Assessing Te Reo Māori in Coursework and Examinations Procedures

All members of the University.

To support the understanding and application of the Te Reo Māori Policy and Principles.

These procedures detail the commitment of the University to recognising and promoting Te Reo Māori as an official language of Aotearoa/New Zealand through its use in assessment activities of the University.

1. The University endorses the right of its students with an appropriate level of language fluency to use Te Reo Māori in assessment both for coursework and examinations.

2. The University will ensure that competent staff members are available to assess work submitted either fully or partially in Te Reo Māori.

Note - Ideally such staff members are competent in both Te Reo and the subject matter of the course.

3. For courses taught in Te Reo Māori coursework and examinations will be assessed in Te Reo Māori.

4. A student may not use Te Reo Māori for coursework or examinations where

• a course is taught fully or partly in a language other than English or Māori and the course requires students to demonstrate their knowledge and understanding in that language, or
• knowledge and understanding in the English language is central to the objectives of all or part of the course

5. Where courses are not taught in Te Reo Māori, students who intend to present all or part of an examination or course work in Te Reo Māori are required to give notice in writing to the course director (or appropriate person) in the relevant faculty or academic unit.

Note - This allows the University time to make suitable arrangements for marking, including translation and external assessment.

6. This notice is to be given within the first week of the semester or the first week of the quarter in which the course is being taught.

• if inadequate notice is given, assessment tasks presented in Māori are still to be marked. However, processing may be delayed and the likelihood of having the writing marked in Te Reo Māori may be reduced

7. The University will endeavour to make the results of an examination or coursework presented in Te Reo Māori available to the candidate within the ordinary time-frame.

Note - Students should be aware that owing to the process of translation delays in returning coursework may occur.

8. In the event that a suitable person is not available to assess the work in Te Reo Māori a certified translator is to be recommended by Te Mātanga Reo (the Māori Language Advisory Group) in consultation with the Office of Pro Vice Chancellor (Māori).

9. A translator will be used only when efforts to find a competent examiner or co-examiner capable of assessing the work have been exhausted.

10.The translator may seek clarification from the examiner or course co- ordinator if ambiguities occur in the script but he or she must not correct errors in the original script or make any embellishments.

11. If the coursework and/or examination script are to be externally assessed, the external institution undertaking the assessment is to be requested to indicate whether an assessor is available to assess the work in Te Reo Māori.

Note - If not, a translation will be sought as above.

12. The student’s use of language must not be improved in the process of translation by the correction of errors or improvement of sentence structure.

13. It may be necessary for students to provide a glossary of technical terms to assist the translator. If so, they must be required to prepare this in advance, in consultation with their examiner.

14. Te Reo Māori may be used in an oral assessment only when all key participants have the appropriate fluency in Te Reo Māori.

Note - Presentation of the PhD in Te Reo Māori is governed by the Statute for the Degree of Doctor of Philosophy.

15. Te Mātanga Reo, a subcommittee of the Rūnanga, is to advise on the appropriate usage of Te Reo Māori within the University to ensure that a consistent approach is adopted by faculties and service divisions in the use of Māori language.

16. Although Te Mātanga Reo will not have a direct role in teaching and research programmes it may identify issues and opportunities for consideration and will advise on translation services as above.

17. Te Mātanga Reo reports to the Rūnanga and includes staff members, representative of faculties and service divisions across all campuses, who are able to advise on the use of Te Reo Māori.

18. Any final clarification required on the use of Te Reo Māori will be provided by the Office of the PVC Māori.

The following definitions apply to this document:

Member means any staff member, student, contractor or visitor to the University.

Staff member refers to an individual employed by the University on a full or part time basis.

Te Reo Māori means Māori language.

Te Tiriti o Waitangi is the Treaty of Waitangi written in Māori.

Te Mātanga Reo, a Māori Language Advisory Group is a subcommittee of the Runanga and will advise on the appropriate usage of Te Reo Māori within the University.

University means the University of Auckland and includes all subsidiaries.

Include the following:

• Education Act 1989
• Education (Tertiary Reform) Amendment Act 2002
• State Sector Act 1988 (Section 77A)
• Te Ture mō Te Reo Māori 2016 | Māori Language Act 2016
• Statute and Guidelines for the Degree of Doctor of Philosophy
• Te Reo Māori Policy and Principles

Owner: Pro Vice-Chancellor Māori
Content manager: Pro Vice-Chancellor Education
Approved by: Senate
Approval date: 30 July 2018
Last reviewed: 31 March 2011
Review date: 9 July 2020