27 March 2020
El iot Harris
By email
: [FYI request #12371 email]
Dear El iot
OFFICIAL INFORMATION ACT REQUEST OIA-20-15 – PASTORAL CARE PRACTICES
I refer to your official information request dated 3 March for information relating to the University’s Pastoral Care
practices. You requested
1)
Please provide a summary of how the University’s pastoral care practices and processes have been
altered or changed in order to ensure its compliance with the Education (Pastoral Care of Domestic
Tertiary Students) Interim Code of Practice 2019. The University has made broad changes to our practices to ensure compliance with the Education
(Pastoral Care of Domestic Tertiary Students) Interim Code of Practice 2019. This includes increased
monitoring of student academic achievement and engagement, improved processes for reporting and
assessing students of concern, and emergency processes where students fail to engage or respond to
communications from the University. Changes were also made to the Student Declaration and the
Student Agreement outlining the expectations and obligations of students and the University. the
University has also begun delivering an online induction for al first-year students to work through during
their first semester at UC. The modules incorporate videos, content, and downloadable resources and
are broken down into five key topics – an introduction and welcome to UC, study and academic life,
wel being (including mental health, wel being, positive relationships, and addictions to alcohol, drugs,
and gaming), community, inclusivity and belonging, and safety and security on campus and within the
wider Otautahi community. As of Semester 1, the University has recently developed and deployed a
new initiative designed to empower students to take responsibility and autonomy over their educational
studies and success while at UC – while monitoring the online activity and engagement of the student
body in the online components of their courses and education. Using a “fitness tracker” approach to
studying, students are able to monitor their progression within their course compared to that of their
classmates. This is an Analytics for Course Engagement Tool (ACE) which is able to gather data from when
student access and use the online academic platform LEARN – reviewing online questionnaires and
quizzes, and tracking the watching of online lectures recorded through Echo360. This tracker is displayed
on the dashboard of LEARN, and provides students with a better understanding of how they are
progressing with the online material and content of their courses and provides comparison among
classmates. This ACE tool does not track student grades or attendance in lectures, but the level of online
engagement of each student. This initiative links in with Outcome 4 of the Domestic Code: Progress and
Personal Development of Students.
2)
If the University considered that it was already compliant with the Education (Pastoral Care of Domestic
Tertiary Students) Interim Code of Practice 2019, what practices, processes and or services does the
University provide that enable it to believe so? Not applicable.
3)
How have individual contracts with students, within an accommodation context or otherwise been
changed as to recognise the University’s obligations under the Education (Pastoral Care of Domestic
Tertiary Students) Interim Code of Practice 2019? UC Contracts with students have been amended to reflect the requirements of the Education (Pastoral
Care of Domestic Tertiary Students) Interim Code of Practice 2019. This includes changes to ensure
increased monitoring of students is compliant with the Privacy Act 1993. The Student Code of Conduct
and Student Agreement were also changed to reflect increased monitoring and engagement with
students.
The University has also received interim letters of understanding from the Hal s indicating they wil
comply with the new regulatory framework, and is in the process of creating new service level
agreements and contract provisions with Hal s.
4)
What additional pastoral care systems (if any) have been put in place for 2020 in the accommodation
context?
All Halls have undertaken to meet the obligations of the Education (Pastoral Care of Domestic Tertiary
Students) Interim Code of Practice 2019. Changes depend on the existing structure of the Hal . Some
Hal s have increased staffing, including employing additional Residential Advisors. Some Hal s have made
changes to meal systems. All Hal s have been trained in use of student academic data as a wel being
indicator. Systems have been implemented to ensure that UC and the Hal s can quickly communicate any
student concerns.
5)
How many complaints are made on average per year against the University under the Education (Pastoral
Care of International Students) Interim Code of Practice 2016?
The university does not record complaints made under this code separately from other complaints, and
this cannot be determined without reviewing al complaints. This aspect of your request is therefore
refused under s18(f), substantial research and col ation.
You have the right to seek an investigation and review by the Ombudsman of this decision. Information about
how to make a complaint is available
at www.ombudsman.parliament.nz or freephone 0800 802 602.
Yours sincerely
Rachael McGregor
Information Advisor
