The controversial criminal law take-home exam that sparked widespread media coverage yesterday will be replaced by another exam in late November following concerns for academic integrity. The Sydney University Law School told students that all students enrolled in the course would have to sit a replacement assessment on 28-30 November.
This follows an email earlier today telling students the University was considering its approach to the leak, which saw the entire paper published in the Sydney Morning Herald. The exam paper involved a fictional scenario using the first name of a student, Freya Leach, who alleged that the paper was targeting her due to her conservative politics.
The exam paper instructed students not to discuss its content with other people during the assignment release period.
A University of Sydney spokesperson told Honi earlier today that: “We are currently working through this incident to ensure high standards of integrity and academic rigour while also keeping student stress anxiety and disruption to a minimum.”
The Law School told students in a Canvas post: “We understand that many students have already dedicated a substantial amount of time to the short release assignment, and sympathise with and understand your frustration. However, the University and the Law School set a high value on the integrity of assessments, which are crucial to preserving the good standing of our qualifications for graduates, the legal profession and society. Regrettably, we feel that there are no alternatives to withdrawing and replacing the short release assessment that would ensure academic integrity.”
Students expressed frustration towards the saga to Honi, emphasising the stress and inconvenience the rescheduling would cause.
“It’s farcical that a major examination has been derailed by the ego of a single student. I have invested considerable time in the five days since the assignment was released working on the problem question given to us and now all that work is for nothing,” a student, who asked to remain anonymous, told Honi.
“The switch from a 10-day timeframe to 48-hour timeframe also drastically transforms what is required of students. I and many others have spent the semester learning the content in preparation for the former because that is what has been scheduled from the beginning of the course. To change that now, this late, is simply unfair.”
Honi is unaware at this stage if the Law School is pursuing an investigation into academic integrity breach on the part of Leach.
