Otago University Staff Filed Most Racism & Bullying Complaints: OIA

The University of Otago received 14 complaints of racism and bullying from staff between April 1, 2024, and March 31, 2025, according to data released under the Official Information Act (OIA), Stuff has reported.

In total, the university’s human resources department recorded 15 complaints over the 12-month period, nine of which related to bullying and six to racism. One of the racism complaints was lodged by a student who alleged racial discrimination by university staff, while the remaining complaints came from employees.

Four of the bullying complaints were resolved informally, while five were escalated to formal processes. All six complaints of racism were addressed through the university’s ethical behaviour policy and either formally handled or mediated informally.

In the OIA response, the university noted that each case was managed based on its severity, with either formal investigations or resolution through conflict management and mediation.

Tertiary Education Union (TEU) organiser Philip Edwards told Stuff that the union strongly supported the eradication of bullying and racism at the university. He said the TEU backed thorough investigation processes that prioritised care and support for complainants, and emphasised the importance of clear policies and procedures for all staff.

The university’s acting director of human resources, Carolyn King, said Otago had a zero-tolerance policy toward bullying and racism. King said all complaints were taken seriously and investigated accordingly. King added that the university encouraged staff and students to come forward with complaints, noting that doing so enabled the institution to apply its established resolution processes, including mediation.

King stated that a lack of complaints in a university of approximately 25,000 staff and students would be more concerning, as it might suggest that issues were going unreported rather than not occurring.

King confirmed that, as outlined in the OIA, the majority of complaints lodged over the past year had been resolved. She said the university was taking a comprehensive approach to staff wellbeing, engagement, and morale. This included the recent appointment of a staff wellbeing manager tasked with developing a well-being strategy to strengthen support systems.