This section covers campaigns for the reform of examinations in Cambridge. Support and guidance about the exam system can be found in the CamExams section of the CUSU website.
CUSU's Exams Campaign:
CUSU has a range of policies which aim to improve the examinations system for all Cambridge students.
1. Return of Exam Scripts
2. Written Exam Feedback
3. Clear Marking and Classing Guidelines
4. Unbiased Exams
5. An End to Saturday Exams
6. Improvement to DDH (Deemed to have Deserved Honours)
7. Early Release of Exam Results on CamSIS
8. Right to Opt-Out of Senate House Results Publication
Classlists:
The classlist system is one of the most frequently criticised elements of Cambridge exams. Students find out their exam results by checking notice boards outside the Senate House where lists of the names of those who have graduated in each class (e.g. I, II.i, II.ii etc.) is published. For certain exams, such as the Maths Tripos Parts II and III, the results are publicly read out inside the Senate House. For those who do well, this system is often regarded a fun tradition of the university, but for those students who do unexpectedly badly then it can be a terrible experience.
At the moment, students can appeal to have their names not published on the class lists outside Senate House. However, the circumstances have to be exceptional: potential mental illness and physical danger caused by people knowing that the candidate has studied in Cambridge have been the two most commonly given examples of legitimate appeals.
CUSU is currently campaigning to have exam results published by e-mail to students before the class lists are published. This will stop the situation when bad results first reach a student via other people gossiping and allow those who do badly to have some time to adjust and consider appeals before the results are publicly published. In the longer term, CUSU is also working to have the opt-out system made more accessible. Oxford is the model as students there can opt-out of the class lists without explanation.
In Michaelmas Term 2008, CUSU conducted a survey into students' view of the class-list publication system. A summary can be found here.
Removing Your Name from a Public Classlist:
CUSU supports every student's right to have his or her name withdrawn from a public classlist without providing justification.
p76 of the Tutors' Guide outlines for College Tutors what is required for a student to have their name withheld from a public classlist:
"The University has a procedure whereby a student's name may be omitted from a class-list. A student must apply via the Senior Tutor to the Secretary of the Applications Committee at least 10 days before the publication date of the relevant class-list.
Approval to withhold a student's name from the class-list is not granted automatically on request. The Applications Committee must be satisfied that there is a compelling reason such as a threat to the student's health or well-being and supporting medical or other evidence relevant to the circumstances must be provided."
Therefore, you should approach your College Tutor in the first instance.
If your College is unwilling to support your application or if that request is rejected by the University's Application Committee there are a number of avenues available to you to challenge that decision.
1. The Review Procedure for the Applications Committee
2. A Complaint to the Office of the Information Commissioner (as this relates to the way in which personal data are handled by the University)
The Information Commissioner has published guidance for circumstances in which Data Subjects (in this case, students) should be permitted to prevent 'Processing Causing Damage or Distress'. This can be found on pages 53 and 54 of the Legal Guidance:
With regard to the nature of the distress caused by a particular data process, "The Commissioner takes the view that a data subject notice [the student writing to the University to request removal of their name from a public classlist] is ... only likely to be appropriate where the particular processing has caused, or is likely to cause, someone to suffer loss or harm, or upset and anguish of a real nature, over and above annoyance level, and without justification."
It may also be useful to note that, in the 'good practice note' relating to Schools and Colleges publishing exam results, the Information Commissioner states that; "in a small number of cases publication may cause distress or harm. Objections should be considered before making a decision to publish. A school would need to have a justifiable reason to reject someone's objection to publication of their exam results."
CUSU can assist you in following the above procedures: contact the Education Officer for further information.