The council reports this in the university magazine Folia.
The university has recently started using the Proctorio program. This keeps an eye on a student’s webcam and keystrokes during a test, to check whether they are cheating, for example. A must according to the university, because many tests have to be taken at home by the coronavirus.
The use of the software cannot be refused, which is the reason for the student council to go to court. Students would also not be asked for permission while their privacy is at stake. The recorded information is inspected by the Examination Board, provided that signs of cheating have been found.
Petition
UvA students are not the first to be critical of the use of Proctorio. At Tilburg University, a petition started, which called for the use of the software to be discontinued. It has now been drawn almost 5,000 times.
According to the UvA student council, a possible alternative should be considered. They would like to challenge the case against the judge, so that other universities also benefit from the judgment. “It is very nice if we get out behind closed doors, but only UvA students will benefit from it.”
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