The Department of History are currently investigating a “malicious” email impersonating a member of staff yesterday, aimed at deceiving students.
An email was dispatched to some second year history students informing them that the time of yesterday’s Using Primary Material examination had been altered. The email entitled “URGENT UPM EXAM TIME CHANGE” was sent from a Gmail account, and attempted to impersonate a member of the department, in order to trick students into believing that the time of their examination had changed.
The History Department were informed of this email, and quickly issued an email in response entitled “Malicious email: Using Primary Material exam”, which urged students to ignore the previous email. As a result all students attended the examination at the correct time of 6pm in Central Hall. The exact number of students who received the false email is unknown.
Second year History student Fiona Woollett told Vision: “I think it is a prank gone too far. It’s a malicious attack that could have had severe consequences and I think the department will not deal with it lightly.”
Fellow History student Daniel Hodkinson added: “Thankfully I received the e-mail after the History Department had rectified the situation with a follow-up email; I don’t think it was malicious just rather immature for a second-year history undergraduate.”
Regardless, the department are now conducting an investigation into the “malicious” email, and have urged the culprit to come forward. The department also warned students to ignore any future emails from academic staff that are not sent from a @york.ac.uk email address.
Wow. To describe it as a “prank gone too far” doesn’t really do the severity of that justice. It isn’t a prank. Pranks are slightly mischievous and funny, this was down right nasty and whoever sent it should be punished as such.
If only Alex Finnis had written this article, then there’d be more facts and information!
Nice filler image – certainly one from the archives, the University demolished that water tower back in 2004!
Whilst perhaps this may be a joke gone too far, let’s be honest, the email was sent less than 24 hours before the exam. Who would seriously believe that the department would email at such short notice to change an exam time which is scheduled months in advance? Bit much for a joke but not really the end of the world