11 July 2023
By email:
[FYI request #23267 email]
Dear Alex
I refer to your request for information dated 25 June 2023 made under the Official Information Act
1982 (the Act). You have requested grade and mark distributions of the PACI301 and ENGL228
papers offered by the University from 2020 – 2022.
Subject to the following comments, please see attached the information you have requested. Please
note that there are two pages in the attached spreadsheet (one for each paper).
• on occasions where fewer than five students have failed a paper (i.e., received a grade of
Fail D or Fail E), we have determined that it is necessary to withhold the marks and specific
grades for these students to protect their privacy and wellbeing. We consider that
withholding this information is necessary to protect against the identity of these students
being determined or inferred, and their personal information (i.e., their marks) could be
disclosed. We therefore withhold this information pursuant to section 9(2)(a) of the Act.
• PACI301 and ENGL228 were offered in Semester 2 for each of the years requested. Please
note that in Semester 2 2020, final marks of 47, 48 and 49 were bumped up to 50 (pass) to
account for disruptions created by COVID-19.
• in the attached mark and grade distributions, we note that students who withdrew from the
papers, or received an Aegrotat Pass (where no mark or grade is awarded), are excluded
from the data.
I trust that this information will be helpful.
In the above cases, we consider that good reasons exist for withholding information, and this is not
outweighed by other considerations which would make it desirable, in the public interest, to make
the information available. If you are not satisfied with our response to your information request,
section 28(3) of the Act provides you with the right to ask an Ombudsman to investigate and review
this response. However, we would welcome the opportunity to discuss any concerns with you first.
Yours sincerely
Kelsey Kennard
Official Information and Compliance Coordinator
Office of the Registrar