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University of Otago Proctor Dave Scott said while 2023 had an overall improvement in student behaviour, href="https://www.nzherald.co.nz/nz/university-of-otago-students-warned-of-expulsion-over-flat-initiations/IPE4R3NSMFFSNLVKBGBEARPLCI/" target="_blank">it was undermined in October due to a series of initiation events and several other serious incidents leading to large numbers of students being referred to the Provost for serious misconduct.
The Proctor’s Office referred 47 students for serious misconduct matters to the University of Otago Provost, and three to the Provost equivalent at Te Pūkenga in 2023.
Despite initiations dwindling in the past few years, the problematic trend re-emerged after a short hiatus brought about by Covid-19 impacts, Scott said.
“This behaviour is not a rite of passage, it is not acceptable. A culture change is needed here,” he said.
“On top of the significant preventive initiative currently undertaken, student-led change is required for a response to be genuinely effective.”
University Provost Ken Hodge’s annual report showed between January and December last year a total of 11 serious misconduct incidents involving 47 students had been referred to him by the university’s proctor’s office.
The report noted the number of incidents last year was significantly higher than the two incidents that occurred in 2022 but similar to nine incidents in 2021, 13 in 2020, and 16 in 2019.
Scott said while the Proctor’s Office and Residential Colleges took several steps of intervention, a large number of events took place with some causing significant harm and risk with dangerous, humiliating, and antisocial behaviour.
“The Proctor’s Office will continue to consider what more can be done to educate and intervene as well as who else can collaborate with us to seek improvement.”
In multiple separate incidents involving initiations, multiple first and second-year students faced repercussions for hosting or participating in initiation events that descended into multiple breaches of the Code of Student Conduct that jeopardised the wellbeing and personal safety of the coming and going students.
Flats on Dunedin's Castle St. Photo / Ben Tomsett
A native eel was caught in the Leith Stream by a second-year student and brought to a neighbouring flat as part of the flat’s initiation activities.
Hodge’s report notes that mistreatment of a native animal is a criminal offense under the Animal Welfare Act, 1999; Conservation Act, 1987, and as such is a breach of the Code of Student Conduct. The student responsible was required to complete 40 hours of community service and given a final warning.
Several other students were referred to the provost for actions unrelated to flat initiations.
After burgling a student flat where they stole a considerable amount of food, caused damage to the kitchen, and defaced the property, three second-year students were given a final warning with two of the students required to complete 50 hours of community service, and 60 hours for the third.
A second-year student was convicted by the Courts for serious assault on another student and withdrew from the university before the completion of a disciplinary process.
After completing their court sentence, the student was referred to the provost seeking permission to re-enroll for 2023 under the Admission to University Statute. After a thorough investigation, the matter was referred to the Vice-Chancellor’s Office for consideration.
A second-year student was found in possession of an “offensive weapon” and being verbally abusive to Campus Watch staff. The student was required to complete 40 hours of community service, as well as being required to write a letter of apology to Campus Watch staff. They were also given a final warning.
A first-year student appealed against a decision by the proctor for failing to complete community service hours appropriately. Despite a thorough investigation, the appeal was denied, and the original sanctions were upheld.
Five second-year students were unlawfully present on the premises of a student flat. The students also intimidated the residents of the flat and engaged in disorderly behaviour. Each student was required to complete 40 hours of community service, and all were given a final warning.
Ben Tomsett is a multimedia journalist for the New Zealand Herald, based in Dunedin. Before joining the Herald, he wrote for the Otago Daily Times and Southland Express out of Invercargill.
