What is "craccum"

Craccum is the weekly magazine produced by the Auckland University Students' Association of the University of Auckland, New Zealand. It was founded in 1927. The name originated from the scrambled acronym of "Auckland University College Men's Common Room Committee".

Craccum is the largest student magazine in New Zealand, with a weekly distribution of 10,000 - 12,000 copies. It is anomalous as a publication because the position of editor is annually elected by the students' association.

The magazine has at times been controversial, with stories on how to shoplift, the drawbacks of various methods of committing suicide, drug use guides, recipes for illegal drugs and drug rape guides. Craccum is also a popular proving ground for New Zealand mainstream media, with many of its alumni moving on to publications such as The Listener, The New Zealand Herald, The National Business Review and Metro magazine.

In 1989 the publication was re-branded "Torso" for the final issues of that year, an event noted in the mainstream media. However the original name was re-established the following year.

In 2005, the rights to the front cover of the sellout-themed issue of Craccum were auctioned on TradeMe. Salient, the student magazine for Victoria University of Wellington, won the auction. In 2011 the rights to the front cover of the women's rights-themed issue were again auctioned on TradeMe, with proceeds going to Women's Refuge; the auction was won by the Tertiary Education Union (TEU).

Craccum is a member of the Aotearoa Student Press Association (ASPA). In 2007, Craccum won the award for Best Publication at the ASPA Awards for the first time. It has not won the award since.