Archive

Student Wants YOU! (To Vote, For Him)

Posted 7:00pm Friday 5th August 2022 by Denzel Chung

Otago Uni student Jett Groshinski is the first student to put his hand up for this year’s local body elections. He’s gunning for a spot on the Dunedin City Council (DCC), and is aiming for a chance to wear the Mayoral chains, too.  The PPE (Philosophy/Politics/Economics) and Read more...

Students Upset over Lack of Recordings

Posted 6:58pm Friday 5th August 2022 by Fox Meyer

Lecture recordings are not mandatory at the University of Otago. A debate sparked in COSC204 provides an example of the problems this can create. Associate Professor Andrew Trotman’s decision not to publish recorded lectures led to a lengthy series of emails with his COSC204 students Read more...

International Students Stuck Between A Complex and a Hard Place

Posted 6:56pm Friday 5th August 2022 by Keegan Wells

Nine American international students have been put into an Airbnb “complex” up on Heriot Row, paying US$2,000 more for the semester than what they were originally offered – and not even getting a Kiwihost for the privilege.  These nine students were put into this Read more...

“Inequality in Aotearoa” Discussion Panel Purely Pākehā

Posted 6:53pm Friday 5th August 2022 by Denzel Chung

An Otago Uni panel discussion about “Inequality in Aotearoa” has copped criticism for featuring an all-Pākehā group of panellists. The panel has since been delayed, to give Otago Uni time to “ensure our panel features a diverse range of knowledge and Read more...

Free Speech Debate Looking for Student Voices

Posted 1:51pm Sunday 31st July 2022 by Fox Meyer

Your student president has pulled out of a “free speech panel” hosted by the Free Speech Union (FSU) on 17 August, citing “pressing work and study commitments”. The FSU has previously faced controversy for promoting and platforming views critics say are “extremist, Read more...

OUSA Exec Breach Own Policy

Posted 1:50pm Sunday 31st July 2022 by Fox Meyer

The Student Executive board for OUSA have breached their own accountability policy, according to minutes from the 14 July meeting this year.  All Exec members are required to submit weekly breakdowns of what they’ve been up to, to provide a record of their work and also to prove that Read more...

MĀOR110 Enrolments Up 52%, While Health Sci Numbers Fall

Posted 1:47pm Sunday 31st July 2022 by Leo Lublow-Catty

The Strategy, Analytics and Reporting office (SAR) at Otago Uni have released this year’s enrolment growth statistics, revealing the fastest-growing and fastest-shrinking first-year papers in the 2021-22 period. The paper with the biggest percentage increase in enrolment was EAOS111, Read more...

Burger Plant Changes Ownership

Posted 1:21pm Sunday 31st July 2022 by Zak Rudin

Burger Plant, the vegan burger joint on Fatty Lane, has just changed owners. Critic Te Arohi spoke with Tom, the previous owner and a culinary arts Polytech student, to get to the meat of the issue. What is now Burger Plant began with a little setup at the Farmers Market in 2019: “$600 Read more...

Super Sick Students Surf Stormy Stream

Posted 1:18pm Sunday 31st July 2022 by Keegan Wells

While students across North D were busy hunkering down during last week’s storm, two looked at the waves of the Leith and saw something else: a mid-winter surfing opportunity. They promptly chucked their wetsuits on, rented Unipol boards, and hit the eddy just near the Clyde St bridge on last Read more...

Apartment Development Concerns Musos

Posted 1:17pm Sunday 31st July 2022 by Denzel Chung

Around 60 supporters of Dunedin’s music community gathered for a hui to support the Crown Hotel, amidst fears that the renowned music venue could be threatened by a new apartment building next door. The group are hoping that a protest on Sunday 7th of August could help raise further awareness Read more...

Ultimate Frisbee Club Ultimately Unhappy with Unipol

Posted 1:14pm Sunday 31st July 2022 by Keegan Wells

A new Unipol system which replaces most court bookings with a free-for-all “drop-in-and-play” system has been questioned by Otago Uni’s Ultimate [Frisbee] Club (OUUC), who say that it has been disruptive to training and “makes it hard for small developing sports to grow, Read more...

OUSA Doesn’t Support Fair Pay Agreements

Posted 1:12pm Sunday 31st July 2022 by Denzel Chung

OUSA has criticised the Government’s proposed new Fair Pay Agreements, with their submission on the Bill currently before Parliament calling it a “fundamentally flawed… [and] restrictive model”. This stands in contrast to other student submissions on the Bill, which have Read more...

New Covid Wave Raises Mask Questions

Posted 1:10pm Sunday 31st July 2022 by Zak Rudin

With another semester comes another wave of Covid, and students and staff are once again in the firing line. Despite years of grim Zoom calls making many staff and students desperate for in-person learning, for some, the risk of getting Covid still outweighs the benefits of being on campus. This Read more...

Med Students (Even More) Stressed by Ballot Delays

Posted 1:08pm Sunday 31st July 2022 by Nina Brown

Concerns have been raised by some medical students over the “unnecessary uncertainty” caused by this year's drawn-out Medical School ballot process. Attempts to address an unusually large third-year cohort heading off in 2023 for placement resulted in a lengthy consultation over Read more...

North D Flats Receive an Unwanted Interior Makeover

Posted 1:05pm Sunday 31st July 2022 by Keegan Wells

Several Castle St flats have been broken into recently. Unlike most break-ins, nothing was taken: instead, they’ve received an unwanted interior design makeover, with a face being spray painted on the inside. The culprit is still at large. On the Saturday night of Re-O Week, the residents Read more...

All Buses Stay Half-Price as Services Slashed By 30%

Posted 6:02pm Monday 25th July 2022 by Elliot Weir

Bus fares in Ōtepoti Dunedin will remain at a dollar until January 31 next year, thanks to the Government extending their half-price public transport scheme. A more urgent problem is emerging, however: a driver shortage that is leading to sweeping service cancellations, causing grief for Read more...

StudyLink Wait Times up 37%

Posted 6:01pm Monday 25th July 2022 by Ruby Werry

If you feel like StudyLink wait times are longer than usual this year, you’re on the money. StudyLink claims that average wait times sit at around 20 minutes (up 5 minutes from last year) – but students have been reporting far longer ordeals. Phone calls are already a bit of a mission Read more...

Blame Putin for RTD Shortage

Posted 5:56pm Monday 25th July 2022 by Ruby Werry

If you’ve noticed getting your hands on Diesels or Billy Mavs has been harder recently, you’re not alone, and you’re not wrong. International shortages of bourbon have been causing prices to spike. While the spirit is adored by middle-aged men and those who are middle-aged men at Read more...

You May Not Be Eligible For That Free $350

Posted 5:53pm Monday 25th July 2022 by Elliot Weir

While many students have already been scheming how they’ll spend the Government’s upcoming $350 cost of living payment, a caveat means that some students on a student loan will be ineligible to receive the payment. In May, as part of this year’s Budget, the Government announced Read more...

(Yet Another) Report Highlights Student Suffering

Posted 5:50pm Monday 25th July 2022 by Denzel Chung

Data from a nationwide survey of students has shown, yet again, that students largely live in poverty – often living in unaffordable housing and going without food, healthcare, clothing and other necessities. Aotearoa’s student unions, alongside the Green Party, are hoping that this Read more...

Free Condoms Abound on Campus

Posted 5:49pm Monday 25th July 2022 by Nina Brown

Condoms, while super important, can really stretch tiny student budgets: the average box retails at $12-$24, and in the cold, long nights of winter, the costs can add up fast. Dunedin, however, turns out to be busting with free condoms – so Critic Te Arohi decided to check out where you can Read more...

Students Make a Stand for Reproductive Rights

Posted 2:50pm Monday 25th July 2022 by Zak Rudin

Last Saturday, almost 200 Otago Uni students organised a peaceful sit-in at the lower Octagon to protest the overturning of Roe v Wade. The hour-long protest included speeches, music and (of course) TikToks. On June 25, the United States Supreme Court announced the overturning of Roe v Wade, a Read more...

MĀOR110 Te Reo Aptitude Assessment gets the Axe

Posted 2:46pm Monday 25th July 2022 by Skyla & Fox Meyer

For the first time, Health Sci First Year (HSFY) students can take “Intro to Conversational Māori” (MĀOR110) as an optional eighth paper. Last week, the University repealed an entrance requirement to the paper barring students with virtually any te reo background, lest they Read more...

UniQ Top Pride Fundraiser In The Country

Posted 3:57pm Sunday 17th July 2022 by Denzel Chung

Otago Uni’s queer students’ club, UniQ, raised nearly $13,000 for Sweat With Pride – more than double what they originally aimed for. This made them the top fundraising team in Aotearoa.  Sweat With Pride is an annual fundraising event which encourages participants to do 21 Read more...

Swappa Cup App On The Rise

Posted 3:55pm Sunday 17th July 2022 by Zak Rudin

Chatime has finally given single-use takeaway cups a hard pass, instead stamping its seal of approval on the Swappa Cup “cup-borrowing” app. Outlets across campus are expected to roll it out soon.  Every day, an estimated 800,000 disposable cups are (you guessed it) disposed of. Read more...

Inhibition-Lowering Substance Lowers Inhibitions, Study Shows

Posted 3:54pm Sunday 17th July 2022 by Nina Brown

New research by global comparison site Finder has made the shocking revelation that people like to buy shit while drunk. Every breatha who has bought a new vape after their first Mav of the night could tell you as much.   According to their research, involving “a nationally Read more...

660 Scholarship Winners: What’re They Up2?

Posted 3:47pm Sunday 17th July 2022 by Annabelle Vaughan

Last year, Emily Bell and Samuel Leaper were two of the four students who received the University’s inaugural Six60 Scholarship. The scholarship lets them live, rent-free, at 660 Castle Street, for the whole year, as well as giving them the chance to be mentored by one of Aotearoa’s most Read more...

Volunteer Service Abroad Bounces Back After Covid

Posted 3:45pm Sunday 17th July 2022 by Fox Meyer

Te Tūao Tāwāhi (Volunteer Service Abroad, VSA) is gearing back up to send recent grads to work overseas. The whole “international travel” aspect was complicated by Covid, but a new “e-volunteering” strategy is now an option alongside the traditional Read more...

From “Fuck! I Can’t Cook” To “Fuck! I’m a Cook!”

Posted 3:40pm Sunday 17th July 2022 by Denzel Chung

Former Otago student Alice Taylor’s MasterChef run came to an end last week with a solid third-place finish. This isn’t the end of the culinary road for her, though, with judge Michael Dearth offering her a new job at his Italian restaurant Baduzzi. Alice sat down with Critic Te Arohi to Read more...

Leith Surges, Paddlers Rejoice

Posted 3:37pm Sunday 17th July 2022 by Denzel Chung and Keegan Wells

The nationwide storm last week saw the Leith rise to 70 times its normal flow. Local legends from the Otago University Canoe Club (OUCC) were all over it, tackling what they estimated was about a Grade 4 rapid. While the Leith normally cruises along at around 0.8-1 cubic metres of water per Read more...

Aotearoa Continues Imports of “Blood Phosphate”

Posted 3:32pm Sunday 17th July 2022 by Zak Rudin

A group of around 15 activists gathered outside Ravensdown’s fertiliser factory at Ravensbourne last Tuesday, for a “morning of mourning” over a “shipload of shame”. On a cold, dark and wet morning, the black-clad protesters were opposing the “unwelcome” Read more...

Ireland Screws All Blacks, Unscrews Lightbulbs

Posted 2:29pm Sunday 17th July 2022 by Fox Meyer

After handing the All Blacks their first-ever Dunedin defeat on Saturday 9 July, the Irish national rugby team parked up at Vault 21. And evidently, they weren’t too keen on leaving. Chris Dickie, a bartender at Vault, said that as closing time grew near that night, staff at the bar started Read more...

Everyone’s Favourite $4 Lunch Lady Begins A “New Incarnation”

Posted 2:27pm Sunday 17th July 2022 by Denzel Chung

Jane “J-Ma” Beecroft, long-known as the $4 lunch lady, is beginning a “new incarnation” on campus. She’s hoping her new “chat room,” which she calls “Life, the Universe and Everything”, will help provide a space where students can feel Read more...

Ireland Screws All Blacks, Unscrews Lightbulbs

Posted 1:14pm Wednesday 13th July 2022 by Fox Meyer

After handing the All Blacks their first-ever Dunedin defeat on Saturday 9 July, the Irish national rugby team parked up at Vault 21. And evidently, they weren’t too keen on leaving.   Chris Dickie, a bartender at Vault, said that as closing time grew near that night, staff at the Read more...

SCANDAL! Man Opens Door!

Posted 1:59am Saturday 9th July 2022 by Denzel Chung

An Edinburgh Realty tenant was left feeling “infuriated” after a tradie unlocked her bedroom door to complete some repairs while she was asleep.  Marie* rents in the Station Apartments complex, a set of 5 studio apartments on Anzac Avenue managed by Edinburgh Realty. At first Read more...

GARBAGE! EnviroWaste Red Bins GONEBURGER In Dunedin!

Posted 1:57am Saturday 9th July 2022 by Denzel Chung

At least one provider of Dunedin’s red bins, EnviroWaste, have pulled the plug on signing up new customers. Fears of an impending bin monopoly have been dismissed by EnviroWaste, who said the move is only temporary.  A check of the EnviroWaste website using Dunedin addresses shows an Read more...

WOW! Otago Student Chef makes it BIG TIME

Posted 1:55am Saturday 9th July 2022 by Denzel Chung

While most of us were dumping two-minute pasta into a microwave bowl and serving it with a side of James Speight’s finest, an ex-Otago student has been rubbing shoulders with the likes of Nadia Lim on the latest season of MasterChef New Zealand. Critic Te Arohi caught up with Alice Taylor to Read more...

SOUTHLAND: The Next Silicon Valley???

Posted 1:54am Saturday 9th July 2022 by Fox Meyer

A massive, cutting edge carbon-neutral data centre is slated to open in – of all places – Southland. Otago Uni have already signed up to be one of the facility’s major clients. Despite what some Aucklanders may be thinking, there are actually some pretty good reasons for tech Read more...

Otago Lecturer speaks at Anti-Mandate Protest

Posted 1:35am Saturday 9th July 2022 by Elliot Weir and Denzel Chung

At a demonstration against vaccine mandates and Three Waters legislation, an Otago Uni lecturer spoke for five minutes to "educate" the opposing counter-demonstration across the road by reading the Britannica definition of fascism and sharing a stage with a prominent alt-right Read more...

Protest Standoff! Big Anti-Fash Bash TRIUMPHS Over “Freedom and Rights Coalition”

Posted 11:37pm Friday 8th July 2022 by Zak Rudin, Denzel Chung and Elliot Weir

At 12pm on Saturday 2nd July, around 150 anti-fascist counter-protestors faced off against a “Freedom and Rights Coalition” (FRC) protest, led by Destiny Church’s Derek Tait. With the anti-fascists outnumbering the FRC group five to one, Ōtepoti sent them a clear message: Read more...

Heaps of West Coast Land to be Reclassified

Posted 11:29pm Friday 8th July 2022 by Denzel Chung and Fox Meyer

The Department of Conservation (DoC) is set to reclassify 600,000 hectares of protected “stewardship” land on the West Coast – the size of over 3 Rakiura (Stewart Islands). DoC says that this will provide stronger protections for its natural and historic features, but some worry Read more...

DOCO DRAMA! Filmmakers Condemn Israeli Embassy Funding

Posted 11:27pm Friday 8th July 2022 by Denzel Chung

A group of filmmakers participating in the Doc Edge documentary film festival have written an open letter over its acceptance of sponsorship funding from the Israeli Embassy in New Zealand.  The Embassy is supporting the screening of the film “Dead Sea Guardians”, an Israeli Read more...

Maths Mayhem!

Posted 11:25pm Friday 8th July 2022 by Nina Brown

Six mathematics alumni and current students have sent an open letter to the University of Otago expressing their concerns over its alleged disregard of the importance of maths education. Critic Te Arohi spoke to Elliot Marshall, a signatory of the letter, about claims that inadequate funding and the Read more...

Guard who Dispensed "Sauce Fines" Apparently Unlicenced

Posted 11:24pm Friday 8th July 2022 by Denzel Chung and Fox Meyer

The security guard who allegedly called a student “stupid” and “selfish” after issuing her a $300 fine for “stealing” a packet of tomato sauce no longer appears to be working at Night N’ Day or Pak ‘N Save, where he was also employed.  This may Read more...

Fake News Tourbus Chased Out of Dunedin

Posted 1:37pm Saturday 4th June 2022 by Denzel Chung

A nationwide tour by Counterspin, a group promoting Covid-19 misinformation and often violent rhetoric, was forced out of Dunedin city after sustained public pressure caused several hosts to pull out.    The nationwide tour, titled “Let’s Not Forget,” had stopped in Read more...

Uni’s Emissions Boss Responds To Govt’s Emissions Reduction Plan

Posted 4:58pm Sunday 29th May 2022 by Zak Rudin

Last week, the Government released their first Emissions Reduction Plan (ERP) since passing the Zero Carbon Act in 2019. Critic Te Arohi spoke with Craig Cliff, the Uni’s Net Carbon Zero Programme Manager, on the impact of the plan and whether it goes far enough to address the existential Read more...

Kind Company Rebrands To “Kindred”

Posted 4:55pm Sunday 29th May 2022 by Zak Rudin

Around two weeks ago, Kind Company, a vegan cafe on George Street, became Kindred. They’re now a “mostly” vegan cafe that serves some meat and dairy. Critic Te Arohi spoke to Penelope, the owner of Kindred, about the change. Penelope, told Critic Te Arohi the rebranding was an Read more...

“Storm Hyde St” Event Page Gets the Axe

Posted 4:52pm Sunday 29th May 2022 by Keegan Wells

A pisstake of a Facebook event page has been taken down after its creator received a stern talking to by the Campus Cop, who was worried it could “put the future of Hyde Street in jeopardy”. The page encouraged students to storm Hyde Street, as “they can’t stop us Read more...

Dunedin Jobs Facebook Group Invaded by Camgirls, Spammers

Posted 4:49pm Sunday 29th May 2022 by Sean Gourley

A local Facebook group meant for promoting job opportunities has been swamped by spam and ads promoting WhatsApp camgirls.  Dunedin Jobs, which boasts almost 18,000 members, is a “a group that facilitates posts for everyday jobs for everyday people”. More recently, they seem to Read more...

PHARMAC Simplifies Criteria To Access HIV Prevention, Treatment

Posted 4:48pm Sunday 29th May 2022 by Denzel Chung

PHARMAC, Aotearoa’s national drug-funding agency, will simplify the criteria for patients wanting to access pre-exposure prophylaxis of HIV (PrEP). The changes, which will take effect from 1 July, are being labelled as “a massively positive change for [the LGBTQI+]  Read more...

Ōtepoti hosts Festival of Anarchy

Posted 4:34pm Sunday 29th May 2022 by Zak Rudin

On Saturday 21 May, from midday to sundown, people congregated at 111 Moray Place for the Ōtepoti Festival of Anarchy (or A-Day, as the cool kids call it). Despite the cold, the festival delivered on providing food, music, workshops and free stuff. What more could you ask for? Critic Te Arohi Read more...

Otago Uni Students* Say No to Microbreweries and te ao Māori papers, Yes to Freshers at Pint Night

Posted 4:32pm Sunday 29th May 2022 by Keegan Wells

The results of OUSA’s referendum have been released, with students voting on everything from mental health accessibility and compulsory recording of lectures to Pacific law school entry pathways, compulsory te ao Māori papers and two-week semester breaks.  The exciting admin stuff Read more...

Two Students Shave $6k Worth of Hair

Posted 4:28pm Sunday 29th May 2022 by Nina Brown

Two third-year students managed to raise almost $6,000 for Leukaemia and Blood Cancer New Zealand, as part of Shave for a Cure. Critic Te Arohi spoke to the two do-gooders to find out how they pulled it off.  What started as a comment about how much easier it would be to gender-bend with a Read more...

Ill Bus Drivers Cause Wave of Cancellations

Posted 4:26pm Sunday 29th May 2022 by Denzel Chung

Bus commuters in Dunedin have been having it rough lately, with a wave of cancellations and delays hitting local services. These have been blamed on “high levels of illness” among bus drivers.  The cancellations have been happening since at least May 17, when Orbus Read more...

Hundreds Hospitalised By Flu, Worst Yet To Come

Posted 4:23pm Sunday 29th May 2022 by Denzel Chung

Hot on the heels of Omicron, a flu outbreak is now ripping its way through North D. Dunedin Hospital has already admitted nearly 200 emergency cases, with many more expected in the community.  Across Aotearoa, after our immune systems enjoyed a cushy two years with zero influenza cases Read more...

Hekate Opens Doors

Posted 5:07pm Saturday 21st May 2022 by Fox Meyer

A period health clinic on Albany Street has recently rebranded. Despite the flashy new look, they’ve promised they’ll continue to offer services to menstruators from all backgrounds.  Hekate presents itself as “New Zealand's leading private, nurse-led health clinic with Read more...

Uni Makes Big Economy Go Boom Boom

Posted 5:04pm Saturday 21st May 2022 by Keegan Wells

Otago Uni’s 2021 Economic Impact Report found that they contributed a whopping $1.79 billion to the New Zealand economy last year. In other news, the new Budget plan means that everyone earning under $70,000 a year is getting a free $350, which you can then give straight back to the Uni. How Read more...

Dough-No!

Posted 5:00pm Saturday 21st May 2022 by Fox Meyer

It’s been a rough few weeks for Mama’s Donuts. After struggling with staff shortages due to Covid, the icing on their donut came when their donut-slinging caravan was blown off the road en route to Milton. Rachel from Mama’s Donuts told Critic Te Arohi that her son was driving Read more...

Flu Vaccine Shortage Resolved

Posted 4:59pm Saturday 21st May 2022 by Sean Gourley

Student Health has now replenished their stocks of flu vaccines. This comes after supply shortages caused roughly thirty students to be turned away from a vaccination clinic set up in the Dental School.  Head of Health Services Manager Margaret Perley said the shortage was due to a series of Read more...

Mandatory Masks Removed, Mask Usage Declines

Posted 4:56pm Saturday 21st May 2022 by Zak Rudin

Even though it doesn’t feel like it, Covid-19 is still spreading amongst the student community – now joined by an old friend of ours, the flu. In-person lectures have resumed and the Government’s mask mandate has now been dropped. Meanwhile, the official advice from the University, Read more...

Filipino Students Concerned After Marcos Jr Wins Election in the Philippines

Posted 4:53pm Saturday 21st May 2022 by Zak Rudin

*Note: the views expressed in this article do not represent the opinion of the whole Filipino community* On May 9, the Philippines elected Ferdinand “Bongbong” Marcos Jr, the son of previous president Ferdinand Marcos, as their new President. Sara Duterte, daughter of outgoing Read more...

Cowards Steal from Charitable Beekeeper

Posted 4:50pm Saturday 21st May 2022 by Fox Meyer

Someone has stolen an entire hive of bees – queen included – from the Peace Garden Albany street sometime in the last month. A three-box hive is worth about $500 at the moment, so it’s a significant loss to the man who voluntarily keeps the bees and gives away the honey for Read more...

New Vice-Chancellor Hanging by a Thread

Posted 4:48pm Saturday 21st May 2022 by Fox Meyer

Vice Chancellor David Murdoch strapped in for a 35m abseil down the Forsyth Barr Stadium on 17 May. The ‘Toss the Boss’ event was hosted by the Malcam Trust to fundraise for their youth development mahi in Dunedin. David was one of dozens of local bosses taking the plunge, and his Read more...

Students React to Potential Abortion Ban in the USA

Posted 4:45pm Saturday 21st May 2022 by Zak Rudin

A leaked United States Supreme Court draft majority opinion has revealed plans to overrule Roe v Wade, a 1973 Supreme Court decision which upholds the right to an abortion as a constitutional right. The decision, if followed through on, is expected to have wide-reaching implications for other human Read more...

Cowards Steal from Charitable Beekeeper

Posted 2:30pm Tuesday 17th May 2022 by Fox Meyer

Someone has stolen an entire hive of bees – queen included – from the Peace Garden Albany street sometime in the last month. A three-box hive is worth about $500 at the moment, so it’s a significant loss to the man who voluntarily keeps the bees and gives away the honey for Read more...

Edinburgh Asks Students To Re-Sign by May, Backtracks

Posted 7:50pm Sunday 15th May 2022 by Quintin Jane

Edinburgh Realty was sending letters to students telling them to decide whether they would re-sign their flats in May. They were forced to backtrack after admitting that their demands violated the Residential Tenancies Act.  In the letter sent to tenants, Edinburgh Property Management asked Read more...

Human Nutrition Dept. Launches Cheap Student Meal Kits

Posted 1:41pm Sunday 15th May 2022 by Denzel Chung

The Department of Human Nutrition has launched meal packages to help flats take some stress out of meal prep. It’s one of a long list of initiatives that aim to snap students out of their perennial Indomie addiction. The Feed My Flat initiative is basically the same as My Food Bag or other Read more...

Rally Held For Palestine

Posted 9:35am Sunday 15th May 2022 by Zak Rudin

CW: genocide, ethnic cleansing On Saturday May 7, the Palestine Solidarity Network Aotearoa (PSNA) held a rally from the Museum Reserve to the Octagon. Around 60 people took to the streets with placards, chanting the Palestinian independence slogan: “From the river to the sea, Palestine Read more...

Vegan Bake Sale Raises Money for Animals and Vegans in Ukraine

Posted 9:26am Sunday 15th May 2022 by Zak Rudin

On Saturday 7th May, the Dunedin Ōtepoti Vegan Society (DŌVeS) held a bake sale for Ukraine on the Museum Reserve. What link does veganism have with Ukraine and what does buying baked vegan treats achieve? Critic Te Arohi went along to find out. DŌVeS originally hatched the idea of Read more...

J Day Lights up in the Octagon

Posted 1:37pm Saturday 14th May 2022 by Zak Rudin

J Day hit the heart of the Octagon last Saturday from noon till 4:20 (blaze it, nice). J Day is an event 20 years in the running, calling for weed to be legalised and more generally a celebration of cannabis culture. Critic Te Arohi reported from amidst the smog and bravely conducted interviews over Read more...

Record-Breaking Turnout for UniQ’s Inaugural MS Paint Competition

Posted 1:34pm Saturday 14th May 2022 by Lotto Ramsay

For Art Week, UniQ teamed up with Art Club to host a painting competition. Well, a Microsoft Paint competition anyway. In a beautiful and rather wholesome twist, all four people who entered came out winners. UniQ, Otago’s resident club for members of the LGBTQ+ community, decided that 2022 Read more...

Agnew Street Party Re-Cancelled

Posted 1:18pm Saturday 14th May 2022 by Keegan Wells and Fox Meyer

Students’ attempts to run the Agnew Street party themselves this year have been abandoned. Even though sponsors had been found, security had been considered and morale was high, security concerns raised during a meeting on 9 May resulted in the plan being cancelled. The meeting was attended Read more...

Uni Spent $3 Million on Travel in 2020

Posted 2:44am Sunday 8th May 2022 by Denzel Chung

Otago Uni spent almost $3 million on travel expenses in 2020, including airfares, accommodation, taxis and car rentals. While these numbers were significantly impacted by Covid-19, the Uni is hoping to keep air travel to a minimum even as borders reopen.  University data received by Critic Read more...

Clash of Clubs

Posted 2:43am Sunday 8th May 2022 by Keegan Wells

The first annual Clash of Clubs happened on April 29, with several Otago Uni clubs duking it out in a variety of sports. At stake: honour, glory, and the ability to rub sweet victory into the faces of inferior clubs for a whole year.  Six clubs participated in football, volleyball and Read more...

Protest Demands Immediate End To Live Animal Export

Posted 2:42am Sunday 8th May 2022 by Zak Rudin

On Saturday April 30, around 30 people gathered in the Octagon as part of a nationwide protest to call for an immediate ban on all live animal exports. People held signs with images of animal abuse amidst a number of speeches and chanting. Despite high-profile announcements that the practice would Read more...

Vigil Held For Ukraine

Posted 2:40am Sunday 8th May 2022 by Zak Rudin

CW: War crimes, assault A candle-lit vigil was held in the lower Octagon to commemorate the innocent victims killed in Ukraine by the Russian military. Around 60 people were present at the event, with attendees expressing a mixture of sadness, anger and fatigue over the ongoing, violent Read more...

Mysterious Castle Street Shitter(s) Strike Again

Posted 2:34am Sunday 8th May 2022 by Anna Robertshawe

Castle Street residents have been confronted with the emergence of human shits on their cars and driveways. Little is known about the identity of the culprit(s), or their motive.  The first incident occurred on Saturday 10 April, on what had been a seemingly normal night of debauchery on Read more...

Mysterious Naked Tree Not So Mysterious Now

Posted 2:33am Sunday 8th May 2022 by Keegan Wells

A little over a month ago we reported on a mysterious tree that showed up in a student’s bed on a Saturday night. Our crack detective team turned up no leads until the case was blown wide open by an anonymous online confession. Seth reported finding a large tree branch in his bed after a Read more...

University’s Art Club Overcomes Challenges, Brings Artistic Minds Together

Posted 2:31am Sunday 8th May 2022 by Anna Robertshawe

The Covid-19 pandemic, the fast pace of uni life and a lack of a Fine Arts programme at Otago Uni are all challenges for Arts students here. Despite these barriers, the Otago University Art Club continues to make space for creative expression and facilitate connection through art.  The club Read more...

Outcry Forces Vape Shop to Remove TikToks

Posted 2:02pm Sunday 1st May 2022 by Sean Gourley

A new vape shop has taken down all of its TikToks after a Stuff investigation found kids under 18 were interacting with their posts, potentially breaching the law as a result. The owners have said they’ll be changing their ways from now on, with a removal of most of their posts in a social Read more...

Muslim and Atheists Students’ Associations Assigned to Share a Table

Posted 2:01pm Sunday 1st May 2022 by Denzel Chung

The Muslim Students’ Association (MUSA) and the Society of Atheists, Rationalists and Skeptics (SARS) were assigned to sit together during OUSA’s clubs week. Despite the potential for awkwardness, both sides seemed to brush it off easily.  In issue 7, Critic Te Arohi reported on Read more...

Student Visa Backlog due to “Capacity Issues”

Posted 1:59pm Sunday 1st May 2022 by Zak Rudin

Despite borders reopening and Aotearoa once again officially ‘open’ to international students, eager student travellers have hit one critical snag: Immigration New Zealand (INZ). Processing struggles have left many overseas students in limbo as a result.  Since April 12, Aotearoa Read more...

Ditch the Indomie and Cook Like A Granny

Posted 1:55pm Sunday 1st May 2022 by Denzel Chung

A South Dunedin charity is aiming to teach life skills using the most potent source of wisdom known to humankind: grannies.They’re hoping their cooking workshops, focusing on cheap, sustainable recipes, will be a hit with eco-conscious, cash-strapped students.  The adorably-named Read more...

Toilet Prices Behind Hyde Ticket Price Increase

Posted 1:53pm Sunday 1st May 2022 by Keegan Wells

Last week Critic Te Arohi reported that Hyde Street ticket prices have jumped this year by 10% ($5) for students and a whopping 35% ($7) for street residents. To get to the bottom of this, we spoke to Jason Schroeder, Events and Venues Operations Manager for OUSA. Just like any good conspiracy, Read more...

Local Councillor Apparently Editing his Own Wikipedia Page

Posted 1:43pm Sunday 1st May 2022 by Fox Meyer

A Wikipedia user by the name of “Leevandervis” has been making edits to the Wikipedia page of Lee Vandervis, a Dunedin city councillor with a history of making controversial headlines.  Critic received a tip about edits made to Vandervis’ Wikipedia page on April 26, listed Read more...

Study Hopes to Pave Way for Blood Donation Equity

Posted 1:41pm Sunday 1st May 2022 by Denzel Chung

A new study involving the University of Otago is hoping to collect data on HIV prevention among men who have sex with men (MSM). A key aim of this study is to change policies which have, until now, prevented many MSM from donating blood.  The Sex and Prevention of Treatment Study (SPOTS) is Read more...

Vape Juice has More Nicotine than You Think

Posted 1:38pm Sunday 1st May 2022 by Fox Meyer

If you’ve always wondered why vapes are such a tough habit to kick, here’s a possible reason why: it contains a fuckton of nicotine. To be precise, you’d get as much nicotine from a bottle of 30mg vape juice as you would smoking almost ten pouches of rolling tobacco, or over 700 Read more...

Ukraine War Casts Spectre Over OUSA ANZAC Service

Posted 1:34pm Sunday 1st May 2022 by Denzel Chung

Around 200 people of all ages, from students, to staff, to elderly servicepeople, attended OUSA’s 2022 annual ANZAC Day service. Held by the Memorial Walk outside the Staff Club building, this service was the first to be held outdoors since 2019. The weather was mostly sunny, although the Read more...

Drink Spiking Incident Correction

Posted 1:31pm Sunday 1st May 2022 by Fox Meyer

Last issue, Critic published a story about an OUSA club-organised BYO in which two people suspected their drinks had been spiked. The girl who suffered the worst of the two experiences got in touch with Critic to correct some major details of the story. Jamie* did not make it home ok, as Read more...

Ayo New Hyde St Just Dropped

Posted 2:21pm Sunday 24th April 2022 by Keegan Wells

OUSA has confirmed that the Hyde St party is back for another year. After some uncertainty over dates, it’s finally been locked in to happen just a week before semester one exams.  OUSA confirmed on April 12 that the Hyde St Party will go ahead this year. After previously postponing Read more...

Uni Spent Almost $750k On Dairy in 2021

Posted 2:19pm Sunday 24th April 2022 by Denzel Chung

Figures obtained by Critic Te Arohi show the Uni spent almost $750k on milk and dairy products in 2021.  Peer into almost any fridge in Uni and you’ll see it: bottle after bottle of Meadow Fresh milk. From hall breakfasts and morning coffees to office tearooms, the white stuff seems to Read more...

Food Sci 4th Years Fight Food Waste

Posted 2:16pm Sunday 24th April 2022 by Fox Meyer

A group of Food Science 4th year students have designed a food box - like Hello Fresh - based entirely around NZ’s most commonly-tossed consumables. They plan to use local foodie social media accounts to promote their sustainable selection of goodies. “One of our main messages is that Read more...

New “Pop-Up” Youth Space Pops Up

Posted 2:14pm Sunday 24th April 2022 by Zak Rudin

An after-school creative space, the Ōtepoti Youth Space, is being launched in Dunedin. Focused on high-school aged rangatahi, the aim is to make this a supportive and constructive space to engage with rangatahi and “celebrate… their creative talents”.  Hailey Xavier, Read more...

Ship Carrying ‘Blood Phosphate’ Arrives in Port Chalmers

Posted 2:12pm Sunday 24th April 2022 by Zak Rudin

The ship Stony Stream has just landed in Port Chalmers, carrying 25,000 tonnes of phosphate from Moroccan-occupied Western Sahara. This phosphate, which critics call “blood phosphate,” has been linked for decades to serious human rights abuses. Aotearoa is one of the last countries in Read more...

Suspected Drink-Spiking at BYO Leaves Club Baffled

Posted 2:10pm Sunday 24th April 2022 by Fox Meyer

Two people suspect that their drinks were spiked at a BYO at the start of the year. According to Dunedin Hospital, rates of alcohol-related admissions spike around student party weekends like O-Week and St Paddy’s. The Otago University Snow Sports Club (OUSSC) hosted a public BYO at the Read more...

Stag Totals Students’ Car on West Coast

Posted 2:08pm Sunday 24th April 2022 by Keegan Wells

A group of students survived a harrowing car crash with a stag on the West Coast over the mid-sem break. The crash claimed most of their car’s front end, but amazingly left it intact enough to drive a further 50km to the nearest town. On April 14, Ali was heading up the West Coast with her Read more...

Student Reports “Outrageous” Abortion Experience

Posted 12:49am Saturday 23rd April 2022 by Keegan Wells and Fox Meyer

A student trying to get an abortion has criticised Dunedin Hospital for a “disgusting” and “disrespectful” experience. She is currently undergoing her third procedure for the same pregnancy, which she believed could’ve been avoided if information was presented Read more...

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...