Director of student health service calls time
KIM Ma’ia’i, director of the University of Otago’s Student Health Service, is stepping down.
After 17 years with the service, 14 of them as director, Dr Ma’ia’i said he would now be working on various, unspecified, healthrelated activities.
‘‘I will be staying in Dunedin for the short term. I have a couple of projects in the health sector that I am involved with, but that’s as far as I would go.’’
Since he joined student health, society had evolved, and so had the role the service played, Dr Ma’ia’i said.
Issues such as mental health were now more prominent on the student health radar than they were. Changes in the wake of a 2016 review of services offered are almost in place.
Also, new health messages had had to be found as new generations of students arrived at Otago.
The university had been supportive as the service adapted to those changes, as had the service’s 52 staff, he said.
‘‘We have to keep on refreshing the best way to communicate things. Students appreciate a thoughtful approach, an honest approach, and that’s what we try to do here,’’ Dr Ma’ia’i, an Otago graduate, said.
While new technology was an amazing tool for communicating with students, daytoday, facetoface interaction should remain a vital part of Student Health’s role, he said.
‘‘Students are the one common element, and it’s been a pleasure to work for their health and wellbeing.
‘‘It’s been fantastic, it’s been a great career, and I’ve enjoyed every moment of it,’’ Dr Ma’ia’i said.