Archive

Call for Independent Body to Monitor Universities’ Response to Sexual Violence

Posted 2:32pm Sunday 26th September 2021 by Erin Gourley

Stop Sexual Harassment On Campus (SSHOC) has started a campaign to create an independent body that would monitor how universities in Aotearoa respond to sexual violence. They’re encouraging staff and students at universities to fill out their petition in support of the new independent Read more...

TERF Counter-Protest Mostly Wholesome, Despite Assaults

Posted 2:29pm Sunday 26th September 2021 by Asia Martusia King

A “Suffrage Day celebration”, hosted by self-proclaimed gender-critical feminists in the Octagon last Sunday was counterprotested by a transgender-positive Jump Jam pizza party. The counterprotest was described as “wholesome” by attendees, and no arrests were made. Read more...

Best and Worst Flat Awards 2021

Posted 7:32pm Friday 24th September 2021 by Critic

We're looking for the Best and Worst Flats in Dunedin for 2021. There are Delivereasy vouchers up for grabs: $200 for winners and $100 for runners-up in the Best and Worst categories.  To enter, fill out the Google form here. Read more...

Covid Dissuades Potential Postgrads

Posted 3:47pm Monday 20th September 2021 by Fox Meyer

Earlier this year, we wrote about a surge in postgraduate enrolment rates due to something we called a “panic Masters”. This year, still unsure of what the future holds, some students have expressed that they’d rather stay away from further study than enrol in it just to feel like Read more...

OUSA “Strongly Supports” Gender Self-Identification

Posted 3:35pm Monday 20th September 2021 by Erin Gourley

OUSA has submitted in strong support of gender self-identification on birth certificates. The proposed Bill, currently at its final stage before the House of Representatives, would make it easier for people to change the sex or gender on their birth certificates without going to court. The Read more...

No Regulations on Lead in Plumbing

Posted 3:33pm Monday 20th September 2021 by Oscar Francis

Government inaction on lead fittings could be causing irreversible harm to millions of children. Lead levels in plumbing fittings are currently unregulated, and the government needs to take urgent action, according to Greg Wallace, CEO of Master Plumbers, Gasfitters & Drainlayers Read more...

Big Storm Cuts Off West Coast’s Cellular Connection

Posted 3:29pm Monday 20th September 2021 by Fox Meyer

Most of the West Coast lost connection to wifi and cellular coverage last week, though nobody elsewhere seemed to notice. Sunday’s crazy storm destroyed part of the fibre optic network on the Coast, cutting residents from Haast to Whataroa off from the rest of the country. This is the Read more...

Med Students Make Public Apology for Med Revue

Posted 3:02pm Monday 20th September 2021 by Denzel Chung

The Otago University Medical Students Association (OUMSA) issued a public apology on Facebook for offensive jokes in their annual Med Revue. This statement is believed to be the first of its kind for a student performance at Otago Uni. The statement, released on Monday 13 September, was co-signed Read more...

Push to Fight Meningococcal Disease in Aotearoa

Posted 3:01pm Monday 20th September 2021 by Fox Meyer

The Meningitis Foundation wants every school leaver to be vaccinated against meningitis, not just those going into residential halls. “Meningococcal disease” is a mouthful, but the numbers speak for themselves. New Zealand has 24 times the rate of meningococcal disease than the USA. Read more...

University Asks Students Not To Cheat In Online Exams

Posted 2:59pm Monday 20th September 2021 by Alex Leckie-Zaharic

In an email sent to students last week, the University asked them not indulge in rule-breaking during their online exams. They said that “academic integrity is paramount” and that they require all students to follow the “honour code”. Some students, already pushed to the Read more...

International Students Find Barriers to Student Health

Posted 2:58pm Monday 20th September 2021 by Denzel Chung

An international student says Student Health needs to do more to raise awareness of their services, in particular saying their provision of language-appropriate support is lacking. Jess* told Critic Te Arohi that although she had some awareness about Student Health when she began studying at Read more...

No Grade Bump This Time Round

Posted 2:57pm Monday 20th September 2021 by Fox Meyer

There will be no universal grade bump for Otago students due to lockdown. Assignments due between 18 to 27 August will be given an extra five marks, and markers have been urged to consider passing students with a final mark of 47 to 49 percent. Professor Pat Cragg, the University’s Academic Read more...

Geology Department gets $8.6 Million to look at Mud

Posted 1:48pm Monday 20th September 2021 by Fox Meyer

Otago’s Geology Department just secured $8.6 million to study carbon sequestration in Fiordland. The funding, which will run for five years, was secured by a multidisciplinary team led by Associate Professor Chris Moy and Honorary Professor Gary Wilson. Professor Claudine Stirling, also in Read more...

Where Should OUSA Put the New Student Bar?

Posted 1:46pm Monday 20th September 2021 by The Critic News Team

With the untimely demise of the “last great student pub”, Otago students will be thirsty for a new watering hole. OUSA mentioned that a replacement venue will be sussed, and we came up with a few ideas to help them expedite the process. If you’re a fan of any of these alternatives, Read more...

Starters Shuts Down, Forever

Posted 11:45am Monday 13th September 2021 by Denzel Chung

The iconic Starters Bar, beloved by freshers and freshers at heart, has suddenly closed down after a decision by the OUSA Executive.  OUSA, who bought the North Dunedin bar in 2018, cited earthquake safety concerns as the reason for closing down. They are hopeful that a replacement bar in Read more...

Fonterra-funded Science Says “Our Byproducts Probably Won’t Give You Cancer”

Posted 1:33am Saturday 11th September 2021 by Fox Meyer

Two Otago scientists have criticised the optimistic results of a nitrates study co-funded by Fonterra and MBIE. The original study concluded that it is “highly unlikely” that the presence of nitrate contaminants could increase your risk of cancer. Nitrates have been linked to cancer Read more...

Tutors and Demonstrators Miss Out On Extra Payment

Posted 1:30am Saturday 11th September 2021 by Erin Gourley

The University announced a $400 payment to help low-paid staff with the expense of working from home, but tutors and demonstrators were left out of the payment. This is despite the fact that they are some of the lowest-paid staff at the University. The payment was $400 made available to Read more...

Afghan Students Face Uncertainty and Distress

Posted 1:28am Saturday 11th September 2021 by Oscar Francis

Following the defeat of the American-lead coalition by the Taliban in mid-August, a humanitarian crisis has ensued. Seeing the Taliban retake the capital, the ensuing refugee crisis, and the failure of our institutions to respond adequately has been tough on Otago’s Afghan Read more...

Students Stranded on Placements in Lockdown

Posted 1:23am Saturday 11th September 2021 by Runze Liu

Around 530 students studying health professional programmes were out on placement across the country when the snap Level 4 lockdown was announced, according to the Pro-Vice-Chancellor of Health Sciences Paul Brunton. For some, like Owen, a third-year pharmacy student who was placed in Whanganui Read more...

NZUSA Statement Changed After Student Backlash

Posted 1:20am Saturday 11th September 2021 by Denzel Chung

The New Zealand Union of Students Associations (NZUSA) put up a Facebook post praising the Government’s support for students. After just 24 minutes, and comments from students, the post was extensively revised to take a more critical stance. I believe this is what they call a Read more...

OUSA Supports Ban on Conversion Therapy

Posted 1:13am Saturday 11th September 2021 by Erin Gourley

OUSA made a lengthy submission in favour of the Conversion Practices Prohibition Legislation Bill, which proposes to ban conversion practices (including conversion therapy) in Aotearoa. They were one of over 100,000 submissions on the Bill.  The OUSA submission, written by Political Read more...

Some Gymmers Still Ignoring Unipol’s Level 2 Rules

Posted 1:08am Saturday 11th September 2021 by Denzel Chung

With the drop to Alert Level 2 came the long-awaited re-opening of Unipol. However, it seems that gym-deprived students have not been obeying the new Level 2 restrictions.  Unipol announced their re-opening in a Facebook post last Wednesday evening, saying that their doors would open for the Read more...

Office Plants Sentenced to Death By University

Posted 1:05am Saturday 11th September 2021 by Asia Martusia King

On Friday 2 September, postgraduate students and staff across Otago campuses were allocated 15-minute slots to re-enter campus and retrieve essential research material. Office plants were explicitly forbidden to be rescued. Some postgraduate students are reportedly “devastated” by Read more...

Flat Parties May Require Sign-Ins

Posted 1:03am Saturday 11th September 2021 by Fox Meyer

New Level 2 guidelines mean you’ll have to take attendance at flat parties. Hon Chris Hipkins said last week that any places where “people gather consistently and in large numbers” must abide by attendance-keeping rules. This means scanning in, signing in, or whatever other method Read more...

How Otago Will Function at Delta 2

Posted 12:55am Saturday 11th September 2021 by Erin Gourley

All updates in this article are accurate as of Thursday 9 September.  Since Level 2 (Delta Edition) was announced, students have been wondering how the University would function under the new guidelines. There were a few chains of communication that operated slowly, with the Ministry of Read more...

Extra Course-Related Costs Look Unlikely

Posted 3:01pm Sunday 5th September 2021 by Alex Leckie-Zaharic

During the lockdown last year, the Government gave us the ability to put ourselves into an extra $1,000 of debt by expanding the course related costs scheme. But not this year. Students remain frustrated at the lack of financial support.  Education Minister Chris Hipkins did not respond in Read more...

Passwords Changed to Boot Exec from Social Media

Posted 2:57pm Sunday 5th September 2021 by Erin Gourley

The OUSA Exec was given a taste of social media access and now they want more.  During the first few days of lockdown, they were given access to OUSA’s Instagram and Facebook in order to promote the Exec election. Just a little bit, as a treat. That meant that the elected students on Read more...

A Third of Hall Residents Headed Home

Posted 2:44pm Sunday 5th September 2021 by Fox Meyer

Following the quick shift into Level 4, many hall residents decided to gap it back home rather than stay in Dunedin. The University was quick to offer a 100% rebate to students and subwardens who left their residential colleges for lockdown. President Michaela Waite-Harvey said that OUSA was Read more...

“Cursed” Pint Night Gig Postponed for Fourth Time

Posted 2:39pm Sunday 5th September 2021 by Fox Meyer

One specific Pint Night line-up have had their gig postponed and rescheduled four times in a row due to Covid. Since the first lockdown cancelled their original Pint Night on 18 March 2020, Rezzy Crooks, Jam Henderson and Alex Dykes have been trying their best to get on the subterranean stage, to no Read more...

Students Voice Support for Ending Conversion Therapy

Posted 1:55pm Sunday 5th September 2021 by Elliot Weir

As the September 8 deadline for public submissions looms, numerous churches, many with Otago student groups, have publicly expressed concern over the Conversion Practices Prohibition Legislation Bill. After this deadline, the Bill will appear before the Justice Select Committee. Many activist, Read more...

Uni Loo Rolls Linked To Deforestation, Human Rights Abuses

Posted 1:50pm Sunday 5th September 2021 by Denzel Chung

Otago Uni is buying toilet paper from a company linked to deforestation and human rights abuses, particularly in Indonesia. This company has been blacklisted by tens of environmental groups worldwide, including Greenpeace and the World Wide Fund for Nature (WWF). Your flat will probably have a few Read more...

International Students “Neglected” During Lockdown

Posted 1:41pm Sunday 5th September 2021 by Denzel Chung

Major avenues for international students to get financial support have been shut down by the Government, with no replacement in sight. The New Zealand International Students’ Association (NZISA) have claimed this shows international students are being “neglected” by both the Read more...

Close Election Sees 15% Of Students Elect New Exec

Posted 1:35pm Sunday 5th September 2021 by Denzel Chung

A new OUSA Exec for 2022 was appointed over lockdown. The races this year were very close, with most races won by just a percentage point or two.  Three of the races were a foregone conclusion: President (won by Melissa Lama), Finance & Strategy (won by Emily Fau-Goodwin) and Political Read more...

No Internet? You're Not Alone

Posted 2:05pm Friday 3rd September 2021 by Erin Gourley

UPDATE: The internet is back, as of 2.15pm. Hope everyone with an assignment due this arvo can recover from this 25-minute break. Turns out the outage was caused by DDOS attack. Wifi outages are affecting all of New Zealand at the moment.    The issues appear to affect Orcon, Read more...

The Students Behind the Forsyth Barr Vaccine Clinic

Posted 5:36pm Monday 30th August 2021 by Erin Gourley

The student leaders behind the pop-up vaccination clinic at Forsyth Barr stadium feel that their concerns were ignored by the University. Melissa Lama and Karamea Pēwhairangi gave up on asking the University for help with establishing a student-focused vaccination clinic. They turned to Te Read more...

Main Building of Wellington Campus Evacuated

Posted 9:52pm Sunday 22nd August 2021 by Fox Meyer

Users of the main building on Otago’s Wellington campus were told on Thursday 12 August that they would need to relocate for at least a month. The building was found to be compliant with just 15% of the earthquake safety requirements of New Zealand’s New Building Standard. Staff and Read more...

OUSA Exec Candidates Say, Unanimously, “Please Vote For Me”

Posted 3:00pm Sunday 22nd August 2021 by

In what would prove to be their last chance to greet the voting public before lockdown, OUSA’s candidates for the 2022 Exec took the stage last week to share their plans for the coming year. All of the forums were held in the Main Common Room. The Presidential race was uncontested from day Read more...

The People Demand Health Sci Data

Posted 2:57pm Sunday 22nd August 2021 by Denzel Chung

Over half of the Official Information Act (OIA) requests sent to the Uni through FYI.org.nz revolve around getting into health professional programmes. 40% of these were about getting into med. Under the OIA, any citizen of Aotearoa New Zealand is able to ask for any official information held by Read more...

Castle’s Lockdown-Breaching Party Was “Bound to Happen”

Posted 2:54pm Sunday 22nd August 2021 by Fox Meyer

“It was just like any other Saturday night in Dunedin, but it was on a Tuesday, which is why it felt quite bizarre when the police came in wearing full face-masks.”  Such is the scene set by Emilio*, a second-year Castle Street resident, as he described the inside of the flat Read more...

Liquor Lines Lengthen in Lead Up to Level 4

Posted 2:27pm Sunday 22nd August 2021 by Fox Meyer

Student priorities were made obvious on the night of Tuesday 18 August, following the announcement that the entire country would return to Level 4 for the first time in 477 days. Queues outside of Leith Liquor stretched all the way to the street, with students reporting that the inside of the Read more...

Ominous Uni Email Spooks Students

Posted 2:25pm Sunday 22nd August 2021 by Fox Meyer

With a jarring entry back into Level 4, many students were met with unwelcome news from the University. The announcement said that online learning and exam options were not guaranteed, and that the graduation scheduled for 21 August would be cancelled. Whilst the graduation cancellation was not Read more...

Taco Bell to Compete with Local Eateries

Posted 1:31pm Monday 16th August 2021 by Sunaina Born

The arrival of the chain store Taco Bell to North Dunedin may give small businesses an opportunity to attract more customers, says Burger Plant owner Tom White. Global franchise Taco Bell was recently announced to be opening a store in Dunedin in the former site of Couplands in North Dunedin. The Read more...

Police Chase Leaves Students Baffled

Posted 1:29pm Monday 16th August 2021 by Fox Meyer

Students were excited and slightly concerned about a high speed police chase that went past the Business School on Tuesday 10 August at about 3.30pm. This makes it the second high speed chase down Union Street in just as many weeks. Second year Sam* saw the chase first-hand. “We were just Read more...

Magnolias in Quad Blooming Earlier

Posted 1:28pm Monday 16th August 2021 by Fox Meyer

Each year, bets are taken on when the first Magnolia bloom will appear between the Clocktower and Quad. This year it was August 10. The average blooming date has gotten earlier and earlier since records began in 1995. Gut instinct would attribute this early blooming to climate change. As seasons Read more...

How your OUSA election vote is counted

Posted 1:25pm Monday 16th August 2021 by Gerry Mander

OUSA Elections are coming up. That means you have an exciting opportunity to use the best voting system and exercise your right to elect representatives to spend your student loan. Here’s how it works.  The voting method used in OUSA elections is Single Transferable Vote (STV). This is Read more...

Flat Dildo Stolen

Posted 1:22pm Monday 16th August 2021 by Runze Liu

A group of flatmates have given up hope their dildo will be found safe and well. They remember it fondly. The dildo, described by William as “about eight inches long, fluorescent, a translucent pink colour with veins going down the side, with no balls, a classically sized girth, realistic Read more...

Axolotl Pair Left Out to Dry

Posted 1:20pm Monday 16th August 2021 by Keegan Wells

Two axolotte (plural of axolotl) were left outside on the footpath of Forth Street last week. A rescue was attempted by Amelia Seals, owner of 131 axolotte, but the animals were never recovered. The axolotl is a Mexican amphibian, a type of salamander, and a common house pet. They remain aquatic Read more...

Art Piece Installed, Then Vandalized, Then Re-installed

Posted 1:05pm Monday 16th August 2021 by Alex Leckie-Zaharic

If you’ve been walking around Uni in the last week you might have noticed the plywood signs placed on the Union Lawn and outside the museum. Masters of Fine Art candidate Maggie Covell spoke to Critic about her project, saying that the installation centres on mental health and body autonomy Read more...

Serial Central Shitter Confusion

Posted 1:03pm Monday 16th August 2021 by Sean Gourley

A serial shitter has struck Central Library multiple times. In at least two separate incidents, a large poo of considerable size and girth has been left on the toilet seat of the men’s disabled bathrooms on both the first and second floors of Central Library. It is possible that many more such Read more...

Mouldy Mattress on Floor Not Landlord’s Fault: Tenancy Tribunal

Posted 1:01pm Monday 16th August 2021 by Denzel Chung

A mysterious carpet stain caused two Dunedin tenants to take their landlord to the Tenancy Tribunal, asking for $12,000 in compensation. The landlord responded that this stain formed because the tenant slept with his mattress on the floor for seven months — which the Tenancy Tribunal agreed Read more...

Extreme Home Makeover: Make Your Tenants Pay For It Edition

Posted 12:51pm Monday 16th August 2021 by Denzel Chung

A recent Tenancy Tribunal ruling showed a landlord tried to claim $13,000 of damages from a NEV flat, but failed because the damage was only worth $4,000.  The landlord “did not wish the tenants’ names to be published,” so their names were redacted from the Tribunal ruling. Read more...

Hero’s Banner Tear Causes Fascist Tears

Posted 8:31pm Sunday 15th August 2021 by Oscar Francis

An Auckland man revealed he ripped down an Action Zealandia banner on Sunday as the group ran away, high-fiving each other on a job poorly done. This event follows Critic’s exposé on the neo-Nazi group last week. On Sunday 8 August, Spicy Johnson* was driving along State Highway One, Read more...

Ice Hockey Draws Record Crowds

Posted 1:36am Monday 9th August 2021 by Fox Meyer

Ice hockey’s popularity in Dunedin is only growing. The Dunedin Ice Stadium was chock full on Saturday 31 July for the last home game of the year. Over 700 people donned their warmest layers to watch the Phoenix Thunder (Dunedin) play the Skycity Stampede (Queenstown), a record for a regular Read more...

Covid And Other Diseases Under Study At University

Posted 1:11am Monday 9th August 2021 by Alex Leckie-Zaharic

Ever wondered what all the pipes are above the Microbiology Building? Turns out they’re top-of-the-line vent systems for the University’s not-so-secret penthouse lab devoted to in-depth study of seriously infectious diseases such as Covid-19.  The Physical Containment Laboratory Read more...

Earthquake Monitoring System Deployed

Posted 1:10am Monday 9th August 2021 by Fox Meyer

The Otago Earthquake Science Group, and Property Services, have installed four new “shake-sensors” on campus. Canterbury Seismic Instruments will monitor the accelerograph stations and help emergency services respond to a seismic event. You can see one of these new stations in the Read more...

New Parking Wardens Spotted in Training

Posted 1:07am Monday 9th August 2021 by Sophia Carter Peters

Fresh parking warden hatchlings have been spotted by local drivers, much to the distress of anyone who has received a parking ticket. The usually-lone parking rangers on their “motorised scooter” have been partnered up this week with trainees. This means that your risk of a parking Read more...

DCC Makes Bank From Parking

Posted 1:06am Monday 9th August 2021 by Sean Gourley

The Dunedin City Council raked in $1.81 million in parking fine revenue over the 2019 – 2020 period. This represented a decrease in revenue from the last two years. The cost of running the parking service has steadily increased by $210,000, from $1.95 million in 2017 – 2018 to $2.16 Read more...

Nurses’ Strike About More Than Just Better Pay

Posted 1:02am Monday 9th August 2021 by Oscar Francis

The New Zealand Nurses Organisation (NZNO) is planning a strike for 19 August after it rejected the government’s latest pay offer. According to NZNO’s Lead Advocate David Wait, “while the DHBs [District Health Boards] had made promising moves on pay, the offer contained too many Read more...

Young Nats At Odds With Old Nats Over Conversion Therapy

Posted 12:59am Monday 9th August 2021 by Alex Leckie-Zaharic

Thursday 5 August was a historic day for the LGBTQ+ community in New Zealand. The Conversion Practices Prohibition Legislation Bill was up for its first reading in Parliament, a big step towards outlawing the horrific practice forever in our country. But despite calls from their youth wing to Read more...

New Disc Golf Club Nets Cash

Posted 12:57am Monday 9th August 2021 by Keegan Wells

The Otago University Disc Golf Club (OUDGC) has gained rapid traction in the student body, and has received a $1,400 OUSA grant to buy new equipment. Critic sat down with Matt Watson, the President and Founder of OUDGC, to find out why people enjoy throwing plastic into metal so goddamn much that Read more...

Uni Owns Shares in Weird Mouth-Clamp Device

Posted 12:55am Monday 9th August 2021 by Denzel Chung

Otago University, along with two researchers responsible for the DentalSlim Diet Control Device, holds shares in the company holding the global patent for the DentalSlim mouth-clamp.  The device uses magnets to clamp a patient’s jaw shut. It is designed to help weight-loss efforts. It Read more...

Investigation Sheds Light on Aotearoa’s Largest Neo-Nazi Group

Posted 12:49am Monday 9th August 2021 by Elliot Weir

A note on aliases: Members of Action Zealandia use aliases to obscure their identities, even from other group members. In the article aliases are signalled by the use of single quote marks the first time a name is mentioned, e.g. ‘Marc’.  Read the companion feature article Read more...

DCC Proposal Would Re-Route SH1

Posted 3:39pm Sunday 1st August 2021 by Sean Gourley

In a new plan, the Dunedin City Council will divert traffic from the one-way systems and increase pedestrian access to the Uni.  According to the DCC, the ‘Harbour Arterial Project’ should reduce pressure on the one-way systems. A spokesperson said that “as part of the Read more...

Taco Bell Coming to Dunedin

Posted 3:35pm Sunday 1st August 2021 by Fox Meyer

Taco Bell is opening a store here. It will be New Zealand’s second Taco Bell, following the one in Christchurch, which opened earlier this year.  Critic drove to Christchurch over the weekend to scope it out, in anticipation of Dunedin’s newest fast food joint. We specifically Read more...

Online Mental Health Project set to Launch

Posted 3:28pm Sunday 1st August 2021 by Susana Jones

The Uni is set to roll out a ‘Caring Universities Aotearoa’ project sometime within the next couple of weeks. The project aims to improve the mental health of University students, and involves the provision of e-health apps. The e-health apps will provide access to online cognitive Read more...

Medical Extension Rules Debated

Posted 3:24pm Sunday 1st August 2021 by Mehara Salpadoru

A new policy is being discussed that would enable students to have up to a week-long extension without presenting a medical certificate, a source from a faculty meeting at Victoria University revealed to Critic.  It's not unusual to see Student Health waitlists look like the Night Read more...

No Aotearoa in Mustang World

Posted 3:16pm Sunday 1st August 2021 by Fox Meyer

Wax Mustang’s Re-O performance featured a spinning globe backdrop, which appeared to be missing a certain eastern Australian state. A Critic reporter attended the gig and spotted the apparent error. The globe was see-thru and rotating, so that you could see the continents facing you as well Read more...

Trans Rights Picnic Dwarfs TERF Meeting

Posted 3:12pm Sunday 1st August 2021 by Erin Gourley

The trans rights festival in protest of the Speak Up For Women (SUFW) meeting at the Dunedin Town Hall ended up dwarfing the original event, with around 350 attendees outside the Town Hall on Saturday 24 July. The Ōtepoti Festival for Trans Rights and Liberation, organised by Environmental Read more...

Queer Space Finally Opens, Students Say It’s “Pretty Cool”

Posted 3:09pm Sunday 1st August 2021 by Erin Gourley

The queer space officially opened on Friday 23 June, after a blessing. This was followed by a speech from OUSA President Michaela Waite-Harvey. The space is located on the second floor of the Union building, opposite the Terrace Lounge. It has a microwave, a mini-fridge covered with The Office Read more...

Dunedin Hospital Doesn’t Want to Watch Haywardians Shag

Posted 1:32am Saturday 31st July 2021 by Fox Meyer

The Paediatric wing of Dunedin Hospital has clear views into Hayward College. Disaster was inevitable. A request from the Children’s Unit at Dunedin Hospital called for Hayward residents to “please close your curtains,” especially during “certain naked activities at Read more...

Free Scooters for Jabs

Posted 1:29am Saturday 31st July 2021 by Denzel Chung

E-scooter operator Neuron announced that they will offer 10,000 $10 vouchers to people wanting to scooter to their Covid-19 vaccination appointments. They’re encouraging everyone eligible to take them up on the offer, including over-60s.  Beginning from July 30, people who have the Read more...

Six60 Goes Landlord

Posted 1:26am Saturday 31st July 2021 by Fox Meyer

Six60 have bought their old flat and will be renting it out to Performing Arts students. The four new tenants each year will receive a $10,000 scholarship and mentorship from the band. Official numbers on rent weren’t clear, but current tenants pay $205 each per week. The flat is Read more...

“No Real Ethical Issues” to Having Jaws Clamped Shut, Said Otago Researchers

Posted 1:24am Saturday 31st July 2021 by Denzel Chung

The Otago-led research team behind the ‘DentalSlim Diet Control Device’, a magnetised jaw clamp that prevents people from eating solid food, claimed in their ethics committee application that their product would have “no real ethical issues” and presents “no significant Read more...

Free Scooters for Jabs

Posted 8:52pm Thursday 29th July 2021 by Denzel Chung

E-scooter operator Neuron announced that they will offer 10,000 $10 vouchers to people wanting to scooter to their Covid-19 vaccination appointments. They’re encouraging everyone eligible to take them up on the offer, including over-60s. Beginning from July 30, people who have the Neuron Read more...

Government Finalises Tertiary Pastoral Care Code

Posted 4:24pm Sunday 25th July 2021 by Alex Leckie-Zaharic

After a lengthy submission period, the Government has finally wrapped up their tertiary pastoral care code, called the Education (Pastoral Care of Tertiary and International Leaners) Code of Practice 2021. They now expect compliance from tertiary institutions throughout New Zealand. While there Read more...

Students Join Kate Bush Cult

Posted 4:14pm Sunday 25th July 2021 by Asia Martusia King

A Kate Bush flash mob, held in the Octagon on Saturday 17 July, was described as “euphoric” by student attendees. The Most Wuthering Heights Day Ever is an event held at locations around the world, where participants recreate the music video for musician Kate Bush's 1978 song Read more...

3000 Holy Sausages Distributed

Posted 4:11pm Sunday 25th July 2021 by Denzel Chung

You know what they say: Give a man a sausage, he eats for a day. Teach a man to grill, and he’ll love Jesus for life. A group of young people from Dunedin churches — mostly students — handed out an estimated 3,000 sausages and 1,000 hash browns, free-of-charge, over Re-O Read more...

Silverline Draws Criticism

Posted 4:01pm Sunday 25th July 2021 by Denzel Chung

A student who attended the Silverline Festival is accusing organisers of not providing enough mental health support for attendees, but Silverline say feedback from their event was overwhelmingly positive. Last week, Critic Te Arohi reported that the event cost $26,000. The student reached out Read more...

Fire in the Link Last Sunday

Posted 3:53pm Sunday 25th July 2021 by Runze Liu

New Zealand Police and Fire and Emergency New Zealand (FENZ) are investigating a fire that occurred in a rubbish bin in the Information Services Building at around 8pm last Sunday 18 July. According to FENZ, the bin in the female bathrooms on the Cumberland St side of the Link caught fire, Read more...

Students Angriest on Sunday, According to AskOtago Data

Posted 3:46pm Sunday 25th July 2021 by Erin Gourley

Data released to Critic under the Official Information Act shows that the smiley faces at AskOtago mostly receive dark green, very happy responses, but on Sundays the number of dark red, very angry responses skyrockets.  Critic requested the data from the AskOtago smiley kiosks for March Read more...

Farmers Really Wanted Students To Care About Their Protest

Posted 3:28pm Sunday 25th July 2021 by Denzel Chung

Nearly 700 tractors, utes and four-wheel drives passed through the heart of Studentville two weeks ago, participating in Aotearoa’s largest farmer-led protest — and those behind the wheels had many hot-takes to offer to a mostly oblivious student community.  Students accosted on Read more...

No Fines for Lawn Litter

Posted 3:23pm Sunday 25th July 2021 by Fox Meyer

A proposed change to the Code of Conduct would have made it possible for the Uni to fine you for having a littered front lawn. The University didn’t go through with that change after receiving negative feedback from students, releasing their response on 10 July. Ultimately, the University Read more...

No Backpay for Offshore PhD Students

Posted 3:19pm Sunday 25th July 2021 by Fox Meyer

Remote PhD students will not be receiving a stipend from the University, even with a scholarship. 89 students have commenced their PhD at Otago remotely since the pandemic began. 13 have managed to enter New Zealand, and only seven of those students will be receiving a monthly stipend, according Read more...

@OtagoUniStudAss: The OUSA Twitter Account that May or May Not Be Official

Posted 4:00pm Sunday 18th July 2021 by Erin Gourley

OUSA have an old Twitter account. Or do they? The handle is OtagoUniStudAss, a joke so bad that it seems like Critic came up with it. There are fifteen tweets in total. The profile picture is someone jumping on a roof at the Hyde Street Party. They posted a photo of a burning couch in Read more...

Catering Waste Thrown in Tips

Posted 3:07pm Sunday 18th July 2021 by Alex Leckie-Zaharic

Thanks to a tip-off from a student, Critic now knows what happens to extra food from University-catered events. A concerned student asked us to look into the apparent waste of food at University events. They reached out after they witnessed staff loading crates with uneaten food, apparently to be Read more...

OUSA Elections Coming Up Soon

Posted 3:05pm Sunday 18th July 2021 by Alex Leckie-Zaharic

Nominations will open on August 4 for the ten positions available on the OUSA Executive. The Exec brought the dates forward from their usual September date for elections in their Exec meeting last Monday, in order to have a larger overlap between the new Exec and the old Exec. The students Read more...

Queer Space Will Open On Friday

Posted 2:58pm Sunday 18th July 2021 by Elliot Weir

After almost three years of planning, delays, and bureaucratic hurdles, an official opening of the Campus Queer Space has been announced by OUSA for 23 of July at 10.30am.  The space, which is located near the terrace lounge (upstairs from the link), includes furniture, decorations, and Read more...

Chlöe Swarbrick Proves A Hit At Re-O Clubs Day

Posted 2:56pm Sunday 18th July 2021 by Alex Leckie-Zaharic

The Young Greens had the most success, of all the youth political parties, of recruiting people to join them at Clubs Day. It’s that time of year when clubs desperately attempt to get students to bolster their sometimes meagre ranks. The “young” branches of the political Read more...

Otago Students Apparently Doing Great

Posted 2:53pm Sunday 18th July 2021 by Fox Meyer

Otago Uni topped the charts in three of four “key indicators” of success at New Zealand universities, according to the annual ranking published by the Tertiary Education Commission. We had the best rates of qualification completion, first year retention, and progression.  People Read more...

Is Living in A Twin Room Hell?

Posted 2:47pm Sunday 18th July 2021 by Erin Gourley

Living in a twin room might seem like your worst nightmare, but you do save a lot of money compared with the usual price of living in one of Otago’s residential colleges.  “I can’t image paying full price,” said Carolina*, who lives in a twin room in Aquinas. She only Read more...

Otago Not Surprised At Auckland Abandoning NZUSA

Posted 2:44pm Sunday 18th July 2021 by Runze Liu

Otago Uni Students’ Association (OUSA) is unsurprised that Auckland Uni Students’ Association (AUSA) is giving 12 months’ notice to leave the New Zealand Union of Students’ Association (NZUSA). OUSA President Michaela Waite-Harvey stated this is “not a shocking turn Read more...

What’s (Still) Wrong with Freshers?

Posted 2:37pm Sunday 18th July 2021 by Fox Meyer

Six months ago, we asked O-Week freshers what the biggest problem in their life was. Most of them said that their biggest problems were making friends, missing family, or other social issues. Critic hit up the line outside Union Hall on 14 July to check back in, and see if anything had changed. One Read more...

Student Volunteers Prop Up Science Festival

Posted 2:29pm Sunday 18th July 2021 by Asia Martusia King

The vast majority of volunteers at the New Zealand International Science Festival were students. The festival, which took place from 8 to 18 of July, saw a total number of 92 volunteers. Volunteer Coordinator Hannah says that around 80% of these were studying at Otago University.  This is Read more...

No Arrests After Rugby

Posted 2:26pm Sunday 18th July 2021 by Fox Meyer

Nobody was arrested at the stadium following the All Blacks vs Fiji game on Saturday, 10 July. Great job, everyone. There were still some dickheads, though. A statement from the Police said that “several people” had to be removed from the stadium by staff or officers for “poor Read more...

Landlord Fails to Make Tenants Pay for Lockdown Freezer Leak

Posted 2:25pm Sunday 18th July 2021 by Denzel Chung

A North Dunedin landlord discovered damage to a flat during last year’s lockdown and unsuccessfully took the tenants to the Tenancy Tribunal for $1800.  The tenants, who were granted name suppression by the Tribunal, were not even at the flat at the time of the damage. The landlord Read more...

$26,000 For Silverline Mental Health Festival

Posted 2:16pm Sunday 18th July 2021 by Denzel Chung

Silverline, a student-led mental health advocacy group, spent $26,000 on a two-day festival centred around mental health. They are optimistic about the level of student engagement that the festival received. The 2021 Silverline Festival was held at the St David Complex on 21-22 May this year. Read more...

Counterprotestor Injured at Groundswell Protest is “Disappointed” in Behaviour

Posted 5:43pm Friday 16th July 2021 by Oscar Francis

The Dunedin woman whose sign reading “NO FARMING ON A DEAD PLANET” was ripped from her hands by a Groundswell protester says she is “disappointed in their behaviour”. Groundswell Convenor Bryce McKenzie claims Groundswell is "not responsible". The Read more...

OUSA Finds Flaws in Government Drug Testing Policy

Posted 11:15am Tuesday 13th July 2021 by Alex Leckie-Zaharic

OUSA wasted no time in giving feedback on the Government’s new Drug and Substance Checking Legislation Bill, hoping to make the bill less likely to screw students over.  The submission, prepared by OUSA Political Rep Mhairi Mackenzie Everitt, outlines OUSA’s history with drug Read more...

Traffic Goes Up 50% When Students Return

Posted 11:12am Tuesday 13th July 2021 by Quintin Jane

Traffic was almost 50% up on State Highway One as students poured in for the start of the term.  Radio One reported that 8,068 vehicles sputtered along SH1 by Kilmog Hill on Friday the 19th of February, the day before O Week began at the start of the year. This is 43% higher than the 2020 Read more...

Lime Scooters Hoon Out of Dunedin

Posted 11:09am Tuesday 13th July 2021 by Alex Leckie-Zaharic

Citing “careful consideration” and the “weighing up [of] many factors”, Lime has decided to retreat from Dunedin. But anyone with half a brain knows that the real reason because we threw so many of their scooters in the Leith.  Lime is a self-proclaimed “global Read more...