Dr Francesca Marzatico is the Kaiāwhina for Surveying. She is the point of call for Māori students to ask questions, seek support, learn more about Māori scholarships, and in cooperation with other networks, arrange for pastoral and academic support.
- View the University of Otago's Māori Strategic Framework
- School of Surveying Māori Strategic Framework (PDF)
The School of Surveying Māori strategic framework
The role of Kaiāwhina (Māori student support) is well recognised and provides a valuable direct link to Māori students. It also facilitates and fosters closer links with Te Huka Mātauraka (the Māori Centre), primarily to ensure that Māori students can access all avenues of academic and pastoral assistance.
The Kaiāwhina promotes opportunities for Māori within the school by identifying and supporting Māori students here, by promoting research topics with Māori themes, by promoting Māori scholarships and study grants, by referring Māori students to Te Huka Mātauraka. Student support includes attendance at the Māori Pre-grad ceremonies, and celebration of Māori student success.
The Kaiāwhina should also be the liaison contact for Māori research consultation, contacts with Te Tumu (the School of Māori, Pacific and Indigenous Studies), and contacts with mana whenua and the local marae and with the Māori Land Committee of the NZIS.
The school has created a 'synthetic' BlackBoard Course for surveying students identifying as Māori or Pacific Islander. The BlackBoard site aims to present a Māori-friendly face to surveying students, including a “What, Who Where?” PowerPoint resource with maps showing locations of Māori spaces. The BlackBoard link also provides a forum for notices and reminders for Māori and communication with the Kaiāwhina