Updated 7.45pm with KSU's statement
The Faculty of Economics' decision to fail first-year commerce students over proof of exam "collusion" is "unjust" according to the students' council KSU.
It has been reported that the faculty informed students they will receive no marks for Progress Test 1, after it transpired that some of them cheated their way through two tests that form part of one study unit.
Students will be able to sit for the test again, but they will only be granted a pass mark, it said in an email, noting that it has more than 43 screenshots from a Facebook Messenger chat to prove "the collusion".
The faculty warned that while it was looking into the matter itself, it will refer the case to the University Assessment Disciplinary Board "if such behaviour is repeated".
It is not clear how many students cheated, but the faculty said its decision was final.
Late on Monday, Kunsill Studenti Universitarji said the action taken by the faculty was "unjust".
"While we strongly condemn cheating in any form and believe that collusion should be addressed by the university, it is unreasonable that students are penalised en masse without a fair hearing before the faculty’s disciplinary board as part of a comprehensive investigation" in line with the university's assessment regulations, it said.
"It is unjust that students who worked hard and sat for their exam independently of their peers while following all regulations receive a failing mark due to the actions of other students," KSU said, calling on the faculty to reconsider its decision.
Meanwhile, student organisation Studenti Demokristjani Maltin is looking into the faculty's "abrupt" decision.
SDM condemned cheating "in all its forms and ways". It said in a statement that online examinations, take-home exams and other methods of examination have been introduced to protect students' wellbeing.
"It should be every student’s duty to abide by all regulations that the university puts up especially with regards to online tests and exams.
"As a student organisation, we are sympathetic towards the students who did not cheat and whose average will be affected negatively because of this abrupt decision taken by the faculty in question."
SDM said it be discussing the issue with student representatives on the faculty board, the Commerce Students Association and KSU.
It called on concerned students to get in touch on its Facebook page or info.sdmmalta@gmail.com