Four University of Otago students were excluded and dozens faced punishment for their part in “concerning” flat initiation rituals.

Allegations of horrific initiations at Dunedin student flats came to light last year, including two students’ claims of being instructed to strip to their underwear while derogatorily referred to as “piggies”, and alleged mistreatment of ducks and eels.

Proctor Dave Scott said he was concerned one of these types of events would result in serious harm or a death.

His office investigated several alleged initiation events in 2023, resulting in evidence of serious misconduct against 58 university students and three students from Te Pūkenga.

The number of initiations investigated was not specified, though investigating proved challenging as they occurred on private property occupied by adults, Scott said.

“The Student Conduct Statute works the same as New Zealand law, in that there needs to be sufficient evidence present to make a finding against any student.”

The students involved faced a range of repercussions and received between 40 and 60 hours of community work, depending on the nature of the breach, with some also receiving a final warning.

Student flats on Dunedin's infamous Castle St. Photo / Jason Oxenham

The Code of Conduct was clear that all involved were in breach, though hosts were often held to a higher level of account as they control the event, he said.

Eleven were referred by the university provost to the Acting Vice-Chancellor with a recommendation their exclusion be considered due to their involvement in the events.

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Of those 11, four were excluded from the University of Otago for one semester, while seven elected to withdraw themselves before facing discipline.

Scott said matters would be addressed further with those students before they would be allowed to re-enrol.

“The remaining four students were excluded by the Acting Vice-Chancellor for one semester. Three of those students unsuccessfully appealed their exclusion to the Appeals Board of the University Council,” he said.

Scott confirmed some first-year students were involved in the initiations but did not specify how many.

“As with all breaches of the Code of Student Conduct, investigations are undertaken and the individual cases are evaluated before discipline decisions are made. For higher level breaches, the Provost and Vice Chancellor made the decision.”

“Some [students involved] are genuinely remorseful, others not so much. Some are no longer a member of our community in 2024 because of their behaviour.”

Scott said there was an element of host flats attempting to outdo what had occurred the previous year, which was a cause for concern.

“The university does everything it can to prevent such events and educate students about why they should not be held. But if we are to see a change, it needs to be student-led.

“For a number of years, the University of Otago has undertaken proactive prevention and education work to educate students about the harm initiations can cause and to encourage students not to participate.”

In recent years, Scott and the deputy proctor visited flats identified as likely to host events and provided information face-to-face, followed by targeted email advice and a reminder that initiations are prohibited under the Code of Student Conduct.

“We also work with our residential colleges with a particular focus on first-year students to make them aware that this is not something they should participate in. It is frustrating that despite all of this work, these events continue.”

Scott said that despite investigations by the university, Critic Te Ārohi, Otago University Students Association, Police, SPCA and the Department of Conservation, there was no evidence of an initiation event as reported by media alleging students bit the legs off ducks.

Ben Tomsett is a Multimedia Journalist for the New Zealand Herald, based in Dunedin. Prior to joining the Herald, Ben wrote for the Otago Daily Times and Southland Express out of Invercargill.