Kevin Seales, 54, had his case transferred from Dunedin to the Auckland District Court where he was sentenced in August after his application for a discharge without conviction was thrown out.
It means the senior manager may be effectively called into his own office.
The university refused to comment on "personal matters" but a spokeswoman said if the tertiary institute became aware of an employee being convicted of a crime, it would assess whether the circumstances called for a formal employment process.
"Wherever a conflict of interest arises for a staff member in the conduct of their duties, arrangements are made to manage the conflict — including by reassigning duties and/or seeking external advice if necessary," the spokeswoman said.
She said it was "unusual" for the university to provide support for an employee’s discharge without conviction and no exception had been made in recent months.
Judge Stephen Bonnar KC granted an Otago Daily Times application for Seales’ court documents in the Auckland District Court.
He noted the matter was dealt with by a community magistrate so, as a "routine sentencing matter", the hearing had not been transcribed.
A police summary of facts, though, said Seales was driving a Toyota Prado in Butts Rd at 10.35pm on October 28 last year.
As it was the night of the Dunedin Craft Beer & Food Festival, police were out in force and he was stopped at a checkpoint.
Seales admitted drinking earlier that night and failed a subsequent breath test.
He elected to give a blood sample, which showed an alcohol level of 90mg of alcohol per 100ml of blood — nearly twice the legal limit.
Seales told police he was picking up his wife from a nearby festival.
He was fined $450, ordered to pay court costs and medical expenses for the blood test and banned from driving for six months.
Seales, who has worked at Otago Polytechnic and the Dunedin City Council, says in his online profile he is "very keen on the outdoors, including diving and fishing, and is currently enjoying exploring New Zealand in his campervan".
He did not respond to requests for comment.
