Uni hackers spoil exam
HACKERS from within the University of Tasmania have breached online exam security, leaving 600 nursing students without vital test results.
Angry students will be forced to sit a longer end-of-year exam that will now be worth a greater share of their final mark.
The closed-book test will now be worth 60 per cent instead of 40 per cent of their final mark for the compulsory unit.
UTAS declared the results of the 30-minute open-book test null and void after the security breach, which is believed to have come from within the university.
School of Nursing and Midwifery students were outraged when told of the situation on Tuesday.
Students across campuses in Hobart, Launceston and Sydney have been affected by the breach.
"There is quite a student uproar over the decision to declare our results null and void and add the extra 20 per cent to the final semester exam, but our protests have been ignored," a Hobart student said last night.
"This just adds so much more pressure.
"We would prefer to sit another open-book exam but have been told this is not an option."
In the email to first-year nursing and midwifery students on Tuesday, acting school head Rosalind Bull said UTAS IT security was working with the school to identify the students involved in "this act of misconduct".
"Unfortunately there is strong evidence the online exam security was breached from within the student body and therefore we cannot ensure the reliability of your exam results and that you received your correct result," Dr Bull wrote.
She said high-level disciplinary action would be taken to deal with the culprits.
UTAS provost David Rich spoke about the breach last night.
"UTAS takes such matters extremely seriously," Mr Rich said.
Students have also vented their anger on Facebook.
"To whoever persons that screwed up for everyone else in the 112 [multiple choice questions] test ... I hope you get found out and booted out of the course!" one wrote.
"I know 20 [percentage points] isn't a huge amount to tack on to the exam, BUT it is not the point. People work hard to revise, and are honest when doing essays etc, so I hope whoever you are you suffer the consequences, you don't get another chance, you just get lobbed with a partial HECS debt and no degree!"
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