Whītiki—Victoria University of Wellington student newsletter 14 October 2020

Welcome to Whītiki, our Te Herenga Waka—Victoria University of Wellington student newsletter.

A better student experience

The University is moving forward with a project that will transform the experience you have interacting with us and ensure you have all the support you need to navigate academic and university life.

The Student Success Programme (SSP) will deliver the following initiatives:

A new admission and enrolment process that is digital, faster, and year-round
Individual advice and support throughout students’ time at university
A self-service portal where students can access information and complete many tasks themselves.

The overarching goal of the SSP is to ensure that the systems you use to interact with us are smart, digital, personalised, and simple and efficient to navigate.

Many students have been involved in information gathering to inform the SSP and there will be many more opportunities for students to give ideas and feedback.

We will be providing regular updates and information to you through this newsletter and through the leaders of the many student representative groups on campus.

If you have any questions about the SSP, please email sspfeedback@vuw.ac.nz

As we approach the end of the trimester, we wanted to draw your attention to academic accommodations that are in place to support you.

Aegrotats

An aegrotat pass is an ungraded pass awarded to a student who is not well enough to complete a form of assessment or test after week ten (week beginning 28 September) of Trimester 2, 2020. The cause may be illness, injury, or other factors beyond a student's control. Read more about aegrotats and how to apply.

Extensions and changing assessments for individual students

In considering extension requests—and requests to waive, reweight, or provide alternative assessments for individual students—course coordinators are expected to be flexible where it is appropriate and helpful. If the grounds for the request impact you for one week or less, no evidence in the form of a medical certificate will be required.

Post-assessment moderation

Moderation procedures in all courses will compare grade distributions from previous years. In courses where grades are lower on average compared to previous years, scaling up of the overall grades or grades for one or more of the component assessment items will be applied. Marks or grades for assessment items will not be scaled down.

Simplified and streamlined processes for extension and aegrotat applications, as well as changes to post-assessment moderation, are some of the measures the University put in place in response to the COVID-19 pandemic and apply in Trimesters 2 and 3 this year.

You should contact your faculty office with any queries or concerns related to your study. We understand that this is a stressful period and encourage you to get in touch with our student services if you need additional support.

Good luck with your assessments.

On Monday, the Minister of Education announced a border exemption scheme to allow 250 international PhD students to come into New Zealand. Students who think they may be eligible need to take action by 19 October.

Details of the scheme are on the Ministry of Education website. Find out if you might be eligible and how to let us know here.

Student representative on University Council announced

As the successful candidate in the recent student election, Bachelor of Laws and Arts student Tiana Jakicevich (Ngāti Kahungunu, Whakatōhea, Tūhoe) will be appointed to Council at its meeting to be held on 20 November 2020. Tiana will represent Te Herenga Waka—Victoria University of Wellington students for two years from 1 January 2021 and will replace Hugo Lawrence who concludes his two year term on 31 December 2020.

Tiana Jakicevich

Tiana is a climate activist and an executive member of Ngā Rangahautira (Māori law student’s association) where she has held several roles. In her candidate statement she says, “Students are the heart and blood-flow of the University and are integral to decision-making processes at all levels”, noting she will bring the values of manaakitanga, kotahitanga, and rangatiratanga to university governance.

Wellbeing during assessment time with student Laila Abada

With the last week of assessments creeping up, it is really important to look after ourselves. Whether this is your last couple of weeks as a student here, or whether you’re returning for more study in Trimester 3 or next year, the last few assessments can always be the hardest. The end is so near, yet so far away!

Now would be the perfect time to utilise our wellbeing module on self-esteem. You'll find all sorts of tips on how to have compassion for yourself at a time when you might be feeling very stressed, grit to keep going and achieve those deadlines, believing in yourself, and finding courage to deal with the rest of the year ahead. Sarb Johal’s The biggest critic of me is me podcast is a great listen if you think you're being too hard on yourself with deadlines approaching.

You can utilise services on campus, like Mauri Ora (Student Counselling), who provide same-day duty counselling appointments. Or come down and visit the Bubble—the Canine Friends will be there from 11 am till 2 pm on Friday. Dogs are a reliable source of comfort during stressful times, so make sure to pop in and lift that weight off your shoulders.

Kia kaha for assessment week—you got this!

Leila is studying for a triple major in International Relations, Political Science, and Philosophy.

Do you want to help new students adjust to university life? Apply now to become a 2021 Student Ambassador. Your first role will be at New Students’ Orientation, helping us run the UNI 101 programme and helping new students learn all about university life. Student Ambassador roles are on a paid, casual basis and will extend for all of 2021 with other opportunities to work at university events, gain leadership skills and confidence, and meet other like-minded individuals. Find out more.

Voting in the 2020 General Election and referendums

You can vote on Kelburn campus in the Memorial Theatre foyer in the Student Union building (SU229) between 9 am and 7 pm on election day, Saturday 17 October.

For those who wish to vote in advance, the voting booth is open this week between 9 am and 5 pm. If you are unsure of where to go, an Electoral Commission staff member will be in the Hub to point you in the right direction.

The closest voting location to Pipitea campus is the Asteron Centre foyer, at 55 Featherston Street, by Mojo café and McDonald's. The closest voting location to Te Aro campus is Mt Cook School, 160 Tory Street. There is also a pop-up at 73 Manners St, across from TJ Katsu.

Find out more about voting, including how to enrol or update your details, how to find out what electorate you are in, and what to expect at a voting booth.

Library opening hours

All University libraries are open at the following times:

Monday to Friday: 8 am–midnight (service points staffed 8 am–8 pm)
Saturday and Sunday: 10 am–10 pm (service points staffed 10 am–3 pm).

Whītiki

As a student, we want you to feel connected with your Te Herenga Waka—Victoria University of Wellington community. Whītiki is a Māori word that is often used in a phrase heard at the University: 'Whītiki mai tō waka ki te wharenui nei, ki Te Tumu Herenga Waka'—'tie or bind your canoe to this meeting house, to the hitching post of canoes.' This weekly newsletter provides important information and updates from the University, resources to support your studies, and stories from our student community.