Archive

Former Clubs and Socs Representative Accuses OUSA President of “Blatant Lie”

Posted 10:13pm Thursday 16th July 2020 by Sinead Gill

After saying he resigned for personal reasons, Josh Smythe has now alleged that OUSA President Jack Manning gave him an ultimatum in a private meeting.  According to Josh, he wanted to stay on as the Clubs and Societies Representative, but was told: “The only option is if you take a Read more...

Sleepovers Possible at UBS Thanks to the OUSA Exec

Posted 8:20pm Thursday 16th July 2020 by Caroline Moratti

The upstairs of University Bookstore on Cumberland Street is set for revolutionary change, with the OUSA Exec voting to adopt the “accommodation option” proposed by their Finance and Expenditure Committee.  Although much of the building’s development is shrouded by the Read more...

Restaurant Boom Over Re-Ori

Posted 8:19pm Thursday 16th July 2020 by Jack Gilmore

According to workers in Dunedin restaurants, students turned out in droves during Re-O to support the many eating establishments in our fair city. This might explain the proportion of vomit on the streets of North Dunedin. Many restaurateurs, waiters, and cooks have reported to Critic that they Read more...

More Free Mental Health Appointments for Students from 2021

Posted 8:15pm Thursday 16th July 2020 by Erin Gourley

More students will be able to access free therapy and treatment for mental health from 2021, thanks to a $25million of funding towards mental health services for tertiary students aged 18 to 25.  The funding, announced on 11 July, will target students who are mildly or moderately distressed Read more...

Cutler Told Tenants to Trash the Trash Rules

Posted 8:14pm Thursday 16th July 2020 by Erin Gourley

Matt Cutler has been advising students to put out low-cost, unmarked rubbish bags for collection, rather than the official DCC rubbish bags.  “[...] With rubbish just put it in low cost bags at night - there’s collection every week day in the city. Just don’t put your mail Read more...

Property Destruction Pretty Lit During Re-O

Posted 8:14pm Thursday 16th July 2020 by Kaiya Cherrington

Re-O Week was extra chaotic this year, with couch burning and other property destruction reported in the student area. Students witnessed a notable amount of damage happening throughout the week as parties were held on streets such as Hyde, Leith, Frederick, Queen, and Castle. Couch burning is a Read more...

Otago University has an Underground Beer Pong Society, and it’s Really Fucking Strange

Posted 8:13pm Thursday 16th July 2020 by Annabelle Vaughan

Turns out, the Otago University Beer Pong Society is real and exactly what you would expect - a bunch of testosterone-fuelled guys who miss their high school sports teams a little too much.  Otago Uni and the student gremlins which inhabit this community have some very odd and highly Read more...

One in Five Chance Your Re-O MDMA Was Bath Salts

Posted 8:11pm Thursday 16th July 2020 by Oscar Paul

20% of the drug samples tested by KnowYourStuff during Re-O Week turned out to be synthetic cathinones (a.k.a. bath salts, a.k.a. a bad time). KnowYourStuff detected nine samples of mephedrone and eight samples of a new, unknown cathinone. “This unknown cathinone [detected during Re-O Week] Read more...

Vibe Check: Political Debate Edition

Posted 2:29pm Sunday 12th July 2020 by Sophia Carter Peters

I care about things, but I know very little about politics. So when I was asked to attend and take some notes on the ‘Response to Covid’ debate in Union Hall (organised by DebSoc), I was confused, but intrigued. Honestly, I love a bit of drama and as much as David Seymour annoys me, he Read more...

Opinion: It’s Fucked that Dunedin Clubs Don’t have Cloakrooms

Posted 2:22pm Sunday 12th July 2020 by Caroline Moratti

It’s a Saturday night, and you’ve been bobbing to Glitter by Benee for the past three hours in Suburbia. It’s been a good night but you’re ready to call it quits and shelve some kebabs before passing out in your best mate’s bed. The issue is that you have to survive the Read more...

OUSA Sexual Misconduct Policy Two Months Away

Posted 2:20pm Sunday 12th July 2020 by Erin Gourley

The development of an OUSA sexual misconduct policy began in 2019. Seven months into 2020, club leaders are still waiting. OUSA told Critic that the policy will be “achieved… during second semester” through OUSA’s Affiliated Clubs Council. Last September, Critic covered Read more...

SOCIAL EXPERIMENT: Critic Attempts Crime

Posted 2:02pm Sunday 12th July 2020 by Sinead Gill

Last week, Critic received an anonymous tip from someone claiming to be “member of the student community” about a certain “hack” (crime) that allowed people to get Victorian Bitters (VBs) beers for free from Countdown. A week after exposing this “hack” (crime), Read more...

Results Withheld Due to “Unprecedented Volume” of Academic Misconduct

Posted 1:58pm Sunday 12th July 2020 by Alex Leckie-Zaharic

Due to an “unprecedented volume” of potential academic misconduct cases across all four divisions of the University of Otago, many exam results have been withheld. The University aims to confirm all results by this Friday, 10 July. Students who show “above-average levels of Read more...

“Abusive and Predatory Behaviour”: Report Claims OUSA-Affiliated Club Had a Culture of Abuse

Posted 1:55pm Sunday 12th July 2020 by Sinead Gill

Content warning: Explicit descriptions of sexual abuse, violent behaviours and emotional manipulation. After a member alleged they were sexually assaulted, the Dunedin Fire and Circus Club published a preliminary report on internal sexual and emotional abuse, and proposed changes within the Read more...

Southernmost Foosball Club Launched and Free to Play

Posted 1:26pm Sunday 12th July 2020 by Sophia Carter Peters

Amidst a global pandemic, a collective social upheaval, and the general decay of the 21st century, there is but one truth: foosball. Otago’s first foosball association, the Dunedin Foosball Association, has finally broken ground. The association, led by Zoology lecturer Paul Szyszka, has Read more...

OUSA Takes Pro-Cannabis Legalisation Stance

Posted 3:04pm Sunday 5th July 2020 by Sinead Gill

Just over a month ago, OUSA asked students whether or not OUSA should take a stance in the upcoming cannabis legalisation referendum. Students said yes. The Exec decided to have a punishingly long discussion about whether or not they should do it, anyway. The Exec had a choice between two Read more...

Residential College Rebate Increases to $200

Posted 3:03pm Sunday 5th July 2020 by Erin Gourley

Students who left their residential colleges for lockdown got $200 per week as a residential fee rebate. This was an increase of $80 from the initial rebate, agreed to after OUSA met with the University to put students’ concerns forward. The original amount the University offered students Read more...

Local Hero Catches Thief Mid-Burglary

Posted 3:01pm Sunday 5th July 2020 by Fox Meyer

A flat a stone’s throw from the Clocktower would’ve been burglarised last week if it weren’t for the heroic efforts of an upstanding young Kiwi. Thom Harrison (6’7”, 120 kg, single) was surprised to see “this fuckin’ random dude just taking shit outta my Read more...

OUSA Exec Are Confused About Their Own Referendum

Posted 2:55pm Sunday 5th July 2020 by Erin Gourley

The OUSA Executive asked students some confusing questions about what they should do and now they are confused about what they should do. The annual OUSA Referendum was held online from 25-28 May. When the results came in, the OUSA Exec realised they had fucked up a few of the questions or were Read more...

Pint Night Returns for Semester Two

Posted 2:50pm Sunday 5th July 2020 by Annabelle Vaughan

The University has confirmed that Pint Night is on for semester two. Despite fearmongering in the student community that Pint Night was not going to go ahead post-lockdown, a University spokesperson confirmed to Critic that Pint Night will in fact recommence on Wednesday, 8 July, during Re-O Read more...