1 August 2023
By email
: [FYI request #23441 email]
Tēnā koe Lars
I refer to your information request dated 9 July 2023 made under the Official Information Act 1982
(the Act). You have requested mark and grade distributions for the following papers offered by the
University of Otago in 2021 and 2022:
• FOSC201
• FOSC202
• FOSC213
• MICR222
• STAT210
• STAT260
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 year).
• on occasions where fewer than five students have failed a paper (i.e., received a grade of Fail
D, Fail E or Failed Terms), 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.
• in the attached grade and mark distributions, we note that students who withdrew from the
papers or received an Aegrotat Pass (not a grade or mark) 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.
Ngā mihi
Kelsey Kennard
Official Information and Compliance Coordinator
Office of the Registrar