Metro

The Otago University Union building will once again host partying students next week after being closed since last December for a $5.7 million redevelopment.

Three University of Otago academics with a passion for teaching, Dr Rhiannon Braund, Associate Prof Steve Dawson and Associate Prof Anthony Robins, have gained the university's latest annual teaching excellence awards.

Three staff at the University of Otago student magazine Critic, used to working on a magazine which reaches about 19,000 people, got a shock when they were asked to produce the cover for one of the United States' most popular magazines, Newsweek, which has a readership of 14 million.

Research involving brain stimulation to improve memory in people with dementia is one of several University of Otago projects boosted by more than $330,000 in grants from the Neurological Foundation of New Zealand.

The University of Otago has approached the Government about its concerns that cutting allowance eligibility for postgraduate students could reduce its numbers.

Drugs being developed for Parkinson's disease are probably not a magic cure for the degenerative disease, but have researchers excited by what they are seeing in rodent studies, visiting neurophysiologist Associate Prof Anthony West told a public lecture at the University of Otago yesterday.

The University of Otago's Centre for Science Communication has gone from newest kid on the block to the institution's third most popular master's student programme in less than four years.

Medical students from the University of Otago who pitched in to help Christchurch Hospital staff during last month's earthquake have been praised for their work.

Speight's Brewery in Dunedin was evacuated after a chemical spill yesterday, but beer production was not affected, brewery manager John Craig said.

The most important aspect of his "very fortunate" first 63 years has had nothing to do with work, but with family and his marriage, University of Otago vice-chancellor Prof Sir David Skegg said.

Rev Dr David Clark has spent enough time in and around Selwyn College to experience its old traditions, and watch new ones develop.

Dunedin Mayor Dave Cull extended a welcome and then immediately issued a warning to new University of Otago students yesterday.

Three flatmates wanted: Must be willing to live rent free in a new centrally-located student flat: Contact large bank for details.

Extra parental supervision is being encouraged in a campaign aimed at getting students' parents to visit Dunedin - and their children - more often.

The students - and their couches - are back.