The October 15 email telling staff it was " incredibly disappointing" confidential information had been shared with the media has been leaked to the Otago Daily Times.
The email addresses concerns from staff and management about the coverage of the university’s beleaguered marketing department.
The university rejects it being characterised as a warning or that any directive was given.
The marketing department in the Otago Business School made headlines in April after a 2023 staff survey became public, reporting low morale as well as bullying and racism.
Further documents obtained by the Otago Daily Times last week dating from the past six months suggested some issues had not gone away and anonymous comments included in a report on a staff meeting held in June revealed a host of concerns about the staff environment.
A staff member, speaking on behalf of some of the department's staff, told the ODT the email, from Otago University pro-vice-chancellor for commerce Prof Maree Thyne, was taken by staff as a warning not to leak to the ODT.
"The letter felt like a warning, and since then people have been even more closed off. The whole place feels watched, tense and unwelcoming."
It followed a "welfare check-in" meeting with staff earlier on the 15th, the day the ODT article based on the leaked documents was published, at which Prof Thyne had also asked the leaker to come forward.
"Maree demanded whoever leaked it come forward. It didn’t feel like a check-in. More like a reminder that we were being watched," the staff member said.
Staff were being "careful now, more guarded", they said.
"The atmosphere is tight, but controlled. Everyone stays professional and keeps to their own. The lines are firm, and enforcement is obvious."
Prof Thyne's email said the material, such as the external review of the department, should not have been leaked.
"It is incredibly disappointing that, at a time when the university has invested in a constructive reset process for the department, led by an independent facilitator, elements of that confidential work, along with other internal departmental information, have been leaked to media," the email said.
"This undermines the intent of the facilitation, which was to support the development of a positive, inclusive and respectful workplace culture built on trust."
University of Otago’s acting director human resources, Mrs Carolyn King said the university rejected any characterisation of any part of the email or Prof Thyne's talk to staff as being a warning or a directive.
"In any workplace from time to time there is need work through internal matters, and that is what the Department of Marketing is doing. That is why we engaged an independent facilitator. As previously reported, the facilitator did not identify any serious concerns."
There was strong support among most departmental staff for moving forward positively and doing so in a way that respected the process that was under way.
"Our focus is on supporting staff to do this."
The university has declined to reveal the costs of the independent review, citing commercial sensitivity.
"As part of our commitment to addressing some concerns raised in the department, the university engaged independent facilitator Kate Keddell, who has provided a clear pathway forward.
"As noted in the ODT article, Kate did not identify any serious concerns and her report highlights the strong commitment of staff to the department’s academic excellence and values."
Acting director of human resources Carolyn King said yesterday the university was working through a process to implement the recommendations of the Keddell report.
"The facilitation process was designed to be confidential and supportive with the aim of fostering a positive, inclusive, trusted and respectful working environment."
• This story has been corrected to reflect that the email did not contain a warning and that staff were not told not to leak information to media. It further clarifies that some staff said they felt the email’s contents and Prof Thyne's talk amounted to a warning and a directive.
