OFF CAMPUS EXAM VENUES
Exams are a stressful time for all students. But for some off campus students they are worse than for others. Do you have long distances to travel to an exam venue? Does it take you more than an hour to get to your exam? Can you catch public transport to your exams? Are your exam venues constantly changing? If you have had issues with your off campus exam venues in the past then let us know so that we can help.
Signatures: 34
| #1 |
Kim Ogden
(Wynyard, Australia)
As DUSA Distance Campus Director I have heard some student stories of how the stress of getting to the off camppus exam venues can be worse than the stress of the exams. With travel times of over two hours to sit an exam, no wonder off campus students are upset. |
| #2 |
Carrie Moore
(Torquay, Australia)
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| #3 |
Cayla Edwards
(Burwood, Australia)
All students should be able to sit their exams at a venue that is accessible and within reasonable proximity to their home |
| #4 |
Calida Howarth
(Blackburn, Australia)
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| #5 |
Ainslee Hooper
(Leopold, Australia)
please support this campaign. If like me, your exam venue is in a reasonable distance, you're lucky! There are those off campus students who aren't so lucky. We need to ensure we support the rights of all students. |
| #6 |
Joan Ducza
(Rowville, Australia)
Exams are stressful enough without the added anguish of getting to venues that are hours away - even if you drive! Add to this the "inability" or unwillingness of administration staff to change venues to a more practical/sensible location and the issue escalates. Even more frustrating is when you know that you go past several exam locations which would have been a great deal easier and quicker to get to, but because you study Off Campus you are allocated to the "left over" venues. Wouldn’t a more equitable solution be that you are allocated an exam venue based on your residential address rather than your study mode – that way all students would be treated equally? |
| #7 |
Kirrily Hayward
(HIGHTON, Australia)
No-one should have to travel a considerable distance to sit an exam for what seems like a relatively short part of the day. Travelling just puts further burden, psychologically, socially and financially on these individuals when they are already suffering from the stress/anxiety leading up to their respective exams!. This must be changed!! |
| #8 |
Jennifer Gibson
(South Yarra, Australia)
It would be nice to be able to know every trimester that your venue is going to be the same rather than hiaving to find the new location every time you have an exam to go to |
| #9 |
Briany Gellatly
(Balnarring, Australia)
It is so very stressful preparing for exams themselves without having to stress out further about a 2 hour trip in order to get to your exam location on time!! It would be much preferred if administrators would make exam venues accessible for off-campus students based on the residential location rather than their own convenience. |
| #10 |
Sarah Fennell
(, Hong Kong)
Living in Hong Kong I am forced to sit my exams in another country. I either have to go to China or Macau. If I go to China I not only have the travel expense but also the cost of the visitors visa and the time spent in immigration. If I go to Macau I have the cost of the ferry ride, the 1.5 hours of travelling, the time spent in immigration plus travel expenses to get to the exam location once I reach Macau. Either way sitting my exams will be a costly and time consuming adventure. |
| #11 |
Nicholas Rushen
(East Melbourne, Australia)
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| #12 |
Davide Giusto
(North Caulfield, Australia)
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| #13 |
Sherilyn Harris
(Malvern East , Australia)
It would be nice to be able to know every trimester that your venue is going to be the same. is the venue location based on post code? I get my materials sent to work at postcode 3000 and my last 2 exams have now been located at Footscray (west side of city - 2 trains to get there). Prior to that the exam locations were all Burwood, Toorak, Box Hill etc (east side) which is where I live. Just curious! |
| #14 |
Emma Manser
(Narre Warren South, Australia)
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| #15 |
Suzannah Rowntree
(Barongarook, Australia)
This semester my car died. I live 16 kilometers from the nearest train station and don't have a bicycle. Luckily I will be able to stay in Geelong for most of the exam period, but it's still pretty ridiculous that invigilators and alternate exam venues are only approved for disabled students. Believe me, out in the back of beyond, I'm pretty darn disabled, and staying in Geelong for the better part of a week and a half is a pretty radical solution for someone who just wants peace and quiet to study. |
| #16 |
Jai Mountney
(Punchbowl, Australia)
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| #17 |
Veronica Betancur
(Armadale, Australia)
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| #18 |
tim augustinus
(footscray, Australia)
Deakin must align it's standard opperating procedures in regard to examination venues to it's mission statement and values. Off-campus are a low day-to-day financial burden on the university but need a higher level of service in other areas such as easy access to examination venues. Deakin must look at what competing institutions are doing in this area and the degree of flexability they offer. |
| #19 |
Sharon Lynch
(Carnegie, Australia)
Ever changing venues are just a hassle, can we have one venue please! |
| #20 |
Daniele ROBINEAU
(Belmont, Australia)
Semester 2 2008 ended up with unexpected stress for some off campus students. Their exam venue was unexpectedly changed from previous semesters. Deakin bureaucracy’s and willingness to help was limited to Google and campus maps. Off campus students were told that when they lodged their application, they had agreed to a ‘120 km clause’... Google maps, campus maps, availability of parking spots... mmmm... NOTHING to help the unsettling feeling of a new location when you need to concentrate on exams you’ve worked so hard for during the semester/trimester; something that does not come under the umbrella of Deakin University’s ‘flexibility’. |
| #21 |
Laura Cullen
(Ringwood, Australia)
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| #22 |
Nadirah Hassan
(Melbourne, Australia)
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| #23 |
Melody Francis
(Sunbury, Australia)
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| #24 |
Cassie MacAlpine
(nth fitzroy, Australia)
I would personally love a central exam location. I usually have to train/tram into the city and then out again to the venue. This makes for such an early start if I have a 9am exam!! |
| #25 |
Martha Tower
(Hawthorn, Australia)
Exam's are stressful enough, we don't need the added stress of trying to find an off campus location right before an exam! I actually missed one once because I got lost and could not stop on the freeway to work out where I was. I know how to get to Deakin though! Exams should remain on Campus only. |
| #26 |
Sam Upritchard
(Barton, Australia)
I move a lot with my work (I have lived in 5 countries in the last 7 years), but the exam system is poorly designed for people who move. Exams are announced on Student Connect with no advice to students on DSO or through email. Students are charged if they don't meet the deadline for changing exam location, but this date is not broadcast, so no one knows. I've been fined $150 twice for this. The system discriminates againts off-campus students, as we are much more likely to move. The lack of notice on exam dates can be compared to how Deakin treats reenrollment, which is broadly advertised. I've received emails, letters and text messages this month for reenrollment, but exam location change dates are only advised on a sight rarely used by students. |
| #27 |
Abbey Hughes
(Sale, Australia)
I also find the stress of getting to my exam vanue almost worse than the exam itself. I was an off campus student in Melbourne last semester and had to travel to 3 different venues within one exam period. It was very stressful as I never knew where to go or where to park which meant I had to leave for the exam a lot ealier than I should have. I am not out of the Melbourne area and back in country Victoria and this semester I am having to travel an hour to my exam venue. If I did not have access to a car I dont know how I would get there as there is no public transport at that time of day. The thought of having to drive for an hour tomorrow morning is defintely stressing me out more than the exam itself. I will be doing everything i can to have this changed for next semester! |
| #28 |
Jessica Darby
(Malvern, Australia)
A choice of exam location would be very well received by off-campus students, in recognition of the many reasons why people choose the off-campus study mode |
| #29 |
Katherine Boicos
(Wyndham Vale , Australia)
I disagree. To travel to Waurn Ponds from my home was a big drive. However, I was contacted by Deakin University and have changed my exam venue to Footscray, which is only 30 minutes from my home. This has been fantastic and less stressful. Great work Deakin! |
| #30 |
Amanda Mentiplay
(Norlane, Australia)
I am a distance student who lives quite close to my exam venue. My exams are always at the same venue, in the same building, so I have no issues. However, I feel for those people who don't have the same continuity with their exams. I'm looking at moving interstate before I finish my studies and worry about the added stress of erratic exam venues. |
| #31 |
Jacki McClymont
(Highett, Australia)
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| #32 |
Jude Abeyeratne
(Berwick, Australia)
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| #33 |
Despina David
(Croydon, Australia)
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| #34 |
masi hove
(toorak, Australia)
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