B.Com students allowed individual hearing following alleged wide-spread cheating

The Faculty of Economics, Management and Accountancy has allowed first-year B.Com students to explain their involvement in alleged “collusion” in a progress test carried out last semester. 

All first-year students enrolled in the Bachelor of Commerce degree were handed an automatic fail in a progress test, after the faculty found evidence of cheating after coming into possession of screenshots from a Facebook messenger chat. 

The faculty had circulated an email to students claiming they had over 43 screenshots showing evidence of collusion in a progress test for study unit EMA1008, or Quantitative Analysis for Business. 

News of the decision sparked outrage, with a number of student organisations calling the decision an unfair one on those who did not cheat during the exam. 

In light of this, the faculty set up a new disciplinary board chaired by Prof. Frank Bezzina, tasked with reviewing cases on an individual basis. 

“Those students involved in the chat were granted a fair hearing by being individually allowed to explain their participation in the chat. This also allowed the Board to determine the extent of their involvement in the matter,” a University of Malta spokesperson said. 

In those cases where it transpired that students indeed colluded with others, the Board reprimanded them for their behaviour. These students were further penalised by having their original marks deducted according to the degree of severity of their collusion.

University student council reacts

The University’s student council (KSU) has agreed with giving a “fair hearing” to individual students. 

“KSU reiterates the importance of allowing students who sat for the tests regularly to continue with their studies unhindered, as well as the need for a fair process that considers students individually in all disciplinary actions,” it said. 

READ ALSO:Decision to fail B.Com students under review