STAFF AND students at Dundee University’s school of nursing and midwifery should find out soon if anyone is to be punished over a compromised first-year exam, writes Grant Smith, education reporter.

More than 200 nursing students at the Dundee and Kirkcaldy campuses have been ordered to re-sit the exam after it emerged that several people had advance knowledge of some questions.

Senior managers from the school have conducted an inquiry—which is understood to have included interviews with staff and students—in an attempt to discover what happened.

A university spokesman confirmed yesterday that this process has been completed and a report of the findings will be submitted to university secretary David Duncan— probably by the end of this week.

A decision will then be made regarding what action will be taken and whether any disciplinary proceedings will be required.

Given the seriousness of the situation, it is possible that any staff found to have acted improperly may be dismissed, while any wrongdoing by students could result in expulsion.

Various allegations about who may have been responsible for the exam being compromised have been bandied about in recent weeks.

Whatever now results, there is no doubt the events have been embarrassing, and the university will want to put the matter to rest as quickly as possible.

The original exam was taken by 219 students in June, although it was not until last month the university announced it would be ordering the exam be retaken on August 27.

It insisted the move was necessary to ensure academic integrity and fairness, and that its action has been endorsed by regulatory body, the Nursing and Midwifery Council.

Several students have voiced concerns about the situation, earning the sympathy of university rector Craig Murray, who sought and received assurances that anyone failing the re-sit will have normal rights of appeal.