Otago University bosses are accused of misleading critics of its proposal to cap medical school admissions through preferential pathways for Māori and other priority groups.
A University staffer says management is trying to push it through much more aggressively than they have admitted in public.
The Medical Admissions Committee was presented with documents last month suggesting a limit of 56 students a year through the Māori Entry Pathway, and just 20 students through the Pacific and Low Socioeconomic pathways.
The Pro Vice Chancellor - who helped create the documents - says these were simply discussion points and no formal proposal was made.
Zoe Bristowe, who attended the meeting on behalf of the Associate Dean Māori, says the committee was told the changes needed to happen immediately, and that it was not the university's job to address 200 years of disadvantage.
She spoke to reporter Te Aniwa Hurihanganui exclusively about how the meeting unfolded.
In a statement, a university spokesperson says it disagrees with Bristowe's portrayal of discussions at the meeting.
The spokesperson says it rejects any inference that the University intends to abdicate its responsibility to address historic inequities in the health work force, and there has been no formal proposal over its admissions process.
It says if a formal a proposal is developed all relevant stakeholders will be consulted.
