Dear Kate,
 
I refer to your email of 7 June 2020, in which you requested information
concerning the University's MBChB programme.
 
Section 18A(2) of the Official Information Act specifies that, for the
purposes of considering requests under section 18(f) of the Act,
organisations may treat as a single request 2 or more requests from the
same person that are about the same subject matter or about similar
subject matters and received in short succession. Please advise the
following to enable the University to make a decision on your request:
 

 1. whether your request for official information was co-ordinated, or
made in conjunction, with any other person/persons (as defined in
section 2 of the Official Information Act), and, if so, disclose the
name/names of these other person/persons
 2. whether your request for official information was made at the
instruction, request, or on behalf of any other person/persons, and if
so, disclose the names of these other person/s.

 
Yours sincerely,
Rebecca Ewert
General Counsel
University of Auckland
 

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Dear Kate,

I refer to your request of 7 June 2020. Collating the information requested would require an estimated six hours of staff time. Accordingly, the University has decided to grant your request subject to your payment of a charge, and subject to withholding the information requested at (3) on privacy grounds in relation to categories with fewer than five students (under section 9(2)(a) of the Official Information Act).

We estimate that the maximum charge will be $380. This charge has been calculated in accordance with the Ombudsman's guidelines for charging for official information ($38 per half hour of staff time after the first hour). The charge must be paid in advance, and any unused component of the charge will be refunded to you after the work has been completed. Before we proceed further with your request, please confirm your agreement to pay the charge of $380. If you agree, I will provide you with information about how to make the payment. After we confirm receipt of your payment, we estimate that we will be able to send you the information within two weeks.

Alternatively narrowing your request may result in the charge being reduced or eliminated. Please advise whether you wish to narrow your request.

Yours sincerely,
Rebecca Ewert
General Counsel
University of Auckland

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Dear Kate,

 

I refer to your request of 7 June 2020, as amended on 3 July 2020. The
University’s response follows:

 

(1) The number of students who are repeating the year [for the MBChB],
split by ethnicity, for 2017-2019

 

This response is based on the University’s data about students’ declared
ethnicities. The exact number of students repeating a year has been
withheld for specific declared ethnicity categories with fewer than five
students under section 9(2)(a) of the Official Information Act to protect
the privacy of those students.

 

In 2017, 20 students repeated the academic year: 8 Asian students, 5 Maori
students, fewer than five Pacific Island students, and fewer than five
Pakeha/European students.

In 2018, 20 students repeated the academic year: 12 Asian students, fewer
than five Maori students, fewer than five Pacific Islands students, and
fewer than five Pakeha/European students. Further, 2 students are recorded
as “Other Minority” and one as “No Response”

In 2019, 20 student repeated the academic year: 9 Asian students, 6 Maori
students, and fewer than five Pacific Islands students. Further, 1 student
is recorded as “Other Minority”.

 

You have the right to make a complaint to an Ombudsman about this
response.

 

Yours sincerely,

Rebecca Ewert

General Counsel

University of Auckland

 

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