11 May 2018
Via email: [FYI request #7602 email]
Dear E.F.Lalau,
I am responding on behalf of the University to your request for official information, received 12th April 2018, in
which you have asked for the fol owing:
“1. Please provide detailed information on the online graduation process for students once they have applied to graduate.
2. What steps should a student have gone through to get access to the graduation portal on their student login.
3. Why has the graduation process changed from ‘apply to graduate’ to now ‘invitation to graduation’.
4. How many students who have made complaints about the online and offline graduation process. Please explain the
reasons.
5. How many students who have made appointments around not understanding their credits records on their student
portal login from as early as 2014 and explain their reasons.
6. How many students who have brought to your attention their complaints and/or struggles with navigating their way
around the new student portal login layout that changed in August 23rd 2017 and their reasons why.
7. What were the notes recorded in 2016-2017 including Wel ington’s Student Consultant Student Advice & Information
with myself, E.F Lalau.”
The information we hold in regards to your request, is as follows:
Question 1: Please provide detailed information on the online graduation process for students once they
have applied to graduate
Once a student has completed the online application to graduate, the graduation team assess the student’s
academic record to determine if they are eligible. Provided the student is eligible, they are sent a confirmation
letter presented to them on the ‘Graduation’ tab under ‘Ceremony Documents’. If the student is not eligible,
they wil receive a letter declining their application to graduate. This letter wil general y include the reason
why they were declined.
Question 2: What steps should a student have gone through to get access to the graduation portal on their
student login
The ’Graduation’ tab on the student homepage is visible when a student has been sent a graduation
application. Only students who are assessed as eligible to graduate wil be automatical y invited to apply and
have the ‘Graduation’ tab opened for them within the portal. The ’Graduation’ tab is also opened for students
who request an invitation. Students who request an invitation are then assessed to see if they are eligible to
graduate or not.
Question 3: Why has the graduation process changed from ‘apply to graduate’ to now ‘invitation to
graduation’
The University implemented a new student management system in August 2017 which changed the process
students fol ow to graduate. Graduation applications are opened in the student’s portal in one of two ways:
• The system identifies that the student has completed their qualification and are therefore invited to
apply to graduate; or
• A student requests an invitation online by fil ing out a web-based form. Upon receipt of the form,
staff wil open the graduation application requested within the portal and the student may then apply
to graduate.
Risk Management Office
Private Bag 11222, Palmerston North 4442, New Zealand
T +64 6 356 9099
E [email address]
The new graduation process al ows greater flexibility for the student and more personal control to choose a
venue, update the number of guest seats required and if relevant, the ability to withdraw themselves from a
ceremony.
Question 4: How many students who have made complaints about the online and offline graduation
process. Please explain the reasons.
The University does not capture statistics about graduation process complaints as a specific category.
However, the University does record details of contact with a student based on subject matter. Our records
show that since the introduction of the new student management system in August 2017, students have
contacted us in regards to graduation for reasons, such as:
• General inquiries about specific ceremonies in specific locations;
• Requesting extra tickets for guests to attend or due to misplaced tickets;
• Requesting a replacement scrol /missing scrol ;
• Requesting information about being cleared/eligible to graduate;
• Requesting information and/or support for students with special circumstances;
• Inquiries about the processing of applications and/or close-off dates;
• Timeliness of the University’s response to applications/inquiries; or
• Inquiries about the links between students who have a debt with Massey and their ability to graduate.
Question 5: How many students who have made appointments around not understanding their credits
records on their student portal login from as early as 2014 and explain their reasons.
Academic Advisors do not capture statistics of specific details of individual appointments. However, the
University did start recording requests for appointments under the overarching heading of ‘Informal Credit
Assessment’ from November 2017. The number of these, from November 2017 to the date of your request for
information, is 37. As this number is relatively smal , it is possible that these types of enquiries may also have
been bundled up in other enquiries from the same student and coded differently according to the
conversation had with the student.
Question 6: How many students who have brought to your attention their complaints and/or struggles with
navigating their way around the new student portal login layout that changed in August 23rd 2017 and their
reasons why.
The University’s systems do not capture the specific type of contact you have requested and this information is
not held (section 18(g))
Question 7: What were the notes recorded in 2016-2017 including Wel ington’s Student Consultant Student
Advice & Information with myself, E.F Lalau.
The notes recorded in 2016-2017 wil be sent to your private email address separately as confirmed with you.
Yours sincerely
Jodie Banner
Director Risk and Assurance
Risk Management Office
Private Bag 11222, Palmerston North 4442, New Zealand
T +64 6 356 9099
E [email address]