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Despite student disquiet, the fallout of "bongshell'' revelations at the University of Otago will not include disciplinary action against the university proctor, the vice-chancellor has confirmed.
Proctor Dave Scott publicly admitted yesterday he went into a flat about three weeks ago while delivering a letter to students, and took ``three smoking cannabis bongs'' away while the flatmates were either away or asleep.
While he regretted his behaviour, he did not consider it made him a criminal, he said.
His admission and apology followed an article in Critic Te Arohi about the incident, and since the revelations came to light other students have also said he visited them at home and tried to confiscate their bongs, and one student told Critic of an incident in 2016.
A ``Proctor Protest'', calling for a code of conduct for Mr Scott, has been organised for 1pm tomorrow at the university and about 900 people have indicated on Facebook they will attend, and a petition for Mr Scott to resign has now reached nearly 2000 signatures.
Vice-chancellor Prof Harlene Hayne said yesterday Mr Scott ``had the best interests of the student flatmates in mind'' and said there would not be any repercussions for him from the university, or any new code of conduct.
``Mr Scott has acknowledged both to me and publicly that his actions on this occasion were wrong and not to be repeated.
``I do not consider disciplinary action against him to be called for,'' she said.
The proctor's actions have drawn criticism from legal academics at other universities and lawyers who have said he could technically have committed burglary or theft.
OUSA recreation officer Josh Smythe, who organised both the petition and the protest, claimed three other students had also contacted him with stories about the proctor going into their homes while they were there and confiscating cannabis bongs.
Mr Scott admitted taking bongs from picnic tables in the past, and acknowledged it was ``an error of judgement''.
However, Prof Hayne said the university was not aware of any complaints about similar behaviour.