News 23/2 – $57m at Massey. Drinking at Orientation. Raukawa & Pulse.

February 23rd 2012 at 9:00am, By Dave Guerin

Nice to see some Q&A with Prof Sir Paul Callaghan, but sad to see the answers are written from his hospital bed.

Policy, Management & People

  1. $57m at Massey $57m will be spent on facilities at Massey as they bring their Hokowhitu students and staff (teacher ed) onto the main Palmie campus. They will then sell the other campus (Manawatu Standard, NewstalkZB).
  2. Restructuring Steven Joyce made a generic comment about the possibility of restructuring across his science, tertiary education and economic development portfolios and RNZ made a story out of it (getting Greens and Labour comments) and the TEU responded (TelstraClear). Based on what he said, I don’t see there’s a story.
  3. Extras: VC Rod Carr on Canterbury quake pledges; Ranginui Walker to get Auckland alumni award; Victoria’s Yvonne van Roy to pay $37K to the family of a cyclist she killed in an accident last year; Awanuiarangi linked up with Indian VCs last week too; ATTTO staff changes; Massey VC Steve Maharey calling for extra focus on science and innovation; Wintec’s RAMP Gallery reopens.

Research & Innovation

  1. Body Size Waikato’s Les Oxley is using body stature as a proxy for standard of living (NZ Herald).
  2. Veteran’s Health Otago Uni and the Defence Force have signed a MOU on research into veterans’ health.
  3. Extras: editorial on Otago Uni disease research and a second; Hocken Library art exhibition tour; Auckland parenting research; Auckland’s Trecia Wouldes on drug use by pregnant women; archaeology digs by Otago and Auckland Uni staff and students.

Public Issues

  1. Quake Memorial The Christchurch quake anniversary yesterday led to many stories. Families and friends of King’s Education students participated in a memorial service. David Horsley, who accompanied the 21 Japanese students at King’s Education, describes his day after escaping the building. A CPIT student and Lincoln’s Ann Brower comment on the memorial and an ex-CPIT tutor remembered last year. Canterbury put out a good release about a major memorial service held there. In Dunedin, about 500 people gathered near Otago Uni. The husband of a King’s Education tutor wants more investigation into rescue services on the days after the quake.
  2. Kids’ Milk Otago Uni’s Margreet Vissers supports Fonterra’s milk for kids programme in an op-ed.
  3. Extras: Otago Uni asset sales forum; response to Otago Uni social smoking research;

Students

  1. Outward Bound BCITO scholarship winner’s Outward Bound experience.
  2. Drinking at Orientation There were 17 arrests in Dunedin on Tues night and a “world record” 2,400 person toga party last night, but bad behaviour has led to Otago Uni VC Prof Harlene Hayne ringing the students involved. As she said,”…some students’ relationships with the University of Otago may end very prematurely”. Good on her, especially her for targeting the drunk troublemakers first rather than the drinkers. At SIT, they were just speed-eating burgers. To be fair, at Otago Uni there were also stories on a clubs day, Orientation workers and speed flatting.
  3. Extras: Whitecliffe grad shows in Dunedin; Massey and UCOL bus use; artist off to Canterbury, while another student returns; dancer off to Unitec; driver who hit AUT student hands himself in; Victoria triple jumper; farm student injured; Japanese student visit to BOPP: Massey’s students wins with politics paper.

Stakeholders

  1. Raukawa & Pulse Raukawa CEO Mereana Selby will welcome the Pulse netball team for a match in the new sporting facility on campus.
  2. Upcycling BOPP’s Donna Dinsdale is promoting upcycling.
  3. Extras: Homepaddock blog picks up on Jacqueline Rowarth’s agriculture enrolments comments; BOPP fish survey; NMIT students to build a boardwalk; Otago Poly offers space to community groups.

Teaching & Learning

  1. Cool Science Project Massey’s Justin O’Sullivan is leading a project that involves school students sending in soil samples and Massey analysing the microbial life in them through genome sequencing.
  2. Extras: Otago Poly trades academy and also one for EIT Hawkes Bay and another with Waiariki are all opening for business.

News 22/2 – Chch Quake Anniversary.

February 22nd 2012 at 9:06am, By Dave Guerin

The Christchurch quake has had an enormous impact on many in the tertiary education sector, especially the friends and family of the 8 staff and 64 students King’s Education who died. It has also affected all those working and studying in tertiary education in Christchurch, as they struggle with changing enrolment numbers, damaged facilities and personal impacts. I send my best wishes to all of them, as I’m sure readers do.

Others are writing many words about the quake anniversary today, so I will leave it to them, but I do plan to write more about Christchurch’s recovery later.

There are have links today to a Lincoln remembrance service, Canterbury’s Rod Carr on use of appeal funds (NZ Herald), internment site for unidentified victims includes many King’s Education students, Japanese ex-King’s Education students attending main ceremony plus a special ceremony for families and friends of Japanese victims,

Policy, Management & People

  1. Kapiti Campus Whitireia is opening a new Kapiti campus.
  2. Extras: Indian VCs visiting Lincoln; tertiary participation lower in Porirua; Opeloge Ah Sam joins Victoria for Pasifika music role; TEU has international speaker coming for lectures;

Research & Innovation

  1. Milky Way Victoria’s Melanie Johnston-Hollitt and a student have helped to develop a map of the Milky Way.
  2. Cloud Height Auckland’s Prof Roger Davies and a student have found that cloud height has declined (TVNZ), which might help counteract global warming (to an extent).
  3. Social Smoking A small interview study on social smoking by Otago Uni’s Janet Hoek et al gained coverage by NZ Herald, TVNZ, TV3, NewstalkZB, ODT and Kiwiblog.
  4. Extras: Massey involved in toxic waste research; Waikato’s Prof Roberta Farrell et al planning fungi and dioxin trial; Otago Uni research on hospital admissions; Auckland teen parenting programme; Victoria’s Facebook research app; Massey’s Maggie Hartnett and Ali St George win distance education paper award; Massey’s Prof Glyn Harper on editorial board.

Public Issues

  1. Middle East Waikato’s Alexander Gillespie has a roundup of Middle East issues in a NZ Herald op-ed.
  2. Cycling Victoria’s Kah Chan helped create safe cycling videos for Wellington.
  3. Asset Sales…were discussed by a panel at Otago Uni.
  4. Extras: WITT’s Graeme Cawsey cooking with seafood; Waikato’s Paul Hunt on health; Otago Uni’s Sheila Skeaff making pie;

Students

  1. Orientation Massey students readying for toga parties. Eight arrests, five fires and a naked man running down the street in one night in Dunedin – the ODT had more stories and reaction (plus video). On the positive side at Otago Uni, students were off to a toga party and having a sports day . SIT day two plus support from local Council;
  2. The Good Wits…is how the ODT describes the annual migration of students to Dunedin.
  3. Massey Paper Stop Press has a story on a new joint student paper across 3 Massey campuses.
  4. Note Sharing An Otago student is promoting a note sharing site in Palmie.
  5. Extras: Otago Uni cyclist and rower; Media Design School short; WelTec grad off to Melbourne competition; family tradition of Otago Uni study; Auckland student has an op-ed in the NZ Herald on Mojo Mathers; exhibition for top EIT design students.

Stakeholders

  1. Agricultural Skills Waikato’s Jacqueline Rowarth argues for a crisis looming for agricultural skills. Ag ITO’s Kevin Bryant also comments.
  2. Roof Water Massey has a roof water research centre – who knew?
  3. Extras: Whitireia supporting writer’s walk; Pasifika festival preview at AUT; Aoraki Steve Le Corre cooking at a festival; NorthTec involvement in sculpture symposium; EIT sponsored sewing exhibition; French ambassador speaking at Massey.

Teaching & Learning

  1. Skydive International Travel College has a new partnership for internships with Skydive Auckland.
  2. Extras: Victoria’s Dan Zwartz teaching about icebergs;

News 21/2 – Chch Mergers? Disease Increase. Save the Whales.

February 21st 2012 at 8:28am, By Dave Guerin

Mayumi Asakawa will ring the Peace Bell at a Christchurch quake commemoration tomorrow. She is a former King’s Education student.

Policy, Management & People

  1. Christchurch Mergers? Steven Joyce called for Christchurch TEIs to look at all possible options, including mergers, as they look to the next 20 years. The merger option is for the unis.
  2. Top $ A Listener story on CE salaries mentioned Auckland VC Stuart McCutcheon and colleague Tim Hazeldine then commented on the salaries of managers at TEIs too.
  3. UC New Starts…are up 2,000 on the same time last year, although total numbers are likely to be down.
  4. Maori Research Institute The Institute’s trip to India will go soon, with Waiariki, Auckland and Awanuiarangi participation.
  5. Uni Fair Asian Unis will hold a recruitment fair in Auckland this weekend.
  6. Benefits Minister Chester Borrows has set out how a single mother wanting to study (and considering prostitution) is getting the equivalent of a $43K salary.
  7. Extras: new UCOL trades facilities; Stuart Middleton on academic and vocational pathways; ITF’s Mark Oldershaw on youth employment (NewstalkZB); journalist checks out AUT’s Millennium Campus treadmill; $1.5m raised for Otago Uni chair.

Research & Innovation

  1. Disease Increase Otago Uni’s Michael Baker and colleagues have published a major paper on infectious disease in NZ, with follow-up by SMC and stories by Stuff, RNZ, NewstalkZB, NZN, TV3, Stuff, NZ Doctor, NZ Herald, TVNZ and TV3.
  2. Save the Whales Auckland’s Rochelle Constantine and Natacha Aguilar want Hauraki Gulf speed limits to reduce risk to Bryde’s whales, after recent research (NZ Herald).
  3. Horse Racing Massey academics have found that it’s OK to race thoroughbreds at two years old.
  4. Antarctic Victoria’s Dan Zwartz has been throwing floats off a boat to test water characteristics.
  5. Extras: German academic on manuka honey at Waikato (NZ Herald); Victoria’s Elisabeth McDonald and Yvette Tinsley on dealing with sex offending.

Public Issues

  1. Christchurch Quakes Otago Uni is planning a quake memorial service in Dunedin (as was EIT if I recall correctly). Canterbury’s Mark Quigley on quake communication. A NZ expat academic has brought students here to study quakes.
  2. Kiwi FM AUT’s Matt Mollgaard weighed in on the KiwiFM keeping its frequencies while starting to play non-Kiwi music (TV3).
  3. Youth Auckland’s Prof Alan France and Otago’s Prof David Craig had an NZ Herald op-ed on youth, following up on their jointly organised seminar.
  4. Extras: Otago Uni’s Hank Weiss on cycling laws; Massey’s Jenny Poskitt on homeschooling; Massey’s Andrew Cardow on TV3 to discuss entrepreneurship; AUT’s Rawiri Taonui on Paul Holmes.

Students

  1. Knox College The Knox College master, now on leave, comments on recent and proposed changes.
  2. Big Brother Victoria student complains about security footage at boarding house going on Facebook.
  3. Midnight Youth…are playing at Waiariki’s O-Week. SIT’s Orientation had Tim Shadbolt (and Shihad later). Orientation competition at Otago Uni (and a formal welcome). BOPP powhiri (and more). CPIT Orientation.
  4. Liquor Ban Otago Uni students are signing a petition against a local liquor ban.
  5. Extras: Lincoln’s new sports/leader scholars; refugee students at UCOL; young writer off to Victoria; top student off to Auckland; teenage gang targets some Tai Poutini students; Women’s Future month at Canterbury; Otago Uni cricketer.

Stakeholders

  1. New Sculpture…placed in conjunction with AUT and Auckland.
  2. Extras: Alcatel might set up UFB lab at Auckland.

Teaching & Learning

  1. Lecturer Profile The ODT profiles Otago Uni lecturer Alan Blackman.
  2. Extras: EIT’s Hawke’s Bay and Tairawhiti trades academies.

The Old Days – Maori Achievement

February 20th 2012 at 11:00am, By Dave Guerin

The Ministry of Education included a table into its Briefing to the Incoming Minister (p.9) that showed the disparity between educational results for Maori, Pasifika and other students. I’ve pasted most of the table below and, as you’d expect, it shows we have a long way to go.

That table reminded me about an old report that I’d recently obtained: He Huarahi. Report of the National Advisory Committee of Maori Education, published in 1980 by the Dept of Education. On p.62 of that report there were some 1978 educational statistics on Maori and the whole population, as shown below.

  • 67% of Maori school leavers left school with no qualification (34% of whole population).
  • 7% of Maori school leavers had UE or a higher attainment (28% of whole population).
  • 2% of Maori school leavers went on to university (10% of whole population).
  • The closest equivalent to NEET (“no occupation of occupation unknown”) for Maori school leavers was 45% (25% of whole population).

I think the useful part of those numbers is that it reminds us that we have come a long way, through the efforts of everyone involved. Too often we can get bogged down in the idea that achievement for some groups is terrible and that we have all failed as a system. Sometimes we should take a moment and reflect on our achievements before we get back to work again. There’s still plenty of work to do, but not as much as in 1978.

Back when NZ Education Review was a weekly newspaper, I used to do a weekly section that was a topical excerpt from an old education-related publication. Most of it came from my collection of books and I will do the occasional piece from now on.

News 20/2 – Problem PTEs. Vitamin C and Cancer. Saving Lakes.

February 20th 2012 at 7:30am, By Dave Guerin

The next time someone says that academics don’t speak publicly, I’ll get them to read a weekend’s worth of my Public Issues section! It’s a big one today.

Policy, Management & People

  1. Problem PTEs The NZ Herald’s Andrew Laxon continues his good work highlighting problem PTEs – there’s a short and long story. Labour’s Grant Robertson says more must be done, while Joyce says it’s under control. I’m more with Joyce as NZQA has been more proactive in the last year or two than the last 17 years or so I’ve been working with them. There is always a bottom-feeding 5-20% in the market and NZQA’s is tackling it head on, showing both vigour and procedural correctness – I hope they continue to improve. Personally, I loved the claim that an NZQA reviewer’s first question to a provider was “Are you doing any dirty deals?” It’s a very useful question.
  2. Joint Academic Board Whitireia and WelTec have formed a joint academic board and made Ako Aotearoa’s Peter Coolbear the independent chair – nice idea. There’s also a story on a joint trades initiative.
  3. Massey Injury A woman was found unconscious at Massey Albany around 1 am on Friday morning (NZ Herald, TVNZ, TV3). There has been no update on what happened for the last couple of days.
  4. UCOL Bldg A new UCOL trades building will open in mid-March.
  5. Auckland’s New Hostel Auckland’s new hostel made the NZ Herald and Stuff, and also attracted a critique from AUSA.
  6. Extras: businesses urged to support Otago Uni chair (as are Balclutha and some builders) and here’s a story on the campaign; visiting Oxford criminal law academic to visit Canterbury and all unis with a law faculty; profile of AUT’s Ray McVinnie; Otago Uni staffer retires; summer facilities work at WITT; Auckland staff who sold Kim Dotcom a number plate;

Research & Innovation

  1. Vitamin C & Cancer Otago Uni’s Patries Herst and Melanie McConnell have found some benefits from Vitamin C and radiation therapy in brain cancer (NZ Herald, NZN). It’s interesting given scientific scepticism about the use of Vitamin C.
  2. Urgency Victoria researchers have written a book on the use of urgency in Parliament.
  3. Extras: Auckland’s Mark Oliver on dry cow management; Victoria’s Xiao Ma performing in Masterton; Auckland’s Trecia Wouldes on meth children; Otago Uni cycle accident research cited; Massey research on Christchurch quake psychosocial recovery; Canterbury’s Nikki Evans is looking at post-quake human-pet relationships; Otago Uni archaeological dig.

Public Issues

  1. Sallies Otago Uni’s Prof Andrew Bradstock had an op-ed on the Sallies’ state of the nation report. His colleague Michael Baker also commented on the report.
  2. Maori Must Speak Out I missed this release last week with Maria Bargh and Carwyn Jones of Victoria speaking on SOE sales.
  3. ANZ National Massey’s David Tripe on the ANZ-National merger and when the brands might change.
  4. Baby Blip Waikato’s Prof Natalie Jackson looks at the end of the baby blip.
  5. Tuhoe Victoria’s Prof Stephen Levine and Maria Bargh comment on Tuhoe plans for self-government.
  6. Syria Otago Uni’s Robert Patman spoke out about issue in Iran and Syria.
  7. Extras: Waikato research cited to show ancient Chinese immigration to NZ; Victoria research on earthquake-prone Wellington houses (and again); AUT’s Chris Ohms on IRD IT; Unitec’s Keith Rankin on what to do about inequality; response to Massey academic’s Treaty op-ed; Auckland/Otago Uni youth forum makes the news (and again); Massey’s Jenny Poskitt on homeschooling; Otago Uni’s Prof Doug Sellman on drunken assaults; Auckland’s Lester Levy on getting a CEO role; Victoria’s Elisabeth McDonald on jury trials; Victoria’s Peter Thompson on TV content; AUT’s Rawiri Taonui on Paul Holmes and Prof Charles Crothers on graffiti; Victoria’s Paul Morris on religion at work; op-ed by Otago Uni academics on smokefree outdoor areas; Massey’s Prof John O’Neill wrote to Hekia Parata on class sizes; Canterbury’s Mark Quigley on quake prediction.

Students

  1. Laidlaw’s Twin Twins Two sets of twins have started studying teacher education at Laidlaw College this year (out of 12 guys starting the course).
  2. Dr Grodbort Media Design School students have teamed with Weta Workshop’s Greg Broadmore to bring Dr Grodbort to life. The cool video is here.
  3. Knox College …is still facing criticism from alumni and students (and even Kiwiblog) over change to traditions.
  4. NZer of Year Canterbury’s Sam Johnson named young NZer of the year for 2011 (Canterbury release).
  5. Extras: Otago Uni rowers; Wintec high jumper; Unitec osteopathy students looking for people with sore necks; Massey students to mystery shop KiwiSaver; NMIT IT students getting acquainted; hat model goes to Massey; AUT nursing student hit and run victim; top student off to Victoria; competition win by NZ Film and TV School student; UCOL orientation; NZ author calling for improved transition to workplace; Otago Uni Orientation and again; Aoraki Orientation; Waikato law student’s lucky car crash escape.

Stakeholders

  1. Birds and Turtles Seven penguins were released by the Massey team, leaving only two in care (NZ Herald, NewstalkZB, Bay of Plenty Times). Meanwhile Massey student Dan Godoy was swimming with released turtles.
  2. US to BEST Fresh from lunch with Steve Maharey a week or two back, the US Ambassador visited BEST Pacific Institute of Education.
  3. Saving Lakes A team from Waikato’s Lakes Ecosystem Restoration New Zealand programme are going to travel NZ showing people how to use research to save our lakes. Nice work.
  4. Extras: Waikato’s Dame Malvina Major giving a concert; BOPP supporting a mashup competition; Massey Albany community garden; Waiariki hosting a gaming event; Otago Uni medical students’ orientation; Massey’s 25th
    fertiliser and lime workshop; Massey staff and students helping out with a kids’ triathlon.

Teaching & Learning

  1. Extras: Maori weaving at Otago Uni.

News 17/2 – Equine-Ag Merger. Middle Class Capture. Northland Dig.

February 17th 2012 at 8:20am, By Dave Guerin

A former King’s Education student will come from Japan will play a part in a commemorative ceremony next week.

Policy, Management & People

  1. Christchurch Trades A Christchurch trades academy based at CPIT can take on another 350 students, taking the roll to 500.
  2. Student Debt The Dom Post debunked student debt myths – good article.
  3. Equine-Ag Merger The Agriculture ITO has taken over the Equine ITO
  4. UCOL Clinic A new UCOL Health and Rehabilitation Clinic will offer students experience and help the community too.
  5. Prostitution The intending Unitec student who is considering prostitution was in Parliament as MPs discussed her case.
  6. Middle Class Capture The Salvation Army argues that shifting money to universities was middle class capture. Waikato’s Peggy Koopman-Boyden also comments on older people in the workforce.
  7. Science Funding Steven Joyce said that expecting a simple ROI on MSI funding was simplistic.
  8. Extras: man accused of impersonating Massey academic to face court; TV3 has a story on Auckland’s new hall; profile of Waiariki’s Sharon Wallace; the five visiting Indian VCs moved from Waikato to Massey; Otago Uni’s Claire Giles won seven masters athletics medals.

Research & Innovation

  1. Image Recognition Otago Uni is doing a really interesting project with Natural History NZ to use image searching to identify what is in a big video back catalogue.
  2. Journalism Book A new AUT book on journalism has NZ academics from Massey, Canterbury and presumably AUT.
  3. Original Language Work last year by Auckland’s Quentin Atkinson to identify where the original language came from has been critiqued by English and Dutch academics. Essentially he used a novel technique for the field and other academics are saying the technique was used inappropriately
  4. Northland Dig Otago Uni’s Prof Ian Smith, colleagues and DOC are digging at NZ’s earliest permanent European habitation (The Bay Chronicle).
  5. Extras: Victoria’s Wayne Linklater is saving rhinos; KiwiNet commercialisation workshop; CPIT’s Libby Gawith on post-quake stresses in Christchurch.

Public Issues

  1. Mallard’s Scalping Whitireia music students outed Trevor Mallard over his ticket scalping (RadioLIVE). Canterbury’s Eric Crampton trotted out his impressive back catalogue on scalping.
  2. IRD IT Two AUT academics are lauding the $1b IRD IT system announcement.
  3. Extras: Massey’s Claire Matthews on ASB growth; Victoria’s Miriam Lips on public sector ICT; Otago’s Prof Phil Bishop on frogs; Canterbury’s Prof Andy Buchannan on building on soft land in Christchurch.

Students

  1. Extras: Lincoln student lost to cricket; NorthTec students welcomed to campus; students buying used cars; Queers in Tertiary Education Hui; Waikato cricketer.

Stakeholders

  1. Super 15…warm-up match at Unitec tonight.
  2. Extras: Lincoln helped a dairy farmer and promotes a farm competition winner’s open day; Massey PhD student helping turtles; Massey-hosted mobility conference; incubator that has grown out of Otago Uni; Wintec hosted a cooking competition; Hairdressing ITO’s Training Champion; Awanuiarangi supporting a local kura kaupapa opening.

Teaching & Learning

  1. Pacific Lines ESITO and Northpower ran a line mechanic taster programme for Pacific youth at MIT.
  2. Extras: new EIT building programme in Hastings.

News 16/2 – Crafar Sale. Prostitution 4 Study. Ice-cream History.

February 16th 2012 at 8:44am, By Dave Guerin

The Crafar farms sale was blocked by the High Court yesterday. Readers may not be aware that the Overseas Investment Office rated the two jobs from the proposed dairy farm training facility as the most certain to eventuate from the sale (see first para, p.14 here) and the High Court rated the training facility as one of the most obvious economic benefits of the sale (see para 41 here). Maybe they should have built a university to really seal the deal! Actually, I just saw a TEU competition came up with much the same idea.

Policy, Management & People

  1. Prostitution 4 Study An intending Unitec student may turn to prostitution as travel and childcare costs exceed any support she will get. Greens MP Jan Logie hasn’t contributed to study costs but is flying her to Wellington to talk to the media.
  2. 5 VCs…from India visited Waikato as part of the NZ Inc India strategy.
  3. Prison Training Nice insight into CPIT’s prison trade training.
  4. Wintec $$ Waikato’s economic impact research has sparked some comments from Wintec CE Mark Flowers on his institution’s contribution to the region.
  5. Extras: Victoria’s countertenor visitor (off to Wanganui soon); visiting engineer at Otago Uni;

Research & Innovation

  1. Extras: new Marsden Fund chair from Canterbury; Massey;s Claire Matthews on KiwiSaver (and again); Canterbury robo-language.

Public Issues

  1. Christchurch Politics Canterbury’s Bronwyn Hayward wades into Christchurch City Council politics. The article cites her as a “leading expert on politics after disasters”, but her research profile only lists a conference paper last year on reflections on the Christchurch earthquake (4 pages) and a forthcoming paper on resilience after the Darfield earthquake. Other relevant work is on responses to climate change. In summary, she’s not a leading expert on politics after disasters but has done some recent work on it – she doesn’t even list it as a current or future research focus. Anyway, this is nothing in relation to her, because there’s no evidence she made the claim of being a leading expert, just some loose reporting that annoyed me.
  2. Charter Schools Otago Uni’s Darrell Latham has an ODT op-ed on charter schools.
  3. Extras: Waikato grad’s book on being childfree; Otago Uni’s Prof Steve Jackson on rugby player transfer fees (and again) and Prof David Lont on rugby union accounting and Prof Abby Smith on river quality; cooking pizokel with Otago Poly’s Daniel Pfyl; Victoria’s Miriam Lips on e-government; Massey’s Prof Bob Hargreaves on the housing market and David Tripe on ASB profits; Waikato’s Prof Margaret Wilson on the blocking of the Crafar farm sale.

Students

  1. Ice-cream History An AUT ice-cream history student is off to the Antarctic.
  2. Marlin Catch A Victoria student has caught a huge marlin and could take quite a few kg to his flat.
  3. Orientation Love-In There’s a love-in amongst Otago Uni stakeholders about how well their joint Orientation planning is going.
  4. Info for Students Auckland students want living costs info for international students on NZ to be improved.
  5. Desert Skateboarding A Canterbury grad skateboarded across a Peru-Chile desert and the Uni put out a release about it. Ah, I read until the end and he works for the company that just did the zero-carbon certification there.
  6. Knox Knockers More alumni are opposing changes to Knox College traditions (RNZ).
  7. Extras: Victoria and Toi Whakaari student directing Summer Shakespeare; Victoria cyclist; Otago Uni student spent summer modelling in Milan; pianist and UNICEF youth ambassador off to Victoria.

Stakeholders

  1. Drink Driving CPIT’s NASDA students are going to tour an anti drink-driving stage play around schools.
  2. Extras: Victoria co-hosting a conference on cooperative banking; youth rep at Otago Uni smokefree outdoor forum; Massey helping to test effluent spreaders; AUT’s Luke Krieg will be at EMEX; Auckland and Otago Unis co-hosting a youth policy symposium.

Teaching & Learning

  1. Extras: Tai Poutini’s Steam School.

News 15/2 – $51m Hall. Marsden Chair. Steam School.

February 15th 2012 at 9:25am, By Dave Guerin

The answer was yes…to the Auckland student being proposed to by billboard.

Policy, Management & People

  1. Canterbury Facilities Canterbury has gained CEMARS carbon footprint certification, while its UCSA Events Centre is on schedule for post-Easter opening and you can watch an interview with their facilities manager.
  2. $51m Hall Auckland’s new $51m student hall opens this week and it sounds pretty good.
  3. Student Discipline The ODT writes a negative editorial about Otago Uni (had to come some time…) about secrecy over student discipline. And today the report was released.
  4. PD Hours ETITO’s Michael Frampton concerned about a focus on the minimum hours required for financial adviser PD.
  5. Top Profs Massey has made Paul Rainey and Peter Schwerdtfeger Distinguished Professors.
  6. Extras: MIT’s new campus; Massey’s Steve Stannard cycling well; CTV Building review by Royal Commission to start in June; NorthTec tutors’ exhibition; court fight over a chopper flight training company’s debts; new NZ School of Music lecturer Erin Helyard inspires comms team to make play on words about virgins.

Research & Innovation

  1. Marsden Chair Canterbury’s Prof Juliet Gerrard is the new chair of the Marsden Fund Council (NBR).
  2. Treasure Hunt Massey is hosting conference on mobility for those with low vision, and is including a GPS treasure hunt.
  3. Hearing Loss Victoria’s Paul Teal is working on better ways to diagnose hearing loss.
  4. Extras: Massey’s Claire Matthews on KiwiSaver investment (Fairfax) and again.

Public Issues

  1. Treaty Massey’s Brian McDonnell, film lecturer, wrote a NZ Herald op-ed on the Treaty.
  2. Bad Survey? Otago Uni’s Prof James Higham criticised a RWC visitor spending survey.
  3. Trial Changes Victoria’s Elisabeth McDonald and Yvette Tinsley have been involved in a project on alternatives to current court processes (RNZ).
  4. Meat Companies Massey’s Prof Hamish Gow gives a great insight into the meat processing industry’s business issues.
  5. Corn WITT’s Denis Duthie has some yummy corn recipes.
  6. Extras: Otago Uni’s Mark Huthwaite helped develop a pregnancy and alcohol resource (colleagues used it to talk about wider alcohol issues); Canterbury’s Greg Newbold on bribery in prisons; Massey’s Harjinder Singh on house building.

Students

  1. Otago New Students The ODT had Otago Uni coverage of: the VC doing a nice photo op at her old flat; 4,000 packs to new hall residents; and complaints about traditions (ie alcohol) being cut at Knox College.
  2. Extras: Victoria student on finding a job; emerging leaders go to Canterbury.

Stakeholders

  1. Art for Kids MIT lecturer Dion Hitchens is part of a scheme where donors of kids’ winter clothes will get free art.
  2. Extras: Auckland PhD student and a lecturer speak in New Plymouth.

Teaching & Learning

  1. Arts Degrees The NZ Herald has a piece on the value of art degrees with comment by Auckland’s Jan Crosthwaite.
  2. Steam School Students on a Tai Poutini steam school course.
  3. Extras: InfraTrain has new engineering and utilities quals/pathways.

News 14/2 – Billboard Proposal. Robot Language. Pacific Trades.

February 14th 2012 at 7:52am, By Dave Guerin

An Auckland student proposed to his fellow student by billboard this morning.

Policy, Management & People

  1. Planning Issues UCOL has some problems with the District Plan in Palmie as it seeks to have an education precinct established.
  2. Boosterism The Manawatu Standard turns Massey QS 4 Star rating into a defence against Massey’s lower TEC ratings, even though they measure completely different things and only Massey’s side of the story for the TEC rating was sought. In the end neither TEC nor Massey has made public material that would allow an independent assessment of the effect of distance enrolments on EPIs.
  3. Extras: ITP enrolment update; AUT’s Prof Welby Ings off to Netherlands residency; Whitireia hosted Indonesian visitors; NZUSA looks back on last week’s workshops; Adventure Education founder Mark Scapens is turning what was going to be a PTE campus into a pre-retirement village.

Research & Innovation

  1. Robot Language A Canterbury PhD student has developed a robot language – interesting.
  2. Water Meter Waikato’s Prof Jonathan Scott and two students hope to develop a smart water meter, powered by the water going through it (which is really very smart).
  3. Extras: Victoria’s Trisha Dunleavy is the lead author on a new book on the NZ film industry.

Public Issues

  1. Economic Growth Auckland’s Prof Greg Whittred had a NZ Herald op-ed on what NZ needs to do to grow economically.
  2. Extras: Auckland’s Anthony Fowler commented on El Nino/La Nina and attracted a comment by Ken Ring; Auckland’s Prof John Goodman on Internet piracy (or not); Massey’s Claire Matthews on retirement savings and gender; AUT’s Rawiri Taonui on asset sales; Victoria’s Nigel Roberts on the MMP review; Massey checking a horse.

Students

  1. Top Chefs AUT, CPIT, WelTec and HSI chefs are off to Melbourne for a competition.
  2. Extras: UCOL student stepping back from coaching; Waikato grad got top marks in accountancy; Massey welcomed students back with an outdoor concert (Manawatu Standard); Waikato student part of National Youth Orchestra; Whitireia Orientation at Porirua; students are flooding back into Dunedin and Otago Poly students are being urged to get involved.

Stakeholders

  1. Pacific Trades Whitireia and WelTec launched 80 Pacific Trades Training Scholarships with a church service at Wellington’s State Opera House – Pacific churches are part of the TEC-funded project. Whitireia CE Don Campbell noted that the“project reflects the courage of many parties” .
  2. Dairy Women The Ag ITO and the Dairy Women’s Network have a new partnership and plan to deliver more training to women.
  3. Gambling: AUT co-hosting a gambling conference.
  4. International Mother Language Day …is coming up and English Language Partners have a cool poster (see below) that is available to promote it. The Day is next Tuesday.

Thumbs-Up: Waiariki’s Art Collection

February 13th 2012 at 11:00am, By Dave Guerin

Waiariki launched a new art collection last week and it’s looking good. The collection is worth $400K, although much of the work was bought at discounted rates or gifted.

Former CE Pim Borren gets credit for the collection launch. While there was art around Waiariki before he arrived, he had it catalogued and secured a $20,000 annual acquisition budget. As he said, “The vision behind the permanent art collection is the same vision I had around lots of my initiatives – for example, the various academies, and sponsorships such as the New Zealand Aria – celebrating excellence, especially through our unique bicultural identity. In the case of creative arts, Waiariki has a long rich history of excellence and I was trying to recapture that by telling the story, mostly through past staff and students’ works, particularly graduates who were able to make a vocation out of their skills….It tells the story of bicultural art at Waiariki and in some ways reflects the history of the whole institute, in other words, re-establishing our original vision as a truly bicultural community college supporting our region’s rich cultural heritage.”

Art’s not essential for a learning institution but it certainly helps to elevate your mind and that’s not a bad thing. I attended Victoria and I’m still in awe at the work dotted around that institution. While there were committees that formally bought the art, in reality a couple of key people bought most of it. In Waiariki’s case, former CE Pim Borren was the catalyst for growing the collection and it’s an impressive mark (amongst many) for him to leave at an institution.

So, let’s check out some of the work!

Below: The 2.4-metre long sculpture, “Te Whetu Rere o Tanenuiārangi”, was created by Lewis Gardiner using glass and greenstone.

Below: “Te Aukati” is a bronze sculpture by Waiariki graduate (1995) and art tutor Eugene Kara (Ngati Kahungunu, Tainui). This piece was made by Eugene when he was in his second year of the then-Diploma in Craft Design – Māori and purchased for the Waiariki art collection by Arapeta Tahana who was Waiariki’s CE at the time.

Below: (L to R) Annekke Borren (artist and sister of former Waiariki CE Dr Pim Borren), Logan Shipgood (Te Arawa) (artist in residence at Waiariki in 2008-09), “The Prophet” (bronze sculpture by Logan Shipgood), Dr Pim Borren (former Waiariki CE and founder of the exhibit). The artwork behind Pim’s shoulder is Annekke’s piece called “Tasman Tiles”.


Below: Artist George Andrews stands in front of his sculpture called “Celadon Prayer Wheel” (stoneware, aluminium and resin). George is well-respected in the art community. He was an art tutor at Waiariki from 1982 to 2004, and continues to teach bronze casting at Waiariki on a part-time basis.

Thumbs-Up celebrates good ideas or outcomes in the tertiary education sector. Check out the rest of the series here.

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