Cambridge exams can be shortened amid strike chaos
CAMBRIDGE university is to allow exams and finals to be shortened because of disruption caused by lecturers’ strikes.
The university has sanctioned the removal of questions on material that has not been taught because classes have been cancelled, and has allowed the number of questions set to be decreased. It says it is for individual department heads to decide whether they will make any changes.
The guidance has been described as “hugely problematic”, with critics warning that it “raises questions about fairness” and could lead to “a spate of complaints” from students.
Oxford said it would not be amending exams in light of the strikes, raising questions about fairness for students at different institutions.
Prof Gill Evans, emeritus professor of medieval theology at Cambridge, said that making such changes would “create a minefield”. She added: “How could it be possible to make micro-adjustments so as not to disadvantage individuals without damaging the fundamental principle that assessment treats all students equally?”
The guidance states that changes could include removing questions on material that has not been taught and replacing them with others on material that has. The number of questions set could be increased or decreased, and restrictions removed on compulsory questions.
Papers could also be shortened from
the standard three hours, with fewer questions required to be answered, the guidance added.
Nick Hillman, director of the Higher Education Policy Institute, said that making changes to exam papers would be “quite badly problematic”.
“If the bit of the course you are best at is the one you are no longer going to be examined on – we will probably see a spate of complaints,” he said. “It makes it harder for everyone to prepare for exam season. If it is harder to prepare, there is a question mark about fairness. When deciding on the final grade, examiners might err on the side of caution, and this might change for different departments and different universities. It could have an effect on academic integrity.”
Lectures and classes have already been disrupted at more than 60 universities by 14 days of strikes.
The University and College Union (UCU) is planning further strike action at 13 universities, designed to cause maximum disruption to students as they sit their finals in the summer term. It is also encouraging its members to hand in their notice if they hold examiner posts at any of the institutions which are part of the industrial action.
UCU has been locked in a battle with Universities UK over proposed pension reforms to address a reported deficit and rising benefit costs. An agreement was reached earlier this month under
which employers and employees would both temporarily pay higher contributions, but this was later rejected by UCU.
A spokesman for Cambridge University said: “The university has longstanding procedures to mitigate the impact of disruption to examinations on individual students [and] commits to maintaining fairness to candidates at all times while upholding the integrity of the examination process.”
The spokesman stressed that “in most cases no change to assessment will be required”, and added: “The university will not be reducing the pass mark or amending classing boundaries, since this will undermine the integrity of the examination process.”