University Caught in Exam Blunder

History finalists were left dismayed yesterday after being forced to take an exam two weeks before its scheduled date.

The third-year students were expecting to take the ‘French Wars of Religion – Themes and Issues’ paper, but were instead given the source-based exam which they were originally due to sit in week six. The response by staff was that students should take the exam anyway.

The cause of the mistake was a simple typing error that named the paper as Paper I rather than Paper II.

A Facebook group entitled “Wrong exam paper? I’d like the right one or re-sit please!” has since been set up by disgruntled students. The group currently boasts over 600 members, with the description reading: “This is a joke from the system we have all paid over £9000 for, and happens in our most important exams. While it was down to a monumental administration cock up […] potentially these students have had their right to do well in this exam taken away from them.”

The student behind the group, who chose to remain anonymous, told Vision that “this was a mistake down to simple human error. We accept that it occurred, that it was a simple mishap and that it slipped through the scrutinizing committee that was in place to ratify all exams.

“What is perhaps unfair is that the history students taking the exam were required to take an exam they were unprepared for.”

In a statement released to Vision, YUSU Academic Affairs Officer Charlie Leyland said: “I cannot imagine how frustrated these poor students must feel. We must work together with the department for a fair solution to this issue. I have been in touch with the department and the University trying to start up a dialogue with  students at the heart of it so we can deal with this issue and move on with damage control.”

Leyland also commented that she is in the process of pressuring the Standard Committee of Assessment to have the exam setter or a ‘designated other’ present at every exam in order to prevent such circumstances arising.

Since yesterday’s events, students have been offered an optional re-sit. The university has also put all students involved on a ‘special mitigating circumstances’ list, though this only affects those with borderline grades.

The students are to have a meeting with Geoff Cubitt, the examinations officer, tomorrow morning to discuss the re-sits.

A statement released by the university on Thursday says: “Due to an administrative error, Third Year History students sitting a special subject examination on  18 May received the paper they should have been taking in Week Six. The Department of History apologises for the understandable distress and disruption caused to students.

“The error was drawn to the attention of the Departmental exams officer 25 minutes into the examination when a decision was taken to continue.  All 17 candidates were informed by email at the conclusion of the examination that the impact of the error would be taken into account when assessing their final degrees.

“Following further discussions of legitimate concerns raised by students, the Department proposes to re-set the paper, and to invite students to take it again. Those who take up the offer will have both papers marked and the Department will use the higher of the two marks in their degree assessments. The disruption caused by the error will also be taken into account, in any event.

“If they still feel their degree result has been adversely affected, students still have the right of appeal to the University. The Department plans to meet affected students today to discuss the practicalities of fitting the re-set examination into the timetable.”

Any students with concerns about this or other exams or assessments should contact their course reps or [email protected]