The Otago Daily Times made a request on Monday under the Official Information Act for correspondence to and from the Proctor's office relating to the disposal of about 500 copies of Critic, which featured a graphic cover of a naked person menstruating.
A university spokeswoman said the only correspondence concerning Critic related "to the formulation of responses to media and other enquiries concerning the removal of copies of the magazine".
"These are withheld under 9(2)(g)(i) of the Official Information Act on the basis that staff must be free to exchange views confidentially as they develop responses to media and others."
On Wednesday, she further clarified the correspondence did not involved the Proctor's Office but was between the tw communications staff.
The university said in media statements the magazine was disposed of due to a mistake made by staff in the proctor's office, after Critic staff voluntarily took copies of the magazine out of Dunedin Hospital.
Proctor Dave Scott apologised to Critic for the error.