Some Christchurch schools are so worried about the impact of February's earthquake on their students that they want special consideration to be given in their exam marks.
A scanned copy of a black and white photograph depicting students painting signs. The signs are for a protest march against education cuts.
A photograph of a crowd of students outside the UCSA building during the 2008 end-of-year Tea Party event.
A photograph of students on the balcony of the UCSA building during the 2008 end-of-year Tea Party event.
A photograph of a crowd of students outside the UCSA building during the 2008 end-of-year Tea Party event.
A photograph of a crowd of students outside the UCSA building during the 2008 end-of-year Tea Party event.
A photograph of a crowd of students outside the UCSA building during the 2008 end-of-year Tea Party event.
A photograph of a crowd of students outside the UCSA building during the 2008 end-of-year Tea Party event.
A photograph of a crowd of students outside the UCSA building during the 2008 end-of-year Tea Party event.
A photograph of a crowd of students outside the UCSA building during the 2008 end-of-year Tea Party event.
A photograph of a crowd of students outside the UCSA building during the 2008 end-of-year Tea Party event.
A photograph of a crowd of students outside the UCSA building during the 2008 end-of-year Tea Party event.
Mayor Bob Parker, Sam Johnson, leader of the Student Volunteer Army, Prime Minister John Key and UCSA president Nick McDonnell at an event to thank the Student Volunteer Army.
A photograph of a crowd of students outside the UCSA building during the 2008 end-of-year Tea Party event.
A photograph of a crowd of students outside the UCSA building during the 2008 end-of-year Tea Party event.
A scanned copy of a black and white photograph depicting a crowd of seated students at the University of Canterbury. The students are dressed in black in protest at the lack of government funding for education. In the foreground is the page of a newspaper dated 22 June 1988, on which an article about the protest is written.
A photograph described by University of Canterbury alumnus Mike Gibbs as follows: "Pete Martin serving Tequila to students on the grassed area outside the amphitheatre (on UCSA grounds) at the tequila challenge 2002 for the Guinness Book of Records. After a long day (even if it is at lunch time) students will drink anything that's free".
This thesis examines how 18 University of Canterbury students based in Christchurch experienced housing insecurity during the three years after a series of major earthquakes from late 2010 and throughout 2011. I adopted a qualitative exploratory approach to gather students’ accounts and examine their experiences which were analysed using constructivist grounded theory methods. Three core categories were identified from the data: mobility, recreating security, and loss. Mobility included the effects of relocation and dislocation, as well as how the students searched for stability. Recreating security required a renewed sense of belonging and also addressed the need to feel physically safe. Lastly, loss included the loss of material possessions and also the loss of voice and political representation. The theory that emerged from these findings is that the extent to which students were able to control their mobility largely explained their experiences of housing insecurity. When students experienced a loss of control over their mobility they effectively addressed this by being resourceful and drawing on existing forms of capital. This resourcefulness generated a new form of capital, here called security capital, which represents a conceptual contribution to existing debates on students’ experiences of homelessness in a disaster context.
Prior to the devastating 2010 and 2011 earthquakes in Christchurch, New Zealand, the University of Canterbury (UC) was renowned for its graduates’ academic preparation and its staff’s research outputs. The town/gown relationship was aloof and strained due to UC’s move from the CBD in the 1970s and students being seen as troublemakers. Despite its vision of people prepared to make a difference, the University’s students and staff were not seen as making a difference in the local community or as being engaged citizens. This changed when over 9,000 UC students mobilized themselves into the Student Volunteer Army to provide immediate relief across Christchurch following the four major quakes of 2010 and 2011. Suddenly, UC students were seen as saviors, not miscreants and a focus on citizenship education as part of the University’s strategic direction began to take shape. Based on qualitative and quantitative research conducted at UC over the past four years, this interactive presentation will highlight the findings, conclusions, and implications of how the University has been transformed into a recognized, international leader in citizenship education. By integrating students’ community service into their academic studies, the University has changed its persona while students have gained academically, civically, and personally.
Heavy snow is forcing schools to close across the country. It's a double blow for Canterbury students who have already lost weeks of precious school time due to the earthquakes.
A photograph of students watching a movie on C-block lawn during Orientation Week of February 2016.
A photograph of a band playing to a crowd of students at the end-of-year Tea Party event of 2012.
A photograph of students gathered outside the UCSA building for a comedy show. The show was part of Orientation Week in February 2010.
A scanned copy of page 7 of an issue of Canta published in 1976. The page features the floor plan of the Students' Association building.
A video of three Chisnallwood Intermediate students reading their stories about the Christchurch school closures. The students are Sophie Yeoman, Breana Riordan, and Phoebe Thompson.
A scanned copy of page 11 of an issue of Canta published on Monday 8 April 1968. The page features an article on student activism.
A photograph of a band playing to a crowd of students outside the UCSA building during the 2008 end-of-year Tea Party event.
A scanned copy of a photograph depicting crowds of students outside the UCSA building for the end-of-lectures celebrations. The photograph was taken in the 1980s.
A scanned copy of a black and white photograph of students posing next to and on top of Okeover House at the University of Canterbury. The photograph was taken in 1978.
A video of an interview with Bridie Sweetman, a student who narrowly missed being hit by a chimney when it crashed into her kitchen during the 4 September 2010 earthquake.