"Our Rights" vs "Infringement on Professors' Discretion": Campus Conflict Over Introduction of 'Selective Pass System'

Cases of Online Exam Cheating in University Areas Repeatedly Detected
Students Demand Introduction of 'Selective Pass System' Judging Course Completion Instead of Grades
Universities Reluctant Due to Concerns Over Infringement of Professors' Authority and Reduced Grade Differentiation

Around 1:30 PM on the 23rd, the second day of the sit-in protest at Ewha Womans University Student Council sit-in site. / Photo by Suwan Kim suwan@asiae.co.kr

[Asia Economy Intern Reporter Lim Juhyung] As cases of cheating during university online exams continue to be confirmed, controversy has erupted, with some students demanding the introduction of a 'Selective Pass System,' claiming that exam fairness has been compromised. However, universities are expressing reluctance, stating that it could infringe on professors' rights to assign grades and reduce grade differentiation, deepening the conflict.

On the 18th, at Hankuk University of Foreign Studies, suspicions arose that hundreds of students participated in 'mass cheating' during an online exam. It was reported that some of the approximately 700 students participating in a KakaoTalk open chat room related to a liberal arts course shared some answers via the messenger, committing cheating.

The chat room was deleted (all members left the chat) after the cheating controversy escalated, and the exact number of students involved in cheating is currently unknown.

Meanwhile, on the 22nd, it was revealed that some students conspired to cheat during the final exam of a law course at Chung-Ang University through a KakaoTalk chat room. These students took the exam by sharing related precedents and transcripts in a group chat once the exam questions were released.

However, the cheating was exposed when a student in the chat mistakenly invited another student with the same name, and subsequently, the students involved posted apologies and admitted their wrongdoing on Chung-Ang University's online community.

On the morning of March 16, students at Gwangju University Library in Nam-gu, Gwangju, are attending classes through online lectures. / Photo by Yonhap News

Since the outbreak of the novel coronavirus disease (COVID-19), most university classes have shifted to online lectures, and exams are also being conducted online. However, as cheating exploiting the weaknesses of online exams has been repeatedly detected on campuses, some student councils are advocating for the introduction of a 'Selective Pass System.'

The Selective Pass System allows students to choose whether to keep their exam grade as is after the results are released or to complete the course with a 'Pass' (pass/fail) notation without a specific grade.

Previously, Hongik University and Sogang University introduced this system on the 5th and 11th respectively, and voices demanding its adoption are growing among students at major private universities in Seoul such as Yonsei University, Ewha Womans University, and Hanyang University.

The Yonsei University Student Council held a rally last week under the slogan 'Yonsei University, Communicate,' and began a sit-in protest on the 22nd. The student councils of Ewha Womans University and Hanyang University also started indefinite sit-in protests on the same day.

In particular, the Ewha Womans University Student Council held a press conference at noon on that day, stating, "Many students have suffered due to the sudden shift to fully online lectures, lack of related measures, and cheating during online exams amid the COVID-19 situation," and criticized, "The Student Council has repeatedly requested the Selective Pass System, but the school only responds that it will proceed with the existing method."

They added, "We will reclaim our rights through our voices and actions," emphasizing, "The school must immediately respond to the anger of Ewha students."

Online Lecture / Photo by Yonhap News

As calls for the introduction of the Selective Pass System grow louder, universities are taking a difficult stance. Since grading methods are at the discretion of professors, introducing the Selective Pass System could infringe on professors' rights and make it difficult to maintain grade differentiation.

Kyung Hee University stated in a position paper on the 23rd, "The university fully recognizes that some inconvenience is expected due to COVID-19 response measures," but pointed out, "Professors comprehensively consider students' achievement during classes to assign grades, but the Selective Pass System carries the risk of not recognizing professors' authority."

They added, "Since it is judged that the existing relative grading is difficult, the grading method has been changed to absolute evaluation," and said, "There is no reason to forcibly introduce a problematic system like the Selective Pass System."

An Ewha Womans University official also explained, "We listen to students' demands, but our university implements a professor-autonomous evaluation system," adding, "Previously, the absolute evaluation ratio for exam scoring was high, and we believe fair evaluation is possible within the existing system, so there are no plans to introduce the Selective Pass System."

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.