1. A View on Everything This opinion piece covers almost every issue in current tertiary education in short bites. Since it is probably just written to provoke, I think I will refrain from comment.
2. WITT Rockets WITT’s enrolments are up by 50% on last year, down to PEI’s demise, WITT’s own marketing and the general environment. Congrats to them. WITT has also treated PEI staff as internal for the purpose of new WITT jobs, boosting their employment chances – nice touch.
3. WEA Trouble A WEA is in trouble in Lower Hutt.
4. TEC CFO I saw the TEC is advertising its CFO position shortly after winning an ERA case – many of you were interested in that case, so here’s the judgment (you can download the full PDF there).
5. Rod to Stay As I suggested yesterday, Rod Carr is staying at Canterbury and not applying for the Reserve Bank job.
6. Extras: NBR covers Jacqueline Rowarth’s move to Waikato; Otago Uni’s neurosurgery campaign.

Research & Innovation

1. Innovation Database KiwiNet has launched an innovation database (Unlimited, Idealog) to showcase technologies on offer for commercialisation etc.
2. Tracking Albatross Otago Uni research tracking albatross made TV3 news.
3. Volcanic Lakes Waikato composers David Griffiths and Michael Williams will be at a Volcanic Lakes Festival in Italy this month directing their compositions.
4. Siouxsie Wiles’ …research on bioluminescence at Auckland is the focus of this piece in The Listener.
5. Exercise and Brains Otago Uni researchers are looking into how exercise affects brain function.
6. Extras: Auckland’s Keith Petrie et all has been looking at patients’ thoughts about illness; molecular mechano is the focus of an academic visiting Otago Uni; Massey franchising research; Victoria’s Aidan Tabor looking at emigrant couples’ experiences.

Public Issues

1. ICT in Schools Waikato’s Noeline Wright was on TV to discuss the use of digital equipment in schools.
2. Extras: WITT’s John Hudson cooks with sprouts and peas; Auckland’s Elsie Ho on Asian immigration to Auckland; Waikato’s Prof Natalie Jackson on a rural lack of young women; AUT’s Rawiri Taonui on the SOE Treaty issue.

Students

1. Celebrating Grads Competenz is celebrating its grads by creating an honour roll publication listing grads and their employers, plus producing an alumni magazine – is this a first amongst ITOs?
2. Legal Win Open Poly students won 5/7 Legal Exec exam prizes.
3. Nurse Star Profile of Unitec ad star and nursing student.
4. Bad Start A new SIT student had her parents helping her get to town and their caravan flipped.
5. Extras: Auckland student may be off to Amazon; Victoria rugby player; Miss India NZ from Victoria; profile of new Unitec dance student; a Victoria student at Occupy Wellington.

Stakeholders

1. Charming Worms Lincoln is running an ecology nature picnic for the whole family.
2. Extras: UCOL grad in top restaurant; Unison-EIT partnership; Waikato supporting Fieldays innovation competition; fire eater at CPIT; training needs in caring for the elderly.

Teaching & Learning

1. Teach First Teach First continues to stir controversy with the NZ Herald running an op-ed by an opponent and Auckland Now running a story.
2. Extras: 30 years of nursing at WITT.

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. Whitireia Buildings Whitireia has pulled out of a $3m contribution to a performing arts development in Porirua, both because they’ve moved their course into Wellington and approved a $20m development at Porirua for classrooms etc to replace prefabs. It’s upset some people in Porirua, but it’s hard to fault the priorities.
2. Industry Training The MOE will be getting a strong submission from Horticulture NZ on the industry training review.
3. Congrats Richard Richard Handley, WITT CE, has been congratulated by iwi on meeting Treaty responsibilities.
4. Titles Race? Ha ha, last week I suggested that Auckland’s appointment of 13 Distinguished Professors might start an arms race around titles and now Lincoln has named one! To be fair, the decision would have been made before Auckland’s release, but it does look like a developing trend anyway.
5. VSM Hearing Te Mana Akonga has apparently gained a Waitangi Tribunal hearing into its claims about VSM legislation.
6. Tough Competition The Spirit of Adventure is running a special trip for unemployed 17-20 year olds.
7. Raukawa App Te Wananga O Raukawa has had some bad news recently but I just came across this cool app they have, eWai, that has waiata tawhito on it. If I have it correctly, they are the traditional chants heard on marae.
8. Extras: Victoria now has the triple crown of business school accreditation; Methven summer school enrolments; new construction and student facilities at UCOL Wairarapa.

Research & Innovation

1. Food Science Lincoln’s first professor of food science, Charles Brennan, sees a bright future in the area for NZ.
2. Extras: Auckland cigarette research; three Canterbury researchers to give papers at human-computer interaction conference; new Victoria climate change book.

Public Issues

1. Aviation Oddity The person who allegedly impersonated Massey’s Frank Sharp, head of the aviation school, in an email that was entered into evidence at a coroner’s inquiry into an aviation accident has been revealed. It turns out that Peter Kirker, a CAA employee (he resigned last week), may have sent the email but the charges will be defended. This is very odd, but has got media coverage from RNZ, NewstalkZB, APNZ, APNZ, One News, NZN, Dom Post, Fairfax and Fairfax.
2. Summer Reading Massey’s Prof Tom Nicholson has devised a kids summer reading programme, funded by a donation, to stop kids falling back in reading ability during the break.
3. Charter Schools Auckland’s Peter O’Connor gets a swerve from Karl Du Fresne over charter schools views.
4. Extras: Unitec’s Keith Rankin on the global debt crisis; Massey’s Chris Wilkins on the war on P; Auckland’s Michael Littlewood on KiwiSaver; Otago Uni’s Najib Lafraie on an Otago Museum exhibition; Waiariki’s Narissa Bayler on social media tribute pages; WITT’s Robyn Trewern making salads.

Students

1. SVA Nelson The Student Volunteer Army is heading off to help in Nelson.
2. Glacier Art Auckland student Amelia Hitchcock collaborated with Massey’s Martin Brook and Rob Dykes to create art on a glacier lake.
3. EIT…fashion end of year show (nice pics) and art exhibition.
4. Extras: Canterbury grads get fire safety design awards in Singapore.

Stakeholders

1. Squid AUT is showing off its giant squid at Auckland Museum this summer.
2. Rowing Lincoln’s Martin Berka is rowing across the Tasman (with a group) but is battling a bad foot infection (release).
3. Extras: Unitec’s Jamie Lane is also a top snowboarding coach/selector; Otago Uni’s Dave Gerrard moonlights as the chair of the Drowning Prevention Council; Waikato’s Prof David Hamilton helping improve lake quality; Massey is supporting a new Wellington Fashion Week.

Teaching & Learning

1. Extras: ATITO’s first carding technician grad; EIT’s new music programme.

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. Youth Unemployment The Reject Youth Unemployment coalition wants to meet Paula Bennett to discuss youth unemployment issues – given it is a leftwing coalition that launched a few weeks out from the election, complained about “the last three years” and is now inviting Bennett to meet via media release, I suspect they may not be that successful in their meeting goal.
2. $500K Waikato has gained a $500,000 bequest from Zena Daysh – and her ashes will be interred in New Plymouth today. Read the releases – she was quite a woman.
3. Taratahi Profile The Taranaki Daily News has written a long profile on Taratahi’s presence in the region and you should read it (NB I work with them but it’s still a good article).
4. Extras: Young Nats dislike Otago Uni student services fees but the Uni and OUSA are getting on with Orientation; Education NZ’s future; ITF research on industry training benefits (Idealog); new IBM storage system at Canterbury; Stuart Middleton on (non-tertiary) education Ministers; the NBR Editor has some research funding suggestions for Steven Joyce.

Research & Innovation

1. Smart Crows Auckland researchers have found out how smart crows are, which we largely knew already, but this time they have video to share.
2. Extras: Canterbury PhD student looking at impact of snow on rural areas; Victoria PhD student on learning languages in a pleasurable way; Waikato Tauranga harbour study (SunLive); Auckland tobacco research; Otago Uni’s Maori research report.

Public Issues

1. Cyber Bullying Waiariki’s Narissa Bayler on cyber bullying.
2. SOE Sales Victoria’s Jason Young questions whether preference for NZers in SOE share sales might breach trade agreements.
3. Extras: Otago Uni’s Nick Wilson on turkey tails; AUT’s Grant Schofield on NZers’ health; Auckland’s Michael Littlewood on savings.

Students

1. Murderer Sentenced Honglin Yu will serve at least 17 years for the murder of fellow Chinese student Jiayi ‘Kiko’ Li (3 News, 3 News).
2. Cancelled Graduation NMIT decided to cancel today’s graduation, given all the bad weather around Nelson.
3. Disliked Graduation Canterbury’s Eric Crampton isn’t a fan of graduations so analyses why people do and don’t go.
4. Extras: Victoria rowers; Massey student’s road-inspired exhibition; Canterbury students win national accounting awards; school principal retires to attend Waiariki; Otago Uni equestrian.

Stakeholders

1. Maori Trade Training Hawkins Construction will join with Ngai Tahu, CPIT, BETA and others to support trade training for Canterbury Maori (The Press).
2. Dr Richie McCaw Lincoln will give Richie McCaw an honorary doctorate next year (and I know that doesn’t make him a Dr) along with some other lesser celebrities with decades of professional work behind them (NZN, Stuff).
3. Extras: Victoria creative writing prize and literary journal; WelTec students upgrading ferry air-conditioning; Massey’s Jan Dixon testifies in a fraud case; Game Jam at Waikato; Canterbury artist in residence Fata Feu’u.

Teaching & Learning

1. Extras: Open Poly’s new science qual for primary school teachers; Waikato’s Holly Thorpe off to teach on a Fulbright.

1. ITO Costs/Benefits The ITF has released research they commissioned from BERL on the costs and benefits of industry training (Dom Post, Stuff).
2. Extras: Aoraki-Lincoln articulation; AUT’s top managers turn to iPhones; new Canterbury Chancellor; Raukawa head takes pay cut; new NZUSA president.

Research & Innovation

1. Bienniale Massey’s Heather Galbraith will be deputy curator for NZ’s 2013 Venice Bienniale entry.
2. Extras: Waikato electric car.

Public Issues

1. Seal’s Home Visit The cute story of the baby seal that came into someone’s home was commented on by Otago Uni’s Bruce Robertson and Massey’s Brett Gartrell.
2. Commuting FITEC and Auckland commuters discuss their experiences while AUT’s Profs Charles Crothers and Grant Schofield analyse it all.
3. Domestic Violence Waikato’s Ruth Busch reflects on her specialty of domestic violence as she retires.
4. Extras: Massey’s Nick Cave on dogs’ health; Otago Uni’s Prof Jennie Connor on alcohol research (release); Otago Uni’s Winsome Parnell on food guidelines; Canterbury’s Mark Billinghurst on invisible computing.

Students

1. Abseiling Graduate The AUT grad who had an abseiling accident last week recovered enough to attend the graduation ceremony yesterday.
2. Posthumous PhD AUT has granted a posthumous PhD – have a read.
3. Student Growth Here’s a lovely story of a student’s development at UCOL.
4. Architecture Overall results from an NZIA architecture competition for top students.
5. Extras: NMIT business student award; SJS in Otago (ODT).

Stakeholders

1. Whale Win Auckland’s Mazdak Radjainia has won the 2011 New Zealand Geographic Photographer of the Year Award for the Wildlife Category for the whale photo below. Wonderful.
2. Japan NZ Massey has helped develop a logo to mark 60 years of NZ-Japan diplomatic relations;
3. Extras: finance conference at AUT.

Teaching & Learning

1. Extras: new counselling course at Vision College.

1. Lincoln Buildings TV3 had a piece last night on Lincoln’s closed-off buildings.
2. Bond Problems Canterbury could be facing problems with its NZDX bonds (NZ Herald).
3. EER Excitement An Auckland Maori PTE got a good EER report but not a great one but still got a gushing story on RNZ and an even more gushing media release from Pita Sharples. Sheesh, they didn’t even get top marks!
4. Extras: Victoria’s marae gateway; buses to WITT need more passengers; EIT increasing arts and design staff.

Research & Innovation

1. Smoking in Cars People in Wainuiomata are more likely to smoke in cars with children than people in Karori according to Otago Uni’s George Thomson (NewstalkZB, Dom Post, NZN).
2. Energy-Smart Food Massey’s Prof Ralph Sims has just launched a report on for the UN on energy-smart food.
3. Extras: Auckland research on teenagers’ screen time; Massey pill for wild horses.

Public Issues

1. Accents Victoria’s Janet Holmes has an interesting column on accents.
2. DOC Open Letter 107 scientists, almost all from NZ universities, have written an open letter to Conservation Minister Kate Wilkinson (39 from Massey). They argue that budget cuts to DOC should not go ahead (release, NZN, Dom Post, Dom Post, NewstalkZB).
3. Mining The government broke a promise on mining according to Otago Uni’s emeritus Prof Sir Alan Mark. Two visiting US academics at Waikato have also written a paper on mining.
4. Extras: Canterbury’s David Small on the Mana party; Otago Uni alcohol research cited; Massey’s Mike Joy on river quality; Auckland’s Scott Optican on a murder charge (not his!); Otago and Massey academics on smart food for babies; Laidlaw’s Mark McKeown on non-voters.

Students

1. SVA There’s a new president of the Canterbury Student Volunteer Army – I’m guessing he won’t want as busy a year as Sam Johnson.
2. Extras: top students to Canterbury; Canterbury triathlete; AUT grad’s abseil fall survival (Auckland Now): ad win for Media Design School students (plus some cool showreels from other students); NorthTec fashion show.

Stakeholders

1. Training Nice Competenz case study of training in a pie factory.
2. Extras: exhibition at NMIT gallery; Massey’s Roger Buckton conducting a choir; university-ICT links in Wellington.

Teaching & Learning

1. Extras: New UCOL Wairarapa music programme; Unitec congratulates student-chosen top teacher; NMIT’s new mechanical engineering course; Canterbury to offer teaching degree at WITT.

1. Lincoln Closures Lincoln is moving staff out of its Hilgendorf and Student Union buildings due to poor seismic ratings (FAQ, campus map – Hilgendorf at bottom left, student union in middle – NewstalkZB, The Press, ). They’re doing a space audit to find new places for displaced people and are confident they can find the space. But Hilgendorf is a big loss in size, while the Student Union has their cafe. Big call and reading between the lines, these buildings may not be repaired, but demolished.
2. Auckland Prof Sir Peter Gluckman spoke on research and innovation needs for NZ and also touched on tertiary education issues in Auckland. He seemed to suggest IRL would be in the new Wynyard Precinct.
3. WelTec Precinct WelTec is seeking to have a Tertiary Education Precinct designation in their area to avoid endless fights with the locals about parking and other issues.
4. School Closure Wellington Business School has closed – I might write more about it.
5. Extras: WITT’s Richard Handley calling for Taranaki buses to lift South Taranaki enrolments; Victoria marae gateway; the busy life of Massey’s Lisa Strathdee; the ITF’s Ian Elliott on system complexity.

Research & Innovation

1. Musical Law Canterbury’s Prof Stephen Todd is developing lyrics for 26 law cases set to Gilbert and Sullivan music and will soon have an illustrated songbook and CD. Why, you may ask. Why indeed. The media release has copious information, but does not answer why.
2. Dioxin Waikato’s Prof Roberta Farrell has found that fungi can reduce toxic dioxins in soil.
3. Marsden Grant Canterbury’s Michael Plank has received a late Marsden grant for work on cell invasion.
4. Personal Bacteria Otago Uni’s Prof Greg Cook has had a bacteria named after him.
5. Electric Car…from Waikato has reached Invercargill.
6. Extras: an oyster farm restoration project will provide research opportunities for Auckland students; PhD by Whitireia’s Sue Chard on 3D web-based learning environments.

Public Issues

1. Charter Schools Auckland’s Peter O’Connor and Massey’s John O’Neill don’t support charter schools.
2. Fightback Labour’s Clare Curran hits back at criticism by Otago Uni’s Bryce Edwards.
3. Google Searches Victoria’s Marc Wilson and Massey’s Robert McLachlan comment on Google searches for NZ – the Google lists are better.\
4. Moreporks Waikato’s Dai Morgan is looking for moreporks.
5. Extras: Auckland’s Paerau Warbrick on Maori voter turnout; Auckland’s Denise Conroy on retail therapy; Auckland’s Helen Cooper Thomas on networking; Victoria’s Prof Martin Manning on giant sunshades for the earth; Mana seems to want Auckland lecturers to be trespassed; Victoria’s Graham Hassall on Fiji.

Students

1. Autism Success Here’s a story of a student with autism who was well behind other students early on at school but is now studying at university.
2. Cool Fashion The ODT profiles some work by an Otago Poly fashion grad who will appear in the iD fashion show (release). Plus CPIT had their fashion show.
3. Extras: Otago Uni rowers and bank grad job; Wintec and WITT journalism grads off to Taranaki; WelTec student’s cricket coaching; UCOL golfer (and an EIT one and a Waikato one); school students’ tertiary plans in Marlborough (and again); AUT grad’s abseiling fall; Victoria student wins scriptwriting prize; OUSA club grants; Lincoln student’s water use study; Canterbury students painting pianos.

Stakeholders

1. Dealing Liquor Otago Uni’s Doug Sellman is opposing a liquor license for a supermarket in his local area and has said that New World are “probably the single biggest drug dealers in New Zealand” (RNZ, TV3).
2. Extras: Canterbury hosting a management conference; Massey’s Prof Paul Kenyon on sheep farming; AUT’s Anil Narayan on NZ CPA board; WITT’s Graeme Cawsey cooking with asparagus; leisure studies conference at Otago Uni; TWOA’s Pererika Mahika’s waka ama work; film based at Canterbury to screen; Victoria student’s design win; successful farm purchase for an AG ITO training adviser; UCOL ICT industry placements.

Teaching & Learning

1. Top Unitec Lecturer Unitec students have voted for their top lecturer and for the FIFTH year it has been won by Susan White of the Dept of Nursing. The Unitec Student Union also had a 5 minute interview with the winner, which was a nice touch – more people should do this sort of thing!

1. Christchurch Rebuild The wave of new students/trainees in construction don’t yet have a job to go to, with rebuilding in Christchurch not yet starting – comments by BCITO’s Ruma Karaitiana and CPIT’s Phil Agnew.
2. Wings Trimmed Southern Wings Aviation College, which is shifting away from being an SIT subcontractor, has had an EFTS cut as TEC introduces a new aviation training cap.
3. Marae Gateway Victoria has a new marae gateway and it looks pretty good. Much better than the simple alleyway that they used to have.
4. Loans Students are borrowing more (interest.co.nz).
5. Canterbury Changes The TEU’s Sandra Grey (ED Blog’s Best Lobbyist Singer of the Year) muses on whether Canterbury will cut whole departments. Meanwhile, Canterbury is to spend $1.6m on an emergency communication system.
6. Extras: release on Tai Poutini’s EER; Otago Poly’s Matt Carter and his management success; HSI and Waiariki board member gets new job; new Chancellor at Canterbury (RNZ); Deborah Hill Cone’s underdeveloped views on university marketing, participation and organisation; TWOA’s Tai Wananga has good demand; car parking changes in Dunedin; Auckland hostel to be extended.

Research & Innovation

1. Women in Newspapers Massey’s Catherine Strong has released some strong findings on newspaper careers for women. I’ll be interested to see how it is covered.
2. Too Much Salt Otago Uni’s Rachael McLean has found that Kiwis eat too much salt (RNZ, The Press, NZN).
3. Old Shoppers Waikato’s Margaret Richardson is trying to make life easier for older shoppers.
4. Baby Deaths Auckland’s Shirley Tonkin and colleagues have found that tongue growth and jaw looseness can contribute to sudden infant deaths. Unlike much of the research in this area, it actually seems science-based and clear – read it now before its gets washed through the Ministry of Health!
5. Solar Car TV3 did a piece on the Waikato solar car, the German uni’s team’s car and a local car. I feel sorry for them given they have no windows and no A/C!
6. Extras: Victoria’s Melanie Johnston-Hollitt working on astronomy software; Massey’s Sitaleki Finau on Pasifika spirituality; Massey’s Kerry Taylor on a museum’s history; research by Otago Uni’s Bernard Venn cited (on potatoes); art making by MIT’s Bill Riley; Otago Uni’s Tony Reeder on sun safety; Victoria’s Elisabeth McDonald on changes to sex-attack justice; nice profile of Massey’s Evelyn Sattlegger; art conference at Vic this week.

Public Issues

1. Breastfeeding on P? Auckland’s Trecia Wouldes notes that there’s not much evidence on the effect of breastfeeding while taking P.
2. Home for Xmas Massey bird saviours hope to be home for Xmas after releasing the last of the oiled birds – also Canterbury’s Prof David Schiel on the cleanup an d Waikato’s Prof Chris Battershill on the environmental recovery.
3. Immigration Alleged comments by AUT’s Prof Charles Crothers are being used by a local Grey Power group to support an inquiry into Auckland’s ethnic makeup (I think they don’t want non-white people).
4. Gift-Giving Waikato’s Carolyn Costley on the psychology of gift-giving – which makes me wonder whether academics can find as many angles on Xmas as they did for the RWC. I spoke too soon – BOPP’s Esta Chappell is commenting on the greenness of real vs fake Xmas trees.
5. Bank Downgrades…attracted comments from Massey’s David Tripe (and again and again).
6. Extras: Victoria’s Maria Bargh on Labour and Maori and Robert Ayson on Iran-Britain relations; Otago Uni seminar on food production; Canterbury’s John Cookson on post-quake Christchurch; Otago Uni’s Dr Blackman on chemistry hero Ernest Solvay; Massey’s Clare Robinson on David Shearer; Otago Uni’s Bryce Edwards on voter turnout and Labour’s list; Massey’s David Deakins on business real estate; AUT’s Elaine Rush on drinking water; Otago Uni’s Andrea Insch on a marketing campaign and Prof Stephen Wing responds to some odd marine theories; more from OIA request of Auckland’s Alex McMillan; Auckland’s Barry Gustafson on coalition deals.

Students

1. NZer of the Year Canterbury’s Sam Johnson (Student Volunteer Army) has been nominated by the NZ Herald as a NZer of the Year finalist.
2. Art Over Panel Beating Here’s a story of a student who chose art at Massey over a panel beating apprenticeship.
3. Listening to Kiwis Bay of Plenty Poly students have put in kiwi listening stations on the Kepler Track near Te Anau (release).
4. Cunliffe Support Auckland’s Young Nats have come out for David Cunliffe, claiming he joined up via a BBQ draw (Homepaddock).
5. Morals An AUT student has a NZ Herald op-ed on media morals.
6. Extras: BOPP grad top regional motor apprentice; Massey eventing rider; Auckland architecture student’s win; Stephen Franks on a Canterbury alumni event; Wintec hospital history; Otago Uni students’ moot win and fair trade coffee research; odd media release about OUSA prez and SJS; Unitec students’ house-building; kea blood tests by an Otago Uni student; Otago Uni runner wins race; Canterbury’s girls software challenge; Otago Poly chef grad profile.

Stakeholders

1. Dental Clinic Otago Uni is opening a new kids’ dental clinic – good idea and good story.
2. Extras: SIT drops racing car sponsorship; Otago Poly staff supporting a Foodbank; cycling race at Canterbury.

Teaching & Learning

1. Facebook German Canterbury’s Vera Leier has got her students working on a class Facebook page, but they must change their settings to German – the language which she is teaching them. It’s a good idea to make language learning seem more everyday.
2. Teacher Awards Students have recognised their top teachers at Massey – congrats to Mike Joy, Sean Phelan, Prof Barrie Macdonald and Gina Salapata.
3. Extras: sustainable skills summer school.

1. Canterbury Woes Canterbury will have an $11.4m budgeted loss next year, based on their media release – different figures were reported in media yesterday (TV3, BusinessDesk, NBR, RNZ, TEU). 24 staff have been given voluntary redundancy at Canterbury (39 applied).
2. New HSI CE The new HSI CE is Ken Harris – you can find out more about him here. He is appointed on a fixed term, which is sensible given all the merger discussions going on in ITO-land.
3. Unitec Sold Now before Rick Ede tells me off, I should note that the only thing that has been sold is a building that Unitec leases on the North Shore. I mentioned it a little bit ago and the offer sold in 3 weeks.
4. Reinstatement? A former Waiariki manager wants reinstatement, rather than just the compensation awarded by the ERA.
5. Extras: Auckland Council member Jan Dawson is the accountant of the year – TWOA’s Jo Hanita was outstanding new member of the year; update from last week on Auckland-TEU negotiations.

Research & Innovation

1. Baby Sex Victoria’s Diane Ormsby has been looking into the effect of heat on the sex of babies (and hasn’t found any).
2. Microscope Massey’s new digital microscope is being tested by leading palynologists around the world. What’s a palynologist, I hear you ask? Well, it’s someone who studies pollen and other organic microfossils, which are a key part of climate change research.
3. Extras: Auckland’s Prof Ross Lawrenson on prostate cancer research; Māori research projects; cellphone towers don’t affect house values according to Auckland’s Olga Filippova and Michael Rehm; Waikato environmental law centre.

Public Issues

1. Climate Change Here’s a rather negative view of Auckland’s Chris de Freitas’ work in the climate change area.
2. Takahe Massey’s Steve Trewick on a takahe eating a duckling.
3. Gangs Canterbury’s Jarrod Gilbert on the brotherhood of gangs.
4. Battery Car…made by Waikato people gets to Marlborough.
5. Earthquakes Canterbury’s Stefano Pampanin proposed a national earthquake strengthening policy. Massey’s David Johnston on the Christchurch exodus.
6. Extras: Victoria ant research covered by Waikato Times and RNZ; Massey investigating a painted hawk (long story); Auckland’s Rochelle Constantine on humpback whales; Auckland’s Alex Macmillan got some OIA papers; Auckland’s Bill Hodge on arson charges; Otago Uni’s Andrew Geddis on teapot tapes; Victoria’s Guy Marriage on refitting buildings; Media Design School’s Mason Herber on CTRL-F; CPIT’s Bruce Russell judges website quality.

Students

1. Top Chefs WelTec, AUT and CPIT trainee chefs won a chef competition (AUT).
2. Student Elections OUSA president Logan Edgar won an SJS council spot but an NZUSA president candidate couldn’t gain the two-thirds vote required.
3. Extras: NMIT student prez on summer jobs; MIT sugar creations; Otago Uni student’s column; Unitec student’s shopping app; Victoria student rescued; mentoring at Auckland’s Liggins Institute; BOPP art student.

Stakeholders

1. YMCA Massey marketing students have been helping out the YMCA with a marketing plan.
2. WITT & Māori WITT’s te reo courses may expand to the South Island.
3. Extras: fiction winner in Massey Maori book awards (main release); Victoria’s science writing prize winner; Māori farming operation keen to help young Māori study farming; Auckland’s Icehouse and its Māori focus; Xmas shopping at AUT.

Teaching & Learning

1. Street Art…courses involving The Learning Connexion and WelTec.