Not only has the delayed exam timetable frustrated students, it also breached clause 3(e) of the University’s Administration of Final Examinations Policy.
The Policy states that the exam timetable will be provided “six weeks before the first day of final examinations for first semester (normally late April)”. The first day of exams is June 3. Six weeks before that is April 22.
One of the purposes of the Policy is to conduct exams in “a manner which provides a consistent and appropriate examination environment for all students.”
The University’s Facebook post about the semester one exam timetable did not indicate how far away the exam timetable is.
The post backtracked from the April 22 announcement that all exams would be online or replaced with assessments. The Facebook post said “everyone will be able to do their exams remotely if required.” It is not clear when a remote exam is “required”.
The University would not give comment beyond referring Critic to the Facebook post.
It remains unclear when the exam timetable will be released. “It would be good to know so I can choose which subjects to prioritise first,” said a third year student.
“This feels like an added stress and anxiety at an already very stressful time,” Jane* said.
Jane received an email on April 22 from the Dean of her department stating that “you will receive your exam timetable toward the end of May.” This email was sent to all students in the department with exams in semester one.
OUSA Academic Representative, Emily Coyle, told Critic that she has been assured by the Deputy Vice-Chancellor Academic “that the exam schedule will not be released at the end of May or in the same week of the exams or very close to the end of lectures.”
However, not knowing this information, Jane was immediately concerned that the timetable would be released so late. “Personally I am an extremely planned person, and I like to have everything set out day by day, hour by hour, so that I know that come the exam I am as best prepared as possible,” Jane wrote in her email to the Dean. “This will not be able to happen if we only find out at the last minute what the timetable is.”
The Dean responded and told the student that the “exam timetable should not change how you study right now or for the next few weeks prior to the beginning of the study and exam period, by which time you will certainly have it and can plan your study schedule.”
Emily said that students are being heard, and that OUSA has been pushing the University on their behalf. She said that despite the University being accountable to their policy, the “changes made to the timetable have not been as simple as moving what was once a three hour exam held in St Davids to a three hour exam in your bubble. Many papers have made changes to the format and structure of their final exam with practicality and student interest in mind.”
However, Emily said that OUSA recognises that the delay in the exam timetable “has an impact on the mental health and wellbeing of students at an already difficult time”, and that the uncertainty does not help study preparation and workload.
“Students have already dealt with so much upheaval this Semester and have been expected to adapt and respond quickly, therefore we expect the same from the University,” she said.
* Name changed.