Archive

Fringe Fest Gettin’ Fruity

Posted 5:29pm Sunday 25th February 2024 by Gryffin Blockley

Call your mum for a cheeky bank transfer because the Fringe Festival is back, running March 14th until the 24th in our very own Ōtepoti Dunedin. The annual arts festival (because this fringe isn’t just a phase!) will feature 86 events, dipping its toes into the student market by inviting Read more...

Otago Staff and Alumni Urge University to Back Palestine In Open Letter

Posted 5:22pm Sunday 25th February 2024 by Iris Hehir

Last November, 221 Otago University staff and alumni signed an open letter calling for Vice Chancellors at universities across New Zealand to issue a joint statement in solidarity with Palestinians. The letter came a month after Hamas’ October 7th attack on Southern Israel, re-igniting a Read more...

Daddy Grant Announced as Otago's New VC

Posted 12:03pm Tuesday 20th February 2024 by Hugh Askerud

Ex-Minister of Finance Grant Robertson has been announced as Otago Uni’s fresh Vice Chancellor, effective from July 1st this year. According to the Chancellor, Stephen Higgs, Grant’s “appreciation for and understanding of the needs of students was evident” during the Read more...

Duck-Biting Story Threatens Otago’s Reputation, Says Newspaper that Wrote the Story

Posted 9:54am Saturday 2nd December 2023 by Fox Meyer

The ODT has highlighted how Otago University’s reputation was damaged by a story broken in early October about students biting the legs off live ducks. This story was broken, of course, by the ODT themselves, who remain the only organisation privy to any sort of evidence that this ever Read more...

We Can't Find the Duck-Biters

Posted 1:34pm Wednesday 25th October 2023 by Fox Meyer

Critic has been unable to find any evidence of an alleged duck-biting initiation.  Following the ODT’s story on October 6, we got in touch with a bunch of recently-initiated first-years, and a few hosting second-years. None had witnessed anything involving a live duck, but all were Read more...

Castle Street (mostly) Denounces Animal Abuse

Posted 6:31pm Saturday 14th October 2023 by Fox Meyer

As Dunedin flat initiations have come under fire, students on the rowdiest street in town have rushed to their defence. They say the leading story, about allegedly being forced to bite the feet off a live duck, is “not what we’re about at all”. Critic Te Ārohi spoke to one Read more...

OUSA Condemns “Vigilante” Action after Duck Initiation

Posted 12:53pm Monday 9th October 2023 by Fox Meyer

A post on the Dunedin News Facebook page calling for the names and addresses of students involved in an alleged initiation has stirred up online vigilante action. OUSA has denounced the initiation activities - if true - and has also denounced any wannabe justice seekers. Public backlash to the Read more...

Onslaught of Cyber Security Emails Annoy Students

Posted 12:31pm Sunday 8th October 2023 by Reuben Kiss

If you've looked at your inbox at all this year, you will have noticed a torrent of emails from the Uni giving you a “friendly reminder that you have not yet completed the University of Otago cyber security training module(s)” and that these are “mandatory to complete”. Read more...

A message for the 2024 Otago Student Cohort

Posted 12:27pm Sunday 8th October 2023 by Quintin Jane

Since this is the last issue of Critic for the year, I thought I’d take the opportunity to use the my executive privilege to hijack a page here and say thank you to everyone at the University of Otago and across the country who has taken time this year to bring attention to the tertiary Read more...

The Vice Chancellor Position is open, Se We Applied

Posted 12:22pm Sunday 8th October 2023 by Critic

The University is advertising for a new Vice Chancellor. Again. Someone has to take up the mantle and lead this struggling institution through tough times, so we at Critic Te Ārohi figured we’d throw our name in the hat. After all, nobody knows Dunedin like we do. Here’s what we Read more...