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Category Academic
Type Policy
Approved by Senate, 30 March 2016
Date Policy Took Effect 30 March 2016
Last approved revision 27 August 2025
Sponsor Deputy Vice-Chancellor (Academic)
Responsible officer Senior Analyst, Research and Policy

Purpose

To set out staff and student responsibilities for providing and accessing the essential information that supports every taught paper at Ōtākou Whakaihu Waka | the University of Otago.

Organisational scope

Applies to all staff and students involved in taught papers, including Summer School and distance offerings.

Definitions

HOD
Head of Department. For the purposes of this policy HOD includes Head of an Academic Unit (Programmes, Centres and Schools) or their delegates, who have responsibility for the delivery of teaching.
LMS Baseline Elements
The mandatory academic information required in all papers in the University LMS.
University LMS
The University-approved Learning Management System (LMS) used for the delivery of all taught papers.

Content

  1. Responsibilities of staff

    1. The University requires that each taught paper is offered in the University LMS.
    2. The paper must be available in the LMS to students no later than one week before the start of the teaching period and, for papers delivered entirely by distance, no later than two weeks before the start of the teaching period. The paper must conform to the LMS Baseline Elements. The Baseline Elements may be altered only in exceptional circumstances (by approval of the HOD). Students must be informed of the reason for any change and notified through the LMS. If there is provision for some negotiation of assessment tasks, the procedures for this negotiation will be clearly stated.
    3. Information published under clause 1(b) must be consistent with the information provided on the University website and in other University publications. Where exceptional circumstances require a change from previously published information, staff must:
      1. seek approval for the change through appropriate channels (approval is by the Deputy Vice-Chancellor (Academic))
      2. inform students of any differences in academic requirements
      3. inform students of any differences in administrative arrangements that could materially affect them, and
      4. ensure the website and other publications are updated to display the correct information.
    4. Each department or programme must provide students with information on the class representative system, including ensuring that the names and contact details of the elected class representative(s) for every paper are published in the LMS and kept current.
    5. Staff are encouraged to advise students, via the LMS, of improvements or other changes to a paper that arise from class representative feedback, course evaluation responses or other student input.
    6. A clear link to the University’s Academic Integrity Policy, together with guidance on acceptance academic practice, must appear in each paper’s LMS offering.
    7. Each paper must identify academic staff who are reasonably and regularly available to respond to student queries (for example, scheduled office hours or online drop-ins). These availability arrangements, together with expected response times, must be published in the paper’s LMS offering.
    8. Staff who supervise or administer graduate research students must ensure those students can access the PhD Handbook or equivalent Research Master’s information and are aware of the relevant University policies and the responsibilities of supervisors and candidates.

  2. Responsibilities of students

    1. Students are responsible for familiarising themselves with all University rules and regulations that apply to their enrolment and conduct, including the information and policies referenced in the University LMS.
    2. Students will be deemed to have received official course information when it is published in the University LMS, delivered in scheduled classes (whether or not they attend) or sent to their University email address.
    3. Students are expected to keep up to date with all paper information provided through the University LMS, classes or by email, and to raise any questions or concerns relating to this information, promptly with staff.
    4. Students are expected to be aware of, and to act in accordance with, the University’s Academic Integrity Policy.
    5. Graduate research students must consult the PhD Digital Handbook or Research Master’s Digital Handbook and observe the responsibilities and policies that govern their candidature and supervision.

Appendix: LMS Baseline Elements

To help ensure a consistent student experience and online learning quality, every paper in the Learning Management System (LMS) must:

  1. Adhere to the templates developed for the Otago LMS environment
  2. Provide a message of welcome to students through either text or video
  3. Identify teaching and administrative staff along with their roles and preferred channels of communication
  4. List staff office hours and expectations of response times to student queries
  5. Include a function for students to submit questions or suggestions. If that function is outside the LMS (e.g., by email) clearly state the appropriate address(es) or method of submission
  6. Include a paper-specific FAQ page that is maintained by staff or a support forum that is actively monitored by staff
  7. Provide students with information on the class representatives system and publish the name and contact details of the class representative within one week of appointment
  8. Provide a synopsis or overview of the paper, including information on all scheduled teaching activities (lectures, tutorials etc.) and reading requirements
  9. List the learning outcomes of the paper
  10. Clearly state student workload expectations
  11. Provide detail on assessment tasks, weightings, submission dates, and method of submission
  12. Use the LMS grades tool for the recording and communication of internal assessment marks to students
  13. Include the details of processes to support students with disabilities, impairments, or medical conditions, including processes for special consideration in internal assessment
  14. List any terms requirements (if relevant)
  15. Provide links to relevant user guides for any digital tools or software used in the paper (if relevant)
  16. Provide explicit opportunities or guidance that help students develop the digital skills needed for the paper, with links to further support where appropriate
  17. Provide links to learning support, including support for Māori, Pacific, and disabled students
  18. Include a statement on academic integrity, including links to relevant policies and procedures
  19. Notify students if lectures are to be recorded and made available and/or if students are permitted to make recordings of lectures for personal use
  20. Include a statement on acceptable and unacceptable use of generative Artificial Intelligence, including a link to relevant policies and procedures
  21. Provide a link to the PhD Digital Handbook or Research Master’s Digital Handbook (if relevant)
  22. Use the LMS accessibility checker tool to assess all content, including uploaded files, and address any suggestions the tool makes regarding major issues. Where issues cannot be addressed, provide students with an accessibility statement explaining how they can obtain alternative formats if needed.
  23. Include only content that is copyright- or licence-compliant
  24. Ensure all announcements are issued through, and therefore recorded in, the LMS

Related policies, procedures and forms

Contact for further information

If you have any queries regarding the content of this policy or need further clarification, contact:

Senior Analyst, Research and Policy
Email dvca.analyst@otago.ac.nz

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