Archive

Opinion: Are We Making Excuses for Inappropriate Behaviour?

Posted 6:31pm Thursday 8th March 2018 by Esme Hall

The first time I met Professor Mark Henaghan he put his arm around me and kissed me on the cheek. I was 17 years old in my first week of University and he was the Dean of the Law School. It was a University event so the official photographer probably has photos of me looking very Read more...

OUSA Prez: Does the University Really Care About Student Opinion?

Posted 6:26pm Thursday 8th March 2018 by

I don’t know about you, but I don’t see the point in end of semester evaluations of your paper and lecturer if nothing ever gets done about it. Everyone seems to tell you it will be used to improve next year’s class, but does it really? Finishing the feedback cycle isn’t just Read more...

'Health Sci Bible' Causes Controversy

Posted 6:16pm Thursday 8th March 2018 by Joel MacManus

A book on “How to Survive and Thrive in First Year Health Science” has caused controversy after lecturers apparently accused it of being “full of rubbish and mistakes”. The Health Sci Bible was written by second-year students Marcus Ground and Jack Davies as a Read more...

SOULS Law Camp Cancelled

Posted 4:53pm Monday 5th March 2018 by Joel MacManus

SOULS Law Camp has been cancelled after a meeting between the executive of the Society of Otago University Law Students and the Pro-Vice Chancellor of Humanities, Tony Ballantyne.  The SOULS Executive made the following statement in an email to all law students: "The Society of Otago Read more...

Postgrad Students Locked Out of WiFi Days Before Theses Due

Posted 6:02pm Saturday 3rd March 2018 by Joel MacManus

Several postgraduate students found themselves locked out of University WiFi and unable to gain after-hours access to their building just days before their theses were due. The issue appears to have been caused by the automatic reset of the Student ID system on February 23, which cleared 2017 Read more...

University Cracks Down on Initiations

Posted 6:01pm Saturday 3rd March 2018 by Charlie O’Mannin

17 people in 2017 were excluded from University for initiation related events, including nine people from the Debacle initiation that got significant media attention last year, which the ODT called “sadistic”. In comparison, in 2016 and in 2015 not a single person was disciplined for Read more...

THERE HAS BEEN A CRIME!

Posted 5:59pm Saturday 3rd March 2018 by Erin Broughton

A video that surfaced on Facebook’s ‘Cool Skit Group’ showed the first ever glimpse of famous vandal Banksy in the flesh, as he made his mark on a DCC commissioned powerbox artwork advertising Dunedin sound band The Chills. Banksy has long been known for his interest in justice, Read more...

Embers of Couch Fire Culture Pissed Out by Uni

Posted 5:57pm Saturday 3rd March 2018 by Charlie O’Mannin

Couch burning, once so prevalent you couldn’t open your front door without seeing at least three smouldering sofas, a few charred armchairs and an oxidising ottoman, is on the decline. In 2017, 24 fire-related incidents were dealt with by the Proctor, compared with 70 fire-related incidents Read more...

The Otago Student Living in a Boat

Posted 5:56pm Saturday 3rd March 2018 by Esme Hall

Where are you flatting this year? Otago Uni student Malcolm Jones is living on a boat. His boat, the Sea Witch, has a tiny kitchen, a fold-out table, two seats and space to sleep in the bow. There’s a 100W solar panel for lighting, a small coal burner for cold nights, a methylated spirits Read more...

Otago Student Involved in Russell McVeagh Scandal

Posted 5:55pm Saturday 3rd March 2018 by Esme Hall

Top-tier law firm Russell McVeagh, and the law profession in general, has faced criticism after complaints from students of sexual harassment by lawyers have come to light in the past weeks. The initial incidents reported by Newsroom occurred two years ago when two older male lawyers perpetrated Read more...

James Shaw Talks Speight’s, Three-Ways, and Avoiding Political Roadkill

Posted 5:53pm Saturday 3rd March 2018 by Esme Hall

After losing his co-leader just before the 2017 general election, James Shaw was tasked with leading his party alone on a quixotic journey from outsiders to governors. Rather than riding in on a green wave, the party limped across the line, just squeezing above the 5% threshold required to keep Read more...

Opinion: National Made the Boring Choice

Posted 5:51pm Saturday 3rd March 2018 by Swaine Chan

As Labour’s poll numbers rocket up to 48%, National has elected Simon Bridges as their new Leader, in an attempt to resuscitate both their polling and their chances for the next election. Sadly, moderate candidate Amy Adams missed out. Adams doesn’t put herself up high just because Read more...

Teams I Hate and Why You Should Hate Them Too : The Chiefs

Posted 5:48pm Saturday 3rd March 2018 by Charlie Hantler

In 1996, something so unbelievably disgusting, so morally reprehensible, and just fucking shit, was created. The Super 12. It had the makings of a great competition, combining teams from New Zealand, Australia, and South Africa. It could have been great, but they made one simple mistake. They Read more...

Editorial | Do Not Put Fruit or Vegetables Up Your Bum

Posted 4:42pm Saturday 3rd March 2018 by Joel MacManus

Last week we published an article about a charity fruit and vegetable scheme run by the Anglican Church. It’s a really great scheme run by amazing volunteers dedicated to bringing you super cheap food. You should totally get on down and sign up. In the header of the article (which was added Read more...

Breakdown of Exec Drama

Posted 12:50pm Monday 26th February 2018 by Charlie O’Mannin

Editor’s Comment: Over the last three weeks, rather than putting their time to productive use, your elected representatives on the OUSA executive have been preoccupied with petty bullshit, infights and arguing.   President Caitlin Barlow-Groome made a minor mistake. She apologised. Read more...

Someone Stole an Ambulance Last Night and Drove it for 40 Minutes Before they got Caught

Posted 8:59am Monday 26th February 2018 by Joel MacManus

O Week 2018 ended with a bang after some loose unit in South Dunedin stole an ambulance and led police on a high speed for almost 40 minutes before they got caught. According to police, the ambulance was stolen at around 11pm and was stopped by road spikes which were set up around Read more...

Opinion: OUSA Exec already drowning in petty bullshit

Posted 4:45pm Saturday 24th February 2018 by Joel MacManus

Over the last three weeks, rather than putting their time to productive use, a number of your elected representatives on the OUSA Executive have been preoccupied with petty bullshit, infighting and personal grudges. They’re wasting the student services fee that you pay, and, frankly, Read more...

The Cook Re-opens Under New Managment

Posted 4:44pm Saturday 24th February 2018 by Esme Hall

On the corner of Albany and Great King Street, a Dunedin legend has lain dormant. Until now. Kicking off with a Connan Mockasin gig on February 2nd, the Captain Cook Hotel has officially re-opened under the management of Michael McLeod. The Captain Cook Hotel was established in 1860. Hopefully Read more...

Fruit and vegetable scheme brings students heavily discounted food

Posted 4:41pm Saturday 24th February 2018 by Sarahmarie Innes

The non-profit All Saints’ fruit and veges scheme is trying to get cheap fruit and veg to people in Dunedin. The scheme puts everyone’s money together and buys produce in bulk from a wholesaler, making it cheaper for the individual. The price also stays low because the produce is Read more...

CPTPP Protest Outside the Convocation Ceremony

Posted 4:39pm Saturday 24th February 2018 by Sinead Gill

It’s the Monday of O-Week. A storm is headed towards Forsyth Barr Stadium, not quite as forceful as Gita, but just as dreaded. A storm of freshers. The PM Cindy Ardern herself is making a speech to the 4000 fresh faces. Despite spending their first night of O-Week bored shitless and sober, Read more...

Re:Fuel Rebrands as UBar

Posted 4:36pm Saturday 24th February 2018 by Charlie O’Mannin

Re:Fuel has been rebranded UBar under new management; the name Re:Fuel was apparently the copyright of the last manager. Adrian Lowrey, UBar’s new manager, emphasises that UBar will provide the same service as Re:Fuel. “Essentially nothing has changed apart from the name. UBar will Read more...

10 Aggressively Bold Sports Predictions For 2018

Posted 4:34pm Saturday 24th February 2018 by Charlie Hantler

It’s a true pleasure to be bringing you the shittiest sports chat in the country for another year. It’s been a huge summer for sport, with Fed confirming himself as the men’s tennis GOAT, the Black Caps pasting some mediocre opposition, and the big dogs in leagues such as the NBA Read more...

These Scarfies Planted a Rice Paddy In Their Flooded Backyard

Posted 9:48am Friday 2nd February 2018 by Joel MacManus

A group of students in a South Dunedin flat took advantage of the flooding that filled their backyard yesterday by planting what they believe to be Dunedin’s first rice paddy.   Flatmates Siana Fitzjohn, Charlie Montague, and Harry Young said their new paddy was not only a new Read more...

Jacinda Ardern is Pregnant. Mark Richardson was still wrong.

Posted 12:26pm Friday 19th January 2018 by Esme Hall

All pre-election questions about 37-year-old PM’s baby plans came into a new light after she made the announcement on Instagram and Facebook this morning.   2017 saw Ardern go from Labour MP, to Leader of the Opposition, to Prime Minister, and 2018 will see her become a Mum. In Read more...

Tui Catch a Million Catch Zone Will Include 70% of the Embankment at University of Otago Oval

Posted 2:42pm Friday 12th January 2018 by Joel MacManus

The majority of the embankment at the University of Otago Oval in Dunedin will be set aside as a “catch zone” for the iconic Tui Catch-a-Million promotion, with 30% set aside as a family zone where catches will not be eligible for prize money, according to Tui Brand manager Jonathan Read more...

Chase & Status, Young Thug, Peking Duk to Headline O Week 2018

Posted 12:10pm Thursday 11th January 2018 by Joel MacManus

English drum and bass duo Chase & Status are set to bring their high energy set to North Dunedin as the Headline Act for O Week.   Chase and Status are Will Kennard, Saul Milton and MC Rage. They are one of the most successful British bands of the past decade. Their ground-breaking Read more...

University to Close Centre for Material Sciences Despite Student Opposition

Posted 4:30pm Tuesday 12th December 2017 by Joel MacManus

The Centre for Material Sciences and Technology at the University of Otago has been disestablished following a 16-3 vote at the University Council. Outgoing OUSA President Hugh Baird was one of just three council members to vote against shutting the programme down. The Centre promoted Read more...

Student Association Confirms Being a Student Is Still Worse Than Being Unemployed

Posted 4:06pm Tuesday 28th November 2017 by Charlie O’Mannin

Jonathan Gee, the President of the New Zealand University Students’ Association (NZUSA), has taken issue with the National Party’s recent attack on the government's proposed $50 a week increase to the student allowance, arguing that National’s numbers do “not show the Read more...

Students Ditch First Past the Post for OUSA Elections

Posted 5:21pm Monday 20th November 2017 by Joel MacManus

From 2018 onwards, OUSA elections will be held using Preferential Voting, replacing the old system of First Past The Post. The change comes after students voted overwhelmingly for a constitutional change in the October 2017 OUSA referendum.   Of the 1350 students who took part in the Read more...

Totally Execrable

Posted 1:32pm Friday 3rd November 2017 by Joe Higham

After the usual formalities of OUSA Executive meetings, the group began with a discussion around the establishment of an ‘Internship Coordinator Position’, a proposal for which describes it as a 20 hour a week, fixed term, position to begin ideally from “early next year [but] could Read more...

Totally Execrable

Posted 11:07am Tuesday 17th October 2017 by Joe Higham

The ongoing debate over whether OUSA’s ‘Executive Travel Expense Policy’ is too frugal continued into Tuesday’s meeting, as Administrative Vice President William Guy reported back on the travel policies of other students’ association executives across New Zealand. Read more...

Kabbadi for Dummies

Posted 11:43am Sunday 8th October 2017 by Charlie Hantler

One of the greatest sports of all-time has burst onto the world scene in recent years. Every year around June the sporting world gets really shit - The NBA, NFL and NHL are all in their off-seasons, while baseball is enjoying its stupid mid-year break. All us sports nuts are stuck with two options Read more...

France’s State of Emergency Becomes Permanent

Posted 11:36am Sunday 8th October 2017 by George Elliott

In response to the spectre of terrorist attacks, France has made its current legal exceptions permanent, kicking the judiciary out of the process and expanding warrantless practices. A state of emergency has been in place since November 2015, when hundreds were killed or wounded in a coordinated Read more...

Critic Interviews: OUSA President Hugh Baird

Posted 11:13am Sunday 8th October 2017 by Joe Higham

OUSA President Hugh Baird speaks to Critic about what the successes and failures of his presidency, whether he considered running again, and his advice for President-elect Caitlin Barlow-Groome. Joe Higham: How different was the year from what you had expected it to be when you were in Read more...

5 Star Hotel Declined but Developer Not Giving Up

Posted 11:07am Sunday 8th October 2017 by Joel MacManus

A controversial proposal by Tekapo businessman Anthony Tosswill to build a new five star hotel in the Centre City has been rejected by a panel of independent commissioners, but the developer says he isn’t giving up, and hopes to put forward a revised plan soon. The original proposal was for Read more...

OUSA Election Report Details Complaints of Discounted Chocolates, Harassment, and Media Bias

Posted 11:04am Sunday 8th October 2017 by Joe Higham

The OUSA Executive Elections had their fair share of controversy, and although Critic promised that we’d stopped talking about it, we lied. That’s because Kyla Mullen, OUSA’s Returning Officer for the election, has released her report, detailing the complaints she received and Read more...

OUSA Give Away Van For One Year After Lengthy Competition

Posted 10:58am Sunday 8th October 2017 by Joel MacManus

Otago Student Will Bowsey is the proud new owner of a van for the next year, after winning ‘The Great Silver Bullet Giveaway’ last Tuesday. He will receive a free 12 month lease on the van, fully covered by OUSA insurance. The OUSA branding will be removed. Contestants had to keep at Read more...

Management of Change Proposal Could See Shakeup to Mental Health Treatment, Redundancies

Posted 10:53am Sunday 8th October 2017 by Joe Higham

Seven staff at Student Health could be made redundant if a proposal for a Management of Change (MoC) process is enacted in its current form. The proposal was submitted by University of Otago’s Director of Student Health Dr Kim Maiai, and claims the changes will allow Student Health to Read more...

Execrable | Issue 26

Posted 10:50am Sunday 8th October 2017 by Joe Higham

Colleges Officer James Heath wanted to know why the Executive were not told about OUSA’s ‘Great Silver Bullet Giveaway’ event (OUSA Give Away Van For One Year After Lengthy Competition), in which the association gave away a van for one year to the person who had their hand Read more...

When Does Super Become Anything But?

Posted 10:32am Saturday 30th September 2017 by Charlie Hantler

“In this fall, this is very tough, in this fall I'm going to take my talents to South Beach and join the Miami Heat.”   On 8 July 2010, LeBron James altered the NBA landscape. Not in any minor way – he does that on a daily basis, but in a significant way that we are Read more...

Post-election debrief: Dunedin North MP David Clark Speaks to Critic

Posted 10:25am Saturday 30th September 2017 by Joe Higham

Joe Higham: What are your thoughts on how the election campaign went? David Clark: It’s been a rollercoaster. When we began last November, we had a different leader and we had a plan we’d been working on for a couple of years, and it’s only a couple of months ago that we changed Read more...

General Election Purgatory: Filling the Void with Speculation

Posted 10:18am Saturday 30th September 2017 by George Elliott

We are at a stage where, for all the analysis, all the hearsay and all the expertise, things are just uncertain. It’s both frustrating and rapturous; plain and radical. Winston Peters, the leader of NZ First, is waiting for the special votes to be finalised on 7 October and is consulting with Read more...

OUSA Referendum

Posted 9:56am Saturday 30th September 2017 by Critic

The second OUSA Referendum for the year will be held between the 9th-11th October. For those of you who have questions or concerns about particular questions there will be a forum on Wednesday (4th October) at 12pm which will be held downstairs at the OUSA Clubs and Societies Centre on Albany Read more...

Opinion: OUSA Needs the Alternative Vote

Posted 9:50am Saturday 30th September 2017 by Joel MacManus

The OUSA Referendum, held between 9 and 11 October, will include a question about whether we should change the way we vote for future OUSA elections; giving students the chance to keep the current voting system, First Past the Post (FPP), or the Alternative Vote (STV), also known as Preferential Read more...

Te Roopū Māori Update

Posted 9:46am Saturday 30th September 2017 by Te Roopu Maori

Tēnā koutou katoa e ngā tauira o Te Whare Wānanga, On Wednesday 6 September, Te Roopū Māori sent 29 tauira to represent the University of Otago at Te Huinga Tauira o Te Mana Akonga. Te Huinga Tauira is the annual National Māori Tertiary Students’ Read more...

University of Otago Researchers Criticise ACC for Computer Model Trouble

Posted 9:42am Saturday 30th September 2017 by Zahra Shahtahmasebi

Researchers from the University of Otago have criticised the new computer model that ACC uses to profile and target clients. The computer model uses risk predictions in order to profile and target clients as well as to help staff manage the claims that they receive. However, it has caused Read more...

Liquor Store Owner Claims Unfairness as Planned New Store is Denied

Posted 9:36am Saturday 30th September 2017 by Joe Higham

The Dunedin District Licensing Committee has denied an application for the opening of another Super Liquor store at the site of the former McDuff’s Brewery on Great King Street. The applicants, McCarthy Enterprises, have breached the Sale and Supply of Alcohol Act 2012 on seven previous Read more...

Labour Landslide at University of Otago Polling Booths

Posted 9:29am Saturday 30th September 2017 by Joel MacManus

Preliminary election results have shown that a resurgent Labour Party dominated the vote at polling stations within the University of Otago. A total of 5,728 votes were cast at the three polling stations on campus, which included Unipol, the Link, and Otago Polytech. Labour romped home with 46.9 Read more...

National Comfortably Win Party Vote at Two Uni Campuses

Posted 9:25am Saturday 30th September 2017 by Joe Higham

With the General Election now over and provisional results in, we have a wealth of data on the attitudes and politics of the nation’s cities, towns and suburbs. The results from the nation’s university campuses provide an interesting snapshot of party preferences, and some of the Read more...

Aung San Suu Kyi: Myanmar’s Fallen Angel

Posted 11:24am Sunday 24th September 2017 by George Elliott

Aung San Suu Kyi, the de facto leader of Myanmar (a.k.a. Burma), was once the Asian darling of the Western liberal order. She was a saintly freedom fighter who would bring democracy (and presumably free enterprise) to a Southeast Asian nation that had been ruled by military dictatorships since 1962. Read more...