Media related newsitems

• • Housing: up, up and out

    • 22 Sep 2020
    • Wellington Scoop
    • Accepted from Wellington Scoop features 10 hours ago by feedreader
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• • Saving our good character

    • 17 Sep 2020
    • Wellington Scoop
    • Wellingtonians are taking sides about the city council’s new spatial plan. Let’s be pleased that there’s such passion about the development of our city.
    • Accepted from Wellington Scoop features 4 days ago by feedreader
    • Tagged as:
    • draft-spatial-plan
  
  

• • Being kind to your neighbours

    • 15 Sep 2020
    • Wellington Scoop
    • Accepted from Wellington Scoop features 1 week ago by feedreader
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• • New group campaigning for council’s Spatial Plan

    • 15 Sep 2020
    • Wellington Scoop
    • A new campaign has launched to support the Wellington City Council’s proposed Spatial Plan, which aims to set a blueprint for more affordable housing as the city grows. A City for People is a non-partisan group of Wellingtonians who share a progressive and sustainable vision for Wellington. We see the Spatial Plan as an important opportunity to put people first and make a plan to share our city as it grows. “We’re asking Wellington City Councillors to support the Spatial Plan so all generations of Wellingtonians can share the city we love, and we have a chance to live in an affordable, warm, dry home,” said City for People spokesperson Isla Stewart.
    • Tagged as:
    • draft-spatial-plan
    • lobbygroups
  
  

• • Status quo – not an option

    • 14 Sep 2020
    • Wellington Scoop
    • It is a common rhetorical device to say the status quo is not an option. What we usually mean by this is that the old ways of doing things will not set us up for success in the future. When it comes to Wellington city’s spatial plan this is true.
    • Accepted from Wellington Scoop features 1 week ago by feedreader
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• • Music during and after lockdown

    • 13 Sep 2020
    • Wellington Scoop
    • Accepted from Wellington Scoop features 1 week ago by feedreader
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• • Disastrous consequences if Kāpiti Airport is closed

    • 9 Sep 2020
    • Wellington Scoop
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• • Priced out of the city

    • 7 Sep 2020
    • Wellington Scoop
    • Accepted from Wellington Scoop features 2 weeks ago by feedreader
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• • Wellington from the Wairarapa

    • 6 Sep 2020
    • Wellington Scoop
    • Accepted from Wellington Scoop features 2 weeks ago by feedreader
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    • wairarapa
  
  

• • Getting it wrong about population growth

    • 4 Sep 2020
    • Wellington Scoop
    • Accepted from Wellington Scoop features 2 weeks ago by feedreader
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• • Wildly optimistic about population growth

    • 2 Sep 2020
    • Wellington Scoop
    • Accepted from Wellington Scoop features 2 weeks ago by feedreader
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• • In it together – rethinking the city’s economy

    • 1 Sep 2020
    • Wellington Scoop
    • Accepted from Wellington Scoop features 3 weeks ago by feedreader
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• • Why bother with consultation?

    • 31 Aug 2020
    • Wellington Scoop
    • In August last year, Wellington started a journey called ‘Planning for Growth,’ asking how the District Plan should be amended to make room for the expected growth of the city in the next 30 years. A city wide consultation was undertaken:
    • Accepted from Wellington Scoop features 3 weeks ago by feedreader
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• • 65% of Students Satisfied with University’s COVID-19 Response Despite Communication Issues

    • 30 Aug 2020
    • Salient
    • Finn Blackwell | He/Him <figure class=" sqs-block-image-figure intrinsic " > VUW’s Hunter Building.
    • Accepted from Salient feed 2020 3 weeks ago by tonytw1
    • Tagged as:
    • covid-19
  
  

• • Blazers, Blue/Greens, and Birds: A Sit Down With Nicola Willis

    • 30 Aug 2020
    • Salient
    • This week, Salient sat down with National Party MP and candidate for Wellington Central Nicola Willis to discuss her thoughts on the Golden Mile, Cannabis Referendum, and bird of the year.
    • Accepted from Salient feed 2020 2 weeks ago by tonytw1
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• • Whiria Project: Major VUW Restructure in the Works, But With Great Push Back

    • 30 Aug 2020
    • Salient
    • Te Aorewa Rolleston | Ngāti Ranginui, Ngāi te Rangi | She/Her <figure class=" sqs-block-image-figure intrinsic " > Victoria University of Wellington is proposing a substantial restructure plan named the ‘Whiria Project’—which translates as “to plait” or weave. The proposal has come as a surprise to many staff and has largely been met with resistance, particularly from unionised staff. The 30 page discussion document seen by Salient also lacks substantial focus on student experience and engagement.  According to senior leadership, the proposal is the University’s effort to “adapt” to the current times with the economic impact of COVID-19 a significant feature of the discussion document.  The discussion document outlines a series of significant changes across the entire structure of the University which will impact students, staff, schools of learning, and senior leadership.  Key areas of focus within the document include: Dividing and sectioning the current three tier organisational structure to make it more fluid and efficient Aligning the current academic systems to the strategic plan focusing on a global, civic university Examining ways to incorporate values of Te Tiriti o Waitangi more centrally Increasing communication and engagement within the institution  Managing the financial stability and cost savings of the university. The proposal has been met with great pushback from stakeholders, highlighting the need for consistent communication and transparency from the University.  Salient spoke to VUWSA about their contribution and participation in the Whiria project and whether they believed there had been sufficient consultation.  Acting President of VUWSA, Taylah Shuker said they, alongside the Student Academic Committee, were "disappointed with the level of consultation from the University about the Whiria project." Shuker also confirmed that VUWSA had to actively seek documents and facilitate consultation, adding that “if students had been approached early on it would have shown a commitment to students as partners and acknowledged the potential affects this project has on them.” VUWSA understands there is no intention to hold specific student consultation.  As a result, “VUWSA has requested an executive summary of the Whiria discussion document (shorter than the 28 pages to make it more accessible for students), with clear communication on how students can submit feedback.” At the time of publication, VUWSA had not received a summary. As well as consultation with students and student representatives, there were also concerns expressed for academic and administrative staff.  Several VUW staff have spoken to wider media explaining that staff were already feeling exhausted and stressed and that the recently revealed discussion document was worrying.  Tutor and doctorate student, Erica Cassie told Salient that many tutors have been sharing their concerns around the University's decision making. She said the insufficient consultation has caused many tutors to fear for their job security.  Cassie said, “The first time I actually saw the document was when it was released to staff a few days ago.”  “There haven’t been discussions in our school and there hasn’t been a great amount of information sent to me either as a tutor or as a postgraduate student.” “It’s really hard to pass the document, it does not make sense to most people.” “Staff are focussed on trying to teach and support students through all the ongoing disruptions of this year - now is not the time to be piling on still more uncertainty and the prospect of job cuts.” Co-President of the Tertiary Education Union VUW Branch, Dougal McNeill, said that "It is astounding that, in the middle of an ongoing global pandemic, the University's senior leadership should think this a good time to initiate wide-ranging and ill-thought-out restructuring.” McNeill added that the further centralisation and concentration of power Whiria proposes “will be bad for students and staff. It's more of the same tired managerialism that has served higher education so poorly over the past decades. And it would have to result in job losses.”  He stresses that students and staff “need more connection, support and interaction as a community of learners, not still further powers given to an ever-growing centre.” Union members joined in what were some of the biggest union meetings in years to have their say on this project.  McNeill states The Whiria Project needs to be withdrawn, “and the Vice Chancellor and Provost need to work urgently to try and restore trust and relationship with University staff."  Salient spoke to Deputy Vice Chancellor Māori,  Professor Rawinia Higgins about the proposal and the contribution the Māori community have had in the proposal’s intentions.  “As we were trying to weave together a number of different reports that we had done over time, Whiria was really trying to put that into a discussion document.”  “In terms of the Māori part of that, I was very much involved and Dr Ocean Mercier (Te Kawa a Maui) was included.”  Professor Higgins explained that this was a kaupapa where Māori were definitely involved and that it was an opportunity to look ahead at how the university will function in the future. Professor Higgins went on further to explain that she was confident with the support being facilitated by the leadership team in centralising the iho of the university, the marae complex and normalising Te Reo Māori. In regard to engaging and consulting tauira, Professor Higgins said that “to my understanding, people within their respective communities are engaging with their representatives.”  “I had the Ngāi Tauira (Māori Student’s Association) representatives join me in a Zui and assume they will engage their student bodies. I have said that I am happy to talk if they want me to.” The discussion document recommends giving Te Kawa a Māui more prominence in the new structure as a means to upholding Te Tiriti. In statement the University responded to Salient’s request for comment on the Whiria Project and the concerns being felt by students and staff.  “The document released is a discussion document not a proposal. It offers some high-level draft recommendations simply to help clarify, challenge and progress thinking prior to consultation.  The document was put together by the Senior Leadership Team after discussions with those whose roles could be affected by changes to the academic structure, namely SLT Members, Deans, Associate Deans and Heads of School.” “The discussion document was developed by the people whose roles could be affected by changes to the academic structure.  This week’s issue of Whītiki—our student newsletter—will include an item directing students to a Whiria project webpage and the discussion document.” Students and staff have been given until the 14th September to provide feedback on the Whiria Project following which a report will be released sharing those responses. Students are invited to contribute feedback via email to whiriafeedback@vuw.ac.nz The full discussion document (pictured above) is now available on the University's website.
    • Accepted from Salient feed 2020 2 weeks ago by tonytw1
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• • Hidden and ignored: the 2013 report on the Central Library

    • 28 Aug 2020
    • Wellington Scoop
    • In May this year, while researching my submission to the Wellington City Council requesting re-opening of the Central Library, I unearthed a 2013 report commissioned by council staff and written by the reputable firm of Holmes consulting engineers who had been asked to “evaluate the likely seismic performance of the existing Wellington City Library Building.”
    • Accepted from Wellington Scoop features 3 weeks ago by feedreader
    • Tagged as:
    • central-library
  
  

• • What are they doing about parking?

    • 27 Aug 2020
    • Wellington Scoop
    • Accepted from Wellington Scoop features 3 weeks ago by feedreader
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• • Transmission Gully: urgent review of delays and cost increases

    • 24 Aug 2020
    • Wellington Scoop
    • Accepted from Wellington Scoop features 4 weeks ago by feedreader
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    • transmissiongully
  
  

• • Officially approved: pollution of Titahi Bay

    • 24 Aug 2020
    • Wellington Scoop
    • Accepted from Wellington Scoop features 4 weeks ago by feedreader
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    • titahi-bay
  
  

• • Saving a hall and its history

    • 21 Aug 2020
    • Wellington Scoop
    • The Titahi Bay Marines Hall, built in 1942 as a recreational hall for US soldiers stationed in New Zealand during World War II, has stood empty since 2012 due to structural issues.
    • Accepted from Wellington Scoop features 4 weeks ago by feedreader
    • Tagged as:
    • heritagebuildings
    • titahi-bay
  
  

• • Covid-19: PM visits scientists in Porirua

    • 21 Aug 2020
    • Wellington Scoop
    • Accepted from Wellington Scoop features 1 month ago by feedreader
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    • covid-19
  
  

• • Metlink offering QR codes on trains and ferries, but not on buses

    • 18 Aug 2020
    • Wellington Scoop
    • Accepted from Wellington Scoop features 1 month ago by feedreader
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    • media
  
  

• • Going up, again and again

    • 17 Aug 2020
    • Wellington Scoop
    • Accepted from Wellington Scoop features 1 month ago by feedreader
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    • media
  
  

• • City council confirms preference for strengthening Central Library

    • 15 Aug 2020
    • Wellington Scoop
    • Accepted from Wellington Scoop features 1 month ago by feedreader
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    • central-library
  
  

• • Differences in character

    • 13 Aug 2020
    • Wellington Scoop
    • Accepted from Wellington Scoop features 1 month ago by feedreader
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• • What’s in a name?

    • 12 Aug 2020
    • Wellington Scoop
    • Last week’s announcement of Tākina as the new name for the new Conference Centre has brought a lively discussion about its relevance. It was also a reminder that renaming has become a habit in Wellington.
    • Accepted from Wellington Scoop features 1 month ago by feedreader
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    • convention-center
  
  

• • Transport plans: the good, the bad and the ugly

    • 10 Aug 2020
    • Wellington Scoop
    • Accepted from Wellington Scoop features 1 month ago by feedreader
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    • media
  
  

• • Creating communities, not demolishing old homes

    • 9 Aug 2020
    • Wellington Scoop
    • Accepted from Wellington Scoop features 1 month ago by feedreader
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    • media
  
  

• • The best density

    • 6 Aug 2020
    • Wellington Scoop
    • Accepted from Wellington Scoop features 1 month ago by feedreader
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    • media