Erasmus Univ. students threaten lawsuit over dual webcam exam proctoring

Students of Erasmus University in Rotterdam have threatened to take the institution's Executive Board to court if the university does not stop requiring students to set up two cameras to monitor them when they take exams at home, NRC reported. For several months now, Erasmus University has required students to place a smartphone behind them when they during at-home tests to be used in addition to their laptop's webcam.

The newspaper said that Erasmus University is the only university in the country to require two cameras. Proctoring software makes it possible for examiners to access the webcams, microphones and web browsers of students during tests as a way to prevent cheating at exams. The increased use of such services in the Netherlands has been repeatedly raised as an unnecessary privacy issue by student groups.

Despite the concerns posed by students, the majority of universities continue to use online proctoring services to track test-takers, according to the results of a survey conducted by the National Student Association (LSVb). The LSVb gave several examples of suitable alternatives used at some institutions as a more amenable solution.

"It is high time that the use of proctoring becomes the exception and not the rule. There are many other options available for writing exams. Students are being victimized twice throughout this crisis due to the special situation and the additional stress in taking their exams", LSVb chairman Lyle Muns said in January.

In January, hundreds of Erasmus students signed an open letter calling for an end to webcam use while proctoring exams.

Some diplomas were declared invalid due to complications during an exam at Erasmus University in Rotterdam last September, the National Student Association (LSVb) also said at the time.