The Faculty of Law making a U-turn: Will have home exams

On Friday, it was clear that the Faculty of Law is making a U-turn and have decided that all exams at the faculty in the fall of 2020 will be completed as home exams.

Multiple students have, earlier this week, expressed concerns over faculties planning to have physical school exams.

— The only thing that can convince me to take the exam is if every single person uses a mask during the entire exam, UiO-student Kristina Dziedzic Wright expressed to Universitas.

Don’t fear cheating

In a press release, the dean at the Faculty of Law, Ragnhild Hennum, says that the corona situation, especially in Oslo, combined with a wish for predictability for exam candidates, is behind the decision. She points to, among other things, the clear recommendations that as few people as possible should travel by public transport, and that the commute is among the things, students have said they are worried about.

— We have listened to the opinions of students at meetings we’ve held the last couple of days, and we have close contact with the Law Student Council (JSU). I want to thank JSU for the job they have done with the survey among students, the dean says.

The dean of studies, Tarjei Bekkedal, tells Universitas that the faculty has taken into consideration the opinions of the students.

— We listen to all opinions and have heard students’ views through many channels, mainly via JSU, meetings we’ve held, and through the Speak up-system, he says.

Will students who live in cramped shared housing or who have poor internet connection be given the opportunity to take their exams in Silurveien or another physical location assigned by UiO if they need it?

— If there is need for special arrangements, we will arrange for alternatives, Bekkedal ascertains.

Do you fear that exams at home will bring more cases of cheating?

— No, I don’t think so.

JSU are pleased

JSU conducted a survey from the 9th to the 14th of October among the students at the faculty to map out law students’ attitudes towards examination types. 900 students responded and almost eight out of ten students responded that they want home exams.

— Based on this survey, we published a recommendation to the faculty this morning at 10. We have had a very good dialogue with the faculty, says Embla Mandt Larsen Mellgren (24), deputy head of JSU.

She also tells us that it is the risk of infection that a school exam would bring and the consideration of predictability that is most important.

— We are now in a such a situation that we have to know what type of exam we will be taking when we are preparing for the exams, she says and adds:

— It’s very nice that the university takes into account the situation that we are in and have as an aim for students to have a good exam situation.