The Journal of College and University Student Housing - Volume 44, No. 2 - 87

Ethnic Minority Student Success at a New Zealand University

Pre-university qualifications. There are no
university-specific tests like an SAT required to
attend a New Zealand university; the students'
performance in the last year of school is used to
determine University Entrance (UE) based on
New Zealand's National Certificate of Educational Achievement (NCEA), a standards-based
system that measures students' performance
against prescribed standards of achievement (NZQA, 2012). The NCEA requires a
minimum of 42 credits at Level 3 (last year at
high school). Notably, in New Zealand firstyear entry to university is also available to adult
students without any requirements for formal
qualifications (University of Otago, 2017).
In this analysis, students with UE based
on NCEA were also assigned a subject pass
in English, the sciences (biology, chemistry,
physics, or mathematics), or other NCEA subjects if they had achieved more than 14 credits
in the subject at Level 3 NCEA.

Statistical Methodology
Univariate frequency analyses were performed
using a 2 by 2 chi-square test of association
between variables. Ordinary least squares regression was used to model the effect from
multiple variables upon first-year grade point
average results, and logistic regression was
used to model indicators with binary outcomes (first-year pass, retention, and completion) on the overall data set. All regression
and frequency analyses were performed using
SAS 9.4 (SAS Institute, 1999).

#14/206). This study is a key activity of the
university's Pacific Strategic Framework Goal
4.1.3 (University of Otago, 2013, p. 4). Institutional data for this project have been used in
adherence to the appropriate use of student
data (University of Otago, 2014) and in accordance with the New Zealand privacy regulations (The Privacy Act s6, 1993). External
school (NCEA) results have been used with the
permission of the New Zealand Qualifications
Authority (NZQA).

RESULTS
Pacific Students in a Residential College
Pacific students in residential colleges, like
their non-Pacific counterparts, were younger
than other students and more likely to have enrolled in university straight from school. Also,
as for non-Pacific students, almost two-thirds
of Pacific students in residential colleges had
passed at least one NCEA Level 3 science subject
at school. Conversely, first-year Pacific students
not in a residential college were less likely to
have passed any science subjects at school or
have any formal qualification. Nearly a third

The University of Otago residential
colleges provide students with
more than simply a place to stay;
they also provide academic

Ethical Approval

support for courses with large

This research received approval from the University of Otago's Ethics Committee to undertake a research project on Pacific students (ref

rolls and organised social and
sporting activities .
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The Journal of College and University Student Housing - Volume 44, No. 2

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