Dear E Williams,

 

I refer to your request of 16 September 2020. Unfortunately, consultations
necessary to make a decision on your request are such that we cannot
reasonably respond within the original time limit. Accordingly the
University has extended the time limit for your request until 28 October
2020 under section 15A of the Official Information Act. You have the right
to make a complaint to an Ombudsman if you are dissatisfied with this
extension.

 

Yours sincerely,

Rebecca Ewert

University of Auckland

 

    

show quoted sections

Dear E Williams,

 

I refer to your email of 16 September 2020. The University’s response
follows:

 

“    Under what conditions (invigilation, etc) are the following groups of
students expected to sit tests under:

     - Domestic, in Auckland students (with a subset for those offered
special conditions)

     - Domestic, outside Auckland students

     - International, attending a Chinese Learning Centre students

     - International, other students

   

    Specifically will there be instances where one or more group of
students are sitting tests with course and/or technological advantages,
while others are under invigilated situations.

   

    What equity assessments (or other such
assessments/reports/communications relating to the equity impact) of the
decision have been undertaken to counteract any advantages one group may
have over another.

   

    Is there a similar decision in place for the end of semester
examinations - traditionally strictly invigilated.”

 

The information requested in relation to the University’s current
assessment policy is set out in the attached.

 

“What Health and Safety assessments have been conducted for the impact -
and possible risk of exposure to Coronavirus - for staff and students that
are required to be present in test situations.”

 

The University complies with MoH and MoE requirements and guidelines for
Alert Levels, which include specifications relating to on-campus
examinations in particular. No Health and Safety assessments have been
conducted by the University for this specific matter. This part of your
request is refused under section 18(e) of the Official Information Act.

 

“Additionally, and where urgency is not expected, I request copies of any
equity and health & safety assessments (or any document, communication,
etc that can be reasonably construed as such).”

 

The attached assessment policy addresses equity between students who are
able to sit examinations on campus and students who are unable to sit
examinations on campus. Further, the University’s Deputy Vice-Chancellor
(Academic), Professor John Morrow, has stated the following on that topic:

 

“It has always been the practice of the University to make varying
provisions for students who are unable to sit examinations on campus.
These provisions are made when students face circumstances beyond their
control or, in a very limited number of cases, when they have very
important commitments into which they entered in advance of the
publication of the examination timetable.

 

Under conditions that have prevailed since earlier in the year, the
University has extended these provisions to include students who, for
covid-related reasons beyond their control, are not able to sit
examinations on campus. This provision is designed to cover the case of
international students who are enrolled with us but have been unable to
travel to New Zealand because of government travel restrictions, domestic
students who were overseas when these restrictions were imposed, and
students who are in New Zealand but whose personal health status, or the
health status of someone for whom they have caring responsibilities,
prevents them coming on campus. Since these students have been adversely
affected by circumstances beyond their control we believe that it is fair
to them to provide examination arrangements that allow them to continue
their studies while covid-related restrictions persist.  Students to whom
these consideration do not apply (the overwhelmingly majority) are able to
attend examinations on campus in the usual way and we think it is fair and
reasonable to expect them to do so.

 

Examinations which are sat online are required to be of equivalent 
difficulty  to those sat on campus and to address the same learning
outcomes. They will need to be completed within the same time frame but a
small extra allowance will be made to account for technical requirements
of  online examining. It is common for extra time to be allowed to other
students sitting examinations under special conditions where that is
warranted. Finally, those setting examinations for online delivery will be
assisted to take account of academic integrity requirements in designing
the examinations and in reviewing completed examination scripts.

 

I am confident that the examination arrangements that we are putting in
place will ensure equity across our student body. Circumstances beyond
their control require that variations are necessary to take account of the
situation of students who are unable to sit examinations on campus but
these examinations will be managed to ensure an equivalence in the way
that their achievement of learning objectives are assessed.”

 

Otherwise, the University does not hold the specific equity assessment
document requested, and this part of your request is also refused under
section 18(e) of the Official Information Act.

 

You have the right to make a complaint to an Ombudsman If you are
dissatisfied with this response.

 

Yours sincerely,

Rebecca Ewert

University of Auckland

   

    

show quoted sections