In the past student-organised Flat Crawls have provided alcohol, but this year Students Associations had to ask attendees to Read more...

Hare Krishna $3 Lunch Pumping as Always

Posted 10:02pm Thursday 15th March 2018 by Esme Hall

Queues for the Hare Krishna $3 Lunch have been snaking out the door of OUSA Clubs and Societies Centre every lunchtime since the start of semester. Jane Ma runs the vegan lunch, singing and calling people “sweetheart”. Monday is pasta, Tuesday is veggies and rice, Wednesday is soup Read more...

Why Cricket Is a Better Metaphor for Sex Than Baseball

Posted 10:00pm Thursday 15th March 2018 by Joel MacManus

I recently found myself in a heated debate over the exact definition of the term “third base”. We all know first base is kissing and second base is feeling a boob, but then where does it go from there? Is third base oral, or is it hand-on-genital contact? If hand-on-breast comes under Read more...

Landers Get The Job Done At The Glasshouse

Posted 10:12pm Friday 9th March 2018 by Charlie Hantler

Highlanders 33 (Squire, A. Smith (2), Naholo, Whitelocktries; Sopoaga 4 conversions), Stormers 15 (Van Zyl, Willemse tries; Marais conversion, penalty)     Getting into the third week of the year, the Freshers were starting to Read more...

Critic Interviews Green MP Marama Davidson

Posted 9:56pm Thursday 8th March 2018 by Joel MacManus

Why did you decide it was important that you run for Green Party Co-Leader? It wasn’t the easiest decision, but in the end I felt I was best to maintain our independence, grow our movement, and be transparent for our membership. It’s going to be really important for us as a smaller Read more...

Critic Interviews Green MP Julie Anne Genter

Posted 9:55pm Thursday 8th March 2018 by Jim Eunson

What do you think young people can expect from the Greens in the next few years? They can expect us to keep leading the call for meaningful action on issues like inequality and climate change. Young people will be hit hardest by both if we don’t change course soon. They can also expect us Read more...

Rule Change Means Students No Longer Lose Marks for Helping Others Cheat

Posted 9:52pm Thursday 8th March 2018 by Staff Reporter

New rules around academic misconduct mean that students will no longer lose marks because of misconduct that doesn’t relate to a paper they are enrolled in or isn’t intended to gain them an academic advantage. This means that any cheating which doesn’t directly benefit Read more...

Black Caps Hold Down The Fortress

Posted 9:16pm Thursday 8th March 2018 by Charlie Hantler

New Zealand 339 for 5 (Taylor 181*, Latham 71) beat England 335 for 9 (Bairstow 138, Root 102, Sodhi 4-58) by five wickets   You know those moments in childhood when you’d rock on down to the local dairy and nab a dollar mix, and the feeling you’d get Read more...

Landlord Mike Harbott rented “unliveable” flats, ignored Tenancy Tribunal rulings, and has not paid the ordered compensation

Posted 9:14pm Thursday 8th March 2018 by Charlie O’Mannin

In 2016 eight girls signed a flat with Mike Harbott at 41 Gladstone Road. He told them that the property was being renovated but that the renovations would be complete well before the end of the year. Many of the renovations were not completed. There was no source of heat, no ventilation in the Read more...

Law Camp Cancelled Amidst a Media Frenzy

Posted 6:36pm Thursday 8th March 2018 by Esme Hall

Law Camp was set to take place March 9th to 11th, but in a meeting between Pro-Vice Chancellor for Humanities Tony Ballantyne and the Society of Otago University Law Students (SOULS), the University withdrew support from Law Camp. SOULS said that “without this support” they were Read more...

We Crashed the Prime Minister's Tea Party

Posted 6:33pm Thursday 8th March 2018 by Joel MacManus

Critic often doesn’t get invited to important stuff. Mostly because we aren’t important and no one really likes us. So we decided to start inviting ourselves. We had no idea that Jacinda Ardern was in town, reopening the Dunedin Law Courts and announcing Labour’s Read more...