Policy, Management & People

1. WITT Letter WITT’s John Lawson has requested WITT Council chairwoman Mary Bourke’s suspension, purportedly on behalf of WITT staff.
2. Extras: WITT’s Tengaruru Wineera has resigned.

Research & Innovation

1. Working Dogs… and their wellbeing is being studied by Massey’s Andrew Worth.
2. Disaster Stress Canterbury’s Prof Deak Helton says disaster-related stress can slow people’s return to work (NZ Herald).
3. The Iliad Waikato’s Andreea Claude used statistical modelling techniques to confirm that Homer’s Iliad was written in about 762 B.C. (Fairfax).
4. Milk Powder Otago Uni scientists have developed a way to identify a milk powder’s country of origin.
5. Organic Produce Otago Uni research shows sales of organic food and beverage grew 25% in the past 3 years.
6. Heifers Massey’s Rebecca Hickson recommends breeding heifers.
7. Vitamin C Otago Uni’s Prof Margreet Vissers says recommend daily intake of Vitamin C should be increased.
8. Drought Massey’s James Milner says willow supplementation can help ewes during drought.
9. Extras: opinion piece opposing Otago Uni’s Prof Gareth Jones’ paper on prenatal testing for Down syndrome; AUT’s Sharon Harvey says 2^nd languages aren’t being encouraged enough (TelstraClear, Radio NZ, Newstalk ZB); Auckland research shows young Maori more likely to binge drink; Otago Uni’s Brian Cox on new prostate cancer screening research.

Public Issues

1. Rural Immigration Massey’s Paul Spoonley says the Govt should give immigrants more incentives to live outside of the nation’s main centres (BOP Times).
2. Basic Maths Otago Uni’s Chris Linsell, Bilinda Offen and Naomi Ingram say maths is more than just the basics.
3. Tax Ruling Auckland’s Mark Keating says a Court of Appeal decision yesterday was a “slam-dunk” for the IRD.
4. Bystander Effect Auckland’s Danny Osborne on why people fail to notice or act to help others in need (Newstalk ZB).
5. Pilot Negligence Canterbury’s Chris Gallavin on an NZDF pilot who has been charged with negligence.
6. Waitangi AUT’s Prof Paul Moon discusses the Treaty of Waitangi.
7. Extras: satirical opinion piece on Otago Uni’s diabetes research; Gareth Morgan says Auckland’s Prof Anne Salmond and Victoria’s Prof Charles Daugherty support his cat campaign; Auckland’s Claire Cartwright on how to be a good step-parent.

Students

1. Keg Party Otago Uni students are meeting other stakeholders to discuss the Hyde St Keg Party.
2. Tree Petition An NMIT student’s petition to save a tree in the Powerhouse Reserve is unlikely to be successful.
3. Extras: Massey student kayaker; Massey cricketers eyeing U-19 world cup.

Stakeholders

1. Poetry Reading Victoria is bringing Canadian poet Karen Solie to Wellington for a reading.
2. Alcohol Conference Massey’s Profs Sally Casswell and Antonia Lyons and Otago Uni’s Profs Jennie Connor and Janet Hoek will speak at Alcohol Action NZ’s annual conference.
3. MindStorm Victoria’s Prof Shaun Hendy to speak at NZ Telecommunications Forum’s MindStorm conference.
4. Honorary Fellows Businessman Pat Higgins, fashion designer Denise L’Estrange-Corbet and eye health campaigner Mike Webber have been made Honorary Fellows of UCOL.
5. Environmental Law Retired U.S. District Court Chief Judge Kirk Samelson will speak on U.S. environmental law at Waikato.
6. Child Poverty… and the Govt’s record on tackling child welfare is the focus of a forum being held in Auckland (TVNZ, Newstalk ZB).
7. Public History Victoria’s Stout Research Centre for NZ Studies to host seminar series on public history.
8. OEs Auckland to host “conversation event” on the best overseas destinations for young professionals.

Teaching & Learning

1. City and Guilds An Aoraki cookery student is 1 of 5 learners worldwide to be awarded a City and Guilds gold medal.
2. Malaysia Education NZ is running a fashion competition for teams of NZ and Malaysian students to encourage Malaysian students to study in NZ, and an Otago Poly grad will showcase her work in Kuala Lumpur (ODT).
3. Otago Uni… sports turf management students are interning at The Hills golf course and the Queenstown Events Centre.
4. Flower Show CPIT students won a gold medal for student designers of the year at the Ellerslie Garden Show (TVNZ, 3 News).
5. Uni Shorts The finalists have been named for the Uni Shorts Student Film Festival, hosted by Unitec.
6. Teaching Method Canterbury’s Ben Kennedy is implementing teaching strategies learnt from Barack Obama’s science advisor.