Archive

Opinion: Otago Fucked Up with Covid-19

Posted 1:48pm Thursday 26th March 2020 by Erin Gourley

The University of Otago fucked up their response to Covid-19.  Otago’s approach was: we’re waiting for the government to tell us to shut. As soon as they tell us, we’ll do it, but we will not second guess the government. The University wanted to stay open until the last Read more...

Everything is Cancelled Including Keep Cups

Posted 12:45pm Sunday 22nd March 2020 by Erin Gourley

Dispensary Cafe is refusing to fill keep cups because of Covid-19. Both Dispensary cafes (the cafe on Albany Street and the cafe in the Dunedin Hospital) have implemented the new policy. The new policy was implemented on Monday 16 March with a notice attached to the cabinet and the counter of the Read more...

New Vending Machines Filled With Ice Cream

Posted 12:41pm Sunday 22nd March 2020 by Phillip Plant

New ice cream vending machines have appeared in the Link, the Business School, and the Science Library. When first introduced to campus at the start of March, the vending machines were empty. By March 11, they had pricing. The vending machines are now filled with ice cream products, ranging from Read more...

Lecturers Sneak Lectures Online Against Uni’s Wishes

Posted 12:37pm Sunday 22nd March 2020 by Sinead Gill

Some departments and lectures across multiple divisions have reportedly “pushed the ‘go’ button” on distance learning, despite the University telling them not to. Students are praising these acts of rebellion. A limit of 100 people attending indoor events was announced by Read more...

Turf War in the Hunter Centre

Posted 12:34pm Sunday 22nd March 2020 by Alex Leckie-Zaharic

Medical students are unhappy that the University is allowing non-medical students to book rooms in the Hunter Centre.  The University took over administration of the Hunter Centre from the Division of Health Sciences at the start of 2020. By bringing the Centre under the jurisdiction of the Read more...

Exchange Students Given Ultimatum to Return to Otago

Posted 12:29pm Sunday 22nd March 2020 by Sophia Carter Peters

The University of Otago gave New Zealand students on exchange overseas two days to decide whether to return to study in New Zealand in light of Covid-19. Alex, who was on exchange in Texas, received emails recommending she return because flights were being dramatically cut, saying there was a Read more...

Tenants caught in battle between Cutlers and CrestClean

Posted 12:27pm Sunday 22nd March 2020 by Wyatt Ryder

Several students who rented with Cutlers in 2019 are waiting to receive their full bonds back because of a dispute over cleaning bills. A group of six tenants were issued a cleaning bill for $879.50 by Cutlers Property Management. That bill has turned out to be just one of many large bills issued Read more...

Students Working in Hospo Fear for Their Jobs

Posted 8:38pm Thursday 19th March 2020 by Erin Gourley

Students working at cafes, bars, and restaurants are worried that their workplaces will close as a result of Covid-19. “Although I know it’s smart for bars to close and large social gatherings to be reduced, it's my job and I don't know if I’m going to get any Read more...

Students Still Waiting for StudyLink

Posted 6:57pm Thursday 19th March 2020 by Sinead Gill

A large number of students are still waiting for their first Studylink payment to come through, despite a month passing since classes began. One student called it “a fucking stitch up”, another student suggested “maybe Studylink needs to employ a few more people so that they can Read more...

Which Squiddies Chip Bag is the Best Value for Money? A Statistical Breakdown

Posted 6:50pm Thursday 19th March 2020 by Sophia Carter Peters

Squiddies: an Otago student institution that supplies chips (and other things) for students of all dispositions and dietary requirements. Squiddies has an impressive range of chip bag sizes available. The question: which one gets you maximum chip for minimum cash? Using the statistical Read more...

OUSA Endorse Mysterious “Charter” That You Are Not Allowed to Know About

Posted 6:46pm Thursday 19th March 2020 by Sinead Gill

The OUSA Exec has endorsed a “Charter”, the name and contents of which are confidential and will remain so until further notice. Wikipedia defines ‘Charter’ to mean the "grant of authority or rights, stating that the granter formally recognises the prerogative of the Read more...

AUSA Copies OUSA’s Covid-19 campaign

Posted 6:44pm Thursday 19th March 2020 by Erin Gourley

The Auckland University Students’ Association (AUSA) has launched a covid-19 campaign that reuses ideas from OUSA, Critic, and the internet.  AUSA President George Barton admitted that AUSA had copied the ideas. He said in defence that “if we're going to look for originality Read more...

Otago has $41.7 million to spend

Posted 3:06pm Sunday 15th March 2020 by Critic

The University of Otago reported a surplus of $41.7 million in last week’s University Council meeting. Things the University could buy with $41.7 million include:   $3 lunches for every Otago student for two years. 83.4 million Chupa-Chups. Tom Hanks’ medical bills Read more...

ASA Withdraws From NZUSA

Posted 8:23pm Thursday 12th March 2020 by Erin Gourley

The Albany Students’ Association (ASA) has given notice of its withdrawal from New Zealand Union of Students’ Associations (NZUSA). This is the first withdrawal from NZUSA for 2020. ASA represents the students who study at the Massey University campus in Auckland. They are an Read more...

OUSA Gets Its Reo On

Posted 8:21pm Thursday 12th March 2020 by Erin Gourley

OUSA is paying $7,900 to translate its constitution into te reo Māori: approximately 20,462 words. The current OUSA Executive were handed this task from the previous Executive. Last year, the Exec voted to include a clause in the Constitution that required the Constitution to have both a te Read more...

1600 Students Will Get A Pay Rise

Posted 8:20pm Thursday 12th March 2020 by Sinead Gill

Tutors and demonstrators have officially been given a pay rise, ranging from a $1.30 to a $2.99 increase. Although the scales have only just been updated, the scales will be applied from February 1 2020 onwards. Tutors and demonstrators will be back paid to that time. It is unclear when scales Read more...

University of Auckland Introduces Code of Conduct

Posted 8:16pm Thursday 12th March 2020 by Erin Gourley

The University of Auckland has introduced a Code of Conduct (COC) to regulate the behaviour of both staff and students.  The Code is designed to foster a “safe and inclusive” University environment. It sets out four pillars of manaakitanga, whanaungatanga, kotahitanga, and Read more...

The Christchurch Mosque Massacre: A Year On.

Posted 7:16pm Thursday 12th March 2020 by Norhan El Sanjak

By Norhan El Sanjak and Ala Ghandour A year since the attacks and the wound still feels fresh. The terrorist attacks took 51 lives, left dozens injured and scarred countless families, friends and communities. One of those people, Ala Ghandour recounts the tragedy from her perspective (as shown in Read more...

UniPrint Pusheen the Limits of Copyright Law

Posted 7:09pm Thursday 12th March 2020 by Jack Gilmore

UniPrint may be using an unlicensed image of Pusheen in order to teach students how to print, which may be illegal. Last week it came to Critic’s attention that the Central Library division of UniPrint was using the cartoon cat, Pusheen, as a mascot on posters explaining to freshers how to Read more...

Dunedin Has a Student Housing Shortage

Posted 7:08pm Thursday 12th March 2020 by Kaiya Cherrington

There is a rental crisis in the Dunedin student area. Many students have reported that they struggled finding a liveable flat to stay in for 2020, and some students currently remain homeless.  A leading cause is the demand for student flats. There has been a steady growth of students Read more...