MASSEY UNIVERSITY News
Student centre to be campus social hub
A new $15 million Student Amenities Centre will provide a much-needed hub for student social life at Massey's Albany campus, says Vice-Chancellor Steve Maharey.
The centre, to be built between the Sir Neil Waters lecture theatres building and the Institute of Information and Mathematical Sciences, “will give the campus the heart it has always needed and wanted”, Mr Maharey says. “Students will have somewhere to come and eat and chat – it will create a centre and heart on the campus.”
“Our aim is that the students will want to stay around the campus longer, not just come here for lectures or go to the library. They will have somewhere to meet friends, do some light shopping or talk about issues from their lectures.”
Albany Students’ Association president Rawa Karetai says the two-storey building, encompassing an outdoor plaza area, aims to be an attractive, welcoming home base for the campus' 7000-odd students.
It will have a food hall and indoor/outdoor social and dining space, retail outlets, allocated spaces for the association, Maori and Pasifika students, student clubs, as well as the health and counselling centre.
Mr Karetai, who has championed the project during his two years as president, says he is “ecstatic” to see the project coming closer to fruition after ten years of planning.
Designed by Warren and Mahoney architects, the centre's simple, linear, contemporary design will be a departure from the campus' iconic Spanish Mission white arches and terracotta orange tiled roofs. Mr Maharey says the contrasting architecture will be “sympathetic and complementary” to surrounding buildings whilst signifying its distinctive purpose as a student centre.
Mr Karetai says students voted earlier this year to each contribute an annual $180 levy towards the cost of the building over the next few years. Construction is due to start early next year, and completed in February 2012.
An accommodation complex for 150 students as well as self-catering apartments located behind the centre are also planned for the campus.
Genome researcher a winner
A molecular biologist who developed the first three-dimensional map and model of a genome has been awarded this year’s Life Technologies Life Science Award for excellence in molecular biology.
Dr Justin O’Sullivan, a senior lecturer at the Institute of Natural Sciences at Albany, received the $3000 award at the Queenstown Molecular Biology meeting for his pioneering work into the nano-scale labyrinth of chromosomal linkages within cells.
Dr O’Sullivan’s work has involved analysis of more than 800 million DNA sequence bases to understand the spatial organisation of chromosomes. The results could provide insights into the genetic triggers for some developmental diseases as well as cancer.
Innovative firm wins sustainability award
An innovative Silverdale construction company has won the Massey University Excellence in Sustainability Award for its recycling programme.
Troake Wall and Ceiling Services Ltd was honoured at the 2010 Westpac Enterprise North Shore Business Excellence Awards.
Massey Master of Business Administration graduate Victoria Troake is managing director of the firm and her husband, Vince, is general manager.
Biosecurity company Targeted Pest Solutions Ltd, run by Massey University business studies graduate Bevan Jones, was also a finalist in the category, alongside Naylor Love Construction and Babcock Fitzroy Ltd.
Teams solve economic challenge
KingsWay School took top honours in the annual ANZ-Massey University Economics Challenge competition in Albany and Westlake Boys’ High School were runners up.
The teams successfully answered a 20-question online quiz before making a five-minute “rocket pitch” on the subject What can we do to improve New Zealand’s low productivity?
Teams from 15 secondary schools took part in the competition run simultaneously on the Manawatu and Albany campuses. They were mentored by lecturers and postgraduate students from the School of Economics and Finance.
The winners received a trophy and a Massey University scholarship of $2000 toward full-time study in the College of Business next year, runners-up received $1,000 scholarships.
Student satisfaction grows in latest survey
A survey of more than 6500 students shows 85 per cent rate the University’s facilities and services highly – up from 80 per cent last year.
The annual Student Experience with Services survey enables students to give feedback on a range of criteria including the enrolment process, study, student life, and information and communication.
Among the top scorers were learning environments and access to study materials which were rated “good” or “very good” by 85 per cent of students surveyed, while more than 90 per cent gave those high ratings to library services.
Education: Kristin School
