An exam paper with built-in "reputational damage" ... University grovels to upset law student ... Same scenario used in earlier exams ... Extension of time granted for stress ... Max Shanahan reports on an awful calamity
On the day of a rare lunar eclipse, the universe - which, as we all know, revolves around Sydney Law School - conspired to produce an astronomically overblown "controversy".
Displaying a penchant for a bruised ego that will serve her well in a future law career, the second-year student and Young Liberal Freya Leach - who describes herself as "well-known around campus" - was left "shocked and embarrassed" after receiving a criminal law problem question that included reference to a certain "Freya" who is right-wing, kills a "chardonnay socialist" in a hit and run, and fails to disclose her HIV positive status to a sexual partner.
This uncanny coincidence led Freya Leach - whose criminal history is unknown - to fire off complaints to the Dean of the Law School and the university, while posing for photographs with the ever-credulous Sydney Morning Herald.
In the spirit of the best defamation lawyers, Leach has demanded apologies and redress for "reputational damage" from the Dean of the Law School and the university itself.
From the Dean, Leach has insisted that a "public apology" be sent to the entire law cohort, as well as a five-day extension to deal with the "stress" brought on by the horror of seeing her name in a problem question.
The university caved, offering an apology "for any offence or distress caused" and promising to avoid using students' names in future exams.
Leach told the Herald that she was concerned "because [the question] is clearly intended to depict me".
"Very rarely do problem questions use such specific names as Freya."
Alas, all this could have been avoided had Freya been more diligent in completing past papers in revision for her exam.
In the 2014 criminal law exam, the same scenario was used, while the name 'Freya' "was also used in an exam drafted by the same academic in an assessment and class questions list in previous years," according to the university.
Furthermore, Leach is not in any of the classes of the academic who wrote the question (and who moonlights as a sketch comic).
Leach: granted an extension to complete the paper
Finally - and most curiously - Leach complained about the exam question on the very same day that she went to the press. Even so, the unit coordinator had already issued a "sincere apology" to her and the entire criminal law cohort before the Herald published its article.
One affected student told Barely Legal that "the prevailing sentiment is annoyance, confusion and surprise". The exam has been leaked to the press, which you'd think compromises the entire enterprtise.
Instead of an exclusive extension for Leach, the exam has been withdrawn and has to be reset later this month - without mention of any Freyas.