By Mathew Munro

HOBART -- Around 300 people attended a rally on August 6 at the University of Tasmania to protest the administration's move to reduce “swot vac” (the exam study period) from nine days to four, and to hold three exam sessions per day. This means exams will continue until 7pm.

Staff say the proposed changes will not allow enough time for accurate marking and that they need the swot vac period to finalise students' internal marks. Many students have assignments due until the end of formal classes and swot vac is the only time they have to revise their courses before exams. Because of cuts to public transport and child-care opening hours, sitting in an exam until 7pm is not possible for many students.

One reason for the administration's changes is to enable graduation ceremonies to be held in December -- a more convenient and attractive timetable for the lucrative full fee-paying overseas student market. As well, reducing the university's total operating days will mean reduced operating costs.

At the rally, the Student Representative Council president, Catherine Miller, successfully moved a motion that students withdraw from classes if the administration pursued its plans. Resistance members unsuccessfully proposed an alternative motion calling on the SRC to organise a broad student boycott of exams and to request staff unions support for the boycott. Another protest action is planned for August 20.

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