Pūtea Tautoko supported 12.5% of all students enrolled last year. Plans are underway to ensure the hardship fund continues into 2021.
Last year, the Pūtea Tautoko coffers were filled by $2 million directly from the University, around $500k donated by staff, alumni and friends of the Government, and $1.5 million from the Government. David Thomson, Chair of the fund’s Governance Group, said it is “unlikely” that the fund will run out of money in 2021. Broke students, rejoice.
Just over 100 students have been supported so far this year, compared with 2592 students over the course of last year.
“At this stage we are committed to granting up to $4.0 million if that is what is required,” said David. He said they would push for more money if it was needed, and that they are about to re-fresh their fundraising efforts.
There have been some changes to how the fund works. It is now a formal practice that a student may not receive more than one grant per semester, and bank balances are to be requested more often. “We have started the year requesting bank balance evidence more often than in 2020, mainly to see if this helps us be confident we are achieving equitable decisions more easily,” David said.
The eVision portal has also been re-vamped, so you don’t need to supply your information as many times.
These changes aren’t to be more stingy. According to David, they’re designed to “achieve more consistent and efficient evidence-based decision making.” Hooray for streamlined bureaucracy.
“We are all part of the Scarfie Whanau,” he said, perhaps unaware he was making himself look silly because ‘breather’ has eclipsed ‘scarfie’.
OUSA President Michaela Waite-Harvey said the fund was “incredibly successful” in keeping at-risk students enrolled at Otago, enabling them to maintain their studies and enjoy the froth.
“Covid-19 hardship changes over time”, explained Michaela. “This year's economic downturn is much different than the immediate impacts of lockdowns last year.” The governance group, which OUSA sits on, will need to rethink the funds policy, according to Michaela.
“It’s important to note that while the worst of Covid may be over in some senses, its financial
impact is not over by any means,” David said. “An ongoing economic impact is still going to be a big factor for New Zealand — and therefore for our students and their families — through 2021.” If this economic impact would bar a student from continuing their education, the grant is there to provide support.