Policy, Management & People

1. Postgrad Allowances The Greens’ Holly Walker on cutting student allowances to postgrad students.
2. Roy Kerr Extensive profile of Canterbury’s Roy Kerr.
3. Fee Rise Massey will consider applying for an 8% fee increase for education, humanities and social sciences papers next year.
4. Loan Repayments NZUSA president Pete Hodkinson on changes to student loan repayment policy, rebutted here by Kiwiblog.
5. NZer of the Year Auckland’s Prof Anne Salmond is astounded to have been named NZer of the Year (NZ Herald, 3 News, Radio NZ), and this editorial is full of praise.
6. Nursing Students CPIT’s nursing school will increase the February student intake from the usual 110-115 a year to 140 this year and UCOL nursing student numbers are also increasing, but only 56% of the first enrolled nursing grads are working as enrolled nurses.
7. WITT Outgoing WITT Te Wananga Maori leader Tengaruru Wineera says the future of WITT’s Maori community is in good hands.
8. 50 Years Massey’s Glynnis Cropp is celebrating 50 years with the university.
9. Aoraki… is optimistic about enrolments, and has reached 99% of its target for February.
10. Travel Bill SIT’s overseas travel bill for the last 2 years is over $250,000.
11. Wellington… looking to attract 1000 more foreign students.
12. Extras: Grant Robertson on nationwide “Save Our Polytechnics Tour”; Salient on MOE reports on Profiles and Trends in NZ’s Tertiary Education Sector and Moving on up; Otago Poly predicting increased student roll.

Research & Innovation

1. Wild Pollinators Canterbury’s Prof Jason Tylianakis on the importance of wild insects in spreading pollen (Fairfax).
2. Earthquake Education Victoria’s Mike Taylor and Azra Moeed are studying the influence of the Christchurch earthquakes on NCEA geography and science curricula (Yahoo).
3. Digital Libraries Waikato’s Jennifer Whisler is spending a year building resources for customised digital libraries.
4. Rena Impact An Awanuiarangi student is studying the impact of the Rena grounding on Maori communities in the BOP.
5. Psoriasis Massey’s Michelle Ingram seeking 12 more participants for study on effect of vitamin D on psoriasis.
6. Wolf Pack 5 Massey students have designed a free app to help friends stick together when out at night.
   
7. Maori Teens… are more likely to binge drink than any other ethnic group in NZ, say Auckland researchers (TelstraClear).
   
8. Extras: Otago Uni’s Kirsten Coppell says 20% of adult NZers are at risk of diabetes (TVNZ, MSN, SciBlogs) and Peter Gluckman responds; Auckland tracking 23 great white sharks; Otago Uni’s Prof Russell Poulter has been analysing the DNA of the kiwifruit virus PSA (Rhema); an SIT student has written a book on managing depression; University of Bremen students heading home after preliminary visit for Intercoast research exchange; Auckland’s Matt Rayner found NZ storm petrels on Little Barrier Island; two school principals have rejected Canterbury’s Brigid McNeill’s research on spelling education, here and here; Canterbury’s Ian Mason on electric cars; Victoria research shows increasing paua since fishing ban.

Public Issues

1. Shallow Water Auckland’s Simon Mitchell on the risks of children holding their breath in shallow water.
2. Same Sex Marriage Auckland’s Sam Clements and Waikato’s Prof Douglas Pratt on the Marriage Equality Bill.
3. Federated Farmers Waikato’s Prof Jacqueline Rowarth on the importance of farmers sticking together.
4. Charter Schools Auckland’s Peter O’Connor says the announcement of a Charter School Board is “desperate and undemocratic” (TVNZ, TelstraClear).
5. Pirates Canterbury’s Prof Karen Scott says a US court decision labelling the Sea Shepherd Conservation Society as pirates may have “gone too far”.
6. Cycling Auckland’s Alistair Woodward gives a cyclist’s perspective on road etiquette and Canterbury’s Glen Koorey on a Christchurch cycling network.
7. Biosecurity Massey’s Prof Roger Morris says NZ’s biosecurity has declined.
8. Census Victoria’s Will Hoverd on changing demographics in NZ.
9. Extras: Massey’s Pamela Von Hurst on vitamin D deficiency; Massey’s David Tripe on banking institutions’ reputations; Auckland’s Prof Jane Kelsey on free trade agreements; Waikato’s Carolyn Costley on unethical retail practices.

Students

1. Harlem Shake Aoraki students have made their own version of the Harlem Shake video.
2. Outward Bound Three Whitireia grads have secured positions at Outward Bound in the Marlborough Sounds.
3. Hauora Scholarships Tariana Turia is encouraging Maori students to apply for Hauora Maori Scholarships.
4. Anime Dressup An Otago Uni student creates anime-themed costumes for the Armageddon Expo.
5. Student Volunteers Otago’s Scarfie Army has been approved for funding by Otago Poly (Radio NZ).
6. Keg Party The Hyde St Keg Party’s future may be in jeopardy.
7. Extras: Otago Uni student cyclist; Palmerston North students told not to give to beggars.

Stakeholders

1. Appeal to Parliament Auckland’s Niki Harre and Otago Uni’s Bob Lloyd and Alan Mark among academics launching new group of concerned citizens.
2. Constitutional Conversation AUSA to host discussion on Constitutional Advisory Panel issues.
   
3. Olympics Lincoln Pro-Chancellor Tony Hall named on 3-person 2016 Olympiad selection panel.
4. Board Appointment Victoria’s John Shewan named Deputy Chair of the Partnership Schools Authorisation Board (Fairfax).
5. Monarch Butterflies Washington State Uni’s David James will speak at Unitec on the importance of tagging Monarch butterflies.
6. Coastal Lab Victoria’s Coastal Ecology Laboratory is holding an open day on 9 March.
7. Indigenous Literature… expert Prof Arturo Arias to speak at Auckland Uni.
8. Computer Passwords Auckland’s Peter Gutmann will judge an international data security comp.
9. Extras: actress Lisa Harrow to give public lecture at Auckland today, and is interviewed here; Vanderbilt University’s Vaughan Jones on math education; Otago Poly’s Margo Barton judging ODT paper had design comp; Canterbury’s Stefano Pampanin to deliver public lecture on earthquake-resistant solutions; Canterbury’s Prof David Schiel to speak on Tauranga port; Auckland to host lecture by environmental activist and artist.

Teaching & Learning

1. International Comps Auckland’s Nina Khouri on the University’s silver medal at the International Mediation Comp in Paris.
   
2. Specialist Teachers… met for a 1-week contact course as part of Massey’s Postgrad Diploma in Specialist Teaching.
   
3. Unitec… Sport Dept reps have introduced a coach development programme for secondary school teachers at Gisborne Boys’ High School.
   
4. Innovative Dish An Otago Poly student won Most Innovative Dish at the Fonterra Proud to be a Chef comp (ODT).
   
5. Extras: CPIT architecture students have build a clay, woodfired pizza oven for community groups; Massey’s English and Media Studies dept performed Shakespeare’s The Tempest.