Archive

A Response from Tim Fowler, Chief Executive of the Tertiary Education Commission

Posted 1:19pm Sunday 9th July 2023 by Critic

I read Zak Rudin’s Critic Te Ārohi article with interest (‘MINOR CONFUSION! Announcement elicits fears’). As the person who apparently said several things quoted, I want to set the record straight, as a number of comments have been misinterpreted, conflated and confused in the Read more...

Okay, Now That Landlord Website is Really Shut Down

Posted 12:59pm Sunday 9th July 2023 by Nina Brown

A website detailing how many properties your landlord owns has been shut down following discourse with the Deputy Privacy Commissioner. The founders of the website believe this decision was “influenced by landlords and property developers”.   A press release from the founders Read more...

Science Communication Department Fears the Axe

Posted 12:54pm Sunday 9th July 2023 by Nina Brown

Disclaimer: The author of this article is a postgraduate science communication student.    Unless you’ve been living under a rock for the past couple months, you’ll be well aware of the financial shitshow ($60 million deficit) that has forced Otago Uni to make some Read more...

Greenie Grandma Found Guilty

Posted 12:52pm Sunday 9th July 2023 by Nina Brown

Local greenie grandma Rosemary Penwarden was found guilty of forgery by a recent Dunedin High Court trial. Rosemary sent a fake letter in 2019 to attendees of an oil conference in Queenstown telling them it had been postponed due to the climate crisis. Though the letter was meant to be satirical, Read more...

Science Communication Department Fears the Axe

Posted 4:10pm Thursday 6th July 2023 by Nina Brown

Disclaimer: The author of this article is a postgraduate science communication student.   Unless you’ve been living under a rock for the past couple months, you’ll be well aware of the financial shitshow ($60 million deficit) that has forced Otago Uni to make some serious Read more...

Correction from Tim Fowler

Posted 9:28am Tuesday 13th June 2023 by Fox Meyer

This letter was sent on May 31, 2023, and has been copied below exactly as it was written. Tēnā koe Fox, I read Zak Rudin’s Critic Te Ārohi article with interest (MINOR CONFUSION! Announcement elicits fears). As the person who apparently said several things quoted, I want Read more...

SHOCKING! OUSA’s General Meeting Met Quorum!

Posted 6:32pm Monday 29th May 2023 by Nina Brown

Last Monday was the OUSA Annual General Meeting and, contrary to the expectations of most, it actually went ahead. AGMs need 0.5% of the student body to show up to go ahead (called quorum) and the final head count was 106 - a whole one member over the bare minimum! Hosting the meeting during Auahi Read more...

“Scandalous”: $355 Million for Tertiary Sector Reappropriated

Posted 6:29pm Monday 29th May 2023 by Fox Meyer

Otago Uni Associate Professor Brian Roper claims that $355 million budgeted towards tertiary education is going unspent. This is enough money to bail out Otago, Vic, Canterbury, and Massey universities almost three times over. Each. And it was literally in the 2022 budget. Seriously, these documents Read more...

EXCLUSIVE: Capping Show Review

Posted 6:11pm Monday 29th May 2023 by Zak Rudin

It’s that time of year again. Critic Te Ārohi joined around 200 (that’s double last year's opening! Wow!) students, parents, and grandparents on opening night for the annual Capping Show. The night was complete with sex jokes, singing, dancing, mimes, free juice, and even more Read more...

FIGHT! New Group aims to Fight Cuts

Posted 6:07pm Monday 29th May 2023 by Zak Rudin

At 20 members strong, Protect Otago Action Group (or POAG) has formed to fight back against the Uni’s projected staff layoffs in light of their $60 million debt. POAG member Tyler told Critic Te Ārohi that they have a “three pronged campaign” to reversing the proposed staff Read more...

MINOR CONFUSION! Announcement Elicits Fears

Posted 6:01pm Monday 29th May 2023 by Zak Rudin

The Uni is possibly considering raising student fees to help with the $60 million funding shortfall. Brandon, President of the Ōtepoti Tertiary Education Union (TEU) branch, was at a TEU conference meeting where an announcement was made that seemed to indicate this. Tim Fowler, executive head Read more...

SILENCED! Castle Boys Speak Out

Posted 5:01pm Monday 29th May 2023 by Hugh Askerud

Love it or hate it (most likely the latter) the sound of 40cc motorcycles on Leith Street has become a fundamental aspect of second-year culture. For this, residents can thank The Castle, a flat which provides a seemingly inexhaustible source of entertainment for Leith St residents who happen to Read more...

$355 Million for Tertiary Sector Reappropriated

Posted 6:59pm Thursday 25th May 2023 by Fox Meyer

Otago Uni Associate Professor Brian Roper claims that $355 million budgeted towards tertiary education is going unspent. This is enough money to bail out Otago, Vic, Canterbury, and Massey universities. Three times. And it was literally in the 2022 budget. Seriously, these documents are public and Read more...

EXCLUSIVE: Capping Show Review

Posted 1:58pm Tuesday 23rd May 2023 by Zak Rudin

It’s that time of year again. Critic Te Ārohi joined around 200 (that’s double last year's opening! Wow!) students, parents, and grandparents on opening night for the annual Capping Show. The night was complete with sex jokes, singing, dancing, mimes, free juice, and even more Read more...

Ding-Dong-Ditchers Invade Castle Street

Posted 3:59pm Sunday 21st May 2023 by Hugh Askerud

Knock-knock. Who’s there? No, it’s not your Uber Eats or your sneaky link: it’s two old men who have engaged in the slightly pathetic art of ding-dong-ditching your flat! No, your eyes do not deceive you; a pair of older gentlemen have been spotted roaming the streets of Castle Read more...

Government Announces ‘Bread and Butter’ Budget:

Posted 3:56pm Sunday 21st May 2023 by Annabelle Vaughan

(The Really Short Version) Last Thursday, the Government released Budget 2023: ‘Supporting for today, building for tomorrow’. Coming ahead of the general election in October, and amidst the ever-growing cost of living, Budget 2023 has avoided Big And Scary topics like Capital Gains Read more...

OUSA Student General Meeting is Here

Posted 3:44pm Sunday 21st May 2023 by Nina Brown

The OUSA annual student general meeting is this Tuesday, May 23, at 5:30pm in Auahi Ora (the new food court where Union Grill used to be). There’s also going to be a quiz night there directly afterward - with prizes! Congratulations on engaging in student politics! It’ll be happy hour Read more...

Graduation Walk Diverted by Cones

Posted 3:21pm Sunday 21st May 2023 by Zak Rudin

This year’s graduation ceremony could not follow the traditional, glamorous path down George Street. Instead, the procession started at First Church and walked around to the Moray Place entrance of the Town Hall. According to a Uni spokesperson, this was due to the George Street revamp. You Read more...

Coup Leader Steps Down

Posted 3:17pm Sunday 21st May 2023 by Fox Meyer

Reid, OUSA’s Clubs and Socs Representative, is stepping down from his role. He told Critic Te Ārohi that he would be returning to his home in the USA before next semester to take up another job offer, but we think it’s probably something shadier than that. Reid has a long history Read more...

OUSA, TEU Protest Uni Cuts

Posted 3:29pm Sunday 14th May 2023 by Hugh Askerud

In a day of dual protests, OUSA members marched on the office of local Labour MP David Clark and Tertiary Education Union (TEU) members headed to the Clocktower. University admin received plenty of blame for their current financial woes, but most critiques and calls for action were directed at Read more...

Nine Streakers at “Most Cooked Game Ever”

Posted 3:25pm Sunday 14th May 2023 by Hugh Askerud

Nine streakers blessed spectators of the Highlanders vs Chiefs bout on Friday, May 5, who roared onto the field during the game (fully clothed) on three separate occasions - before being promptly clobbered by an ostensibly brutish security force. Though motives for the streaking remain a mystery, Read more...

New ‘Rat King Landlord’ Just Dropped

Posted 3:22pm Sunday 14th May 2023 by Zak Rudin

A brand-new issue of ‘Rat King Landlord’, written by Murdock Stephens, hit the streets of Ōtepoti on Friday, May 5. Originally published in 2020, the novel-turned-tabloid-newspaper is a comedic satirical story about a rat that becomes a landlord. But behind the layers of satire Read more...

Prospective Students Deterred by Staff Cuts

Posted 3:04pm Sunday 14th May 2023 by Nina Brown

If you were on campus last Monday, chances are you tripped over a highschooler gawking at a map of the Uni with their mum. Critic Te Ārohi took the opportunity to ambush prospective students (prospies) to see if the incoming staff cuts had influenced their uni decisions. While most Read more...

Students take over Pequeño

Posted 3:00pm Sunday 14th May 2023 by Nina Brown

Your local speakeasy vibe has come under new management. As of Monday, May 15, student couple Jaz and Alex are taking the wheel of Pequeño. The pair want to acknowledge the “heritage” of Pequeño while bringing a “bit of love to it”, as the bar has been open Read more...

Capping Show’s Round the Corner (Again)

Posted 2:58pm Sunday 14th May 2023 by Nina Brown

Capping Show is back this week for its 129th year. Critic Te Ārohi chatted with Tucker, one of the four directors of this year’s show. For those who don’t know, the Capping Show is the longest running student review in the world (allegedly). “It’s gone through both Read more...

OUSA, TEU Protest Staff Cuts

Posted 4:53pm Tuesday 9th May 2023 by Hugh Askerud

In a day of dual protests, OUSA members marched on the office of local Labour MP David Clark and Tertiary Education Union (TEU) members headed to the Clocktower. University admin received plenty of blame for their current financial woes, but most critiques and calls for action were directed at Read more...

Prospective Students Deterred by Staff Cuts

Posted 5:06pm Monday 8th May 2023 by Nina Brown

If you were on campus last Monday, chances are you tripped over a highschooler gawking at a map of the Uni with their mum. Critic Te Ārohi took the opportunity to ambush prospective students (prospies) to see if the incoming staff cuts had influenced their Uni decisions.   While most Read more...

Uni Budget Cuts Provoke Outcry

Posted 2:08pm Sunday 7th May 2023 by Zak Rudin

A panel of staff and students slammed the Uni for its funding cuts at OUSA last Monday, May 1. The Uni is set to cut $60 million from their budget this year, resulting in sweeping job losses across all departments. In response, around 25 people (mostly students) went to the ‘May Day Read more...

Landlords are (Once Again) Pressuring Students to Sign Early

Posted 2:06pm Sunday 7th May 2023 by Rosa Hehir

It’s that time of year again: students are feeling the pressure to decide whether to re-sign or leave their current flats for 2024. If you’re on a fixed-term lease, you don’t actually need to do this until 28 days before departure. Critic Te Ārohi spoke to a couple students Read more...

Student Petitions for Accessible ADHD Assessment

Posted 1:35pm Sunday 7th May 2023 by Hugh Askerud

Otago Uni student Jasmine has put forward a petition to parliament to make ADHD and Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) assessments more accessible and affordable in Aotearoa. At time of writing, her petition - which will close on July 1st - has the backing of 2049 signatures. Jas’ petition seeks Read more...

Scabies Outbreak Divides Student Government

Posted 1:32pm Sunday 7th May 2023 by Fox Meyer

An outbreak of scabies is causing rifts within the 2023 OUSA Student Executive team. The team, once tight-knit over their controversial rise to power, is divided along party lines. Reid, the Clubs and Socs rep, campaigned on the promise of ‘Scabies-Free 2050’, but Welfare and Equity Read more...

What do the cuts mean for YOU?

Posted 4:15pm Sunday 30th April 2023 by Critic

The University’s current financial health is looking about as healthy as a deep-fried Mars bar, and many will be wondering what exactly this means for students. In their communications about the projected slashes to staff numbers and papers, the Uni said that all students will “be able Read more...

OUSA Clubs Unite for Earth Day

Posted 4:12pm Sunday 30th April 2023 by Zak Rudin

Last Saturday marked Earth Day, an international day of recognition to Papatūānuku and to raise awareness for environmental issues. To celebrate, around 30 students from a diverse range of OUSA clubs gathered at Woodhaugh Gardens “to celebrate te taiao (the natural world), tangata Read more...

Rat World Mag’s Fifth Issue Launches at Yours

Posted 4:08pm Sunday 30th April 2023 by Remy the Rat

Rat World, an independent quarterly publication, celebrated the release of their fifth issue with a launch party hosted by Evening Books and Yours cafe. The Tāmaki Makaurau based magazine launched the issue in Ōtepoti after Evening Books owner Frances offered to host. The party was an Read more...

Central Otago’s Drug Bust a Year in the Making

Posted 3:33pm Sunday 30th April 2023 by Jamiema Lorimer

Operation Vintage commenced in March of last year following a concerning increase of drugs and drug-related harm in Cromwell. Three men are facing charges for the sale and supply of cannabis and methamphetamines, and the unlawful possession of firearms. Properties were raided in Cromwell, Tarras, Read more...

The $40,000 Cone-undrum

Posted 3:30pm Sunday 30th April 2023 by Nina Brown

Currently, there are 1294 cones on the DCC’s George Street revamp project. They revealed that they’ve lost around $10k worth of cones and road signs to theft and damage on the project every quarter. That’s $40k a year. They said that, while they couldn’t break that figure Read more...

Salt in the Wound

Posted 2:48pm Tuesday 25th April 2023 by Fox Meyer

Over the weekend, a local man survived a gunshot to the liver. We do not know if the attack on the young Green-affiliated figure has anything to do with politics, but what we do know is that Jack Brazil - with a bullet wound in his abdomen - asked media to respect his privacy by holding off on Read more...

Otago Campus Vegans Support the “Vegan Treaty”

Posted 3:09pm Sunday 23rd April 2023 by Zak Rudin

The Otago Campus Vegans (OCV) unveiled their plans for a ‘Vegan Treaty’ to a crowd of around 20 people last Tuesday at OUSA. Claire, Vegan Society of Aotearoa spokesperson, told attendees via Zoom that the treaty has 38 proposals to be taken to local councils. They range from declaring a Read more...

Arana Students in Limbo after Hall Delays

Posted 2:28pm Sunday 23rd April 2023 by Hugh Askerud

Students of Arana College are facing uncertainty this year as proposed renovations have come to an inconclusive end. Weeks ago, the University advised Arana students that residents “will no longer be moving to Te Rangihīroa College this year as previously planned,” despite previous Read more...

Death by a Hundred Cuts

Posted 2:26pm Sunday 23rd April 2023 by Fox Meyer

Last Thursday, the University of Otago sent out a shock press release announcing that several hundred academic and staff positions were going to be slashed. This came a day after the Uni also announced that the Bachelor of Applied Science programme was going to be discontinued, and weeks after Read more...

Retail Revamp Aims to Benefit Students

Posted 2:21pm Sunday 23rd April 2023 by Nina Brown

If you’ve been through George Street recently, you’ll have probably noticed that something big is going down. You probably wondered to yourself why, as a driver, you have to strategise like you’re on fucking Mission Impossible to get from point A to B, or noting the bounty of road Read more...

Death by a Hundred Cuts

Posted 4:46pm Thursday 20th April 2023 by Fox Meyer

On Thursday (4/20 nice) the University of Otago sent out a shock press release announcing that several hundred academic and staff positions were going to be slashed. This came a day after the Uni also announced that the Bachelor of Applied Science programme was going to be discontinued, and weeks Read more...

Alcohol Harm Minimisation Bill Fails

Posted 11:54am Sunday 16th April 2023 by Zak Rudin

The Alcohol Harm Minimisation Bill, proposed by Green MP Chlöe Swarbrick, recently failed at its first reading. The bill wasn’t proposing anything radical like taking away your bevvies; it simply aimed to end product-only advertising and alcohol sponsorship in broadcast Read more...

Tame Zoo Spurs Public Uproar

Posted 11:24am Sunday 16th April 2023 by Hugh Askerud

On Saturday, April 8, the infamous Forsyth Barr Zoo saw a historically low turnout for the Highlanders clash against the Hurricanes. This comes after a general downward trend of Zoo attendance that’s been made starkly apparent this year. Though the Zoo’s capacity of 4,500 hasn’t Read more...

“Stop Leaving the Cemetery a Mess,” Say Primary School Kids

Posted 11:21am Sunday 16th April 2023 by Nina Brown

Year 4 and 5 Ōpoho School students have written a letter to Otago University students asking them to stop leaving litter at Brackens Lookout (AKA the Cemetery). Students essentially told the children to get fucked, saying that the letter was “too long” and that they Read more...

New Food Court Just Dropped!

Posted 11:18am Sunday 16th April 2023 by Nina Brown

University of Otago Hospitality Manager Adrian is inviting students to check out the new food court venue Auahi Ora that opened for business in O-Week of this year. Adrian described it as a “multi-use space” with a new menu, new furniture, social bevvies of all kinds (including booze), Read more...

What’s the Best Day to Get $4 Lunch?

Posted 11:16am Sunday 16th April 2023 by Hugh Askerud

Critic Te Ārohi conducted a survey to answer what some have called “the most fundamental question of student existence”: On which day can you get the best $4 lunch? Opinions varied in the survey, however Monday was deemed the best lunch by 15 students, piping Wednesday by a Read more...

Pride Night at the Museum

Posted 3:16pm Sunday 2nd April 2023 by Lotto Ramsay

Tūhura Otago Museum hosted another After Dark event last Friday–this time, themed for Pride Month. With support from OUSA and Dunedin Pride, the After Dark - Pride Party was another rendition of the museum’s late-night R18 events, following on from the success of After Dark - Love Read more...

Students Raise $120k in Relay for Life

Posted 3:11pm Sunday 2nd April 2023 by

Students donned raincoats (and bunny tails) on Saturday, May 25, for the sixth annual Otago Uni Relay for Life. The 50 teams and 570 individuals signed up to the event raised over the targeted $100k before the relay even began, with the number continuing to climb as relayers circled campus for 12 Read more...

New Details: Eleven Bar “Super Crook”, Report Staff

Posted 3:09pm Sunday 2nd April 2023 by Ruari Warren

A former staff member said their time at Eleven Bar was “unlike any hospo job I’ve ever seen”. Reports from two ex-staff describe management drinking on the job, little to no oversight of employees and a security team that did little to control any of the resulting Read more...