The School of Law at NUI Galway have issued students of law an exam format that is highly unacceptable and insensitive to the circumstances that students find themselves in this year. We've been through seats in the library booking out at one minute past midnight, books and other resources widely inaccessible to students, unsatisfactory online lecture sessions, and now we’re facing an exam structure that truly shows how blind NUI Galway are to the struggles of their students.

In normal circumstances, students of law are given 2 hours to complete each exam which is the standard across Ireland to satisfy requirements for the likes of Kings Inn and Blackhall Place. This year, we have been told that we are only getting an extra half hour on top of that purely for submitting the assignment online. These exams will be open book, meaning the competitive nature of what are already difficult exams has increased. On top of that, most students report that their internet connection is not strong enough to load online resources, access library materials and most of all be able to successfully save and submit their assignment on time. As was experienced last year, when too large a number of students tries to access the submission site the site itself will crash and be down for an unknown length of time.

By being made to complete our Christmas examinations with this structure, we are being left at a disadvantage in comparison to other Irish colleges e.g. TCD and UCD who have adopted more forgiving structures with longer time allowances for completion. Students who have the funds to buy their reading materials, who live in the city with strong internet connection and have relatively quiet places to do their exams in are at a major advantage. They have an advantage over students who are workers, carers, or living abroad in a different time zone and are left in a very difficult position as they will have to rework schedules, complete their assignments in noisy, distracting environments, or complete them in the middle of the night, sleep deprived and stressed. These factors can severely damage their results and final grades, damage which will not be seen from students in colleges that care about their students’ education and welfare.

There has been no set standard this year as to how students of law must complete their exams, other than to have a timed element. This means that each institution has a decision to make as to how their students will be examined. This is what NUI Galway have chosen for us. A stressful, unnecessary and unfair structure for the sake of not having to give change a second thought. We are demanding a second thought.

Given the current circumstances and suboptimal conditions that students find themselves in this year, it is only right to allow students a more forgiving exam structure in regards to time limits - as other Irish institutions have adopted - while still satisfying requirements for timed examinations.

Please help out by signing this petition, and sharing it on social media platforms! 

- The NUI Galway Students' Union Class Representatives of Law (2nd Year).