University of Auckland students get angry about having to take the semester 2 exams in person
The university plans New Zealand students to take the exams in person, while those abroad will take them online and open a book
Classes were scheduled to resume on campus on October 5, but this was also postponed until Auckland was on Covid-19 alert level 1
This is the second time the university has postponed the resumption of physical classes after initially planning to hold classes for up to 300 people during the second half of Semester 2, which began two years ago. weeks This was delayed after being questioned by Chief Health Officer Dr Ashley Bloomfield
More than two dozen students have contacted NZME over concerns about taking in-person exams – many of which are echoed in an open letter from the University of Auckland Students Association
Several students emailed « on behalf of a collective » and said taking exams in person would be unfair
They said it would not be « fair » and that the lingering possibility of raising alert levels and general mistrust of Covid-19 would cause additional stress
Some students also felt that there should be some relief from the additional anxiety and stress related to the pandemic Last semester, the university gave all students a universal ‘bonus’ of 5% This semester, only those with a failing grade of 47, 48 or 49 percent will have their grade rounded to the minimum passing grade of 50
Association Acting President Emma Rogers said some students wanted to be back on campus – mostly in classes with hands-on elements But she’s heard from more students concerned about the return
She said students had spent the majority of the year studying online at university and had « become accustomed to this mode of assessment » Rogers said online exams were « only ‘a different way of preparing « for the permanent threat of Covid-19
Rogers knew that the university’s position was concerned with academic integrity. « But given that we have some time before exams [begin November 5], we hope the university takes a fairly proactive and will work against any violation that may arise »
University of Auckland Vice-Chancellor Dawn Freshwater was aware of students’ concerns, but said in-person exams should « ensure that the university’s standards of academic integrity are maintained »
Freshwater said the university was confident there were measures to conduct in-person exams safely – « even at Alert Level 2 »
The University felt that not having a universal grade increase was « a fairer approach » and recognized the « additional stress » suffered by students due to Covid-19
Around 2,000 university students were currently abroad, and around 1,700 were international students
Student, University of Auckland, New Zealand
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