Thursday 26 May 2016

Straight to the top.

I must not let my amusement interfere with my mission to elicit an apology from New Zealand Qualifications Authority for helping themselves to one of my photos.

I received a prompt response to my email.  What I call a drafting gate letter where the help desk decides in which direction to send the complaint.  

While I'm in a bad mood I might add I'm not impressed by the reply which was signed by V.  That's right, V.  If the drafting gate people can't even identify themselves I don't hold much hope of anyone accepting responsibility.  

So what caused the amusement you might ask?  The drafting gate person decided my complaint should be handled by the Executive Assistant to the Deputy Chief Executive Qualifications.  I wonder what jumped up self important personage holds that title?  I'm just being nasty now.  Venting as the young ones would say.  I'd hazard a guess the title is the best part of the job.  Probably some harassed, under paid, overworked well meaning person trying to earn a living in the  bureaucratic BS that is the tertiary education sector, trying to sort out the stuff ups of their seniors.    

In other news, the rain has stopped.  There was a lot of it and more is predicted.  The sun is shining, there's a stiff breeze to dry out the puddles.  If I weren't in a grump it would say it's a lovely day.  Oh, what the hell, it is a lovely day.  I'll put my bad mood on hold until I get a response from ... who was it? That's right, the Executive Assistant to the Deputy Chief Executive.  

Update: 
I have to put my cynicism aside and offer bouquets to NZQA for the blinding efficiency with which they handled my complaint.  Obviously, the drafting gate person on the help desk forwarded it to correct Executive Assistant who forwarded it to the correct Team Leader who explained that NZQA has an exemption under the Copyright Act 1994. 

It makes sense that examination material must be confidential until the exams are sat lest they be compromised.  So they are allowed to use material even when it is copyrighted and permission is not necessary.

I still think for the sake of good manners they should find a way to inform the source of the material and have so responded.

I guess in some ways I'm still a dreamer.

13 comments:

  1. It sounds like an over-inflated upstart with an over-inflated ego with an over-inflated title. Imagine having to find and then wear a name tag big enough to cope with such a blow-hard title!

    Continue being a dreamer...it's better than being someone with a false sense of importance, Pauline. :)

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    1. You are right, Lee. And anyway, it's a bit late now to try to change myself. I'm surprised I have the inclination to try to change anything.

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  2. I understand now why they didn't pay for the image. It was used in the third grade exams. That is really insulting. Stolen for primary or, at a pinch, secondary tests would be bad enough. Was it really a third rate picture of third rate drainage?
    Yours, A.
    Executive Keyboard Operator.

    PS. I have a vacancy for a junior executive keyboard commander salary £40K/h expenses (just make them up but try and keep them to under five times your hourly rate).

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    1. You could headhunt someone from NZQA with the additional attraction of opportunity to travel.

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  3. Since they aren't using it for profit, i guess it makes sense not to force the schools to pay to use photos for tests, since they never would have money for photos because they have to pay for Executive Assistants to the Assistants. Sheesh! It would still be nice, as you've said, to let you know they will be using it.

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    1. Even being advised after the fact would be nice, I think.

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  4. However that exemption doesn't stop them writing to copyright holders the second the exam paper is used. I, too, would be miffed by the thoughtless bad manners.

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    1. I agree, Graham. I'm still pissed off and waiting for another response to my email suggesting the source of exam material be advised after the exam. I better not hold my breath!

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  5. Just because one 'may' doesn't mean one 'should'. I think a statement to the effect that "after some reflection and we have decided that in future we will contact people when their material would suit our needs, ask permission and if it is granted, credit those responsible for photographs etc'. This was a case of very bad manners and very bad policy.

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    1. I agree. All I can say in their favour is that they did acknowledge me as the source.

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  6. Good manners are hard to come by these days!

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    1. Hi Liz, It's hard to understand why when most of the time they don't cost anything.

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  7. Dream on Pauline, it's a govt. dept isn't it?

    Diana

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