Kiwiblog

A contact has passed onto me the pass rates over the last three years for courses at Otago University. What is very interesting is how many courses, especially in Dentistry, have a 100% pass rate or 0% failure rate. I understand at other universities like VUW they audit any course which has a failure rate of below 20% as probably having a design problem.

At Otago only 10% of the courses have a failure rate of over 20%. Makes you wonder.

The pass rates are over the break

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The 2012 Otago Foreign Policy School runs from Friday 22 June to Sunday 24 June at St Margaret’s College on the University of Otago campus, for those interested. The school is opened by Foreign Minister Murray McCully and speakers include:

• Professor Kemal Kirisci, Bogaziçi University, Turkey
• Professor Meir Litvak, Tel Aviv University, Israel
• Dr Christopher Davidson, University of Durham, United Kingdom
• Professor Ahmed Hashim, Nanyang Technological University, Singapore
• Professor Marie-Joëlle Zahar, L’Université de Montréal, Canada
• Dr Sally Totman, Deakin University, Australia
• Dr Nigel Parsons, Massey University
• Gabriele Cascone, NATO headquarters
• Dr Leon Goldsmith, University of Otago
• Professor William Harris, University of Otago

Treasury commissioned two public health researchers from Otago University to examine Stats NZ  longitudinal survey data on family incomes. The report from Otago University is here and an analysis by Treasury here.

I think income mobility is far far more important than income inequality. I do not think there is much merit in insisting that an untrained unskilled 18 year old should be earning the same as a 50 year old professional with 30 years of experience.

100 years ago in the United Kingdom there was little income mobility. Those families with wealth tended to keep it, and poor families stayed poor. I can understand the appeal of socialism 100 years ago. But today, while of course not perfect, there is greater income mobility. The knowledge economy especially means that land and capital are not as important as previously. More and more of the world’s billionaires and millionaires created their fortune, rather than inherited it. This graph from the analysis shows the situations in New Zealand over just a seven year period from 2002 to 2009.

So of the families who were in the bottom 10% of family income – in just seven years, 74% of them were no longer in the bottom decile. And only 46% of those in the top decile were still there seven years later.

By far the biggest characteristic indicating likely persistent deprivation is being a sole parent family.

Also of interest is that only a third of familes who spent the whole seven years on low income had been in deprivation at any point.

The Treasury’s conclusions:

• Policy should emphasise mobility, deprivation and persistent low income
• Policy should be designed with mobility in mind
• Targeting policy effectively can be difficult
• Solo parents are perhaps the group to be most concerned about

Income inequality is used by the left to argue for higher taxes and more welfare.  But as I said I do not accept that there is a problem that an 18 year old with no mortgage, no kids, no skills, no experience is paid less than someone with decades of experience. What we want is the ability for that 18 year old to get a job, to get education and training, to earn more over time and not spend a lengthy period of time (if any) in deprivation or hardship.

Some other stats:

• Around 47% of families moved at least two income deciles over seven years
• Over the seven years, 50% of families experience low income at least once
• But 43% of those who had low income, only had it for one or two of the seven years
• Sole parents are 12% of families but over 50% of those in persistent deprivation

This is one of the reasons why I think the welfare reforms are so important.

NZ Herald reports:

More than 25,000 animals including fish have died during research and teaching at the University of Otago since 2009, and the figures are expected to increase significantly when statistics are collated for 2011.

Oh Good God, why is this a story. They have a medical school.  I recall dissecting fish in first year biology. How do you teach biology otherwise?

The ODT reports:

Far from being elitist, Knox College traditions ensure students are welcomed into a supportive family atmosphere, past and present residents say.

The Presbyterian Church’s move to ban initiation ceremonies, scrap elitist symbols and tighten rules on alcohol, as reported in yesterday’s Otago Daily Times, has been opposed by many. …

Readers voiced their support of the institution and its long-standing practices in various letters to the editor yesterday.

A young woman returning to Knox for a second year said people developed a love for the place that could not be easily explained.

Another said Knox received more returning residents than any other university hall in New Zealand; testament to its vibrant and positive culture.

Former Knox student Michael Bridgen wrote about his “fresher” experience at Knox in 1994.

“Certain of the traditions were daunting, to a person from a country town new to so many people, but none were observed in other than good faith and good fun. In fact, in the spirit of colleges everywhere, many traditions evolved to the purpose of challenging and breaking down just those initial sheer faces of bashfulness.”

I went to Carrington Hall in Dunedin and loved my time there. People at Carrington regarded Knox as the second best hall

Knox has a wonderful history and traditions, and the initiation ceremonies are a vital part of hall culture. They absolutely bond people together (sometimes literally ) and scrapping them would be the stupidest thing you can do.

“I have never found Knox to be anything other than welcoming, nurturing and supportive and cannot think of any justification for these changes,” recent resident Rebecca Gates said.

She said the traditions and rituals to be changed were the very things which attracted and united residents “no matter our schooling, social background, gender or race”.

“These common ties and experiences are what glues us together and draws almost all of the residents back for a second year.”

More than 1000 people have joined an online group established in defence of Knox traditions.

I hope common sense prevails. Knox is one of the most sought after halls in Dunedin (arguably the most sought after), and their sense of history and traditions are part of what attracts people to go there. It certainly isn’t their location – up that bloody hill!

I didn’t realise that the interviews with different politicians as part of the OU Vote Chat 2011 were on You Tube. You can view the channel here.

The most viewed one so far is Part I with Hone Harawira. I’ve listened to many of them. Bryce has a good interviewing style, where he lets the pollies talk, but also comes back to stuff they gloss over.

The 45th Otago Foreign Policy School is on from Friday 25 to Sunday 27 June.

China’s rise and future role on the world stage will go under the spotlight at the University of Otago’s 45th Foreign Policy School later this month. The event gathers together leading national and international China scholars and New Zealand diplomats, policymakers, business people and members of the public.

Titled “China’s Ascent: New Superpower or New Global System?” the School is being held in association with the New Zealand Contemporary China Research Centre at Victoria University of Wellington. The gathering takes place at Dunedin’s Salmond College from 25-27 June. …

“Among the key questions to be tackled at the School is ‘will a new China fundamentally change the rules of the game in the global system, or will China simply become another great power using the traditional tools of money, force and diplomacy’?,” Professor Patman says.

New Zealand-China relations are the focus of a roundtable composed of leading Chinese academics and New Zealand figures including Wellington Regional Chamber of Commerce CEO Charles Finny and journalist and analyst Colin James.

The School’s opening address will be given on the Friday evening by Minister of Foreign Affairs Hon. Murray McCully.

The keynote address, ‘China’s Global Identities: the Schizophrenic Superpower’, is being presented by Professor David Shambaugh of George Washington University. Professor Shambaugh is an internationally recognised authority on contemporary Chinese affairs and the international politics and security of the Asia-Pacific region.

How very timely.

The full programme is here and you can register here.

NZPA report:

Dunedin student pub The Garden Tavern, known as Gardies, will close its doors for the final time this weekend after being sold to Otago University this year.

Up to 1500 people were expected to descend on the Castle St pub this weekend, with Saturday its last day of business, the Otago Daily Times reported.

A very sad day. May the scarfies farewell it in style.

Police-funded buses would transport students from North Dunedin to the central city to minimise the disturbance to residents, Inspector Dave Campbell of Dunedin police said.

What a very smart idea.

The Herald wants changes to the Super City:

The committee examining the bill is led by National’s John Carter, a pragmatist steeped in local government. He indicated to Local Government NZ that its concerns would be heard.

The committee should insert more explicit powers for the Auckland Council to direct, change, establish and disestablish, if necessary, CCOs and their functions.

It should make all the CCOs’ decision-making board meetings open to the public, not just Auckland Transport’s meetings when enacting bylaws.

It should reconsider the split of representation on these boards and the lack of influence from the Auckland Council’s executives and elected councillors on issues such as transport.

Support for uniting Auckland, which seemed strong at the time of the royal commission and its extensive public submissions, has weakened. It can be restored, if the committee hears the concerns of the people.

I expect the report to be out before long, so we will see the shape of the Council.

The Press and Dom Post both talk about the leaky homes package. The Press says:

It has taken months of wrangling between central and local government, but finally there is a financial assistance package on offer which should help to provide resolution to some of the New Zealanders with leaky homes.

The scheme will not please all, especially those ineligible for the package or who resent the costs which they still must bear. But in terms of finding a solution which is fair to both tiers of government, leaky-home owners and those who pay rates and taxes, this package is balanced and a distinct improvement on the original proposal.

And the Dom Post:

The leaky buildings fiasco and the Government’s proposed solution need to be put in perspective. If the package unveiled by the Government is accepted, the taxpayer will pick up about $1 billion of the price of fixing leaky homes in New Zealand. That is the same amount of money originally put in the fiscal envelope to spend on settling all Treaty of Waitangi claims. …

The temptation is to focus on who is responsible – and there are many. There are the politicians who loosened up the building code to allow materials and types of building that had already caused problems overseas – and who have dragged their feet on a solution since. There are the architects who designed buildings for the sunny Mediterranean, not a rain-soaked New Zealand. There are the developers who favoured cheapness over durability. There are the builders who did not do their jobs, either because they did not have the skills to work the new materials properly or because they cut corners. There are the local council inspectors who were not diligent enough in ensuring the buildings did not leak. And finally, there are the owners, who, like all buyers, must take ultimate responsibility for their decisions.

The reality is that not all who should be shouldering the blame are. Some developers, contractors and builders have accepted their responsibility. Others have vanished like a will-o’-the-wisp – the companies that carried out the work, and carried the liability, are long gone.

What is needed now is a workable solution that sees repairs carried out quickly. That is what the Government appears to be offering, though details, such as how the cost of repairs is assessed, will be important.

And they conclude:

As the result of a Court of Appeal ruling, the Government has every legal right to walk away from the problem. However, that would be the wrong thing to do.

The local authorities should take the same approach and accept the package, even though it will almost certainly mean rate rises in the most affected areas, including Wellington. They could no doubt wear down many of those in leaky homes through a battle of legal attrition, but that would not be the right thing to do either.

The solution may not be ideal, but it is workable. The alternative is more years of litigation in which the only winners are the lawyers. It’s time to end the nightmare.

The ODT looks at town and gown:

Seven years ago, the University of Otago published some statistics that indicated this dominant economic force would soon be making a $1 billion a year contribution in its broadest sense to the Dunedin economy.

There cannot be doubt today that the city’s cultural, sporting, shopping and culinary landscapes would wither were it not for the university and, to a lesser extent, the polytechnic and college of education. …

It is noteworthy that the city now has a 25-year “vision” for the university as well as a 50-year “vision” for large parts of the reclaimed upper harbour basin.

The “Campus Master Plan” envisages the equivalent transformation of the north end, including the link with the Forsyth Barr Stadium and the university plaza.

Probably most immediately controversial is the consultants’ idea for the university to purchase the more run-down areas of student flats – the so-called “ghetto” – and to take responsibility for an accommodation upgrade.

Student accommodation so close to the campus proper is a major attraction and opportunity for the university and its students.

Long may the university grow I say!

Otago University and the VUW Institute of Policy Studies have organised a public seminar on National’s proposed electoral finance reforms, and international perspectives on such reforms. The key details are:

Friday 14 May 2010
RW501 Level 5, Wellington Railway Station (West Wing)
8.40am to 12.15pm

The programme is:

8.20-8:40: Registration and coffee/tea
8:40-8:45: Welcome by Jonathan Boston
8:45-9:00: Andrew Geddis – New Zealand’s proposed new political finance rules.
9:00-9:50: Jacob Rowbottom – What lessons does the U.K.’s experience have for New Zealand’s proposals?
9:50-10:40: Colin Feasby – What lessons does Canada’s experience have for New Zealand’s proposals?
10:40-11:00: Coffee/Tea Break
11:00-12:15: Joo-Cheong Tham and Graeme Orr – What lessons does Australia’s experience have for New Zealand’s proposals?

Please note the Symposium will be followed by a seminar by Jacob Rowbottom entitled The British General Election and the Prospects for Electoral Reform

If you wish to attend then email: law.reception@otago.ac.nz (please include the “political finance symposium” in the subject line of your email).

I’m attending and looking forward to it.

The ODT reports:

Speight’s, a long-time sponsor of the Otago University Students Association Orientation Week, will no longer be associated with the annual event on campus, following a move by the University of Otago to ban alcohol advertising and sponsorship.

This is heresy. O Week without the Speights posters will not be the same. People will still drink just as much Speights I predict.

The headline band this year is United States-based Health, described as a “fluid, spiky maelstrom of blood and neon, mirrorball and icepick”, which “mashes together disco and punk into a noisy, spastic tribal inhalation of sound”.

See you need to be under the influence of Speights to be able to cope with that music!

Oh what memories this story in the ODT brings back of the Captain Cook and life in Dunedin.

The twice-yearly Cook-a-thon at the Captain Cook Tavern in Dunedin was a colourful and fun affair yesterday, marred by 10 arrests for mostly disorderly behaviour offences later in the afternoon.

More than 1000 students dressed in outfits from power rangers, male fairies, a policeman in speedos to Oompa Loompa’s to celebrate the start of the University of Otago second semester.

Hundreds queued for the 10am Cook-a-thon start, with about 500 in the tavern by noon, paying $25 for a T-shirt, jug of beer and three meals during the day.

Those not wanting to queue set up parties in Clyde and Castle Sts.

I was interviewed by the lovely folks from Road Trip Nation in Wellington yesterday, and by coincidence quite a bit of the conversation was about my university years and life at Otago. It really is a unique experience. I can never work out why people study anywhere else

Now this is a great example of academic innovation.

Otago University has joined forces with i Tunes to place some of their content on i Tunes U.

What a great way to make it easy for students to be able to listen to audio material and/or view videos. I’ve just downloaded their Life at Otago video.

NZPA reports that Chris Elliott will attend graduation in Dunedin this weekend on behalf of his sister Sophie Elliott, who was horrifically murdered earlier this year. Elliott had achieved first class honours, and it will be a very sombre aspect to the ceremony. For my 2c though I think it is very appropriate to recognise what happened, rather than try and pretend it didn’t and just have her name read out.

All murders are sad and tragic, but this one more so than most. I just do not understand how something like this can happen.

Dave Gee has photos in two parts of the annual toga parade of Otago University “freshers” in Dunedin.

A toga parade is a relatively benign form of initiation.  When I was there, “initiation” was very yucky – especially the parts involving a bath!