Archive
University Emissions Report: Behind the Pretty Numbers
Posted 12:47am Saturday 23rd April 2022 by Zak Rudin
In our last issue, Critic Te Arohi reported that the Uni’s carbon emissions dropped 40% in 2020 compared to 2019. We spoke with Craig Cliff, the Uni’s Net Carbon Zero Programme Manager, to help us understand what is going on. The report showed that most of the 40% actually came from a Read more...
Woof! has “Busiest Week of Year” after Hit with Anti-Vax Negativity
Posted 12:37am Saturday 23rd April 2022 by Annabelle Vaughan
Local Dunedin bar Woof has faced some backlash for continuing to use vaccine passes, despite the government dropping vaccine mandates on April 4. Owner Dudley Benson spoke to Critic Te Arohi about what it’s been like, and how vital the community’s support has been in this Read more...
Greens, Student Assocs Launch Student Wellbeing Inquiry
Posted 12:35am Saturday 23rd April 2022 by Fox Meyer
A group of 33 student unions have rallied together to launch a People's Inquiry into student wellbeing, alongside the Green Party. They said that students have been “betrayed” by a government that promised to provide support, that incremental increases in student loans were Read more...
Castle Residents Pitch In To Clean Up Their Street
Posted 12:32am Saturday 23rd April 2022 by Ruby Werry
At noon on a Friday, most breathas would have still been sprawled in bed, wincing at the sunlight streaming through their ratty curtains. But on April 8, several hundred students instead had brushes and rubbish bags in hand, cleaning up the streets of North D. The group of students, mostly Read more...
Otago Uni Shifts Back to In-Person Learning, Drops Vaccine and Mask Mandates
Posted 5:34pm Wednesday 13th April 2022 by Denzel Chung
The Government’s shift to Orange has paved the way for sweeping changes to life at Otago Uni, including a transition back to “mostly on-campus teaching,” as well as dropping vaccine and mask requirements for most students. Covid-19 Minister Chris Hipkins Read more...
Otago Uni Shifts Back to In-Person Learning, Drops Vaccine and Mask Mandates
Posted 5:33pm Wednesday 13th April 2022 by Denzel Chung
The Government’s shift to Orange has paved the way for sweeping changes to life at Otago Uni, including a transition back to “mostly on-campus teaching,” as well as dropping vaccine and mask requirements for most students. Covid-19 Minister Chris Hipkins Read more...
Arise Church Responds To Critic After Ghosting Other Journalists, Begins Independent Review
Posted 10:15am Tuesday 12th April 2022 by Denzel Chung
Arise Church has sent a lengthy statement, written by a PR company, responding to allegations of abuse. The detailed statement came to us after enquiries sent by a high-profile journalist were initially ignored. Pastor John Cameron has since stated that he is “broken and devastated by these Read more...
“House DJ” Grateful that Red Settings are Still in Place
Posted 1:24pm Sunday 10th April 2022 by The Critical Tribune
Local breatha Thomas Bangerson has been using his somewhat upcoming, mostly failing career as a house DJ as his prime drawcard on Tinder. The only reason he isn’t playing the big stage, he claimed, “was because we’re in red, so I’m at the same level as Subsonic, Read more...
Parking Wardens Suspected as Cause for Pedestrianisation
Posted 1:22pm Sunday 10th April 2022 by The Critical Tribune
Sources close to the Mayor claim that the attempt to make George Street pedestrianised occurred after a run-in with DCC parking wardens. Mayor Hawkins’s close confidants reported that the recent attempts to remove cars from George Street is an attempt to put parking wardens out of a job. Read more...
Plot to Overthrow the New Zealand Government Discovered at MenuDeliverEats Offices.
Posted 1:21pm Sunday 10th April 2022 by The Critical Tribune
Agents of the Crown have recently unearthed plans for MenuDeliverEats employees to institute a coup in the highest levels of the New Zealand government. This has confirmed the suspicions of local residents, who said “They don’t fear anything. I’ve seen one park on double yellow Read more...
ABBA Awards Richardson Building Highest Architectural Honours
Posted 1:19pm Sunday 10th April 2022 by The Critical Tribune
The Richardson building has just received an award from the Appreciation of the Blind for Building and Architecture, or ABBA for short. This came as a shock to most people who have ever seen the building, but the Richardson building defended its title. “Most people don’t see me in my Read more...
Clubs Week Helps Weakened Clubs
Posted 1:40am Saturday 9th April 2022 by Hugh Askerud
Last week, OUSA Clubs and Socs held a ‘Clubs Week’ celebrating the various oddities and misfits who call Otago home. Housed on the edge of the Link, each club was given 90 minutes to win over the hearts of passers-by heading through campus. As Critic Te Arohi has reported Read more...
SHOCKER: Study Finds “Students Shivering inside Cold, Damp Homes”
Posted 1:38am Saturday 9th April 2022 by Zak Rudin
A recent study conducted by Otago Uni has found that many students live in miserably cold, damp and mouldy homes. Most students also don’t know that StudyLink can help with massive power bills. The nationwide study, led by Dr. Kimberley O’Sullivan, was conducted by He Read more...
Multi-Million Dollar Church Reportedly Tells Students to Donate their Course-Related Costs
Posted 1:36am Saturday 9th April 2022 by Elliot Weir
Journalist and documentary filmmaker David Farrier has published an exposé of Arise Church. The piece alleges exploitation of their interns and attendees, including an account from an Otago Uni student who attended their Dunedin branch. Arise Church is one of the largest churches in Read more...
Uni’s Carbon Emissions Dropped In 2020
Posted 1:35am Saturday 9th April 2022 by Denzel Chung
A new report has found the Uni’s carbon emissions dipped by 40% in 2020, to 30,661 tonnes of carbon dioxide equivalent (tCO2e). Reasons for the decrease include a lockdown, fewer jet-setting employees and a coal phaseout. The Uni’s latest Greenhouse Gas Inventory was released in Read more...
PRANK101: Chewbacca Impressions Chew Student’s Ear Off
Posted 1:33am Saturday 9th April 2022 by Keegan Wells
Chewbacca, affectionately known as Chewie, is known for his big heart and unwavering loyalty to his friends. Critic Te Arohi hopes Tom still feels the same way about his mates, after his flatmate put his phone number all over campus advertising a Chewbacca impression contest. A box of Major Majors Read more...
Easing Covid Restrictions: What Does it Mean for Disabled Students?
Posted 1:31am Saturday 9th April 2022 by Zak Rudin
For many, the Government lifting most Covid restrictions has been a welcome relief. But for those who are disabled and immunocompromised, it represents a scary step into a world now fraught with risk. Sean Prenter, co-president of the Otago University Disabled Students Association (OUDSA), Read more...
Night ‘n Day Sauce Stories Continue to Spill
Posted 1:29am Saturday 9th April 2022 by Zak Rudin
After reading about Flynn’s misadventure at Night ‘n Day, Ruby and Angus reached out to Critic Te Arohi to share their suspiciously similar stories. Turns out, there are quite a few people who have faced a saucy fine from the 24hr store. Ruby described going to the Night ‘n Day Read more...
Muslim Students Ring in the Month of Ramadan
Posted 1:28am Saturday 9th April 2022 by Denzel Chung
This year, April 1 marked the beginning of the month of Ramadan, a sacred month for Muslims across the globe. Critic Te Arohi checked in with the Muslim Students’ Association (MUSA) to see how students are spending this time. MUSA, alongside the Otago Muslim Association, are hosting Read more...
Uni Giving out Free Shots
Posted 1:26am Saturday 9th April 2022 by Denzel Chung
Some nasty viruses are heading our way once again - and no, their names don’t start with C. As things get cold and flu season approaches, Critic Te Arohi spoke to Otago Uni expert Dr. Lucy Telfar-Barnard about why students should be ready to roll up their sleeves one more time. Dr. Read more...
Taj Mahal Gutted by Early-Morning Fire
Posted 1:24am Saturday 9th April 2022 by Denzel Chung
An early-morning fire engulfed Dunedin’s Taj Mahal, bringing a tragic (but hopefully temporary) end to a BYO institution beloved by students. No one was hurt in the incident. The fire is not believed to be suspicious. Senior Station Officer Mark Leonard, from Fire and Emergency New Read more...
The Great Exec Quarterly Report Round Up
Posted 5:59pm Friday 1st April 2022 by Keegan Wells, Denzel Chung, Zak Rudin and Fox Meyer
Thrice a year, the OUSA exec team submit reports on what they’ve been up to. We’ve summarised those here for your convenience. President: Melissa Lama Melissa has been absolutely killing it. She’s done 44 interviews with various media outlets and attended to her Read more...
Death Star once more a Fully Operational Battle Station
Posted 5:52pm Friday 1st April 2022 by Lotto Ramsay
Like its namesake, the post-mandate rager at Castle Street’s Death Star was structurally questionable but fully operational. It was also full of massive fucking weapons. With the Government lifting most Covid gathering limits last Friday, party-starved breathas jumped at their chance. Read more...
Otago Towns Come First, Last in Map of NZ’s “Sexiest Cities”
Posted 5:50pm Friday 1st April 2022 by Lotto Ramsay
Lovehoney, an online sex toy shop, recently revealed their list of New Zealand’s “sexiest cities”. Using a combination of search and sales data, they compiled an interactive ‘Sex Map’ power-ranking 42 of Aotearoa’s towns and cities on their kinks, favourite toys, Read more...
Rugby Crowd Appeared to Behave Well
Posted 5:48pm Friday 1st April 2022 by Hugh Askerud
The deafening screams of thousands signalled the start of something wonderful last Saturday. At 4:35 pm, with Covid-19 restrictions loosened just the day before, Forsyth Barr Stadium opened its various gates to the rugby-starved masses. This gave students their first taste of life in the Zoo this Read more...
Church Works With Student Groups To Host Pride Service
Posted 5:46pm Friday 1st April 2022 by Denzel Chung
Last Sunday, St. Paul’s Cathedral hosted a “queer-affirming reflective service” alongside Dunedin Pride, the Student Christian Movement and representatives from St. Hilda’s Collegiate School. This is believed to be the first service of its kind in Dunedin. Richie, from the Read more...
New Club Wants To “Make Composting Sexy Again”
Posted 5:45pm Friday 1st April 2022 by Denzel Chung
A new club at Otago Uni wants to raise awareness about how food choices can make a big difference to our planet and our pockets. Their priorities include encouraging students to forage, compost, and stop throwing out so much food. According to their blurb, Slow Food Youth Otago (SFYO) is a Read more...
$9,000 from Dead Clubs to be Reappropriated by OUSA
Posted 5:43pm Friday 1st April 2022 by Denzel Chung
$9,000 from inactive clubs has been sitting in an OUSA bank account untouched for at least six years. This money will get redistributed, with $7,200 probably going back to Clubs & Socs. At an OUSA Exec Meeting on 24 March, Clubs & Socs Rep Tulsi Raman said the original idea behind the Read more...
Busted Breatha Budgets Boosted
Posted 5:41pm Friday 1st April 2022 by Zak Rudin
With the cost of rent, fuel and food skyrocketing (looking at you, tomatoes), the Government’s plans to increase Student Allowance and Loan payments have been cautiously welcomed by cash-strapped students. From April 1, Student Allowance rates will rise by $25/week, and people receiving Read more...
Saucy Debacle: Resolved
Posted 5:39pm Friday 1st April 2022 by Zak Rudin
Two days after publishing the Night ‘n Day sauce debacle, Flynn told Critic Te Arohi that his $300 fine had been revoked. “Obviously it’s great the manager [Matt Lane] revoked the fine,” but “it’s a shame the police and media had to be involved before this could Read more...
New Fizzliss Drink is the Shit, not the Shits
Posted 5:32pm Sunday 27th March 2022 by Sean Gourley
Fizzliss, an RTD company run by Otago grads, has renewed their lineup, improving their original flavour and introducing a brand new one. They hope that this will make a fresh start for the company, after their first RTD release last year produced some rather hilarious controversy. When Fizzliss Read more...
New Club Aims to “Unite Students of Colour”
Posted 5:31pm Sunday 27th March 2022 by Denzel Chung
A new club has been established for Otago students who identify as people of colour (PoC). They’re aiming to “build a community” for people to bond over, and are ultimately hoping to become a “strong advocate and voice for the PoC community” here. Emika, the Read more...
Victoria Uni’s Student Association Votes to Begin Leaving NZUSA
Posted 5:28pm Sunday 27th March 2022 by Denzel Chung
Victoria Uni’s Student Association (VUWSA) has narrowly voted to leave the New Zealand Union of Student Associations (NZUSA) in a referendum. However, only 3% of students voted on the measure, raising questions on whether VUWSA will actually follow through. Results from the referendum, on Read more...
Report Highlights Shortfalls For Under-20s Mental Health Care
Posted 5:27pm Sunday 27th March 2022 by Denzel Chung
Demand for mental health care among under-20s has spiked in the last two years, according to a new Government report. They were hopeful, though, that increased Government funding would soon make a bigger impact. The report, titled ‘Te Huringa: Change and Transformation’, was Read more...
Study Finds Covid Experts Loved Masks, Hated Cost of Vaccinations
Posted 5:24pm Sunday 27th March 2022 by Annabelle Vaughan
An Otago Uni study has highlighted what experts found to be the worst part of Covid-19 lockdowns. Travel restrictions ranked highly on their list, as well as the cost of providing Covid-19 vaccines. The study, published in the Journal of the Royal Society of New Zealand, was conducted by Dr Read more...
The One (Flavour of Cruisers) That Got Away
Posted 5:22pm Sunday 27th March 2022 by Ruby Werry
On St Paddy’s, Dunedin’s most iconic booze-slinging establishment was running notably low on green piss. Critic tried to get to the bottom of this. A Leith Liquor employee told Critic Te Arohi that while the day itself brings plenty of Paddy’s pep and outrageous outfits, Read more...
Soft Plastic Recycling Back in Town
Posted 5:20pm Sunday 27th March 2022 by Zak Rudin
Serial recyclers and plastic bag stockpilers, rejoice: soft plastics can now be recycled in Dunedin again. They’ll be collected from New World, Countdown and The Warehouse stores, and trucked up north to be turned into fence posts. Up until 2017, our soft plastic was shipped overseas Read more...
Mysterious Tree Shows Up Naked in Student’s Bedroom
Posted 5:11pm Sunday 27th March 2022 by Keegan Wells
It’s not often a Saturday night ends with you finding a stranger in your bed. It’s even rarer when that stranger is a tree branch. Returning to his Cumberland St flat at 1:30am, Seth was getting ready for a good night’s rest when he noticed a “weird, dark bushy figure on Read more...
Night ‘n Day Cracks Down on Sauce Thievery
Posted 5:08pm Sunday 27th March 2022 by Zak Rudin
An Otago student is facing a $300 fine for what he claims was an accidental theft of a 90c packet of sauce from Night ‘n Day. They offered to pay for the sauce, claiming it was an honest mistake, and have complained of an abuse of power. Even the cops seemed to think the matter was Read more...
Covid Rule Changes: What do they mean for Students?
Posted 5:07pm Sunday 27th March 2022 by Annabelle Vaughan
Big changes were made to the Covid-19 rules last Wednesday, from the end of QR codes and vaccine passes to outdoor gathering limits being waved goodbye as soon as this week. But how will this affect students? Critic Te Arohi decided to dive into the new rules to find out. At a press Read more...
New American Football Club in Dunedin
Posted 1:44pm Sunday 20th March 2022 by Keegan Wells
Fans of American football, rejoice! A club has just been set up in Dunedin. They’re open to pretty much anyone who’s keen to play a bit of hand-egg , or chuck the ol’ pig-skin around, or whatever those Yanks say. American Football Otago was established just a few weeks ago Read more...
Otago Distillery Makes World’s Best Vodka
Posted 1:43pm Sunday 20th March 2022 by Fox Meyer
Joerg, creator of Broken Heart Gin & Spirits in Arrowtown, makes a vodka that has just been rated the best in the world. In the World Drinks Awards, his vodka beat out entries from 18 other countries for the title in the “pure neutral” category. Coincidentally, and completely Read more...
Dunedin’s Gin Distillery Moves out of its Parent’s Basement
Posted 1:40pm Sunday 20th March 2022 by Denzel Chung
Barely two years after opening, Dunedin’s No8 Distillery has moved into a swish new location on Hanover Street - right on the edge of Studentville. Founder Julien Delavoie’s selection of spirits, distilled locally with foraged botanicals, have been sweeping awards Read more...
Government Plans Cash for Containers Scheme
Posted 1:38pm Sunday 20th March 2022 by Denzel Chung
The Government has introduced plans for a “Container Return Scheme”. In simple terms, this means taking your bottles, cans and cartons in for recycling could soon earn you sweet, sweet cash. Last week, the Ministry for the Environment dropped a consultation document titled Read more...
Why Your “5 Plus a Day” is Looking Like “$50 Plus a Day”
Posted 1:36pm Sunday 20th March 2022 by Rutene Rickard
A year ago, a kg of tomatoes from Centre City New World cost $2.99. Today, those same juicy round bois have almost doubled in price, costing $5.49. In a quest to find out why hurling rotten tomatoes isn’t the affordable pastime it used to be, Critic Te Arohi consulted Professor of Sociology Read more...
OUSA and Albany St Pharmacy Deliver Drugs to Doorsteps
Posted 1:33pm Sunday 20th March 2022 by Sean Gourley
Thanks to OUSA and Albany Street Pharmacy, isolating students can now get over-the-counter meds and other pharmacy goodies delivered for free. The service can be accessed via the OUSA Support Hub Website. With Covid absolutely ripping through North D, many people who would’ve helped their Read more...
How Much Do Students Know About Saint Patrick, Primary Patron Saint of Ireland?
Posted 1:25pm Sunday 20th March 2022 by Keegan Wells
St Patrick is such a well-known name in North D that thousands wake up as early as 5am every year to celebrate him. But do students actually know that much about who he was, where he came from, and what he did? Critic Te Arohi hit the green-filled streets to find out. First off, did he Read more...
Used Sharps Bins not Spotted on Campus
Posted 1:24pm Sunday 20th March 2022 by Zak Rudin
Students For Sensible Drug Policy (SSDP) have raised the question: where are all the sharps bins at? People who rely on insulin injections have allegedly been forced to carry “dirty sharps home after use” or “dispose of them in an inadequate fashion in bathroom/campus Read more...
Bandana Burglar Behind Bars
Posted 1:19pm Sunday 20th March 2022 by Zak Rudin
Nicholas Scott Kerr, aged 33, has been unmasked as the notorious bandana burglar. Kerr was at large between 2018 and 2020, during which time he broke into student flats, stole 51 items worth over $22,000, and cut holes in the curtains of seven female students. Kerr used the alias “Samantha Read more...
Some Stuff not Known About KnowYourStuffNZ
Posted 1:17pm Sunday 20th March 2022 by Ruby Werry
KnowYourStuffNZ does not test for purity. They test for presence of a substance, and that’s what they report. The misconception that KYSNZ tests for purity is apparently rife amongst both students and our own Critic staff members. It may seem like a small difference (presence vs. purity), Read more...
The Curious Case of the Crook’s Consistent Covid Cancellation Curse Continues
Posted 12:47pm Sunday 13th March 2022 by Fox Meyer
Rezzy Crooks, Covid’s least favourite band, has had another gig cancelled. After at least four Pint Night cancellations over the past two years, the band was excited to play a gig with Hot Sauce Club at the Crown Hotel. And then it was cancelled. “It’s hard to put a number Read more...
World Music Assignment Ridiculed for “Unholy” Font Choice
Posted 12:45pm Sunday 13th March 2022 by Elliot Weir
First-year music students studying MUSI104 (World Music) were given an assignment designed to help students in the class get to know one another better for an upcoming group project on the first of March. The assignment was pretty straightforward, but students were taken aback when the eight page Read more...
Data Mining Dunedin Noise Complaints
Posted 12:36pm Sunday 13th March 2022 by Keegan Wells
Data seen by Critic Te Arohi has shed light on where, when and why noise complaints were lodged around Dunedin. One Otago student managed to rack up nine in a single semester. According to Dunedin City Council data seen and painstakingly analysed by Critic Te Arohi, 3,613 noise complaints Read more...
Researchers Find Big Fossilised Duck in Central Otago
Posted 12:34pm Sunday 13th March 2022 by Denzel Chung
A team of researchers, including Otago staff and students, have discovered an exciting new fossil at St Bathans in Central Otago: a species of shelduck. The original animal is believed to have been massive, standing at a whopping 70cm. For a duck, that’s pretty tall. The duck was believed Read more...
Outcry Over Positive RAT Sale
Posted 12:31pm Sunday 13th March 2022 by Sean Gourley
A local caused a minor uproar when he claimed to be selling positive COVID tests for just $49 on the Facebook group Otago Flatting Goods. It is unclear from the post whether the four tests on offer were being sold separately or as a pack, or if it was even a genuine offer. The post first asked Read more...
“Satdee Night Antics” Lead To Stolen Sign
Posted 12:29pm Sunday 13th March 2022 by Denzel Chung
A brand-new promotional sign outside on Cumberland Street was stolen, with the theft blamed on “satdee night antics”. As of press time, it had not been found despite a juicy financial reward on offer. The sign was purchased just before Christmas by the Northgate Shop, which runs the Read more...
Polytech Provides Frozen Meals to Isolating Students
Posted 12:27pm Sunday 13th March 2022 by Zak Rudin
Polytech students rejoice: thousands of frozen meals are winging their way to your flats, dreamt up and prepared by a team of staff and students. The project began with Polytech senior lecturer Tony Hepinstall, who started the initiative as “a social enterprise where students could give Read more...
New Pastoral Care Code
Posted 12:23pm Sunday 13th March 2022 by Zak Rudin
A new Pastoral Care Code of Practice has been introduced this year, formalising the guidelines for how unis will take care of their students. It remains to be seen whether the changes on paper will translate into changes in practice. The Code of Practice came into effect on January 1st this year. Read more...
Second Week of Protests as Situation in Ukraine Intensifies
Posted 5:12pm Saturday 12th March 2022 by Aiman Amerul Muner
For the second weekend in a row, a small crowd consisting of Ukrainians, Russians and others gathered in the Octagon to oppose Russia’s attack on Ukraine. Among them are students whose families have been forced to flee what has now become a war zone. Among those in attendance on Read more...
Small But Vocal Socialist Counter-Protest On Museum Lawn
Posted 5:02pm Saturday 12th March 2022 by Denzel Chung
A protest intended to oppose the Wellington anti-mandate protest had to quickly pivot after the shutdown of the Wellington protest just two days before. Despite being small in number, those attending insisted the cause was still urgent enough to motivate them. Organised by Read more...
Official Endorsement for Mirror on Society
Posted 4:58pm Saturday 12th March 2022 by Fox Meyer
On Tuesday, 8 March, the University Council formally endorsed Te Kauae Parāoa, also known as the Mirror on Society Selection Policy. A recent review, involving staff as well as student voices highlighted a need to provide more support for students with disabilities, which was incorporated Read more...
“Systemic Racism, Discrimination, Bullying” Found in PE School, Wider Uni
Posted 4:29pm Thursday 10th March 2022 by Denzel Chung
A scathing review of “conduct and culture” in the School of Physical Education, Sport and Exercise Sciences has found serious concerns about “systemic racism, discrimination and bullying at the School and… within the [wider] University”. In response, new Read more...
University Shops Struggle With Omicron
Posted 2:58pm Sunday 6th March 2022 by Denzel Chung
The Omicron outbreak has hit Otago Uni’s cafés and food outlets hard. A one-two punch of fewer students on campus and staff shortages have led to financial losses and rolling closures of outlets. The University Union is like the Pablo Escobar of Dunedin’s campus – Read more...
Wanted: Chip Packets to turn into Survival Blankets
Posted 2:55pm Sunday 6th March 2022 by Denzel Chung
Some of Dunedin’s chip packets will be getting a second chance at life, with a new initiative turning them into survival blankets for rough sleepers. Jessica Ladbrook is Dunedin’s volunteer coordinator for the Chip Packet Project NZ (CPPNZ). With origins in the British Read more...
Iso Rules Baffle Students
Posted 2:52pm Sunday 6th March 2022 by Denzel Chung
Jake, a Master’s student living in Brighton, is in the middle of a 20 day isolation. “At the end of our first 10-day isolation we were all joking and saying “oh we’re gonna get it again, haha, we’re gonna have to restart”, and then that’s exactly Read more...
New IPCC Report: Impending Irreversible Climate Devastation (again)
Posted 2:35pm Sunday 6th March 2022 by Zak Rudin
As if a global pandemic and the threat of world war weren’t enough, the cheerful souls at the UN’s Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change have threatened climate-related mayhem will be coming for us as well. Again. The IPCC report, “Climate Change 2022: Impacts, Read more...
CCTV Project Phase 3 Foiled by Covid-19, Budget Constraints
Posted 2:33pm Sunday 6th March 2022 by Zak Rudin
The University’s plans to install more CCTV cameras around North D has hit a snag. The culprit: our old friend Covid-19. The new CCTVs were planned to be placed on Union Street, between Campus and Unipol. They had claimed that this move would provide “safety for students and Read more...
Clubs Struggling without Clubs Day
Posted 1:58pm Sunday 6th March 2022 by Denzel Chung
The Omicron outbreak really screwed up many clubs’ recruitment plans. Most are relying on social media and word-of-mouth, but are finding they cannot replace a good ol’ Clubs Day tent. For the Otago University Tramping Club (OUTC), historically the largest club on campus by Read more...
“Good Karma” Nets OUSA’s $800 Camping Giveaway
Posted 1:56pm Sunday 6th March 2022 by Fox Meyer
OUSA recently held an online giveaway for $800 worth of new camping gear. The winner, Tayla, reckoned that “good karma” won her the grand prize, which she is hoping to show off at R&A. “Never have I ever won something like this,” said Tayla. She’d entered a Read more...
Peace and Conflict Centre Begins Improvements
Posted 1:53pm Sunday 6th March 2022 by Denzel Chung
A review into the National Centre for Peace and Conflict Studies has found an “unsustainably toxic” workplace culture despite “excellent” teaching staff and “enthusiastic” students. The University of Otago has committed to a “fundamental reset” in Read more...
Anti-war Protest in the Octagon as Russia Invades Ukraine
Posted 1:49pm Sunday 6th March 2022 by Denzel Chung
A crowd of around 50, including Ukrainians, Russians and others, amassed in the lower Octagon on the 26th to peacefully protest Russian aggression against Ukraine. An anti-mandate convoy passed through at the same time, providing a backdrop of honking, yelling and loud music. The group gathered Read more...
Offshore Students Frustrated but Hopeful
Posted 3:04pm Sunday 27th February 2022 by Ransford Antwi
Hundreds of international Otago students are stuck overseas, paying full fees for an educational experience that many feel is not reflective of the cost. If you thought a few weeks of online lectures and Zoom tutes was rough, imagine what it’s like to be an international student stuck Read more...
Flo and O Parties: Dying But Not Quite Dead
Posted 2:56pm Sunday 27th February 2022 by Denzel Chung, Keegan Wells & Ruby Werry
Flo and O-Weeks were notably quieter this year, with Covid cases on Castle sending a chill through North D’s collective spine. Apart from the usual suspects, though, most students seemed to make a reasonable effort at following the rules. Flo saw a sleepy Castle, with few students on the Read more...
OUSA Gives out 650 “Gifts of Generosity and Grace”
Posted 2:51pm Sunday 27th February 2022 by Fox Meyer
In less than a week, OUSA has distributed 650 care packages to isolating students across the city. The initiative comes as Omicron rips through the student population in North Dunedin. These packages are being delivered free of charge to students who are isolating. They contain food staples Read more...
Where the Hell are all these Wasps Coming From?
Posted 2:47pm Sunday 27th February 2022 by Fox Meyer
Wasp populations are at their yearly high, and students have reported fear, frustration and an “absolute fuck-ton” of the stinging insects around town. Critic Te Arohi reached out to the Zoology Department to get to the bottom of this. The short answer is simple: wasp colonies follow Read more...
Management Meddling Moves Fresher Frenzy From Friday
Posted 2:43pm Sunday 27th February 2022 by Denzel Chung
It was no coincidence. In a bid to end “antisocial behaviour” on Health Sci Friday, the Proctor worked together with Uni management to shift Health Sci exam dates last year. This attempt to minimise partying worked about as well as you would expect. With the final HSFY exam for Read more...
Proctor Cracks Down on Alcoholic Flat Party Sponsors
Posted 2:41pm Sunday 27th February 2022 by Sean Gourley
Some alcohol companies who have been unofficial sponsors of student flat parties have not been fined, but appear to have received a very stern talking to by the Proctor and the Police. According to the Proctor’s disciplinary report for 2021, some “alcohol manufacturers were Read more...
New ID Cards: Frothed by Freshers, Loathed by Most
Posted 2:38pm Sunday 27th February 2022 by Ruby Werry
The Uni has made big changes to enhance ID card security in 2022, bringing in a new, “minimalist,” overwhelmingly white design. Our informal survey suggested almost everyone hates it - with the notable exception of first-years, who don’t know any better. After the Proctor raised Read more...
$4 Lunches Under New Management
Posted 2:33pm Sunday 27th February 2022 by Denzel Chung
For the first time in over 20 years, OUSA’s famous $4 lunches will no longer be served by the Hare Krishna community. This is after Jane Beecroft, known as the “lunch lady” of the Hare Krishnas, announced her retirement in February. South Dunedin restaurant Tandooree Read more...
New VC Just Dropped
Posted 2:31pm Sunday 27th February 2022 by Fox Meyer
David is your new Vice Chancellor, sort of like the Uni’s CEO. He’s an infectious disease expert, a guitar-maker, and a very kind man who looks a bit like a more scholastic Colonel Sanders. Critic recently sat down with David to give him a quick vibe check, which he passed with flying Read more...
Testing Centres "Swamped" after Castle St. Covid Case
Posted 1:40pm Thursday 17th February 2022 by Denzel Chung
Students have flocked to North Dunedin’s Covid-19 testing centre in the hours since a positive case was linked to a Castle Street party. They are now turning away asymptomatic people, asking them to self-isolate instead. Barely two hours after the University advised all students Read more...
OUSA Discourages Partying, Receives Backlash
Posted 5:10pm Tuesday 15th February 2022 by Denzel Chung
An Instagram post requesting that students “put the parties on pause” has been taken off of OUSA’s story after receiving backlash from students. OUSA has since clarified that they “are not here to kill any good vibes for students,” but wants to ensure parties are kept Read more...
Prof. Jo Baxter Announced As New Dunedin Med School Dean
Posted 2:28pm Friday 11th February 2022 by Denzel Chung
The Dunedin School of Medicine has just announced that Professor Joanne ‘Jo’ Baxter (Ngāi Tahu, Ngāti Mamoe, Waitaha, Ngāti Apa ki te Rā Tō) will take over the Dean’s role from July 2022. She will be the first wahine Māori to ever hold the Read more...
Alcohol, Youth and Male-ness Define 2021’s Serious Misconduct Cases
Posted 11:26am Friday 11th February 2022 by Denzel Chung
CW: discussion of sexual misconduct cases Every single incident of serious misconduct in 2021 was caused by first and second-year students, almost all of them male. The Provost’s annual report for 2021 found nine incidents of “serious Read more...
Bong Lung could be for Life, Says Otago Study
Posted 11:52am Friday 4th February 2022 by Sean Gourley
A long-running University of Otago study has found that smoking weed long-term could lead to a distinct type of lung damage, which may be permanent. As part of the “Dunedin Study,” Otago researchers have tracked 1,037 individuals in Dunedin since they were born in Read more...
Otago Embraces Open-Access Publication
Posted 1:17pm Monday 31st January 2022 by Denzel Chung
The Uni has inked a deal that would allow researchers to publish their findings in over 4,500 different journals as open-access publications, for free, with more coming next year. Under these new “Read and Publish” agreements, which kicked in at the start of this year, Read more...
Student Health Braces for Omicron
Posted 11:32am Thursday 27th January 2022 by Denzel Chung
Student Health Services are preparing for a community outbreak of Omicron by moving away from in-person appointments, warning that wait times may increase due to a lack of backup clinical staff. To minimise the risk of staff and patients contracting Covid-19, under the Red traffic Read more...
“Fuck Covid,” Says CEO Offering Free Posters For Bands
Posted 12:48pm Wednesday 13th October 2021 by Denzel Chung
Phantom Billstickers, the street poster company, is offering Aotearoa’s bands and live performers free posters to promote their gigs post Covid-19. In a press release, Phantom stated that it “wants to see live performances roaring back once Covid restrictions end. So Read more...
Melissa Lama: Who Is She?
Posted 9:12am Sunday 10th October 2021 by Erin Gourley
“My life involves lots of different worlds,” says Melissa Lama. “There’s the Pacific community, I’m a mum, there’s student politics, and I study. I do it to myself but I wouldn’t change it, it’s who I am.” Melissa is your 2022 OUSA President. Read more...
Michaela Says Goodbye
Posted 9:10am Sunday 10th October 2021 by Erin Gourley
After a year as President and a year as Welfare and Equity Representative, Michaela Waite-Harvey is moving on to bigger and better things next year. Like “just studying” at Otago, instead of being a student politician. “I’m not going to completely excommunicate myself from Read more...
Mr Whippy Relaunches in Dunedin
Posted 9:05am Sunday 10th October 2021 by Denzel Chung
The one and only Mr Whippy has hit the streets of Dunedin. They launched with a bang on Saturday, giving out 600 free soft-serves in The Octagon. The Dunedin business is owned by husband and wife team Steve and Linda Mitchell, who also operate Mr Whippy vans in Central Otago. “We’ve Read more...
Lisa’s Mysterious Arms
Posted 9:01am Sunday 10th October 2021 by Denzel Chung
A strange poem fixating on the arms of Olympic kayaker Lisa Carrington has been popping up on posters around Dunedin in the last week. The poem, “Lisa’s Arms,” reads best aloud. Here it is: I want her arms. Imagine lying in those arms. Lisa’s Read more...
Asbestos Removed from Zoology Building
Posted 8:58am Sunday 10th October 2021 by Alex Leckie-Zaharic
A technical report from July detailed that there is dangerous asbestos in some of the University’s heaters. The original heaters were removed, but many still operate in other buildings. The University did not respond in time for comment on this article. After hearing about asbestos in the Read more...
It Is Almost Chatime, My Dudes
Posted 8:55am Sunday 10th October 2021 by Asia Martusia King
The elusive Chatime, which has been edging students with its fabled branch in the Link since early this year, has said that it will finally open this October. The store, based on walk-bys by Critic staff, now looks pretty well set-up. They even have fake plants above the booths and a Read more...
OUSA Referendum Produces 125 Pages of Comments
Posted 8:48am Sunday 10th October 2021 by Denzel Chung
Students voted to reject only one proposal in the recent OUSA referendum: calling for an Exec member to be dedicated to distance and overseas students. Over 100 pages of comments were also submitted by students, including one student who repeatedly posted the Bee Movie script as their comment for Read more...
Uni Admits Misleading Staff on Shift Breaks
Posted 8:47am Sunday 10th October 2021 by Elliot Weir
Three weeks ago, we reported on widespread employment law breaches and sexual harassment amongst kitchen staff at University-managed halls of residence kitchens. Some staff then requested the mandated shift breaks that we outlined in the piece and were misled by management. When staff in one hall Read more...
LadBible Reports On OUSA’s Blues and Golds
Posted 8:43am Sunday 10th October 2021 by Fox Meyer
OUSA’s Blues and Golds awards are “in recognition of the sporting, cultural and service achievements of current University of Otago students,” said still-president Michaela Waite-Harvey. This year, Laurel Hubbard took home Best Sportswoman. Strangers on the internet, who Read more...
Australian Unis Mandate Vaccines on Campus
Posted 4:08pm Friday 1st October 2021 by Fox Meyer
Two Australian universities mandated last week that all students, staff and workers on campus be fully vaccinated. La Trobe University and the University of Melbourne were the first to require this, with Melbourne requiring everyone on campus to be vaccinated from November 5. Otago Read more...
Mental Health Awareness Whiteboard Sabotaged With Humour
Posted 4:05pm Friday 1st October 2021 by Erin Gourley
Sometimes, as a treat, OUSA will do something with good intentions that is nonetheless destined for disaster. Setting up a whiteboard in the Link for Mental Health Awareness Week and allowing people to write whatever they choose on a Post-It note, anonymously, is one of those things. The mental Read more...
Four Otago Uni Lecturers Take Out National Awards
Posted 4:02pm Friday 1st October 2021 by Denzel Chung
Well-known “Anatomy Mum” Dr Latika Samalia has taken out Aotearoa’s top tertiary education teaching award. In a remarkable Otago Uni power move, three of the other eight national award winners were Otago staff members as well. At the Ako Aotearoa Tertiary Teaching Excellence Read more...
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