26 March 2024
By email
: [FYI request #25947 email]
Tēnā koe S,
I refer to your information request dated 1 March 2024 made under the Official Information Act 1982
(the Act). You have requested mark and grade distributions for the 2023 S2 ANAT243, GENE223,
PHSL233, ANAT332, ANAT335, PHSL343 papers, the 2020-2023 S2 ZOOL314 papers, and the 2024
Summer School FINC204, FORB201, TOUR310 papers offered by the University of Otago.
Subject to the fol owing comments, please see attached the information you have requested. Please
note there are three pages in the attached spreadsheet.
• the data is correct as at 25 March 2024
• we note that the grade and mark distributions for the Semester 2 2022 ZOOL314 and
Semester 2 2023 PHSL343 papers have not been fully 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.
• please note that all final grades for papers completed in Semester 1 2020 were increased by 5
marks to account for disruptions created by COVID-19. In Semester 2 2020, final grades of 47,
48 or 49 were bumped up to 50 (pass).
• 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.
Yours sincerely
Jo Pearson
Jo Pearson
Official Information Act Administrator
Office of the Registrar