SU demands apology and changes from University over provisional timetable “debacle”

The University of Warwick’s Students’ Union (SU) has demanded an apology and explanation from the University regarding “confusion” over two summer provisional exam timetables published in one day.

The SU has also criticised the fact that the University released the provisional timetable later than in previous years and demanded that Finalist exams “be moved back to the start of the schedule”.

The provisional timetable, which was first released yesterday, included multiple exams scheduled on 2 July, after the University’s promised summer exam timetable period should end. These exams were also scheduled outside of official term time for the 2018/19 academic year, which concludes on 29 June.

The University then released a revised timetable, in which the latest exam is scheduled to take place on 27 June for a first-year Engineering module.

However, the SU has still reprimanded the University for scheduling final-year exams later than the usual “consensus”, which the SU says involves prioritising finalist exams on the timetable so that students have time to recuperate and celebrate at the end of Term 3.

Some students have disagreed with the SU’s lobbying for earlier finalist exams, however, taking to Facebook to suggest they would “rather have adequate time to prepare”, and stating that “some…prefer a better spread of exams rather than cramming all exams in mid-May”.

The SU shared further concerns about the potential anxiety caused by originally releasing a timetable with exams scheduled in July, and expressed that releasing the timetable later than usual and with mistakes does not allow students to plan accordingly.

SU President Liam Jackson told The Boar: “The SU shares both the anger and disappointment of students at the debacle that is the current Exam Timetable, and will be communicating your frustrations to the University as a matter of urgency.”

In their statement, they concluded: “Once again, Warwick has let its students down. To those members of University Management responsible for this situation: you literally had one job. Students expect – and deserve – better, and this situation needs to be resolved as a matter of urgency.”

The University has apologised for the mistakes in the provisional timetable. On the exam timetable webpage, they said: “Due to a set of unforeseen and exceptional operational circumstances, publication of the provisional timetable this year has been later than usual, for which we apologise.

“We are also aware that the current provisional schedule has a number of inconsistencies which may cause difficulties for individual students and departments: for example, the usual practice of avoiding any finalists’ exams in the last couple of weeks of the exams period has not initially been met.

“The exams team are working to resolve these problems ahead of publication of the Final Timetable w/c 22nd April, 2019. This is our top priority and meanwhile we thank you for your patience and apologise for any inconvenience or uncertainty associated with the current Provisional Timetable.”

Once again, Warwick has let its students down…Students expect – and deserve – better, and this situation needs to be resolved as a matter of urgency

– Warwick SU

As the timetable currently stands, exams are still provisionally scheduled after the Graduation Ball is due to take place on 17 June. This includes exams for finalist courses in departments including Psychology, Philosophy, Physics, Mathematics, MORSE, Politics, Economics, Language and Linguistics, Accounting, History, and Environmental Science, which are scheduled to take place up to 20 June.

In addition to the Graduation Ball, concerns have been raised that there is not sufficient time for a quality-assured turnaround time for exam marking as the official graduation dates are set from 16-24 July, and that the current schedule will have “an adverse effect on Postgraduate students” marking the exams.

The website for the “Final Version” of the Main Summer Exam Timetable outlines that “finalists’ examinations have to finish in time for the marking and exam board process to be completed to allow the submission of pass lists to the University Senate at the end of the Summer Term, for approval of the conferment of degrees at the degree ceremonies.”

It adds: “Other activities such as the degree ceremonies and the University’s obligations in respect of statutory statistical returns to government funding agencies (which are based on results at module level) also place constraints on the scheduling of examinations.”

Since the publication of the provisional exam timetable, departments such as English and Comparative Literary Studies and Warwick Law School have stated that are working with the Exams Office in the run up to the publication of the final timetable.

The Law School has also “noted that there are finalist and non finalist papers appearing in the listing”, and clarified that they “will not be scheduling separate papers for any modules”.

Regarding the lateness of the provisional timetable, the SU also reminded students of the All Student Vote that took place last term during which the motion for earlier exam timetables was passed, with 923 votes for, 33 votes against, and 62 abstinences.

The University has been contacted for comment.

UPDATE (1 April 2019): The University has taken down the Provisional Summer Exam Timetable today to resolve “a number of problems” within it. All exams will take place within 13 May to 20 June and all finalist papers will be scheduled “within the first four weeks of the summer exam period”.