2 July 2021
Via email: [FYI request #15497 email]
Tēnā koe Sarah,
I am responding on behalf of the University to your recent OIA request, in which you have asked for information
relating to Massey University's academic misconduct incidents and/or disciplinary cases.
Massey University’s Student Academic Integrity Policy provides a framework for the management of allegations
of breaches of academic integrity by students. Academic integrity comprises all forms of scholastic honesty, and
examples of breaches include but are not limited to plagiarism, cheating, and the use of copied or falsified data.
The principles underpinning the process for managing breaches of academic integrity at Massey are primarily
educative but also disciplinary and reflect the level of seriousness of any allegation. There are three levels of
seriousness (Levels 1, 2, and 3). The level of seriousness dictates who is responsible for dealing with an allegation,
and the range and severity of possible outcomes also increases as the level increases.
For full detail please refer to our
Student Academic Integrity Policy and to the
Procedure for Managing Breaches
of Academic Integrity. Please note that Level 1 breaches are dealt with informally by Academic Integrity Officers
and that only confirmed level 2 and 3 breaches of academic integrity are recorded in the academic integrity
register.
For the purpose of this response, we are considering that a breach of academic integrity is ‘academic
misconduct’.
I respond to each part of your request as follows:
1.
How many Massey University students were disciplined and/or investigated for general academic
misconduct in 2020?
0.53% of Massey students had an allegation of a Level 2 or 3 breach of academic integrity upheld (i.e. 164
from a total of 30,653 students HC) in 2020.
We do not centrally record the number of investigations into allegations of breaches of academic integrity
and refer again to our procedures which outline the process for undertaking an initial assessment of an
allegation.
2.
How much has the rate of cheating at Massey University increased or decreased by among students since
2019?
In 2019, 0.48% of Massey students had an allegation of a Level 2 or 3 breach of academic integrity upheld
(i.e. 149 from a total of 30,491 students HC).
The difference between 2020 and 2019 figures represent a 0.05% increase in confirmed breaches of
academic integrity.
3.
Have any students been expelled or suspended for academic misconduct since January 2017?
There have been 5 suspensions or exclusions since 2017.
4.
Have any BVSc pre-vet students been accused and/or penalised for academic misconduct in the four core
pre-vet papers in 2020? Have these students been allowed to remain in the degree?’
Students can be enrolled in BVSc preselection and then decide not to apply for BVSc, so the following data
is based on students who enrolled in BVSc preselection in 2020, and then progressed to BVSc in 2021.
•
There were 18 students enrolled in BVSc preselection in 2020 who were investigated for
breaches of academic integrity.
•
Of these 16 were cleared after investigation and 2 received penalties.
•
Of the 16 who were cleared, 6 went on to be selected into the BVSc programme.
•
Of the two who received penalties neither progressed to enrolment into the BVSc.
I trust this is the information you require.
Ngā mihi,
Jodie Banner
Director of Governance and Assurance
