The university has already spent $670,000 on a plan to change its logo, which aligns with a strategic direction to embrace the Treaty of Waitangi and cultural awareness.
Global studies student Renata Francisca Herrera Rojas said the money spent on rebranding would be better spent on educating students.
"A logo change is not going to suddenly make the university a culturally aware or tikanga-led [customs] institution.
"It’s very superficial."
The rebranding project was announced a week prior to a proposal to cut the languages and cultures department by $1.2 million amid declining enrolments, reducing the number of papers offered from 78 to 33 by 2025.
Ms Rojas said trimming down a department which contributes to cultural education works against the university’s bid for cultural awareness.
"Just because the university is trying to promote tikanga, it doesn’t mean they have to throw away everything else.
"Making the demand higher for te reo and traditional languages is going to be lot more impactful than a rebranding."
Funding cuts would decrease student proficiency, also contrary to the university’s call for cultural awareness.
"For French, the proposal means teaching would be cut down to a B1 in the European framework, which means you’d come out with secondary level proficiency."
Pro-vice chancellor of humanities Prof Jessica Palmer said the new curriculum would continue to place emphasis on cultural understanding and developing critical awareness.
"It is necessary to consider how we can continue to offer modern languages in a more sustainable form."
Prof Palmer said the rebrand had been funded through existing marketing budgets.
"There is no link between funding the university’s visual project and the proposed changes to our languages and cultures programme."
Consultation on the proposal to change the university te reo name to Ōtākou Whakaihu Waka and logo to a tohu (emblem) representing the Otago channel will close on Sunday.
Feedback will then be considered by the University of Otago Council and Tuakiritaka project steering group in May. An announcement on what is decided will be made following this.
