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

The Government has announced that New Zealand will remain at alert level 2 until a review of the alert levels next Monday (21 September). The final decision will be announced then, but in principle:

• On Monday 21 September at 11.59 pm, all of New Zealand, except Auckland, will move to alert level 1
• On Wednesday 23 September at 11.59 pm, Auckland will move to alert level 2 with eased restrictions on gatherings

Thank you for your cooperation in following the current alert level 2 guidelines when you are on campus—these practices are important to ensure the wellbeing of our whole community. We will provide you with an update on what campus life at alert level 1 will look like next week following the Government’s announcement on Monday.

Extended campus and library hours

From this Saturday 19 September, our weekend campus and library opening hours will be extended and will run from 10 am until 8 pm. 

Kia ora koutou,

This week, our University community is celebrating Te Wiki o te Reo Māori. We have come up with a concept to support te reo Māori speakers on campus who are at different stages of their language learning journey.

Called He Kāinga Reo, and launched to coincide with Te Wiki o te Reo Māori 2020, it allows participants to self-identify their level of te reo proficiency. They are then given a badge that coincides with their ability. Ngāi Tauira and our collaborators VUWSA hope it will help create an approachable and non-threatening environment at the University where participants can freely speak te reo at whatever level they are comfortable with.

The badges are plastic free and made of sustainably produced materials. There are four self-identified levels—watch our video to find out more and how to get a badge.

We are in the Hub throughout most of the week, holding events with Āwhina and celebrating te reo Māori! Read the programme and connect with our Facebook and Instagram to stay up-to-date. You can email the Presidents directly at Tumuaki@nt.org.nz

You can also take part in two more University-run webinars to learn some basic te reo Māori and improve your pronunciation in a fun and interactive way. They are taking place online on Thursday and Friday from 10–10.15 am—sign up now.

And check out these cards sharing commonly used words in te reo Māori by Āwhina and add to your reo knowledge.

Ngāi Tauira—the Māori students’ association

This week, alongside Te Wiki o te Reo Māori, we join the disability community in celebrating disability pride. Disability Pride Week seeks to change the way people think about and define disability, to end the stigma of disability, and to recognise that disability is a natural part of human diversity that people living with disabilities can take pride in. 

We have over 2,000 students and many staff with disabilities at our university and welcome the increasing diversity of our community. This week, Disability Services is sharing what disability pride means to students, alumni, and staff with disabilities. Thanks to Ara A'Court for sharing this quote:

Disability Services provides advice and support for students. The Disabled Students’ Association is the representative group for disabled students. 

Sexual Harassment Response Policy—review

Te Herenga Waka—Victoria University of Wellington is committed to supporting a learning environment that is free from sexually harmful behaviours. You can read more about how the University responds to sexually harmful behaviours on the Current Students' Hub.

After consultation with our community in 2019, the University’s Sexual Harassment Response Policy and associated Sexual Harassment Response Procedures came into effect in March this year. We now want to hear feedback on any elements of the policy and/or procedures.

Feedback can be sent to policy-feedback@vuw.ac.nz by Sunday 11 October.

Please let us know if you would like this feedback to remain anonymous. The University is an organisation that is subject to the Official Information Act, please also let us know if you would like any information you provide to remain confidential.

The Student Interest and Conflict Resolution team are here to support you. You can contact them for confidential information and advice about options, reporting, and support.

On-campus events with SWAT team this Mental Health Awareness Week!

Here's what's happening!

• On Tuesday, SWAT and VUWSA are popping down to Te Aro campus with super fun activities, resources, and free fruit! See you there from 11 am–1 pm.  
• On Wednesday, heaps of clubs and services are coming together for an expo in the Hub on Kelburn campus to showcase how they can support your mental health. Every service will be hosting an activity and have giveaways for you. So wholesome! See you there from 11 am–2 pm
• To finish the week off, on Thursday SWAT and VUWSA will be at Pipitea Campus in the Rutherford House foyer with activities, resources, and more free fruit! Catch us there from 11 am–1 pm.  

The week's events are open to all students to help us ‘re-imagine wellbeing together’. If we aren't in alert level 1 from Tuesday, don’t worry, we still have an awesome plan B for an online MHAW. We look forward to seeing you there! We'll update our timetable on the Student Wellbeing webpage if any changes due to COVID-19 alert levels are made. We also have great online wellbeing resources, so check them out!

SWAT team leaders

Are you considering postgraduate study? Come along to a postgraduate information evening and get advice about choosing programmes and career pathways, and explore your research interests.

Our first event is next Thursday 24 September at Pipitea campus from 6–8 pm. Come along and meet staff from each of our faculties, hear from a panel of staff and current postgraduate students, and join programme sessions throughout the evening—find out more and sign up here.

Contribute to your student blog myView 

This year we've shared some great stories written by students for students and we want more! Contributing to myView can earn you Wellington Plus points, get you a $25 retail voucher, and give you the chance to share your writing with other students. Whether you're an undergraduate, postgraduate, mature student, or a domestic or international student (including those studying with us from abroad), we want to hear about your university experiences and share them with other students. Visit the website and read our submission guidelines or get in touch at students@vuw.ac.nz. 

Some of our current students who have contributed to myView in 2020

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.