14 February 2024
By email
: [FYI request #25432 email]
Tēnā koe A
I refer to your information request dated 18 January 2024 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 2022 and 2023:
• ENGL127, ENGL128
• PSYC111, PSYC112
• HUNT141
• MATH120
• TOUR101, TOUR102
Subject to the following comments, please see attached the information you have requested. Please
note there are two pages in the attached document (one for each year).
• the data is correct as at 9 February 2024.
• we have provided the mark and grade distributions for the papers for each teaching period
they were offered each year. For example, if a paper was offered in Semester 1 and Semester
2, we have provided the mark and grade distributions for each Semester.
• please note that ENGL128 was not offered in 2023.
• we note that the grade and mark distributions for the 2023 ENGL127 (S2), HUNT141 (S2),
PSYC111 (S1) and PSYC112 (S2) have not been finalised yet as the final grades for some
students have not been confirmed. On that basis, we decline this part of your request
pursuant to section 18(g) of the Act, as the information requested is not held by the University
as at today’s date. We would be happy to consider a new request from you at a later date if
you still wish to receive this information.
• 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