Dear Members of the MAA Administration and Board of Directors,

 

We are reaching out with grave concern regarding the repeated incidents of leaking Mathematical Association of America (MAA) contest materials. This issue notably pertains to the American Mathematics Competitions (AMC) 8 exams and the upcoming AIME exams, with leaks occurring on various social media platforms, including Discord and Xiaohongshu. Not only did we discover evidence of the AMC8 leaks and the potential distribution channel on Discord, but we also encountered instances where snapshots of the AMC 8 test items were available with price tags attached on social media platforms. This alarming pattern of breaches, previously witnessed with the AMC10A/AMC12A exams in November, raises serious concerns about the integrity of these esteemed competitions.

The recurrence of such breaches is disheartening for dedicated students, undermining the spirit of fair competition that the AMC stands for. We strongly believe that immediate and decisive actions are imperative to uphold the integrity of these competitions. Considering this, we propose the following measures:

• Shortening the Release Window: We recommend reducing the release window for the AIME/USAMO exams to the same day of the exams (a few hours ahead of the exam are enough for the proctors to get ready for the exam paper). This measure will effectively mitigate the issue at hand.

 

• Conducting a Thorough Investigation: We strongly advocate for a comprehensive investigation into the systematic leaking of these exams, particularly focusing on the utilization of platforms like Discord for such malpractices. 

 

• Address the Source of the Leaking Issue: The fundamental reason for the systematic leaking of the exams is primarily attributed to the MAA allowing private institutions to host the exams without thorough scrutiny of their credibility. We propose taking decisive actions to address this root caused by withdrawing the right of private institutions to host exams. Instead, we advocate for exclusively allowing high schools or universities to host exams, thereby mitigating the leaking issue from its fundamental sources.

 

• Consolidation of USA(J)MO to specific high schools or colleges: Since there are few USA(J)MO contestants, testing should be consolidated into a few reputable high schools as testing centers. Consolidation will reduce the premature spread of test problems that could happen at private testing organizations.

We trust in the MAA's commitment to take prompt and decisive actions to rectify these breaches, thereby upholding the integrity of the AIME and AMC contests. It is essential to foster a just and equitable environment for all participants. 

We appreciate your attention to this critical issue and await your immediate and prompt actions.

Sincerely,

Concerned Students, Parents and Educators