Admin Law Assessment Causes Headaches All Round

Peter Botros
Volume 3, Issue 9, (Originally Published on Monday 6 May 2013)
 
Administrative Law students were left worse for wear this week after the faculty decided to give with one hand and take with the other.
 
Confusion over whether or not headings counted toward the word limit meant that many students found themselves only a few words over the limit. In fact, so many students had been caught in the ambiguity that the Admin staff decided to apply the Code 2 limit more leniently. However, many students were still dismayed with the results of what they felt was a harshly marked paper, the average being 11/20.
 
As students huddled into their groups, pulled out the calculators and re-evaluated their life choices, they were unaware of the looming danger. Prompted by concerns from students and the LSS Education Officers, the faculty was overruled by higher management, and it was decided that the code should be strictly enforced, and the papers remarked.
 
Chaos ensued. Frantic students, many of whom now found themselves with a failing grade, begged their lecturers to reconsider. The powerless lecturers could only offer sympathy, insisting that there was no right of review for this administrative decision.
 
It was clear that the debacle had divided students and faculty alike. Some took to Facebook to express their frustration and anger at what they saw as an intentional attempt to disadvantage them. Many others blamed the Admin staff who had acted beyond their power to begin with.
 
As the dust settled, everyone seemed to be thinking the same thought, one that they have often pondered in Admin Law; why didn’t they just get it right in the first place!
 
In this reporter’s opinion, the code description should be included with the instructions on all assignments and it should be consistently and strictly enforced (we already take this measure with regard to plagiarism). Now, all we can do is lick our wounds and spare a thought for the Student Centre, they had to recount all the papers four times.
 
Peter Botros