Monday, January 21, 2013

Moshe Y. Admon

ma183@student.london.ac.uk

Professor Jenny Hamilton

Director of Undergraduate Laws Programme

jenny.hamilton@london.ac.uk

Dear Professor Hamilton,

As you are well aware, for the past two years I have been continually requesting via my correspondence with you

that the University of London International Programmes increase its openness and transparency in grading final

exam papers in the LL.B. program. In the past months I have had frequent discussions with numerous students

about this issue and discovered a latent anger among many pertaining to the University’s lack of openness in its

grading policies.

Since only minimal changes have been made by the University in response to my requests, I decided that in the

spirit of openness I would publicize my opinions regarding this issue for my fellow students to comment and

criticize upon. I took the personal initiative and time to make the website www.llbstudentvoice.org and the linked

petition goo.gl/xF4MC which have till now received wide student support in the two weeks since publication,

with the petition garnering 70 votes. I have received many additional emails from students stating their support

for my cause, but expressing unwillingness to broadcast their opinions for fear of retribution by the University in

marking their exams, a fear which I feel is unfounded but understandable, and emanates from the lack of openness

and transparency in grading. I even addressed this issue in the video http://www.llbstudentvoice.org/news.html.

As stated in my letter entitled “Appeal to Openness” (http://www.llbstudentvoice.org/appeal-for-openness.html), I

and many of my fellow students are very satisfied with the substantial quality of the program, take pride in its

rigors, and take pride in being students of the University. Yet, in the most critical part of our studies, the three

hour final exams per subject which are the only measure for our annual scholastic performance, the University

provides us zero feedback regarding how these grades were marked and awarded by examiners, leaving us

completely in the dark regarding where we went wrong, and how to improve our scholastic achievements in the

subsequent year/s. As well, from the information posted on my blog from fellow students, it seems as though

examiner markings are completely subjective, and there is no benchmark upon which papers are graded. As an

example, one student posts “my answers in Trust (law exam) were broadly similar, and I got a 66.” Additionally,

although examiner reports are made available, albeit typically in the months of January/February, nearly 3 months

prior to exams, these reports are very deficient.

As you are aware, the 2013 exams are only three months away. For the sake of improving our education and

providing us with the necessary information to collectively improve our marks, I ask, as do 70 others who signed

the petition attached, to please make the changes requested in the petition as soon as possible and prior to our

upcoming exams. By doing so, you will not only better our learning, but you will greatly improve overall student

satisfaction and the quality of the University of London International Programmes as a whole.

Please feel free to forward this email to anyone necessary, and please note that in the spirit of openness this letter

and all responses to it will be posted on my website and additional online student forums for discussion. I greatly

appreciate your continuous attention to my requests and eagerly and respectfully await your response.

Sincerely Yours,

Moshe Y. Admon, B.Sc., B.A.

LL.B. Candidate 2013

ma183@student.london.ac.uk

(918) 851-2007

To:

University of London International Programmes LL.B. (Laws) Program:

Create Openness and Transparency in Grading Standards and Policies

LL.B. Students at the University of London International Programmes are graded for a year’s worth of

intense and difficult work on the results of a single three hour exam per subject. The result per exams

determine our annual grades, represents our scholastic abilities, and stay with us for life affecting our

future employability and / or any future academic endeavors. Due to the weight and importance of these

exams and the amount of hard work they represent, in the spirit of justice, the University of London

International Programmes should be open and transparent regarding the Grading Standards and Policies

of its LL.B. students, and make the following changes as spelled out on the website

WWW.LLBSTUDENTVOICE.ORG BEFORE THE 2013 EXAMS:

1. The University must publicize its grading standards and procedures per subject. The current

“assessment criteria” provided by the University is much too general and lacking in specifics to guide

us how to approach our studies and attain high marks.

2. The University must require examiners to mark student exams with notes and explanations, engaging

students as to why points were awarded / deducted, and these marked exam papers with the final

grade must be scanned and emailed to each student. Each student that has paid an annual fee, spent a

year studying, and took multiple 3 hour hand written exams is initialed to receive copies of the exams

with the specific rationalization for their grades. For this service, the University has a right to charge a

reasonable fee, which I am certain every student will be happy to pay. This will give much needed

personal feedback (since we currently have none) and help engage students so they can improve their

future scholastic performance and will enhance the learning environment as a whole. Additionally,

returning marked exams will provide unquestionable evidence that our grading is objective and in

compliance with the University grading standards, and will ease the current doubts which plague the

current grading methodology.

3. In the spirit of student engagement, the University must allow students who feel their grades were

unjustified to appeal for academic review (not just an administrative review for which the University

currently charges £50) to a third party examiner, who will grade the answers thoroughly with

explanations in the side notes, and this should be scanned and emailed to the student. The University

must take this regarding into account in considering the students final exam marks.

4. The examiner reports provided by the University are the only feedback provided by the University on

how exams are marked, and the only document provided to us specifically guiding us how to properly

answer exam questions. The current examiner reports are overly-general and very lacking, and in no

way give complete examples and instructions regarding how to achieve high marks. The University

must publish anonymized 1:1 exam answers in full, for the edification of all its students and the

advancement of legal education among its students. Anything less denies us the ability to learn how to

properly answer examination questions, denies us the ability to improve through our scholastic

development, and is a disservice to our growth as future lawyers.

5. Detailed annual examiner reports and anonymized 1:1 scripts must be published by the University in

a timely manner. Currently, examiner reports are released in mid-January and later, which leaves a

relatively short span of time for students to familiarize themselves with the reports and revise for

annual exams which typically start in the month of May. A fortiori students who did not pass their

first set of exam/s are scheduled to re-sit in October of each year, and currently have NO examiner

reports to refer to on the exams they sat and did not pass. These students who did not pass and need

the most guidance are completely denied this most basic right, and are unable to know where they

were mistaken in their scripts. This policy is wholly unjust to the weakest of students, and must be

rectified hastily.

6. The University must once and for all allow External students to sit on the Student Council to advocate

for our own group interests. We the External non-UK students still have no say regarding policies that

affect us. In today’s modern era, with the advent of online virtual environments, this would not be

difficult to implement.

7. The materials provided by the University (subject guides which form the basis of our studies) are

outdated for certain subjects. Since law is an evolving subject, these materials must be updated

annually.

Sincerely Yours,

Moshe (Jeff) Admon, B.Sc., B.A.

LL.B. Candidate 2013, University of London International Programmes

ma183@student.london.ac.uk

LLBSTUDENTVOICE.ORG

To: University of London International Programmes LL.B. (Laws) Program

Subject: Create Openness and Transparency in Grading Standards and Policies

Letter: Greetings,

Create Openness and Transparency in Grading Standards and Policies

Signatures

Name Location Date

Jeff Admon , United States 2013-01-06

Piret Alver Helsinki, Finland 2013-01-06

Waqas Masood Lahore, Pakistan 2013-01-06

Caroline Pilling Paso Robles, CA, United States 2013-01-06

hannah lamont delhi, NY, United States 2013-01-07

Derek Ong Singapore, Singapore 2013-01-07

Mary-Anne Ropian Lechoe Nairobi, Kenya 2013-01-07

Francis Flaherty Bucharest, Romania 2013-01-07

Amaan Khan Mumbai, India 2013-01-07

Stephanie Manuel Moka, Mauritius 2013-01-07

donna xu Cambridge, MA, United States 2013-01-07

Yashika Hurill Curepipe, Mauritius 2013-01-07

Kavina Ramdoyal Vacoas, Mauritius 2013-01-07

Hurill Kumrita Curepope, Mauritius 2013-01-07

Payet Ashley Riche-Terre, Mauritius 2013-01-07

Hurill Seewan Curepipe, Mauritius 2013-01-07

yashmira bhagoo moka, Mauritius 2013-01-07

Kinsley Bhagoo Moka., Mauritius 2013-01-07

ilesh babbea moka, Mauritius 2013-01-07

Concerned Citizen New City, NY, United States 2013-01-07

Andrew Alton Victoria, Canada 2013-01-08

IAN LAMONT DELHI, NY, United States 2013-01-08

Mahesh Nanwani HKSAR, Hong Kong 2013-01-08

Vinay Kumar Yadav Dallas, TX, United States 2013-01-09

Chris Kahn Collingswood, NJ, United States 2013-01-09

Chiun Min Seah Penang, Malaysia 2013-01-09

yow sang christian vacoas, Mauritius 2013-01-09

ishneha rutna moka, Mauritius 2013-01-09

shan pittasoambloo curepipe, Mauritius 2013-01-09

Sandy Warawa Edmonton, Canada 2013-01-09

Name Location Date

Nour Sidawi Dammam, Saudi Arabia 2013-01-09

Bhanda Parbatee Chamouny, Mauritius 2013-01-09

Paryag Hemsikka Venice, Italy 2013-01-09

Abrar Bhatti Rawalpindi, Pakistan 2013-01-10

Ashley Choo Puchong, Malaysia 2013-01-10

Muhammad Hasan Akber Karachi, Pakistan 2013-01-10

Néha Awmee Curepipe, Mauritius 2013-01-10

Olga Childs staten island, NY, United States 2013-01-10

Frank Alfano Hamilton, Canada 2013-01-11

Mevz Meviin Port Louis, Mauritius 2013-01-11

d s Pamplemousses, Mauritius 2013-01-11

munjeetabye purusram montagne blanche, Mauritius 2013-01-11

Laura Saxon morriston, FL, United States 2013-01-11

hasan parvez Dhaka,Uttara, Bangladesh 2013-01-11

Kadeen Fearon Brooklyn, NY, United States 2013-01-12

Mian Zargham Ataullah Lahore, Pakistan 2013-01-12

Estuardo Diaz Stockholm, Sweden 2013-01-12

PTYZ Adrian Kuala Kumpur, Malaysia 2013-01-12

Tanzil Ur Rehman Multan, Pakistan 2013-01-12

Glory Clibbery London, MN, United States 2013-01-12

Bhariteesingh Beeharree Grand Port, Mauritius 2013-01-12

Aizaz Ahsan Lahore, Pakistan 2013-01-12

Tamanna Tabassum Dhanmondi,Dhaka, Bangladesh 2013-01-13

Elmer Centeno Richmond, VA, United States 2013-01-13

Mashaal Irfan Islamabad, Pakistan 2013-01-14

Lisa Rech Germany 2013-01-15

Christopher Schmerbeck Passau, Germany 2013-01-15

Kalainilaa Kalaiyarasu Ipoh, Malaysia 2013-01-16

raevathi supramaniam Kluang, Malaysia 2013-01-16

Jayavaruman Subramaniam Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia 2013-01-16

Richard Parchment Tortola, Virgin Islands, British 2013-01-16

Sharon Thomas Bridgetown, Barbados 2013-01-16

Name Location Date

Ahmad Raimi Subang Jaya, Malaysia 2013-01-17

Janessa Lim PETALING JAYA, Malaysia 2013-01-17

Zalikha Abd Rhahman Petaling Jaya, Malaysia 2013-01-17

tracy hwang NEWCASTLE UPON TYNE, United Kingdom 2013-01-17

Daniel Tan Shah Alam, Malaysia 2013-01-18

Lim Wai Ming Taman Mayang Jaya, Malaysia 2013-01-18

Fiaza K Islamabad, Pakistan 2013-01-19

Mugera Twenty-thirteen damansara, Malaysia 2013-01-20

https://www.change.org/petitions/university-of-london-international-programmes-ll-b-laws-program-create-

openness-and-transparency-in-grading-standards-and-policies

Supporters: Reasons for signing

Mugera Twenty-thirteen DAMANSARA, MALAYSIA about 20 hours ago

am part of the llb environment thats y

Ariel Sharon LONDON, UNITED KINGDOM 6 days ago

Human Rights and Double Standards!

Tamanna Tabassum DHANMONDI,DHAKA, BANGLADESH 8 days ago

cause I want to know where is my weakness and on which side I have to work more.

Bhariteesingh Beeharree GRAND PORT, MAURITIUS 9 days ago

It will be highly useful to the students especially to understand where they are going wrong.

Estuardo Diaz STOCKHOLM, SWEDEN 9 days ago

So, I can know why I failed, not to repeat the same mistakes again, and know the reasons why I pass and

improve my grades.

Kadeen Fearon BROOKLYN, NY 9 days ago

So that I can capitlise on mistake in past exams using them as guidance in achieving higher marks in

future exams with UOL

Muhammad Hasan Akber KARACHI, PAKISTAN 11 days ago

Transparency is a fundamental right

Andrew Alton WOLFVILLE, CANADA 13 days ago

To petition for access to individual exam reports for external students who have no tutor access and

would be willing to pay extra for a personalized exam performance report.

Payet Ashley RICHE-TERRE, MAURITIUS 14 days ago

I'm in this thing too

donna xu CAMBRIDGE, MA 14 days ago

We need transparency!

Francis Flaherty BUCHAREST, ROMANIA 14 days ago

I have to say that I agree with most of the points raised on this website. There is no pedagogical benefit to

students for exams if no feedback is given, either individually or by publishing first class answers.

Without feedback 'students' are condemned to never learning the error of their ways or appreciating why

they have done well. They can merely stumble forward in the dark. Currently exams are purely

assessments of a student's ability or lack thereof. If the University of London International Programmes

really want to educate students rather than just certifying their ability they will take heed of the

suggestions made in this website.

Mary-Anne Ropian Lechoe NAIROBI, KENYA 14 days ago

because i need to know where i went wrong in my answering the questions.

Piret Alver HELSINKI, FINLAND 14 days ago

Create Openness and Transparency in Grading Standards and Policies