The Revered Rhodes Scholarships: 100 YEARS and 45 OTAGO SCHOLARS LATER
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UNIVERSITY OF MAGAZINEOtago ISSUE 3: OCTOBER 2002 The Revered Rhodes Scholarships: 100 YEARS AND 45 OTAGO SCHOLARS LATER UNIVERSITY of OTAGO SAPERE AUDE Te Whare Wänanga o Otägo UNIVERSITYmagazine OF OTAGO CONTENTS Cover photo:Cover Nick Servian 12 5 Rhodes Scholarships Vice-Chancellor’s comment In the scholarship’s centenary year, the University of Otago Magazine takes a look at the scheme, its creator and some of 6 Inbrief Otago’s successes. News from Otago’s campuses 24 23 Caversham Project University Mäori Affairs Advisor Few people appreciate the breadth of this Darryn Russell internationally-recognised project, which studies the lives of 100,000 Dunedin people 31 over the turn of the century. Hocken Legacy 34 28 UniNews Immunising Debate Otago graduate, writer and mother of two Nicola Mutch takes a close look at the pros 37 and cons of immunising. She makes no UniClippings apology for her one-sided conclusion. 39 32 Books Alumni Insight Wellington-based novelist Barbara 40 Anderson recalls her first days at Otago. Alumni News and resources 3 SOMETIMES YOU WANT MORE graduation THAN MEMORIES birthdays The University of Otago Archway Shop stocks many different items of memorabilia – anniversaries something for every occasion. thank you christmas mothers’ day fathers’ day archwayshop.otago.ac.nz UNIVERSITY OF OTAGO magazine University of Otago Magazine Issue 3 October 2002 ISSN - 1175-8147 VC’s COMMENT Managing Editor Gillian Thomas New Zealand’s Universities at the crossroads Editor Brigid Feely [email protected] Keeping the University in a sound financial position is probably one of a Vice-Chancellor’s most important tasks. Designer Peter Scott Unfortunately, in recent years, it has not got any easier. We Contributing Writers Simon Ancell have only been able to achieve a solid financial position at the Claire Finlayson University of Otago by: Sean Flaherty Jo Galer • Ruthless control of costs, often at the expense of long-term Serena Gill benefits to the University. Catherine Gunn Lorraine Isaacs • Not spending as much as we should on maintenance of Lisa Macknight our buildings and equipment. Liz MacIntyre Maari McClusky • Not investing as much as we should to enhance the Nicola Mutch Judith Petheram University’s academic infrastructure. Dianne Pettis • Obtaining more income from external funding and Jill Rutherford Alan Sampson commercial research. Penny St John Christan Stoddart My concern is that actions such as these are simply “door Ainslie Talbot knob” polishing. They enable us to stay afloat but they do not Karin Warnaar strengthen the University as a teaching and research institution. Photography Sharron Bennett In so far as New Zealand’s universities are concerned, Alan Dove Government policy during the past three years of literally Alistair Guthrie Blake McEldowney forcing universities to accept a pitiful funding increase in Bill Nichol return for not increasing tuition fees, is not in the long-term Craig Potton national interest. If we are to develop New Zealand as a Nick Servian knowledge-based society, we have to have a university system Advertising Ruth Mackenzie-White whose funding base is enhanced not eroded. Comparisons of funding in New Zealand with other developed countries, such Circulation Alumni Office as Australia, Canada and Singapore, to name a few, show that [email protected] comparatively we have lost, not gained, ground. Contact Details The choice for the new government is clear: increase the University of Otago Magazine Marketing and Communications funding available to New Zealand universities from either PO Box 56 government sources, tuition fees or a combination of both; or Dunedin be remembered as the government which presided over the New Zealand Tel 64 3 479 8515 permanent erosion of quality within New Zealand’s university Fax 64 3 479 5417 sector. Email [email protected] Web www.otago.ac.nz/otagomagazine Submissions Contributed articles and letters should be addressed to: The Editor, University of Otago Magazine, at the above address or email [email protected]. Copyright You are welcome to reproduce material from the magazine after gaining permission from the editor. Dr Graeme Fogelberg The University of Otago Magazine is published by the Marketing and Communications Division of Vice-Chancellor the University. The opinions expressed are not necessarily those of the University. University of Otago 5 INBRIEF RESEARCH INTO HOUSING INSULATION Communities throughout New mould and household allergens. AND HEALTH Zealand are benefiting from housing Programme manager Anna research being carried out at Matheson says baseline results Otago’s Wellington School of were collected last winter from Medicine and Health Sciences. the uninsulated houses, as the He Kainga Oranga, the Housing first part of the three-year study. and Health Research Programme, The houses of people in the is a partnership with community experimental group have now been organisations. insulated and researchers are Director Associate Professor collecting data from this group.The Philippa Howden-Chapman and houses of people in the control group principal investigators Professor will be insulated after September. Julian Crane and Michael Baker of “People who live in overcrowded Otago’s Wellington School of and poorly-heated housing tend Medicine are studying about 1300 to have more respiratory complaints houses in seven different areas of and more admissions to hospital. New Zealand – Otara, South Overcrowded housing is also Taranaki, Eastern Bay of Plenty, associated with meningococcal Nuhaka/Mahia, Porirua, Hokitika and disease.” Christchurch – to investigate the Baseline data collected last health effects of insulating houses. winter showed about 70 per cent As well as studying the of participants taking part in the relationship between poor health study reported their houses were and damp, cold housing, the cold, and about 40 per cent said An Otago housing and health study is expected to make a researchers are looking at energy they were cold and damp significant difference to many. Staff (from left): programme consumption, carrying out a cost- “mostly” or “always” during manager Anna Matheson,Associate Professor Philippa Howden- benefit analysis of insulation and winter. The research is being Chapman, Professor Julian Crane and Michael Baker are involved in investigating the effect of funded by the Health Research the extensive project. insulation on the production of Council and other organisations. THE NOT-SO-CONVENIENT SIDE OF Zip zap, zippety zap.Another hard And guess what? That account ELECTRONIC BANKING day on the EFTPOS. contract you probably didn’t read It’s quick, it’s easy, but it’s also obliges you to protect your card fraught with danger. and PIN. Anybody peeking at your PIN “There have been cases such and then stealing your bank card as the student who left his card in can instantly become you. a drawer and went to school and There are no signatures in was held responsible for the cyberspace – those four digits are thief’s withdrawals.” a passport to mess with your Scott sees a case for bank account. government involvement in But surely the bank will contracts between customers and reimburse any stolen funds? banks, presently regulated by rules It’s not that easy, says senior the banks drew up. Otago law lecturer Dr Struan “It’s getting that balance Scott. Scott and David Tripe of between protecting the banks and Massey University have protecting the customer.” contributed seven chapters on The book, in which Otago electronic banking to Electronic academics also discuss internet Business and Technology Law – a and telecommunications law, is book and CD-ROM on the aimed at anybody involved in e- evolving world of e-commerce. commerce and is available online From the bank’s point of view, through publishers Butterworths. it was you who withdrew that Otago law lecturer Dr Struan Scott says people might be surprised $5000, which is where the finger- to know where the law stands on stolen bank cards. pointing of liability starts. The big problem is “the electronic identity crisis” – the lack of verifiable written signatures. 6 BED SHARING ADVICE TO BE DEVELOPED About 10 per cent of mothers in Since the early 1990s, safety New Zealand bed share with messages such as placing babies their babies, including 60 per cent on their back have been directed of Mäori and Polynesian mothers. at cot sleeping infants, but there is For most families, this is a no such safety advice specifically positive experience, but there is for bed sharers, according to strong evidence that an infant bed Baddock. sharing with a mother who While there is proof that smoked during pregnancy faces five babies of smoking mothers are at times the risk of Sudden Infant risk of SIDS when bed sharing, Death Syndrome (SIDS). several studies have shown no Dunedin School of Medicine increased risk for infants of non- paediatric and child health smoking mums, Baddock says. researchers are working to The study will be published determine why bed sharing with a next year. Early results show bed mother who smoked in sharing babies display a greater pregnancy is dangerous.They also range of activity compared to plan to create a set of research- sleeping in a cot, but the study based guidelines for parents. team is still to assess what Professor Barry Taylor, senior aspects of this activity may be research fellow Dr Barbara linked to SIDS. Galland, honorary senior lecturer Dr David Bolton, PhD student Sally Baddock and junior research To bed share or not? Otago researchers consider the pros and cons. fellow Amanda Phillips have studied 40 Dunedin infants who slept with their parents in the home and another 40 who slept in cots. VITAMIN C NOT JUST FOR COLDS For medical scientist Dr Margret “This result runs against the Vissers, vitamin C could be one of conventional wisdom regarding the big discoveries of her research vitamin C and cell survival.