Archive

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...

Initiations “Back With a Vengeance” after Covid Hiatus

Posted 11:52am Sunday 8th October 2023 by Fox Meyer

Last week, we reported on a flat initiation involving a live eel. Since then, the ODT and NZ Herald have picked up the story, police have been informed, and an investigation by the Uni (who knew about the incident prior to publication) is underway. A minority of students defend the initiation in the Read more...

Otago Uni Proctor Investigates Eel Initiation

Posted 2:37pm Thursday 5th October 2023 by Fox Meyer

Last week, we reported on a flat initiation involving a live eel. Since then, the ODT and NZ Herald have picked up the story, police have been informed, and an investigation by the Uni (who knew about the incident prior to publication) is underway. A minority of students defend the initiation in the Read more...

The Hottest (and Nottest) Takes from the OUSA Referendum

Posted 11:21am Sunday 1st October 2023 by Critic

The OUSA Election happened and some people voted. We went through all the feedback and took out the hottest takes, filled mostly with people who were complaining about things that OUSA is literally already doing or literally has no ability to do. Lots of complaints for people who didn’t run Read more...

DCC Passes Ambitious Zero Carbon Plan

Posted 11:11am Sunday 1st October 2023 by Zak Rudin

The DCC voted last Monday to pass the Zero Carbon Plan 2030, with a 10 to 5 split between councillors. Not only did they pass the plan, they also opted to take the highest investment option of a cool $137 million for climate action. 350 Aotearoa, a climate crisis action group who pushed strongly for Read more...

Animal Abuse at Leith Street Initiation

Posted 11:07am Sunday 1st October 2023 by Iris Hehir

  Last Wednesday a flat on Leith Street held an initiation for several freshers who allegedly endured various hazing rituals, including the gross norm of physical abuse, chugging milk, and funnelling vomit. And, as seen by several witnesses, abusing a live eel.    A video Read more...

DCC: Definitely Causing Chaos

Posted 10:12pm Sunday 24th September 2023 by Harriette Boucher

  The pseudo-soap opera that is the Dunedin City Council has been making news. If you’ve been reading headlines, you’ll have seen the antics that have been going on amongst our electorate. From racist remarks to climate hesitation, you might be left wondering: who the hell is Read more...

One Day, Five Sports and Food Poisoning

Posted 10:11pm Sunday 24th September 2023 by Zak Rudin

The classic trifecta is skiing, surfing and rock climbing or mountain biking. But just three technical sports were not enough for students Anya and Eugene - the pair were set on achieving the elusive “fivefecta” about a week ago. That’s five events, if your two leftover brain cells Read more...

Accidental Studentville Ram Raid

Posted 10:00pm Sunday 24th September 2023 by Hugh Askerud

How does a flat 30 metres shy of the road find a car in its living room? In perhaps the most bat-shit crazy twist of the year, at around 7pm on Friday the 15th (may as well have been the 13th) the girls at Salt Shaker found themselves staring down the eye of an old beat-up grey wagon that had Read more...

OUSA Exec Candidates Run Uncontested

Posted 12:49pm Monday 18th September 2023 by Nina Brown

Last week saw the candidate forum for the 2024 OUSA Exec nominees. It was an opportunity for the candidates to campaign for their chosen positions and appeal to the masses - the masses being the current exec, their flatmates, and Radio One and Critic. That was about it.   In what some Read more...

Aerospace Summit Disrupted by Protests

Posted 12:48pm Monday 18th September 2023 by Zak Rudin

A group of local Otago students sent it up to Ōtautahi Christchurch last Monday to join forces with environmental justice and peace activists there and protest the Aerospace Summit. As the name suggests, the conference was about space. The conference was sponsored in part by Lockheed Martin, Read more...

Heavy Breathers Cross the Finish Line

Posted 12:47pm Monday 18th September 2023 by Harriette Boucher

In the race for men’s mental health, the Heavy Breathers smashed not only their personal bests but the silence that surrounds the issue that resonates deeply with the group.    The Heavy Breathers, a group of 33 third-year boys, set out on a mission to raise money for men's Read more...

Frisbee Fanatics Fantastically Finish First

Posted 12:06pm Monday 18th September 2023 by Keegan Wells

Toroa, one of the two Otago Ultimate Frisbee teams, took home first place at the national tertiary championships a couple weeks ago on the 2-3 of September. Hoiho, the secondary Otago team, moved up in the ranks from previous years, landing 7th place overall.    Critic Te Ārohi Read more...

El Duniño is Here

Posted 12:02pm Monday 18th September 2023 by Ollie McKenna

Between bouts of cone theft, bottle smashing and mould wiping, a lot of us are still riding the wave of winter blues that continued through last year’s flop of a summer. But what if Critic Te Ārohi were to tell you that in collaboration with El Niño and climate change, Big Climate Read more...

Tramping Club Gets Sick

Posted 12:38pm Monday 11th September 2023 by peter barclay

As many students ventured home over the mid-sem break, 45 members of the Otago University Tramping Club (OUTC) took a bus to the West Coast for their annual Copland Trip. Now they all (well, most of them) have Covid.    “You, about 20 others, and counting got Covid from the Read more...

Science Communication Changes Confirmed

Posted 12:37pm Monday 11th September 2023 by Nina Brown

Students at the Department of Science Communication received confirmation last week from Pro-Vice Chancellor (Sciences) Richard Barker of changes that will be made to the Department. The Department is still set to be disestablished, with just a distance-only Postgraduate Certificate and Diploma Read more...

An Inconvenient Tooth

Posted 12:06pm Monday 11th September 2023 by Fox Meyer

Labour has announced a plan to provide free dental care by - in part - training more dentists, but students in the country’s only dental school are asking: who’s going to teach them? Free dental care could return $1.60 to the economy for every dollar spent, according to last Read more...

Where Does Your $1,015 Fee Go?

Posted 12:04pm Monday 11th September 2023 by jack campbell

You probably paid about $1,015 to Otago as a Student Services Fee. Why do we do this? Where does it go?    Imagine a group of students wondering where all their money is going as they are sitting around eating instant noodles. And then, lo and behold: a $20 million student levy fund! Read more...

Privacy Commissioner Slams Landlord Website

Posted 12:00pm Monday 11th September 2023 by Zak Rudin

The Office of the Privacy Commissioner (OPC) has released a media release explaining why the website What Does My Landlord Own? (WDMLO) was found in breach of the Privacy Act. The Privacy Commissioner decided to publicly comment on the website as it apparently “provides a cautionary example in Read more...

Is the New Statue Backwards?

Posted 11:57am Monday 11th September 2023 by Hugh Askerud

Flogging a dead horse to some degree, Critic Te Ārohi asked the University for any word on why the infamous white box still hasn’t been lifted outside St Dave’s. A bit like a kid in the backseat of a car repeatedly asking their parents “Are we there yet?” Once again, we Read more...

Won’t Someone Think of the Children?

Posted 9:07pm Sunday 3rd September 2023 by Elliot Weir

Throughout the election cycle, politicians get asked a lot of questions - in the debating chamber, on the tiles outside Parliament, on the TVNZ debate stage, in the RNZ studio, on the side of the road. The sum of these questions can paint a picture of the values and concerns of at least some portion Read more...

New Religion Club Goes Rogue

Posted 9:05pm Sunday 3rd September 2023 by Hugh Askerud

Wednesday, August 23 seemed an ordinary day in OUSA Clubs and Socs. Until the lights went out, mysterious figures emerged from the shadows, and a variety of sacrificial snacks were put on display. Yes, you’ve guessed correctly: the Society of Religious Studies Enthusiasts (SORSE) sat down for Read more...

“Tenant Blacklist” Database Allegedly Breaches Privacy Act

Posted 8:56pm Sunday 3rd September 2023 by Zak Rudin

The renter’s advocacy union Renters United has alleged that Illion Tenancy’s new feature may be in breach of the Privacy Act. The new feature notifies landlords when a tenant has had a background check.    Illion Tenancy, formerly known as TINZ and cheekily referred to by Read more...

Uni Whales Win Hockey Championship

Posted 8:38pm Sunday 3rd September 2023 by Hugh Askerud

The University Whales performed the impossible on Saturday, August 19, winning the premier men's hockey competition in a stunning shootout victory. Blub-blub.   After an initially slow start to the season, the team has been called the “most unlikely of champions”. Before Read more...

Arana Renovations Undermine Enrolment Targets

Posted 11:01pm Sunday 20th August 2023 by Ollie McKenna

The closure of Arana College has been confirmed for 2024, putting the University’s plan to increase its number of full-time students in a bit of a sticky situation.   One of the priorities of the University’s Strategic Plan, Pae Tata, was to increase its number of full time Read more...

Ex-Student Stripper Brings ‘Tragic Mike’ to Dunedin

Posted 10:58pm Sunday 20th August 2023 by Nina Brown

“I’ll just drop out and become a stripper.” Yeah, right, we’ve all said that. Gianni took it seriously.   The pay is great, you keep fit, rake in that yummy attention, and never have to read another academic article again. “What’s not to love?” Read more...

OUSA Puts Down Pet Project

Posted 10:55pm Sunday 20th August 2023 by Nina Brown

It was with heavy hearts that the OUSA exec passed a motion (with one vote against) on Friday, August 11, to cancel the Starters Bar lease.    You’ll probably be thinking, “But I thought that closed ages ago?” And you’d be right - the bar has sat stagnant on Read more...

Seagull Gang Ram-Raids Night ‘n Day

Posted 10:53pm Sunday 20th August 2023 by Hugh Askerud

Thursday evening, August 10th. A gang of ten young ruffians swarmed into the Octagon Night ‘n Day, harassing staff and customers while refusing to leave.    The offenders – all in matching outfits – refused to communicate in english. Maybe because they were Read more...

OUSA Petitions For Universal Study Wage

Posted 3:45pm Sunday 13th August 2023 by Hugh Askerud

OUSA and VUWSA have put forward a petition to the Prime Minister and Minister for Finance and Education for a universal study wage for all tertiary students of $385/week.    The petition is part of a wider “No More Excuses!” campaign that the New Zealand Union of Read more...

Chocmaggedon!

Posted 3:43pm Sunday 13th August 2023 by Hugh Askerud

A block of Cadbury’s chocolate has risen to $4.99 retail price in Countdown and New World supermarkets, leaving students stunned as they announce the onslaught of Chocmaggedon.    Though the Commerce Commission’s investigation ostensibly had some impact on freezing prices Read more...

Anti-Chinese State Propaganda Given Out on Campus

Posted 3:37pm Sunday 13th August 2023 by Zak Rudin

Nico was coming out of a lecture on Wednesday, August 2, when he was intercepted by an unknown woman who handed him an envelope without so much as a word. The woman was wearing a white puffer jacket and baseball cap that obscured her face. On the face of the envelope was a barely-legible Read more...

‘Everything Room’ Activists Appear in Court

Posted 3:34pm Sunday 13th August 2023 by Zak Rudin

Three protesters arrested for damaging University of Otago property appeared at the District Court Tuesday, August 8. Around 20 supporters were there in solidarity.    Third-year student Jowan Nute and non-students Liam Scaife and Carl Naus were arrested Tuesday, August 1, for Read more...

‘Everything Room’ Activists Appear In Court

Posted 5:40pm Tuesday 8th August 2023 by Zak Rudin

Three protesters arrested for damaging University of Otago property appeared at the District Court Tuesday, August 8. Around 20 supporters were there in solidarity.  Third-year student Jowan Nute and non-students Liam Scaife and Carl Naus were arrested Tuesday, August 1, for intentional Read more...

Med Revue Reviewed

Posted 3:52pm Tuesday 8th August 2023 by Zak Rudin

Med revue, the annual showcase of med students trying to prove they have a sense of humor, was performed to students, friends and family last weekend. With nothing better to do on a Saturday night, Critic Te Ārohi went along to the finale.  Keeping with tradition, the main plot Read more...

33 Boys, 42 Kilometres, 50 Grand

Posted 2:20pm Monday 7th August 2023 by Nina Brown

A group of 33 third-year boys have raised over $50k and counting for the Spark That Chat mental health campaign while training for the Emerson’s Dunedin Marathon in September. We note that that’s enough to pay for all the stolen road cones.    Will, Josh, Jamie and Sam, Read more...

The Great Dunedin Nitro Conspiracy

Posted 2:19pm Monday 7th August 2023 by Nina Brown

In issue 15 (the one with the rad skiing rat on the cover from a few weeks ago) we published in the TL;DR section of the news that the DCC and Police were allegedly trying to phase out the sale of Nitro. This was inaccurate, and we apologise for any upset caused by this news. But we had good reason Read more...

Numbers are Boring: Especially the ones that say you lost

Posted 2:09pm Monday 7th August 2023 by Ollie McKenna

One of the most prestigious sporting organisations in the world graced Forsyth Barr in the past few weeks: FIFA. A look on Wikipedia might suggest that Dunedin may not have been the most successful choice of venue based on the game stats. But while numbers are boring (though maybe not as boring as Read more...

In the Trenches of Barbie

Posted 2:04pm Monday 7th August 2023 by Anna Robertshawe

It was a Sunday eve. A slight drizzle sprinkled the still, cold air. Civilians strolled around the Octagon. Armed with their e-tickets and pink uniforms, Barbie militia were beginning to mark their territory. Little did it know, Rialto Cinema was about to be shell-shocked. Critic sent our slayest Read more...

Three People Arrested Protesting Uni “Mismanagement”

Posted 1:53pm Wednesday 2nd August 2023 by Zak Rudin

Three people, including one student, were arrested for intentional damage on Tuesday afternoon. The arrests came after a group of mostly students “repurposed” a disused office block on the second floor of the Business School by painting the walls to protest staff cuts and Read more...

Heartbreak for the Otago Nuggets in Semi-Final

Posted 2:04pm Monday 31st July 2023 by Hugh Askerud

Dreams were crushed in Auckland on Saturday, July 22, when the embattled Otago Nuggets found themselves at the tail end of a 114-103 loss to the Canterbury Rams. Critic Te Ārohi can’t believe it either. A team that started the season with seven straight wins in the Sals National Read more...

Otago Targets Geology Department with 30% Staff Cuts

Posted 2:03pm Monday 31st July 2023 by Fox Meyer

Otago University was founded on geology and medicine, and has recently targeted both with considerable budget cuts.   According to documents seen by Critic Te Ārohi, the Geology Department is facing a proposed reduction of about a third of their staff, despite boasting the title of Read more...

Student Locked in Eleven Bar Shares Story

Posted 2:01pm Monday 31st July 2023 by Critic

CW: This story contains descriptions of sexual harassment Eleven Bar’s liquor licence has not been renewed following the Dunedin District Licensing Committee’s decision that the nightclub is “unsuitable” to supply and sell alcohol to students and the general Read more...

Student to Get the Dogs Out for Dunedin Half-Marathon

Posted 1:59pm Monday 31st July 2023 by Hugh Askerud

In the upcoming Dunedin half-marathon on September 10, third-year Geography student Christian plans on running barefoot in the name of mental health awareness. Most of us will barely leave the house to put the bins out without chucking on a pair of slippers (there’s glass around these parts, Read more...

SOULS Resuming Relationship With Russell McVeagh

Posted 4:19pm Monday 24th July 2023 by Zak Rudin

The Society of Otago University Law Students (SOULS) have announced that they will resume their relationship with law firm Russell McVeagh. SOULS cut ties with the firm back in 2018 after multiple students - including one from Otago - raised allegations of sexual harassment.    The Read more...

Re-O-Roundup

Posted 4:15pm Monday 24th July 2023 by Hugh Askerud

What a lady, what a night. A sentiment I’m sure many found themselves uttering as they progressed further and further into the maddeningly obscene antics of the Re-O Week scene on Castle. Yes, Re-O Week came to live up to the hype we all expected, providing all sorts of thrills and spills for Read more...

Castle Roof Blaze Quelled by Campus Watch

Posted 4:10pm Monday 24th July 2023 by Hugh Askerud

Tragedy struck at Doll’s House on the Tuesday of Re-O Week when the roof of the infamous flat was set on fire, having been shot with a series of fireworks. Police were quickly on the scene as the event transpired. It proved to be Campus Watch, however, who eventually stamped the fire out after Read more...

Student Scammed Out of Life Savings

Posted 4:07pm Monday 24th July 2023 by Nina Brown

Third-year Law student Cassie* has warned others to watch out for online phishing scams after scammers scooped $17k out of her bank account - her life savings. “They’re the scum of the Earth in my eyes,” she told Critic Te Ārohi, despite her friend’s condolences that it Read more...

Countdown Central Declares They Hate Self-Expression

Posted 10:06pm Tuesday 18th July 2023 by Remy the Rat

After years of allowing them to exist on the Moray Place side of Countdown, the supermarket has finally decided to purge the wall of its posters.    Posters promoting local events and gigs, activism and art were common here. The postering spot was the largest stretch in the city, as Read more...

Year 13s Invade Castle Street, Seeking Thrills

Posted 10:03pm Tuesday 18th July 2023 by Hugh Askerud

Never before have there been so many students claiming to be first year health sci students on Castle St. Why would anyone make such an absurd claim, you ask? It’s likely because they’re not even students.    Recently, there has been a significant upturn in the amount of Read more...

Horseplay in Uni Council Meeting!

Posted 10:02pm Tuesday 18th July 2023 by Fox Meyer

At a packed Uni Council meeting last week, Otago confirmed that it would be going ahead with the million-dollar rebrand. Student protesters - dressed as pigs and horses - refused to leave the chamber after the announcement, protesting staff cuts. It was truly a dog and pony show, but in the end, Read more...

A Response from Tim Fowler, Chief Executive of the Tertiary Education Commission

Posted 1:19pm Sunday 9th July 2023 by Critic

I read Zak Rudin’s Critic Te Ārohi article with interest (‘MINOR CONFUSION! Announcement elicits fears’). As the person who apparently said several things quoted, I want to set the record straight, as a number of comments have been misinterpreted, conflated and confused in the Read more...

Okay, Now That Landlord Website is Really Shut Down

Posted 12:59pm Sunday 9th July 2023 by Nina Brown

A website detailing how many properties your landlord owns has been shut down following discourse with the Deputy Privacy Commissioner. The founders of the website believe this decision was “influenced by landlords and property developers”.   A press release from the founders Read more...

Science Communication Department Fears the Axe

Posted 12:54pm Sunday 9th July 2023 by Nina Brown

Disclaimer: The author of this article is a postgraduate science communication student.    Unless you’ve been living under a rock for the past couple months, you’ll be well aware of the financial shitshow ($60 million deficit) that has forced Otago Uni to make some Read more...

Greenie Grandma Found Guilty

Posted 12:52pm Sunday 9th July 2023 by Nina Brown

Local greenie grandma Rosemary Penwarden was found guilty of forgery by a recent Dunedin High Court trial. Rosemary sent a fake letter in 2019 to attendees of an oil conference in Queenstown telling them it had been postponed due to the climate crisis. Though the letter was meant to be satirical, Read more...

Science Communication Department Fears the Axe

Posted 4:10pm Thursday 6th July 2023 by Nina Brown

Disclaimer: The author of this article is a postgraduate science communication student.   Unless you’ve been living under a rock for the past couple months, you’ll be well aware of the financial shitshow ($60 million deficit) that has forced Otago Uni to make some serious Read more...

Correction from Tim Fowler

Posted 9:28am Tuesday 13th June 2023 by Fox Meyer

This letter was sent on May 31, 2023, and has been copied below exactly as it was written. Tēnā koe Fox, I read Zak Rudin’s Critic Te Ārohi article with interest (MINOR CONFUSION! Announcement elicits fears). As the person who apparently said several things quoted, I want Read more...

SHOCKING! OUSA’s General Meeting Met Quorum!

Posted 6:32pm Monday 29th May 2023 by Nina Brown

Last Monday was the OUSA Annual General Meeting and, contrary to the expectations of most, it actually went ahead. AGMs need 0.5% of the student body to show up to go ahead (called quorum) and the final head count was 106 - a whole one member over the bare minimum! Hosting the meeting during Auahi Read more...

“Scandalous”: $355 Million for Tertiary Sector Reappropriated

Posted 6:29pm Monday 29th May 2023 by Fox Meyer

Otago Uni Associate Professor Brian Roper claims that $355 million budgeted towards tertiary education is going unspent. This is enough money to bail out Otago, Vic, Canterbury, and Massey universities almost three times over. Each. And it was literally in the 2022 budget. Seriously, these documents Read more...

EXCLUSIVE: Capping Show Review

Posted 6:11pm Monday 29th May 2023 by Zak Rudin

It’s that time of year again. Critic Te Ārohi joined around 200 (that’s double last year's opening! Wow!) students, parents, and grandparents on opening night for the annual Capping Show. The night was complete with sex jokes, singing, dancing, mimes, free juice, and even more Read more...

FIGHT! New Group aims to Fight Cuts

Posted 6:07pm Monday 29th May 2023 by Zak Rudin

At 20 members strong, Protect Otago Action Group (or POAG) has formed to fight back against the Uni’s projected staff layoffs in light of their $60 million debt. POAG member Tyler told Critic Te Ārohi that they have a “three pronged campaign” to reversing the proposed staff Read more...

MINOR CONFUSION! Announcement Elicits Fears

Posted 6:01pm Monday 29th May 2023 by Zak Rudin

The Uni is possibly considering raising student fees to help with the $60 million funding shortfall. Brandon, President of the Ōtepoti Tertiary Education Union (TEU) branch, was at a TEU conference meeting where an announcement was made that seemed to indicate this. Tim Fowler, executive head Read more...

SILENCED! Castle Boys Speak Out

Posted 5:01pm Monday 29th May 2023 by Hugh Askerud

Love it or hate it (most likely the latter) the sound of 40cc motorcycles on Leith Street has become a fundamental aspect of second-year culture. For this, residents can thank The Castle, a flat which provides a seemingly inexhaustible source of entertainment for Leith St residents who happen to Read more...

$355 Million for Tertiary Sector Reappropriated

Posted 6:59pm Thursday 25th May 2023 by Fox Meyer

Otago Uni Associate Professor Brian Roper claims that $355 million budgeted towards tertiary education is going unspent. This is enough money to bail out Otago, Vic, Canterbury, and Massey universities. Three times. And it was literally in the 2022 budget. Seriously, these documents are public and Read more...

EXCLUSIVE: Capping Show Review

Posted 1:58pm Tuesday 23rd May 2023 by Zak Rudin

It’s that time of year again. Critic Te Ārohi joined around 200 (that’s double last year's opening! Wow!) students, parents, and grandparents on opening night for the annual Capping Show. The night was complete with sex jokes, singing, dancing, mimes, free juice, and even more Read more...

Ding-Dong-Ditchers Invade Castle Street

Posted 3:59pm Sunday 21st May 2023 by Hugh Askerud

Knock-knock. Who’s there? No, it’s not your Uber Eats or your sneaky link: it’s two old men who have engaged in the slightly pathetic art of ding-dong-ditching your flat! No, your eyes do not deceive you; a pair of older gentlemen have been spotted roaming the streets of Castle Read more...

Government Announces ‘Bread and Butter’ Budget:

Posted 3:56pm Sunday 21st May 2023 by Annabelle Vaughan

(The Really Short Version) Last Thursday, the Government released Budget 2023: ‘Supporting for today, building for tomorrow’. Coming ahead of the general election in October, and amidst the ever-growing cost of living, Budget 2023 has avoided Big And Scary topics like Capital Gains Read more...

OUSA Student General Meeting is Here

Posted 3:44pm Sunday 21st May 2023 by Nina Brown

The OUSA annual student general meeting is this Tuesday, May 23, at 5:30pm in Auahi Ora (the new food court where Union Grill used to be). There’s also going to be a quiz night there directly afterward - with prizes! Congratulations on engaging in student politics! It’ll be happy hour Read more...

Graduation Walk Diverted by Cones

Posted 3:21pm Sunday 21st May 2023 by Zak Rudin

This year’s graduation ceremony could not follow the traditional, glamorous path down George Street. Instead, the procession started at First Church and walked around to the Moray Place entrance of the Town Hall. According to a Uni spokesperson, this was due to the George Street revamp. You Read more...

Coup Leader Steps Down

Posted 3:17pm Sunday 21st May 2023 by Fox Meyer

Reid, OUSA’s Clubs and Socs Representative, is stepping down from his role. He told Critic Te Ārohi that he would be returning to his home in the USA before next semester to take up another job offer, but we think it’s probably something shadier than that. Reid has a long history Read more...

OUSA, TEU Protest Uni Cuts

Posted 3:29pm Sunday 14th May 2023 by Hugh Askerud

In a day of dual protests, OUSA members marched on the office of local Labour MP David Clark and Tertiary Education Union (TEU) members headed to the Clocktower. University admin received plenty of blame for their current financial woes, but most critiques and calls for action were directed at Read more...

Nine Streakers at “Most Cooked Game Ever”

Posted 3:25pm Sunday 14th May 2023 by Hugh Askerud

Nine streakers blessed spectators of the Highlanders vs Chiefs bout on Friday, May 5, who roared onto the field during the game (fully clothed) on three separate occasions - before being promptly clobbered by an ostensibly brutish security force. Though motives for the streaking remain a mystery, Read more...

New ‘Rat King Landlord’ Just Dropped

Posted 3:22pm Sunday 14th May 2023 by Zak Rudin

A brand-new issue of ‘Rat King Landlord’, written by Murdock Stephens, hit the streets of Ōtepoti on Friday, May 5. Originally published in 2020, the novel-turned-tabloid-newspaper is a comedic satirical story about a rat that becomes a landlord. But behind the layers of satire Read more...

Prospective Students Deterred by Staff Cuts

Posted 3:04pm Sunday 14th May 2023 by Nina Brown

If you were on campus last Monday, chances are you tripped over a highschooler gawking at a map of the Uni with their mum. Critic Te Ārohi took the opportunity to ambush prospective students (prospies) to see if the incoming staff cuts had influenced their uni decisions. While most Read more...

Students take over Pequeño

Posted 3:00pm Sunday 14th May 2023 by Nina Brown

Your local speakeasy vibe has come under new management. As of Monday, May 15, student couple Jaz and Alex are taking the wheel of Pequeño. The pair want to acknowledge the “heritage” of Pequeño while bringing a “bit of love to it”, as the bar has been open Read more...

Capping Show’s Round the Corner (Again)

Posted 2:58pm Sunday 14th May 2023 by Nina Brown

Capping Show is back this week for its 129th year. Critic Te Ārohi chatted with Tucker, one of the four directors of this year’s show. For those who don’t know, the Capping Show is the longest running student review in the world (allegedly). “It’s gone through both Read more...

OUSA, TEU Protest Staff Cuts

Posted 4:53pm Tuesday 9th May 2023 by Hugh Askerud

In a day of dual protests, OUSA members marched on the office of local Labour MP David Clark and Tertiary Education Union (TEU) members headed to the Clocktower. University admin received plenty of blame for their current financial woes, but most critiques and calls for action were directed at Read more...

Prospective Students Deterred by Staff Cuts

Posted 5:06pm Monday 8th May 2023 by Nina Brown

If you were on campus last Monday, chances are you tripped over a highschooler gawking at a map of the Uni with their mum. Critic Te Ārohi took the opportunity to ambush prospective students (prospies) to see if the incoming staff cuts had influenced their Uni decisions.   While most Read more...

Uni Budget Cuts Provoke Outcry

Posted 2:08pm Sunday 7th May 2023 by Zak Rudin

A panel of staff and students slammed the Uni for its funding cuts at OUSA last Monday, May 1. The Uni is set to cut $60 million from their budget this year, resulting in sweeping job losses across all departments. In response, around 25 people (mostly students) went to the ‘May Day Read more...

Landlords are (Once Again) Pressuring Students to Sign Early

Posted 2:06pm Sunday 7th May 2023 by Rosa Hehir

It’s that time of year again: students are feeling the pressure to decide whether to re-sign or leave their current flats for 2024. If you’re on a fixed-term lease, you don’t actually need to do this until 28 days before departure. Critic Te Ārohi spoke to a couple students Read more...

Student Petitions for Accessible ADHD Assessment

Posted 1:35pm Sunday 7th May 2023 by Hugh Askerud

Otago Uni student Jasmine has put forward a petition to parliament to make ADHD and Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) assessments more accessible and affordable in Aotearoa. At time of writing, her petition - which will close on July 1st - has the backing of 2049 signatures. Jas’ petition seeks Read more...

Scabies Outbreak Divides Student Government

Posted 1:32pm Sunday 7th May 2023 by Fox Meyer

An outbreak of scabies is causing rifts within the 2023 OUSA Student Executive team. The team, once tight-knit over their controversial rise to power, is divided along party lines. Reid, the Clubs and Socs rep, campaigned on the promise of ‘Scabies-Free 2050’, but Welfare and Equity Read more...

What do the cuts mean for YOU?

Posted 4:15pm Sunday 30th April 2023 by Critic

The University’s current financial health is looking about as healthy as a deep-fried Mars bar, and many will be wondering what exactly this means for students. In their communications about the projected slashes to staff numbers and papers, the Uni said that all students will “be able Read more...

OUSA Clubs Unite for Earth Day

Posted 4:12pm Sunday 30th April 2023 by Zak Rudin

Last Saturday marked Earth Day, an international day of recognition to Papatūānuku and to raise awareness for environmental issues. To celebrate, around 30 students from a diverse range of OUSA clubs gathered at Woodhaugh Gardens “to celebrate te taiao (the natural world), tangata Read more...

Rat World Mag’s Fifth Issue Launches at Yours

Posted 4:08pm Sunday 30th April 2023 by Remy the Rat

Rat World, an independent quarterly publication, celebrated the release of their fifth issue with a launch party hosted by Evening Books and Yours cafe. The Tāmaki Makaurau based magazine launched the issue in Ōtepoti after Evening Books owner Frances offered to host. The party was an Read more...

Central Otago’s Drug Bust a Year in the Making

Posted 3:33pm Sunday 30th April 2023 by Jamiema Lorimer

Operation Vintage commenced in March of last year following a concerning increase of drugs and drug-related harm in Cromwell. Three men are facing charges for the sale and supply of cannabis and methamphetamines, and the unlawful possession of firearms. Properties were raided in Cromwell, Tarras, Read more...

The $40,000 Cone-undrum

Posted 3:30pm Sunday 30th April 2023 by Nina Brown

Currently, there are 1294 cones on the DCC’s George Street revamp project. They revealed that they’ve lost around $10k worth of cones and road signs to theft and damage on the project every quarter. That’s $40k a year. They said that, while they couldn’t break that figure Read more...

Salt in the Wound

Posted 2:48pm Tuesday 25th April 2023 by Fox Meyer

Over the weekend, a local man survived a gunshot to the liver. We do not know if the attack on the young Green-affiliated figure has anything to do with politics, but what we do know is that Jack Brazil - with a bullet wound in his abdomen - asked media to respect his privacy by holding off on Read more...

Otago Campus Vegans Support the “Vegan Treaty”

Posted 3:09pm Sunday 23rd April 2023 by Zak Rudin

The Otago Campus Vegans (OCV) unveiled their plans for a ‘Vegan Treaty’ to a crowd of around 20 people last Tuesday at OUSA. Claire, Vegan Society of Aotearoa spokesperson, told attendees via Zoom that the treaty has 38 proposals to be taken to local councils. They range from declaring a Read more...

Arana Students in Limbo after Hall Delays

Posted 2:28pm Sunday 23rd April 2023 by Hugh Askerud

Students of Arana College are facing uncertainty this year as proposed renovations have come to an inconclusive end. Weeks ago, the University advised Arana students that residents “will no longer be moving to Te Rangihīroa College this year as previously planned,” despite previous Read more...

Death by a Hundred Cuts

Posted 2:26pm Sunday 23rd April 2023 by Fox Meyer

Last Thursday, the University of Otago sent out a shock press release announcing that several hundred academic and staff positions were going to be slashed. This came a day after the Uni also announced that the Bachelor of Applied Science programme was going to be discontinued, and weeks after Read more...

Retail Revamp Aims to Benefit Students

Posted 2:21pm Sunday 23rd April 2023 by Nina Brown

If you’ve been through George Street recently, you’ll have probably noticed that something big is going down. You probably wondered to yourself why, as a driver, you have to strategise like you’re on fucking Mission Impossible to get from point A to B, or noting the bounty of road Read more...

Death by a Hundred Cuts

Posted 4:46pm Thursday 20th April 2023 by Fox Meyer

On Thursday (4/20 nice) the University of Otago sent out a shock press release announcing that several hundred academic and staff positions were going to be slashed. This came a day after the Uni also announced that the Bachelor of Applied Science programme was going to be discontinued, and weeks Read more...

Alcohol Harm Minimisation Bill Fails

Posted 11:54am Sunday 16th April 2023 by Zak Rudin

The Alcohol Harm Minimisation Bill, proposed by Green MP Chlöe Swarbrick, recently failed at its first reading. The bill wasn’t proposing anything radical like taking away your bevvies; it simply aimed to end product-only advertising and alcohol sponsorship in broadcast Read more...

Tame Zoo Spurs Public Uproar

Posted 11:24am Sunday 16th April 2023 by Hugh Askerud

On Saturday, April 8, the infamous Forsyth Barr Zoo saw a historically low turnout for the Highlanders clash against the Hurricanes. This comes after a general downward trend of Zoo attendance that’s been made starkly apparent this year. Though the Zoo’s capacity of 4,500 hasn’t Read more...

“Stop Leaving the Cemetery a Mess,” Say Primary School Kids

Posted 11:21am Sunday 16th April 2023 by Nina Brown

Year 4 and 5 Ōpoho School students have written a letter to Otago University students asking them to stop leaving litter at Brackens Lookout (AKA the Cemetery). Students essentially told the children to get fucked, saying that the letter was “too long” and that they Read more...

New Food Court Just Dropped!

Posted 11:18am Sunday 16th April 2023 by Nina Brown

University of Otago Hospitality Manager Adrian is inviting students to check out the new food court venue Auahi Ora that opened for business in O-Week of this year. Adrian described it as a “multi-use space” with a new menu, new furniture, social bevvies of all kinds (including booze), Read more...

What’s the Best Day to Get $4 Lunch?

Posted 11:16am Sunday 16th April 2023 by Hugh Askerud

Critic Te Ārohi conducted a survey to answer what some have called “the most fundamental question of student existence”: On which day can you get the best $4 lunch? Opinions varied in the survey, however Monday was deemed the best lunch by 15 students, piping Wednesday by a Read more...