A clash between a philosophy professor and the Exams Office at Queen’s University raises questions about accommodating students with disabilities during exams.
A philosophy professor at Queen’s University in Canada has been removed from her logic course following a dispute with the university’s Exams Office regarding exam accommodations for students with disabilities. The professor, Adele Mercier, had attempted to modernize the exam format by allowing two students who required the use of a computer to write their exams digitally. However, conflicting policies and restrictions led to a disagreement between Mercier and the Exams Office, ultimately resulting in her removal from the course. This incident has sparked discussions about academic autonomy, student accommodations, and the treatment of professors at the university.
Modernizing Exams for Accommodated Students
At the beginning of the semester, Professor Mercier and her teaching assistant, Tianze Chen, worked to computerize the exam format for two students enrolled in the to Logic course. The professor used a “cheat-proof” software that had been successfully employed for homework exercises throughout the semester. However, when Mercier informed the Exams Office of the new format for the midterm exam, she discovered that policies prohibited non-accommodated students from using personal computers during exams.
Conflicting Policies and Imposed Changes
To comply with the policy, the Exams Office mandated that all non-accommodated students revert to a paper-based exam. Frustrated by this restriction, Mercier filed an official complaint, citing an infringement on academic autonomy and the adverse impact on students who were prepared for a computerized midterm. Despite the advisory from the Exams Office, Mercier decided to offer students the choice between a paper-based or computerized exam, with accommodated students being allowed to use their laptops in her classroom.
The Exam Office’s Response and Cancellation
The Exams Office informed Mercier that her proposed solution was not an option. They insisted that non-accommodated students must write a paper-based exam. As for accommodated students, they presented Mercier with two alternatives: allowing the Exams Office to administer the computerized exam privately, or privately administering the exam herself while meeting all the students’ accommodations. Mercier chose the latter option. However, just before the exam was scheduled to take place, students received an email from the faculty associate director, Haley Everson, stating that the exam had been canceled due to a scheduling conflict between the accommodated students’ exam time and their other classes.
Repercussions and Student Reactions
Following the cancellation, the administration replaced Mercier and Chen with another faculty member, Mark Smith, and offered students the option to drop the course and receive a full tuition refund after receiving their final grade. The reasons for the escalation of the situation remain unclear. One student who withdrew their accommodations stated that they found the alternatives provided by Mercier to be fair and suitable. Another student raised concerns about the potential infringement on Mercier’s academic freedom.
Previous Controversies and Broader Implications
This incident is not the first time Mercier has faced challenges at Queen’s University. In a previous case, the Ontario Human Rights Tribunal ordered the university to pay Mercier damages for gender discrimination she experienced within her department. The current dispute raises questions about the treatment of professors, the role of academic autonomy, and the importance of accommodating students with disabilities.
Conclusion:
The clash between Professor Mercier and the Exams Office at Queen’s University highlights the complexities of accommodating students with disabilities during exams. While the details of the dispute remain somewhat unclear, it is evident that conflicting policies and restrictions led to a breakdown in communication and ultimately resulted in Mercier’s removal from the course. This incident raises important questions about academic autonomy, the treatment of professors, and the need to ensure equitable accommodations for students with disabilities. As the university works to resolve the situation, it is crucial to foster an environment that values inclusivity and respects the rights of all individuals involved.
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