Dear R. Bohan,

 

I refer to your email of 5 December 2024. Under section 12(2) of the OIA,
requests for official information must specify the official information
requested with due particularity. You have requested statistics and
correspondence relating to exam fines, but your request does not specify
the period you are requesting the information for.

 

I understand that by “exam fines” you mean fines under the University’s
Examination Regulations
([1]https://www.calendar.auckland.ac.nz/en/g...),
specifically:

o 7(c) fine of $100 where a “non-permitted electronic device, and/or
item of mobile technology, and/or watch of any kind is identified in
the possession of a student:… during an on-campus, invigilated
examination”
o 7(d) fine of $150 where a device emits an audible sound or alarm
during an on-campus examination (“Audible alarms may not be active on
any devices permitted in an on-campus examination location. Any device
that emits an audible sound signal or alarm during an examination will
be removed for the duration of the examination and a fine of $150 will
apply.”
o 9(b) fine of $150 after receiving two warning letters for other
offences that are not academic integrity matters. (“Any complaint that
a student has committed an offence not specified in Regulation 7
relating to unauthorised equipment or materials, timekeeping or other
minor matter in which questions of academic integrity are not at stake
will receive a warning letter from the Assessment Services Manager. If
a student receives two such warning letters they will be fined
$150.”) 

 

It is unclear whether you wish to also request information relating to
administrative fees for identity verification where students undertaking
invigilated on-campus examinations do not present a valid student identity
card.

 

“3. Any internal correspondence related to the enforceability of ''fines',
or attempts at collecting/recovering them.”

 

Non-payment of examination fines and charges falls under r10 of the
Examination Regulations:

 

“10 a The Assessment Services Manager has the delegated authority to
impose the examination fines and charges set out in these Regulations.

b Where a student does not pay a fine or charge imposed under these
Regulations then, until those fines or charges are paid in full and
without prejudice to the right to recover the unpaid fines or charges at
law, the Assessment Services Manager may authorise: 

(i) withholding the formal notification of the results of any examination
of the student

(ii) declining to re-enrol the student

(iii) declining to release the student’s academic record

(iv) withholding any degree or diploma certificate from that student

(v) restricting that student’s access to University services

(vi) charging a late payment fee not exceeding $50

(vii) imposing additional charges to recover legal and collection costs
where a third party is engaged to recover those fees and charges.”

 

This request, as currently worded, is very broad and so raises substantial
collation and research issues. Further, correspondence about enforcement
of individual fines, if collated in response to your request, would likely
be withheld to protect the privacy of the students to whom it relates. A
request for 2024 communications about enforcement and enforceability of
examination fines held by the Assessment Services Manager, excluding
communications on the enforcement of individual fines, would be more
workable (though potentially subject to other withholding grounds
depending on its content).

 

Once you have specified the information you wish to request with due
particularity, the University will respond as soon as reasonably
practicable, within the OIA’s maximum time limit of 20 working days,
unless that time limit is extended under the OIA.

 

Yours sincerely,

 

Landon Watt
Legal Advisor
Office of the Vice-Chancellor

Waipapa Taumata Rau | University of Auckland  

 

 

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