OCUFA has joined with other members of the Ontario Universities and Colleges Coalition (OUCC) to write to Minister of Colleges and Universities Ross Romano and raise concerns about the new and invasive proctoring technologies being employed by postsecondary institutions across Ontario.
The use of these technologies has substantially increased during the COVID-19 pandemic, particularly as a result of the Ministry of Colleges and Universities (MCU) and government agency eCampusOntario subsidizing the use of the Proctortrack proctoring service. The decision to use Proctortrack (a private, for-profit US-based company) at Ontario postsecondary institutions was made without any consultation with the students and faculty who are forced to work with it.
Proctortrack and similar proctoring software present significant privacy, security, and equity concerns, including the collection of sensitive personal information and the need for access to high-speed internet and newer computer technologies. These requirements put students at risk, increase their stress and anxiety levels, and leave many students behind. More troubling, ample evidence shows that the software is ineffective at providing the necessary safeguards against cheating that university administrations claim they need.
It is essential that universities and the MCU consult with staff, student, and faculty unions to come up with solutions for proctoring exams during the COVID-19 pandemic that protect students’ privacy and ensures no students are left behind because they do not have access to technology or high-speed internet.