1. Aviation Liquidation Bay Flight Aviation closed just before Xmas, apparently leaving 20 staff and 60 students in limbo. A buyer is being sought and a deal could be signed soon. The current owner blamed bad weather and “something in behind the scenes” for the liquidation. I wonder whether they lost EFTS funding due to the TEC reduction of pilot training EFTS, as Bay Flight Aviation was apparently an NMIT subcontractor. The first liquidators’ report doesn’t tell us much.
2. Ag Skills Some agricultural occupations were added to the skills shortages list, so Massey’s Jacqueline Rowarth said agriculture was undervalued and Labour’s Grant Robertson said it was the government’s fault.
3. Christchurch Enrolments CPIT international student numbers are down – domestically, Canterbury is down 5% for first years and CPIT down 25% (but they closed for an extra week due to Dec quakes)
4. Want an Honorary Degree? Maori Research Institute people are heading off to India and their Indian partner wants to award a Maori Elder an honorary degree while they’re there. So, the Institute is calling for nominations, which I think is much more democratic than just brainstorming in the VC’s office or the marketing department…
5. Extras: UCOL trades academy enrolments; more from the Herald on workforce literacy, with Workbase’s Katherine Percy; Indian Newslink published old industry training stories from Steven Joyce and the ITF; Otago Uni’s Najib Lafraie features in an exhibition.

Research & Innovation

1. Drug Addiction Victoria’s Bronwyn Kivell is looking into anti-addiction compounds (RNZ).
2. Predator Diets Massey’s David Raubenheimer has been looking into the discriminating diet of predators (SMC).
3. Storm Petrels Auckland’s Mark Rayner is trying to find storm petrels – it’s an interesting story.
4. More Regulation Otago Uni’s Prof Janet Hoek wants more regulation on product marketing after a research study.
5. Extras: Massey home affordability research gets criticised in Hawke’s Bay; Canterbury’s Michael Albrow on astronomy finds; Massey’s Phil Broadhurst releases a new jazz CD; Otago Uni research on counting pigeons; Canterbury’s Prof David Schiel on Christchurch’s estuary post-quakes; Victoria research on psychopaths.

Public Issues

1. Internet Addiction Otago Uni’s Prof Dough Sellman has branched out to Internet addiction.
2. Sea Monster? Otago Uni’s Prof Ewan Fordyce thinks he’s identified a basking shark but the guy who found it still thinks it’s a dinosaur.
3. Rena Birds There’s 1 dotterel left with Massey, but more penguins are coming in.
4. Turangi Attack Auckland’s Prof Warren Brookbanks and others provide useful context on the judge’s comments in the Turangi attack case.
5. Extras: Otago Uni’s David Orlovich on a mystery smell, Prof Mark Henaghen on consent over newborn bloodspot cards and Winsome Parnell on soft drink labels; Canterbury’s Stefano Pampanin on quake risk during construction while Ian Lochhead is at the end of this long story on quake-hit heritage buildings; Canterbury’s Jarrod Gilbert is non-committal on Christchurch crime; BOPP’s Dean Tully on bluebottles at the beach; Victoria philosopher Dan Weijers on summer weather disappointment; Massey’s David Tripe on the European downgrade.

Students

1. Drowning Death An Otago Uni student may have drowned while swimming at Titahi Bay, Porirua (Dom Post, TVNZ).
2. Great Restaurant BOPP’s training restaurant has received an award again (SunLive).
3. Extras: Massey triathlete; Auckland student identified whale bones; Waikato student working with kids over summer; Victoria cricketer; cyclist off to Massey; science school for secondary students at Otago Uni; Otago rower; Auckland student coordinating a music contest; Canterbury’s Sam Johnson up for young NZer of the year award.

Stakeholders

1. South Dunedin Otago Poly students are helping to rebrand South Dunedin.
2. Extras: Profs Caroline Saunders and Paul Dalziel from Lincoln are speaking in Selwyn; savaged penguin treated at Massey.

Teaching & Learning

1. Private Tutors Samantha Berry is launching a website to match university students with tutors at Otago Uni. She wants to expand it to other universities and I wish her luck – nice idea.
2. Extras: Massey’s new international security course.

1. Agencies Differ Over Pilot School A Palmerston North flying school, Wings Flight Training Academy, seems at high risk of closure after the International Education Appeal Authority found that accommodation and settling in of students were not up to standards. The IEAA has recommended six months suspension for the provider, during which time no students could be enrolled. On the other hand, NZQA’s EER report in June had the following text (you decide who is right – NB NZQA has made a statement in the comments for this post):

   “Students are guided and supported well from the time they arrive in New Zealand to when they leave. They are met at the airport on arrival and introduced to New Zealand culture, which is very different to Indian culture. Most stay in the accommodation provided by WFTA which has separate houses for the male and female students, an arrangement the students’ parents expect and appreciate. As discussed earlier in this report, the chief flying instructor acts as a respected father figure which encourages parents to recommend WFTA to their children and helps students feel safe and secure, as they would at home.

   Students interviewed by the evaluation team commented that they were disciplined and counselled which showed that the academy was concerned for them and believed that they could succeed. They agreed that the accommodation provided, including the separation of the men and women and the bans on smoking and alcohol, were appropriate and helped them to stay focussed on their study and to make the most of their time at the academy.”

   The rating for learner guidance and support area was excellent for performance and self-assessment.

2. Grant’s Back Grant Robertson is back as Labour’s tertiary education spokesperson, while David Shearer keeps science and innovation. Recent Otago Uni hall of residence warden David Clark picks up associate tertiary.
3. Extras: Ag ITO’s AgExcel expands to quad bike tutors.

Research & Innovation

1. Fish Ears An Otago Uni PhD student is doing geochemical analysis of fish ear bones and it has a useful purpose.
2. Smoking Auckland’s Natalie Walker has been trialling some low nicotine cigarettes, which sound promising as part of a smoking cessation programme. This story also cites Otago/Auckland Uni research.
3. Canterbury Treasure A new book on Canterbury’s treasure is being launched in March, profiling the Library’s best holdings.
4. Extras: Otago Uni Maori research report; $100K donation to Otago Uni zebrafish facility.

Public Issues

1. Medication Labels Otago Uni’s David Reith wants medication packaging to focus on active ingredients rather than brands, to reduce the risk of over-medication.
2. Domestic Violence Retiring academic Ruth Busch (Waikato) says domestic violence is not dealt with well due to biases in the legal system.
3. Extras: Robert Patman on Kim Jong-il; Otago Uni’s Jim Mann on sedentary Kiwis (people); Otago Uni HIV figures cited; Victoria’s Dean Knight makes the news in Southland over knighthoods.

Students

1. Hitchhiking A UCOL student hitchhiked from Dannevirke to Palmie four days a week this year.
2. Extras: school maths teacher developing skills at Massey; Auckland law student at Durban climate change conference; Waiariki students raised $4K for a hospice.

Stakeholders

1. Queensland Trouble A jilted sculptor is trying to get Auckland’s Michael Parekowhai to withdraw from his sculpture competition win.
2. League Whitireia is linking up with a local league club.
3. Extras: Victoria mourns passing of Vaclav Havel; the wife of Prof Leon Phillips is spotting bears while he is on a fellowship in Colorado; Auckland-National Library collaboration on map records.

Teaching & Learning

1. Extras: Otago Poly trades academy ready to start in Central Otago in 2012;

1. Student Fees Otago Uni has boosted its 2012 student services fees by $92 above the uni and students’ assn charges this year, while OUSA will be able to keep all of its staff.
2. 13 Top Professors Auckland has named 13 new Distinguished Professors – 5 existing ones were appointed in 2001. Does this start an arms race amongst universities on titles?
3. Canterbury Analysis Eric Crampton analyses market movements in Canterbury bonds, which he and I were discussing last week.
4. Extras: new fundraiser at Otago Uni (release); Canterbury grad survey; editorial on alternative education; more stuff about Te Wananga o Raukawa’s poor performance.

Research & Innovation

1. Higgs Boson Victoria’s Prof Shaun Hendy gives a very matter of fact explanation of the latest Higgs Boson results.
2. Zebrafish Otago Uni has been given another $100K for its zebrafish facility.
3. WWI A new history of WWI is being edited by Massey’s Prof Glyn Harper.
4. Extras: Massey’s Natasha Swainson on sheep methane emissions; Massey Prof Ralph Sims on energy-smart agriculture; Canterbury’s Prof Arthur Williamson on carbon storage; Canterbury quake-related smartphone app; Auckland’s Yvette Wharton is studying Antarctic penguins; Massey hair dye and lipstick tests; Massey’s work with an electronics cluster; two Massey books on Māori development.

Public Issues

1. Politics Otago Uni’s Bryce Edwards on the Labour leadership (and more detail).
2. Media Regulation Canterbury’s Donald Matheson on proposed new media regulation.
3. Charter Schools Auckland’s Peter O’Connor launches a passionate attack on charter schools.
4. Extras: Otago Uni’s emeritus Prof Helen Leach has a Xmas cakes book; letter to the editor by Waikato’s Prof David Lowe; Auckland’s Prof Scott Optican on a former All Black’s name suppression; Canterbury’s Greg Newbold on anti-police behaviour and on the RNZ reporter’s murder; Rena penguin photos and video; Waikato coastal forum.

Students

1. Extras: a Victoria student on crime near where a RNZ reporter was killed.

Stakeholders

1. Extras: Massey’s Prof Paul Kenyon talking to farmers; the Open Poly is picking up a failed finance company director as a student.

Teaching & Learning

1. Medical Simulation Auckland’s medical simulation centre is covered well in this story – worth a read.
2. 3D Training A 3D mine rescue training simulator will be set up near Greymouth.

1. New Ministers John Key announced new Ministers yesterday, with Steven Joyce keeping tertiary education (adding “skills and employment” too) and picking up economic development, plus science and innovation – Hekia Parata gained education (all the following stories are pretty generic: NewstalkZB, NewstalkZB, RadioLIVE, Kapiti Independent, APNZ, NZ Herald, NZ Herald, RNZ, BusinessDesk, Idealog, One News, Stuff, NBR, TV3). Reaction came from TEU, Universities NZ, NZUSA, frogblog. Later stories focused on Steven Joyce’s key role, including NZ Herald, NZ Herald and Fairfax.
2. Raukawa Funding Cut Te Wananga O Raukawa has had a $1.9m funding cut for next year after a second year of poor course completions in 2010 – they went from 42% to 43% (updated story and again). The new target is 55%, the level at which PTEs are offered zero funding. The wananga is claiming they should be measured according to their Kaupapa but the other two wananga get course completions in the 70s and 80s. Personally, I haven’t seen any credible argument to explain why they should be allowed to continue their low performance. I covered the issue back in August.
3. New NZUSA Prez NZUSA has elected its first ITP President ever – Pete Hodkinson of Unitec. They also recently appointed Alistair Shaw as Executive Director.
4. Aoraki Growth Aoraki expects to grow next year and has finalised a new collective agreement.
5. Extras: Winnie Laban seeking more Pasifika students for Victoria (release);

Research & Innovation

1. Higgs Boson Victoria’s Prof Shaun Hendy comments on the possible discovery of the Higgs boson, as does Massey’s Prof Tony Signal.
2. Low Carbon Transport Auckland’s Jamie Hosking helped write a WHO report on low carbon transport systems released in Durban.
3. Extras: AUT business incubation conference; Antonia Lyons on social networking and alcohol; Massey goat research;

Public Issues

1. Extras: Auckland’s Glenn Simmons on slavery in fisheries; Massey’s emeritus Prof Ivan Snook cited on charter schools; Victoria’s Gerard Kennedy on sleep;

Students

1. Graduate Success Canterbury is claiming high graduate employment on the back of a larger survey response.
2. Design The Dom Post had a long story profiling Victoria design students’ creations.
3. Extras: Victoria cheerleader and research into weeds on Nauru; top squash player off to AUT; student/club grants by OUSA;

Stakeholders

1. Jazz Tui…award nominations have been gained by Massey’s Phil Broadhurst.
2. Extras: Otago Poly’s Jean Ross getting involved in nursing politics;

Teaching & Learning

1. Extras: tributes for (I think ex-) head of NMIT’s fisheries school, who died while tramping;

The Māori Party probably need a ministerial post.

And it probably needs to go to Te Ururoa Flavell.

And the most obvious portfolio to give him is tertiary education.

If the Nats offered that portfolio it would also free up Steven Joyce to ’sticky beak’ about in other portfolios. If the Māori Party made tertiary ed its main priority for 2011-2014 would be incredibly interesting for tertiary education. The Māori Party would be in a position to offer some tangible results to its core constituency, in a field where it has expertise, experience and knowledge. And if the Nats are then brave enough to give the Māori Party some freedom to move, it would shake up the accepted normal behaviours:

• in transition from school to skills training,
• from foundation studies to jobs, and,
• among university elites about how they respond to funding priorities.

It would be fun to watch.

Will Flavell be the pick? Will Steven Joyce get another go? (That’s my pick.) Or will we get another Minister entirely? And who would be best for tertiary education?

1. Labour Leadership David Shearer’s speech to the NZ Tertiary Education Summit has been talked up as a Labour leadership speech – I was there and it was a good speech and I have a lot of time for him. Auckland’s Joe Atkinson comments briefly on the race.
2. Extras: recognition for CPIT TV ads; SIT’s good financial rating; Auckland’s Darren Levy becomes a chartered marketer.

Research & Innovation

1. NZARE The NZ Assn for Research in Education conference is this week, and a satellite event on Māori education has been run already.
2. Aged Care Auckland’s Prof Martin Connolly and Michal Boyd have checked out changes in uptake for residential aged care and changes in residents’ characteristics – interesting.
3. Extras: Massey’s Prof Sally Casswell (and others) may extend an alcohol study to Asia; Nigel Calder’s maths book (Waikato); disability research conference at Otago Uni; WelTec helps GNS scientist; academics talking about gastroenterology; new Waikato research centre; Waikato emeritus prof Jon McCraw’s Waikato River book.

Public Issues

1. Rock Climbing There’s a rock climbing congress at Canterbury this week.
2. Occupy Otago Uni’s Andrew Geddis on an Occupy trespass notice.
3. Gender Pay Gap Massey’s Deborah Russell on the gender pay gap.
4. Rena A journalist spent time with Massey’s Oiled Wildlife Response Unit and has written a great story – that unit won’t need a marketing budget for a couple of years after its Rena exposure!
5. Extras: Otago Uni’s Bryce Edwards on the impact of minor parties on tight electorate races; Auckland’s Scott Optican and Bill Hodge on an AB’s name suppression; Otago Uni’s emeritus prof Helen Leach with a Xmas cake book; Canterbury’s Prof Greg Newbold on a sexual connection case; AUT’s Geoff Dickson stirs up migrants who love rugby.

Students

1. Orchids Waikato PhD thesis on native orchids.
2. Extras: Waikato geochemistry and earth and ocean science student awards; Auckland student’s music; student tried to enter Tai Poutini’s MAINZ after tough time; Coroner looks at Otago Uni student’s car crash death; Otago Uni medical interns in Nelson; NMIT youth enterprise award winner;

Stakeholders

1. Microsoft Links Canterbury and Microsoft have renewed a partnership and internships with Microsoft will increase.
2. SPCA Links WelTec has signed a good work experience agreement with the SPCA – nice work!
3. Incubators There’s been 10 years of business incubators in NZ, with some now at Auckland, AUT and Wintec.
4. Freemasons a 30 year relationship with the Freemasons and Auckland has been marked with some extra financial support to the Uni.
5. Extras: Sealord sets up scholarship to celebrate 50 years; Ako Aotearoa’s Ngahiwi Apanui profiled for his music-making; Otago Poly’s Joy Gasson on a schools’ computer competition; Jacob Tapiata on Massey Māori book awards; Otago Uni Pasifika research protocol (release).

Teaching & Learning

1. Top Teachers AUT’s students have awarded their top teachers – congrats to Sue Raleigh, overall winner.
2. Extras: Dylan Horrocks’ summer comics course at Whitireia; Ag ITO quad bike training.

1. Ministers Steven Joyce is picked to get Economic Development (and keep tertiary education?) while Hekia Parata is tipped for education.
2. Waiariki Settlement Waiariki has been ordered to pay a dismissed head of their nursing school $10,500 compensation and ex-CE Pim Borren has been ordered to pay $6,000 for obstructing the dispute resolution process (I imagine Waiariki will pick upon the bill for that). As I predicted in an earlier post, reinstatement was not ordered. It’s probably a reasonable outcome all around.
3. Tough 2012 Otago Uni reckons it will have a tough year in 2012 and won’t make a 3% TEC target for its surplus. I will believe it when I see it.
4. Managers are Good An Otago Uni academic (and former DVC) responds to concerns about an excessive number of managers.
5. New Gallery A new gallery at NorthTec has been welcomed.
6. Massey International Massey has launched a new internationalisation strategy.
7. Extras: Otago Uni Chancellor reappointed; discussion of Massey employment law case; story on WelTec-Whitireia Council merger; Lincoln’s Telford pre-enrolments at a record high; aviation Gateway programme supported by ATTTO.

Research & Innovation

1. Defence Commercialisation the Defence Force is working with Auckland’s UniServices to commercialise defence force IP. I wonder if there will be any protests about that down the track.
2. Bad Review Auckland’s Nick Perry gets a bad review of his latest book – “pretentious prolixity” is one of the reviewer’s comments, but it’s a rather pretentious turn of phrase in itself.
3. Short Boys Auckland’s John Peek found that some fertility drugs seem to lead to shorter boys (but not girls).
4. Extras: Waikato’s Nigel Calder launches maths book (SunLive); Auckland’s Janet Fanslow on family violence; UCOL’s Kane Parsons doing a Victor Borge homage; Massey’s Pasifika spirituality conference; Auckland’s Richard Milne on a trans-Tasman medication study; Waikato’s new coastal research centre; emeritus Prof Lee Erasmus’ work on a 1961 plane crash (Canterbury).

Public Issues

1. Post-Election Auckland’s James Young on capital gains tax and Prof Raymond Miller on the low turnout (and again) and on selling asset sales and on quake handling; Victoria’s Jon Johansson on Key’s mistakes and Auckland’s Joe Atkinson too; ex-Otago Uni hostel warden wins Dunedin North (profile of him); Otago Uni’s Bryce Edwards assesses the media coverage and comments on Labour’s Clare Curran; Victoria’s Stephen Leven on the Wellington vote; Auckland’s Jennifer Lees-Marshment on Don Brash; Auckland’s Jian Yang gets in off the list.
2. Pre-Election Waikato’s Alan Simpson on a possible low turnout; Phil Goff finished election eve chatting to Auckland Uni cleaners; Bryce Edwards on text polls, but what was more amazing was the man in the article who thought text polls were one person, one vote; Otago Uni election show; Victoria’s Maria Bargh on the Mana and Maori parties’ poor communication; Victoria’s Kate McMillan on voting as a permanent resident.
3. Recidivism Victoria’s Devon Polaschek gave lecture on reducing recidivism among violent offenders.
4. The World Etc Long interview here with Auckland’s Prof Klaus Bosselmann about globalism, values and all sorts of other things. Victoria’s Prof Warwick Murray is also giving an inaugural lecture on globalism and the GFC. Victoria’s Ralph Chapman on climate change.
5. Maori Burial Massey’s Prof Paul Spoonley and Avril Bell comment on a court case over Maori burial practices.
6. Shaky Buildings Auckland’s Jason Ingham gave some good advice to Dunedin property owners about quake strengthening while Otago Uni is starting work on strengthening; comment on Prof Stefano Pampanin’s (Canterbury) prescription for Auckland’s quake-prone buildings;
7. Prostate Cancer Otago Uni’s Brian Cos opposes a prostate cancer screening programme, and the work of colleague Elspeth Gold on an alternative test.
8. Extras: Otago Uni academics on euthanasia (and an Auckland one); comment on porn research (and another story); Canterbury and Lincoln academics in on liquefaction research; Waiariki’s Debbie Thyne on artist Charles Blomfield; Waikato’s Natalie Jackson on the end of population growth in most of NZ; Canterbury’s Greg Newbold on police informants; Otago Uni’s Phil Bishop on the bad outlook for frogs (and how Kermit is partly to blame – I kid you not!); Otago’s Stephen Wing on shark tourism; Auckland’s Prof Miriam Meyerhoff on Obama’s grammar; Otago Uni’s Penny Field and Robin Gauld on the food industry’s power; Auckland’s Cameron Grant on immunisation.

Students

1. 20 Years NZCER has released a report on 20-year olds in a long-term longitudinal study.
2. Maori Opportunities BCITO’s Ruma Karaitiana and others at the CATE conference on opportunities for Maori.
3. Students’ Tough Time Two Otago Uni PhD students are seeking a scholarship extension after their clinical supervisor was convicted on fraud-related charges and had his registration suspended.
4. Streaming Graduations Massey streamed its latest graduations live and will leave them up on the Internet for friends and relatives far away to check it out. Good idea.
5. Top Hairdresser A Dunedin trainee was the Hairdressing ITO’s top apprentice.
6. Extras: Massey grad in PNG plane crash; new Massey flying grads (Manawatu Standard); Victoria student’s Christchurch design concept to happen; NMIT student in speed dating social services event; Aoraki student’s film; Massey PhD thesis on Maori and Western spirituality; Waikato student selling cookies; UCOL Chekhov production, chef grads off to Oman and glass awards; Otago’s Robert Schadewinkel checking out a 1080 drop’s impact; Otago Uni doctoral scholarships up.

Stakeholders

1. Chess Anyone? Canterbury students have helped to get a new outdoor chess set up and running (release, RNZ).
2. Extras: Otago Uni-Pasifika partnership and East Otago links; Otago Poly house sold for charity.

Policy & Management

1. Industry Training Drop Labour’s Jacinda Ardern publicises the drop in industry training numbers.
2. VSM Students’ associations preparing for income cut.
3. New ATTTO CE…is Kathy Wolfe, who has been Acting CE.
4. Whitireia Shift Whitireia is shifting into a temporary Kapiti campus until their new campus is ready.
5. Extras: Stuart Middleton redesigns the education system in his lunch hour; project manager on Artena integration at EIT-Tairawhiti.

Research & Innovation

1. Pornography A Marsden Fund grant at Auckland for pornography research has caused a wee stir.
2. Indian Migrants …are the focus of a study by Massey’s Prof Paul Spoonley (Stuff).
3. Pasture Meter Massey’s Ian Yule et al involved in developing a new pasture meter.
4. Coastal Research Waikato is opening a new coastal research field centre – I know Victoria and Auckland have them and I know Otago has a big boat at least, but who else has such a centre?
5. Kids’ Bikes Otago Poly’s Scot Eady has a cool Wellington exhibition about kids’ bikes – have a read.
6. Extras: Auckland’s Hans Edge on Pacific peoples’ hearts and team games; video of Waikato’s solar powered car (release).

Public Issues

1. Elections impact of tertiary education in Dunedin North electorate; Auckland’s Joe Atkinson on Goff’s police allegations; the Canterbury study of election coverage has some interesting results, but I think their apparent lack of correction for size and prominence of story may be a weakness; find out which academics are on TV on Saturday night, while Otago Uni is running its own election TV show; Massey’s Alexander Molchanov finds that elections (and politics) can hurt business; Auckland’s Bill Hodge on the Greens’ Kevin Hague’s Pike River legal action; Massey’s Claire Robinson on John Key (and again, with Auckland’s Joe Atkinson, and both of them on Phil Goff); Te Mana Akonga student voting guide;
2. Rena Waikato’s Prof Chris Battershill on Rena dispersants.
3. Family Violence Auckland’s Janet Fanslow has a NZ herald op-ed on family violence. Otago Uni study on family violence cited.
4. Trademarks Victoria’s Aroha Mead comments on an interesting library software trademark case.
5. Extras: Massey’s Wayne Barrar wins award for art book; Otago Uni academics on the drinking age; Otago/Victoria Uni academics speaking on eco design; Otago and Auckland Uni academics on euthanasia; Canterbury’s Eric Crampton and Auckland’s Tim Hazeldine on privatisation.

Students

1. Grad Shows Massey’s new grads’ fashion is here and here with pictures. Film School graduation in Wellington.
2. Meningitis Auckland’s Nikki Turner on a student vaccination drive.
3. Top Actors Toi Whakaari grads going well in Wellington theatre awards.
4. Extras: disabled people bullied in Nelson, including possibly an NMIT student; Otago Poly tramper rescued; motor racing Canterbury student; hospitality pathways; AUT student model; student film-makers.

Stakeholders

1. Manufacturing Help CPIT and MIT have put together what sound like a great seminar for Christchurch manufacturers.
2. Climate Change A Unitec staffer, Malia Talakai, is becoming a climate change envoy.
3. Extras: profile of Massey’s Sue Prescott; Victoria lecturer’s conviction; Otago Poly’s Matt Carter was a finalist for young exec of the year.

Teaching & Learning

1. Top Salon A New Plymouth salon has been named the top hairdressing training salon by HITO plus 3 Christchurch hairdressers won.

1. Rally Here’s some coverage of the TEU-NZUSA rally last week.
2. Ashburton Challenges…in literacy provision, that is.
3. Extras: Labour’s
   David Cunliffe mentions defence college at Massey and Carol Beaumont on a skills strategy; end of CPIT-TEU dispute; NorthTec has naming rights for a Whangarei building; Otago Uni alcohol ban continues and doctoral scholarships go up; NZUSA on minor parties; Waikato student director on National’s polices; Stuart Middleton on party policies.

Research & Innovation

1. New Centre Waikato has a new Centre for Environmental, Resources and Energy Law.
2. Extras: Victoria sludge recycling scheme for Palmie; accolades for Waikato Maori tattoo book; ex-Waikato’s John McCraw writes river book (Waikato Times); Waikato’s Vic Arcus looking at old bacteria.

Public Issues

1. Election AUT’s Ella Henry will be on Maori TV on election night; Victoria’s Maria Bargh on the Maori seats and the Maori party; Auckland’s Jennifer Lees-Marshment thinks we don’t have a healthy democracy because half of people don’t completely identify with a party (that’s crazy, as it really shows that people aren’t separated on tribal political lines!); profile of Victoria grad (and my very good friend) Greens candidate James Shaw (vote for him in Wellington); Auckland’s Prof Ray Miller on John Key; Victoria’s Steven price on the teapot tapes; Auckland’s Joe Atkinson on last night’s debate; Otago Uni’s Bryce Edwards on bans on election day media coverage (which I really must look into);
2. Solar Eclipse There’s a partial solar eclipse on Friday, according to Canterbury’s Alan Gilmore.
3. Rivers Here’s a good column by top farming journalist Jon Morgan on Mike Joy’s (of Massey) river quality proposals.
4. Extras: Roger Sutton speaks at Canterbury lecture; Victoria’s Jon Johansson campaigns for MMP (he did it on debate analysis last night too).

Students

1. Top Hairdressers The Hairdressing ITO had its annual awards on Sunday night.
2. Voting Tool The Massey On the Fence voting tool (release).
3. Food Bank Student fines at Massey are filling up food banks.
4. Bamboo Bike AUT student designs bamboo bike.
5. Fashion Show The ODT has Otago Poly’s grad show for fashion students.
6. Extras: mentored students hoping to get to uni; EIT scholarship winner gets exhibition; Auckland software experts in NYC; AUT fashion grad interview (with pics); tracking female architecture grads; WITT student art show.

Stakeholders

1. Periodic Table I’ve been following the knitted periodic table for some time and it will be unveiled this week at Waikato for a Chemistry conference. Fabulous.
2. Scholarship Money MFAT has funded 25 geothermal energy scholarships at Auckland;
3. Pork Schnitzel …with Otago Poly’s Daniel Pfyl.
4. Extras: trial of Victoria’s Yvonne van Roy and she was found guilty; AUT sports conference; upcoming DEANZ conference; Corrections picks up te reo Māori award; Auckland and Vic professors on Hastings architecture.

Teaching & Learning

1. Bread Aoraki students got a master class in breadmaking.
2. Extras: successful NMIT students; robot dragon.

1. Whitireia-WelTec Merger Steven Joyce has approved the Whitireia-WelTec council merger.
2. Fees There were fears that Otago Uni’s fees would rise by 4% and they did.
3. CPIT Settlement CPIT has settled an agreement with TEU members.
   
4. National’s Policy Me on TV about National’s policy yesterday morning.
5. Artena Merger Artena put out a release about how well the EIT-Tairawhiti merger went on the student management system side.
6. Extras: progress on Otago Uni building at new stadium; Massey’s new natural sciences degree; assessment services provider wins award; NMIT building wins another award (it will win my “most-mentioned building” award this year).

Research & Innovation

1. Sequelae A Canterbury release about a book for children might show why academics shouldn’t write their own releases, with the introduction of the word sequelae with no explanation. Or it could be a ruse to encourage you to Google it and find out what it means, in which case I’ll let you find out.
2. Urgency Victoria’s Claudia Geiringer, Polly Higbee and Prof Elizabeth McLeay have researched Parliament’s use of urgency.
3. Extras: Waikato electric car; paper cites Auckland meth baby research; Waikato’s Ngahuia Te Awekotuku sells out French translation of tattoo book.

Public Issues

1. Election Massey’s Deborah Russell on second class citizens; the tea tapes attracted comments from Massey’s Claire Robinson (good piece) and Victoria’s Steven Price; Victoria’s Ana Gilling on Back Benches; Massey’s Grant Duncan on coalition options; Otago Uni’s Bryce Edwards on last leaders’ debate;
2. Penguins Massey released penguins (Stuff). Back In less telegenic work, Waikato will be researching the long-term impact of the spill on the environment (SunLive).
3. Extras: Otago Uni’s Phi Bishop on saving frogs; Auckland’s Prof Kenneth Husted on innovation; Auckland’s Prof Raymond Miller on MMP; AUT’s Grant Schofield and Auckland’s Katie Fitzpatrick on kids’ fitness.

Students

1. Student Unrest An Otago Uni Council member complained about publicity over student unrest and the impact it might have on enrolments.
2. Extras: Otago Poly careers day in Central Otago; Unitec’s Grad Show; BOPP end of year shows (BOP Times); baking showcase at MIT; Waiariki runner Samara Shepherd; ESITO’s top trainee.

Stakeholders

1. Fibre Training EIT and Unison have signed a training deal, including a facility, to support fibre rollout (Hawke’s Bay Today).
2. Court Case Victoria’s Yvonne van Roy on trial over the death of a cyclist.
3. Avocado WITT’s Denis Duthie cooks with avocado.
4. Extras: Auckland’s Icehouse signs deal with iwi; Open Poly’s Merilyn Merritt on cleaning up the Waiwhetu Stream -it runs by the campus; Unitec students arrive in Haiti; Massey-supported community garden; Massey won Maori language award in tertiary education sector; AUT refugee education conference; Massey’s global entrepreneurship week; Chinese visit to Massey; recognition for Massey work after Christchurch quake.

Teaching & Learning

1. Top Lecturer Massey’s Prof Jill Hooks gets Albany lecturer of the year.