Archive

Blues and Golds: Behind the Awards

Posted 12:27am Friday 28th September 2018 by Sinead Gill

Every year OUSA gives out awards to the people who represent the top of the top at Otago University. Or at least the ones who are keen enough to put their names up for an award. Critic hunted some of the winners down to get to know some of Otago’s best.    Sportswoman of the Read more...

Checking in on the Exec: Third Quarter Exec Reports

Posted 12:21am Friday 28th September 2018 by Esme Hall

Dear OUSA Exec, Critic are paid to read your reports and even we struggled. We tried to find the good bits but it took ages. If you’re so big on ‘engagement’ and ‘consultation’ you need to communicate in a more accessible way. Please and thank you. Love, Critic. All Read more...

The Proctor BongShell: The Complete Chronic-les

Posted 12:06am Friday 28th September 2018 by Joel MacManus

The story of University Proctor Dave Scott entering student flats and removing bongs without permission has captured the imaginations of the student population and the national media in a way no story has in years, overshadowing even the Critic censorship debacle earlier this year.  It all Read more...

Police Shut Down Running of the Beers Charity Event

Posted 12:03am Friday 28th September 2018 by Caroline Moratti

The Dunedin Police have successfully cancelled the Running of the Beers charity event after threatening the organiser with prosecution if it went ahead.  As the name so eloquently suggests, Running of the Beers contestants signed up to run and drink beer simultaneously; an impressive feat Read more...

Harlene Hayne Votes Down Student Bid to Save Art History

Posted 11:46pm Thursday 27th September 2018 by Esme Hall

University Vice-Chancellor Harlene Hayne cast the deciding vote against OUSA’s proposal to save the Art History and Visual Culture programme, at the University Senate last week. OUSA Education Officer James Heath motioned “that Senate halts the proposal to disestablish the Art History Read more...

OPINION: Don’t Fire the Proctor, Reform the Position

Posted 10:03pm Thursday 27th September 2018 by Joel MacManus

EDITORIAL: When the story of the Proctor entering student flats to remove bongs broke last week, there was naturally an angry reaction from a lot of people. A petition demanding Dave Scott’s resignation got over 2000 signatures before it was taken down and Abe from Whakamana is talking about a Read more...

OPINION: Colleges Need to Chill on ‘Study Zones’

Posted 10:02pm Thursday 27th September 2018 by Sophia Carter Peters

OPINION: We’re heading into exam season, meaning that residential colleges around Dunedin are cracking into the dreaded “study zone”. However, the accompanying alcohol ban is likely to do more harm than good, as well as making life more difficult for both staff and Read more...

Memorial Trees Die After Leith Construction Work

Posted 10:01pm Thursday 27th September 2018 by Charlie O’Mannin

The Otago Regional Council has apologised after accidentally allowing two memorial trees, planted for members of staff who have passed away, to die after removing them as part of their Leith Flood Protection work. The ORC got permission from the University to remove five trees, including the two Read more...

HUBS192 Class Believes That Lecturer and Third Years Are Drinking Urine

Posted 9:59pm Thursday 27th September 2018 by Sam Purchas

All that glistens is not gold after a lecturer in HUBS192 tricked a bunch of first year health scis into thinking a group of third years drank his urine. Following the great nude chicken dash of first semester, lecturer Andrew Bahn has taken up the mantle of everyone’s favourite sport Read more...

OUSA Demands an RA Pay Increase, University Ignores Them

Posted 9:58pm Thursday 27th September 2018 by Thea Bailie-Bellew

OUSA’s meeting with the University to try and get them to raise RAs’ pay to cover the cost of living in a hall has not resulted in any change. “Unfortunately, the University were unwilling to make any changes to the financial conditions for the RAs,” said OUSA Colleges Read more...

$25,000 Donated to Bring Private Prosecution Against Otago Uni Over Removal of Bongs from Flats

Posted 10:57am Tuesday 25th September 2018 by Joel MacManus

Abe Gray, founder and owner of the Whakamana Cannabie Museum, says he has received a $25,000 donation from an anonymous benefactor to create a ‘Whakamana Legal Fighting Fund’ to pursue the University of Otago in private prosecution over the removal of several bongs from student flats by Read more...

Proctor Let Himself into Flat, Took Bongs in 2016, Students Say

Posted 9:38am Tuesday 25th September 2018 by Joel MacManus

Despite the University’s claim that it was “unusual and unlikely to be repeated,” some students are saying that University Proctor Dave Scott has been entering flats without permission to remove bongs for over two years.   A student, who asked to remain anonymous, told Read more...

Second Flat Claims Proctor Entered Home Without Permission, Took Bongs

Posted 3:35pm Monday 24th September 2018 by Joel MacManus

A second flat is alleging that University of Otago Proctor Dave Scott entered their home without permission while everyone was out and took their bongs. This comes soon after Critic reported that the Proctor entered a Leith Street North flat three weeks ago while no one was home and took $400 worth Read more...

Proctor Enters Flat Without Permission, Steals Bongs

Posted 1:32am Friday 21st September 2018 by Joel MacManus

A Leith Street flat says University Proctor Dave Scott trespassed and stole their property when he entered their house while they were out and took several bongs/water pipes. About three weeks ago, the Proctor was visiting flats on Castle Street and Leith Street North to deliver letters about Read more...

The Chosen One: James Heath Takes OUSA Throne

Posted 12:09am Friday 21st September 2018 by Critic

James Heath won a close but decisive victory in the race for 2019 OUSA President over friend and rival Laura Cairns, picking up 59% of the votes cast.  It’s the next step for an extremely experienced candidate, who has already put in two years on the exec as Education Officer and Read more...

The Biggest Problem with the Main Common Room: It’s Not a Common Room

Posted 8:46pm Thursday 20th September 2018 by Joel MacManus

EDITORIAL: If you were at all of the OUSA election debates (lol don’t worry, I know you weren’t), you may have noticed something: with the exception of the President’s Debate at UBar, no one showed up.  To put things in perspective: the Thursday night President’s Read more...

OUSA Avoids Paying Millions in Repairs by Giving Squash Courts to University

Posted 8:31pm Thursday 20th September 2018 by Charlie O’Mannin

OUSA has decided to give their Squash Court building to the University, putting their future into question, rather than pay around $1,000,000 to do the necessary repairs on the building. According to a building review undertaken by OUSA at the start of the year, “major work” was Read more...

University Apologises After 'Total Fuckup' Prevents Postgrads From Voting

Posted 8:28pm Thursday 20th September 2018 by Charlie O’Mannin

Significant numbers of Postgrad students were prevented from voting for Postgrad Officer in the OUSA election, after the University gave incorrect enrolment information to OUSA. The University has apologised for the error.  Only postgrads can vote for the Postgrad Officer, and OUSA depends Read more...

Students Rally to Save Art History and Visual Culture

Posted 7:31pm Thursday 20th September 2018 by Esme Hall

Students have launched a campaign to protest the proposed closure of the Art History and Visual Culture Programme, which had 1700 signatures as of Thursday.  The goal is to buy more time for the Programme, said protester Matthew Schep. “There’s been one month between students Read more...

The Great Critic Debate Review Thing

Posted 3:30pm Friday 14th September 2018 by Joel MacManus

Finance Bonnie Harrison and Norhan El Sanjak Norhan didn’t show up because she hadn’t finished her family file, so this was just a weird one-on-one interview.  Bonnie has a very good speaking voice. She thinks the finance officer doesn’t need that much financial Read more...