Writing on the wall for class lists at Cambridge as EU ban comes in

THE European Union is set to end the University of Cambridge’s 300-yearold “class list”.

The lists – where students’ names are displayed alongside their degree grade on a board outside the university’s main building Senate House – face abolition due to new data protection laws, which will come into force next year.

The issue has led to bitter divisions among the student body, with class lists having survived votes of confidence from both students and academic staff last year.

It argued that the lists were ‘damaging’ to the welfare of students and could trigger depression

That came amid pressure from campaigners who argued that class lists were “damaging” to welfare, triggered depression and led to “promoting a culture of shaming”.

Now the practice is under fresh threat from EU laws that place greater emphasis on “active consent” of subjects, rather than presumed consent.

Under the General Data Protection Regulation, due to come into effect in May next year, the university may be legally required to ask for students’ consent over whether they want their grades to be published.

Cambridge’s council, which is chaired by Stephen Toope, the vicechancellor, has backed a proposal to allow students to have their names removed from result lists through a simple tick-box option.

The final stage is for the proposal to be approved by Regent House, but Graham Virgo, pro-vice-chancellor for education, told Varsity, the student newspaper, that it was “anticipated” the new opt-out system will be in place by May, when the next examination period begins.

Currently, students can only opt out if they provide a valid medical reason for it and the university has to authorise the move. In a student referendum last month, 55 per cent said they wanted the student union to campaign to keep the list alive, and the following month academic staff followed suit in their own vote. Pressure to get rid of the list began in 2015 when a campaign called Our Grade, Our Choice called for students to have the choice to opt out of the lists without having to provide a reason.

It argued that the lists were “damaging” to the welfare of students and could trigger depression.

But the prospect of their abolition deeply divided students, with an opposing campaign, titled Save the Class List, arguing that it was a “fantastic tradition”, and part and parcel of attending an ancient university.

The Information Commissioner’s Office said that the UK’S decision to leave the EU will not affect the commencement of the GDPR.