Dear Requestor,

 

I refer to your request of 22 January 2025, and updated request of 5
February 2025.  We apologise for the delay in our response.  The
University’s response follows:

 

‘This Official Information Act request relates to the proposal dated 12
November 2024 to combine the Faculty of Law with the Faculty of Business
and Economics (“the proposal”).

 

Please provide to the extent possible any information relating to:

- feedback received on the proposal, whether through the University’s
online feedback form or otherwise;’

 

Documents containing raw submissions have been withheld under section
9(2)(a) to protect information which is subject to an obligation of
confidence. 

 

Please find attached ‘1402 Law and B&E Proposal Review Committee Summary
Report.pdf’ which provides a summary of all feedback and submissions
received by the University during the feedback period (12 November 2024
and 20 January 2025).

 

‘- any discussions with industry stakeholders, including but not limited
to law firms and businesses, regarding the proposal;’

This part of your request is framed very broadly and would include
communications from any staff member.  The University employs 6,446
full-time equivalent staff (using figures from the 2024 annual report) and
it is not possible for us to review all the correspondence they receive. 
In order to bring your request under the substantial collation and
research grounds, we have narrowed your request to:

 

‘For the period since 12 November 2024 and the date of your request, all
communications between the Vice-Chancellor and members of the Office of
the Vice-Chancellor and, between the Vice-Chancellor or members of the
Office of the Vice-Chancellor and:

•              members of the University’s Executive Committee,

•              the Dean of the Faculty of Business and Economics, Prof
Watson, 

•              the acting Deans of the Faculty of Law Professor Swain and
(subsequently) Professor King,

•              members of the Council,

•              the University of Auckland Foundation,

•              the alumni relations and development managers (including
but not limited to those in the Law Faculty), and

•              donors or alumni,

concerning the proposal.’

 

Please refer to the following documents:

•              0702 FW_ Vice-Chancellor's Update _ Friday 24 January
2025.msg

•              1_0703 Law _ BE.pdf

•              0705 Re_ VC Memos and Comms (Law_B&E) for Review.pdf

•              3308 FW_ Email re UoA proposal to law alumni.pdf

•              3308a _Email re UoA proposal to law alumni colleagues
v2.docx

•              3315 RE_ updated Generic + student comms.pdf

•              19_Law_B&E future faculty arrangements communications to
send this week.pdf

•              19a_Law_BandE Faculty Arrangements Proposal Review
Committee - Recommendation Report FINAL.pdf

•              3317_Email re UoA proposal to law alumni FINAL.docx

•              3317_FW_ CONFIDENTIAL_ Email to Law alumni regarding
proposed merger _Redacted.pdf

•              3321_Test_ - Proposed changes at the University of
Auckland’s Law Faculty.msg

•              3322_Test_ - Proposed new faculty arrangements for Law and
Business & Economics.msg

•              3325_Final documents_Redacted.pdf

•              3325a_DRAFT Law Business structure email to alumni
respondents FINAL DRAFT.docx

•              3325b_Law and BE - Media statement - FINAL DRAFT .docx

•              3325c_VC email1 Generic + Staff and email2 to
students_FINAL DRAFT.docx

•              3327 FW_ Email re UoA proposal to law alumni.pdf

•              3327a_Email re UoA proposal to law alumni colleagues v2
with ARD comments.docx

•              3332 Law alumni mailing to alumni who are staff.pdf

•              3333 Law_B&E Announcement DRAFT.pdf

•              3334 RE_ Email re UoA proposal to law alumni (1).pdf

•              3335 RE_ Email re UoA proposal to law alumni.msg

•              3339 RE_ updated Generic + student comms.pdf

•              3339a DRAFT Law Business structure email to alumni
respondents v2.docx

•              3340 Update on the proposed new faculty arrangements.pdf

 

Personal email addresses have been redacted from these documents under
section 9(2)(a) of the OIA, to protect the privacy of individuals. Some
information has been withheld under:

•              Section 9(2)(a) to protect the privacy of the person to
whom it relates,

•              Sections 9(2)(ba)(i) and 9(2)(ba)(ii) to protect
information which is subject to an obligation of confidence; and

•              Section 9(2)(g)(i) of the Official Information Act 1982, to
maintain the effective conduct of public affairs through the free and
frank expression of opinions by or between or to members of the University
in the course of their duty.

 

‘- the University’s (including any groups or committees) discussion of and
response to any feedback on, discussions surrounding, meetings relating to
or media coverage of the proposal;’

This part of your request is refused under section 18(g) of the Act, as
the information requested is not held by the University.  

 

‘- the ways, if any, in which the proposal will change in response to
feedback, discussions or other events since 12 November 2024; and’

As at the date of your request, nothing was known, however, post the
consultation period the Vice-Chancellor amended the proposal by adopting
the recommendations of the Review Committee prior to the matter being
considered by Senate.  We attach the Vice-Chancellor’s memorandum to
Senate, and the minutes of the 3 March 2025 Senate meeting which took
place after the date of your request.

 

Please find attached:

•              0603 VC Memor to Senate re Law and BandE Proposal 3 March
2025.pdf

•              2701 27. Minute from the Senate meeting of 03.docx

•              2801 28. Minute of the vote of Senate in the motion
regarding the proposal put to Senate on 03.03.20252.doc

 

At the date of this response, we understand that the Vice-Chancellor has
decided to pause the proposal and will instead support a suite of
collaborative faculty initiatives that responds to the challenges driving
the original proposal, and reflect the extensive feedback received from
across the University community. Further information has been provided on
the University’s website at Update on the proposal for the faculties of
Business & Economics, and Law - The University of Auckland

 

‘- any further work the University has done on how to operationalise the
proposal.’

No, it was a proposal that was pending a decision. Putting this into
practice, required a resolution of Council.  As mentioned above, the
Vice-Chancellor has decided to pause the proposal.

 

‘I would like to add to my request any information relating to how the
membership of the committee reviewing the proposal was decided, including
whether the University decided to exclude any practising lawyers and why.’

Please refer to the following attached documents:

•              Re: Another quick question

•              7_1802 Review Committee - names to discuss with
VC_redacted.pdf

•              1803_Article in Law News re_ Review Committee
membership_Redacted.pdf

•              4_1810 Career development opportunity.pdf

•              1813 FW_ Invitation_ University of Auckland review
committee for proposed new faculty arrangements .pdf

•              1820 Update on Law_Band E Proposal and Review
Committee_Redacted.pdf

 

Mobile numbers have been redacted under section 9(2)(a) of the OIA, to
protect privacy and some information has been withheld under:

•              Sections 9(2)(ba)(i) and 9(2)(ba)(ii) to protect
information which is subject to an obligation of confidence;

•              Section 9(2)(g)(i) to maintain the effective conduct of
public affairs through the free and frank expression of opinions by or
between or to members of the University in the course of their duty; and

•              Section 9(2)(h), to maintain legal professional privilege.

 

You have the right to complain to an ombudsman if you are dissatisfied
with this response.

 

Yours sincerely,

Farleigh Quinlivan

 

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