An insider at University of Otago fears the introduction of compulsory lecture recordings as early as next year is a step towards it becoming a "remote-learning" institution.
The staff member, who leaked an academic senate agenda item showing discussion of the policy, said pushing on with this possibility could be "dire".
They argued the consequences of such a move could be "dramatic" for the university .
"There are grave concerns that those proposing it actually don't understand the negative impact it could have."
The policy has support from Otago University Students’ Association academic representative Stella Lynch, who has previously told the ODT it has been a "long time coming" and approving it would be "showing some respect for our students that we provide them with learning materials when they can't turn up to class".
The senate meeting was held last week, and it is understood the findings and discussions from the meeting will inform a further paper for another senate this month.
Should it be approved, the policy will take effect from the first semester of 2026 and be reviewed a year after its implementation.
The staff member said it could lead to a "fundamental shift towards Otago becoming an online, remote-learning university".
"The latter has serious implications not only for the University of Otago, but also for the city of Dunedin, including its economy," they said.
"If Otago is perceived to be an online, distance-learning university it will have a negative impact on its global rankings which it is desperately trying to recapture."
Deputy vice-chancellor academic Prof Stuart Brock, who authored the policy paper, addressed concerns about the possible shifting towards online teaching.
"Any policy would acknowledge the importance of in-person attendance for a full academic experience.
"If lecture recordings become compulsory, the university will also develop strategies to promote lecture attendance and engagement. Recordings are intended to complement — not replace — attendance, providing support for revision or for students with valid reasons for being absent.
"Lecture recordings would not be used as a substitute for regular lecture attendance."
The consultation process with staff had been "long and iterative", the policy paper says.
"It is clear from the consultation process that there is no consensus among staff and students about what the best approach is, and there are strong views on all sides."
The policy paper says respondents, both students and lecturers, provided a lot of feedback for the policy.
Positive feedback included accessibility for students with disabilities, resolving scheduling conflicts and timetable clashes, ensuring continuity during institutional disruption, accommodation for illness and emergencies and enabling better note taking.
Concerns included student lecture attendance declining, technical capacity and resourcing and lecturer workload and administrative burden.
The OUSA was also significantly involved in compiling feedback.
The policy paper suggests the "administrative burden should decrease for most lecturers if they record lectures and publish them in the LMS (Learning Management System)".
The university also reserved the right to pursue cases of misconduct, such as students selling or distributing recordings illegally.
The planned review would look at the policy’s impacts on student attendance and engagement, academic and student achievement, staff workload and levels of support for the policy from staff and students a year on from the policy’s implementation.
