Dear Ms Taylor
 
I refer to your request for "any policy material in connection with
suicide prevention and postvention for students and staff to ensure their
wellbeing and to provide support".  You indicate that your request
includes "any correspondence to do with this topic including wellbeing"
and that the period covered is 1 March 2013 to 29 June 2018.
 
The University engages in a very wide range of activities directed towards
the wellbeing of its staff and students. Wellbeing is a particular focus
for the Student Services and Campus and Collegiate Life Divisions, as well
as the Human Resources Division as matters relate to staff, but is
addressed elsewhere in the University also.  As your request is framed,
and given the time period to which you refer, the collation of all
relevant material including correspondence, would be substantial and I
have concluded I need to decline your request as it stands on that
ground. 
 
I do advise that the University's Healthy University Advisory Group is
currently developing a proposed Framework for Suicide Prevention in the
University which I expect will bring together and unify current policy and
practice.  That group has not finished its considerations,  and does not
yet have a document in final draft form for presentation to the
Vice-Chancellor.  Given the need for groups of this kind to work on the
basis of free and frank exchange of ideas, the University does not release
policy drafts or other working papers.
 
The University does recognise the public interest in the availability of
information regarding its response to the issue of suicide.  To that end I
invite you to contact me directly on [University of Otago request email] to explore what
information it may be practical for us to provide.
 
Sincerely,
 
Jan Flood
Registrar
 

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Dear Ms Taylor,

As indicated in my response to your official information request, the University’s practices, processes and guidance material relevant to suicide prevention and postvention are currently spread throughout many different parts of the University. I have advised that the process of collating all the relevant material for you would be substantial. I confirm that there is currently no one single university wide policy for suicide preservation and postvention in place, but have advised that a Framework for Suicide Prevention in the University is currently being worked on. I expect that the Framework will bring existing resources together in one place and that it will ensure consistency of approach throughout the University.

Sincerely,

Jan Flood
Registrar

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