Spring Semester 2008 - Final Exam Checklist - Storrs

TO: Deans, Directors, Department Heads, Faculty/Instructors and Administrative Assistants

FROM: Jeff von Munkwitz-Smith
 University Registrar

DATE: April 2008

SUBJECT: Final Examinations - Academic Year 2007 - 2008

________________________________________________________________________

As we approach the end of the semester, it is necessary to remind you of the established policies and regulations pertaining to final examinations.

The Storrs Campus Spring 2008 Final Exam Schedule is available through a link on this page: http://www.registrar.uconn.edu/examinfo.html

Note: A paper final exam schedule will not be printed. In recent terms we have seen an increase in problems related to the reliance on the printed schedule, which could not reflect room and day/time changes that occurred after the schedule went to print. The electronic schedule is kept up-to-date as changes occur.

Grades are to be submitted no later than 72 hours after the completion of the exam .
Detailed instructions for grade entry using the PeopleSoft system are available on the PeopleSoft Help Website .

All grades should be submitted by 4 p.m. Tuesday, May 13.

Grades submitted after the deadline cause problems, sometimes serious, for students.  These can include delay of graduation, incorrect dismissal, and loss of financial aid.  Please, please submit your grades by the deadline!

Should you have any questions, please contact me at 486-3903 or e-mail me at: jvon@.uconn.edu

Exam Period Checklist

A. You must give a written final exam in every undergraduate course.  Exceptions are rare and are governed by specific ground rules (See #2).

B. All students must take a final exam in every course.

C. You must administer the final exam at the time prescribed in the published schedule .

D. You may examine an individual student earlier or later than the published time only after securing written permission .

If the student has missed the final or seeks to be examined early, the student's absence must be excused by the Dean of Students, thus permitting you to offer a rescheduled examination. A student whose absence from a final examination is not excused in this way shall receive no credit for this examination. (Depending on the student's previous performance in the class and the weight of the final examination in the grade, this need not mean failure in the course). A student whose absence is excused by the Dean of Students shall have an opportunity to take an examination without penalty.  The Dean of  Students' Office (Ext. 3426)  welcomes any information you may have concerning a student's reason for requesting a rescheduled final. If you teach at a regional campus, contact the campus Student Affairs Office.

E. All students have guaranteed rights to be examined at the time prescribed by the published examination schedule.

F. Examinations prescribed by the published schedule may not be administered during the last week of classes or on study days .

G. There are rules governing adjustments for students with "bunched" finals (See #11).

H. "R Grades."  The administrative designation "R" (See #10) describes the character of the c ourse, not   the performance of the student.  The mark of "R" is assigned by the Registrar, not the instructor.

I. " A " is the maximum grade that can be earned by any undergraduate in all level courses or non degree students in 100 and 200 level courses.

J. Semester grades should be reported to the Registrar as soon as possible after the completion of the final examination and no later than 72 hours after the completion of the exam.   All grades should be submitted by 4 p.m. May 13 .

Comments on the above: We view as quite rigidly fixed the time officially scheduled and published for final examinations in each course.  Very few exceptions - requested by either faculty or students - are approved because of limited space and a short, tightly scheduled exam period.

More important is the question of fairness to students: many plan their studies and projects far in advance of finals on the basis of the published exam schedule.  To depart from the published ground rules causes not only inconvenience, but inequity.

Even the well-intentioned inclination of a faculty member - or of a student - to change a scheduled exam time can have a devastating effect upon students who are then frustrated by a suddenly altered schedule.  Even apparent consensus among students to change an exam time can mask an unanticipated intrusion by the majority upon the legitimate expectations of a few.  We therefore approve such requests on a very limited basis.

Similarly, a unilateral decision to administer a final exam during the last week of classes (instead of during the examination period) can intrude unfairly upon students' end-of-semester obligations in their courses.  University Senate by-laws require that all final exams be given at the assigned time during exam week.

Policies and Regulations Related to Final Examinations

1. The incidence of cheating unfortunately increases during final examinations.  Instructors are reminded that the current Student Conduct Code pamphlet outlines University Senate policy and guidelines for confronting cheating and other forms of academic misconduct.  The policy states, in part, the following:  "Instructors shall take all reasonable steps to prevent academic misconduct by students in their courses. During the course of the examination, an instructor or proctor who observes suspicious behavior should warn the individuals involved regarding the appearance of their actions and request them to cease the suspicious actions immediately.  Continuation of such behavior may be considered evidence of academic misconduct."  The Dean of Students Office believes instructors should consider requiring student identification at examinations and having more than one version of the examination (especially for make-ups).  If you suspect any irregularities, please contact the Dean of Students Office (Ext. 3426) for assistance. If you teach at a regional campus, contact the campus Student Affairs Office.

2. "Written final examinations are held at the end of each semester in all 100's and 200's courses except that the requirement may be waived at the discretion of the instructor in those courses defined as independent study courses by each department.  Other exceptions to the rule may be made in the case of seminars, practicums and purely laboratory courses.  In these courses and others where a convincing case can be made for final evaluation of students' work by means other than a written examination, departments can make exceptions to the rule with the written approval of the dean of the school or college before the beginning of the semester in which the course is to be offered.  Instructors are at liberty to give seniors oral, rather than written final examinations.  Examinations in courses numbered 300 and above may be given or omitted at the discretion of the instructor."

3. There is no provision for excusing any student from final examinations (or other approved forms of final evaluation) by department vote or otherwise.

If a time is scheduled for a course in the official final examination schedule, the time may not be changed either for the entire class or for individuals.  If an instructor decides to give an oral examination to seniors, it may not be given in advance of the regularly scheduled time.

4.  If a student does not take your final examination at the time scheduled in the official schedule, no matter how valid and urgent his or her reason, one of the following grade reports must be made:

(a) If in your judgment, it is reasonable to suppose that the student could pass the course by a reasonable performance on the final exam, you are to mark the student "X"

(b) Otherwise, you are to mark the student "F". (Please note that a grade of "F" should not be turned in simply because the student is absent - nor should the instructor attempt to evaluate the reasons for the absence.)

(c) A third option is that when a student's absence from a final examination is not excused they shall receive no credit for the final examination. Depending on the student's previous performance in the class and the weight of the final examination in the grade, this need not mean failure in the course. However, a student whose absence is excused by the Dean of Students shall have an opportunity to take an examination without penalty.

Once you have reported a student as being absent from a final examination, you should not thereafter give the student a make-up examination or any further work of any kind until you are authorized to do so by one of the following deans, as appropriate:

For undergraduate degree seeking students at Storrs , Dean of Students Office, Wilbur Cross Building , Room 202, or call Ext. 3426.

For undergraduates at the regional campuses, the campus Student Affairs Office.

For medical reasons, Student Health Services, Infirmary call Ext. 4700.

For all non-degree students, whether enrolled in undergraduate or graduate courses, Assistant Director for BGS and Non-degree Programs, Laurel Rabschutz, Bishop Center, Room 114, or call Ext. 3832.

For graduate degree students, except those indicated immediately below, Associate Vice Provost of the Graduate School , James Henkel, Whetten Graduate Center , Room 109, Ext. 3620.

For graduate degree students in Social Work and Business programs conducted at centers away from Storrs , the director of the program.

For diploma students in the Sixth-Year Program in Education, Dean of the School of Education, Richard Schwab, Gentry Building, Room 226, Ext. 3815.

5. The faculty's regulations provide that "the mark of incomplete" (I) shall be reported only when a portion of the work assigned during the semester has not been completed either because of the necessary absence of the student or some other reason, equally satisfactory to the instructor. Also, in the instructor's judgment, the work already done by the student must be of passing quality.

6. Please keep in mind the fact that marks, once turned in, can be changed by the instructor only if he or she can demonstrate that he or she has made a computational error.  An instructor is not permitted to reconsider the matter, nor to re-examine the student, nor to accept additional work from the student after the marks are submitted.  You are urged to do careful and conscientious work at the start, in order that your grades may give a fair reflection of student competence and achievement in the course. 

7. Please note also that the scholastic records of all students are private information.  Instructors are urged to keep their students informed as to the quality of work which they are doing but should use proper precautions to see that no student's record is made known to other students. Class grades must not be posted so that a student may identify another students' grades; i.e. neither by name, Social Security number, Net ID, nor PeopleSoft number. 

8. Each teaching member of the staff should announce to each class exactly when and where the final examination is scheduled for the particular section.  While such an announcement would probably be helpful in all cases, it would be especially useful in sectioned classes where final examinations are held at a number of different times.  It seems it is not uncommon for students who are absent from a final examination to present as excuse that they did not understand correctly when or where the examination was to be held. 

9. Final examination papers should be retained for a reasonable period of time after the examination is over.  Unless papers are returned to the students, they should be kept by the instructor at least through the following semester.

10. Note, also, administrative marking symbols which are to be used on grade reports and transcripts:

R   - Grade assigned to graduate student in Master's or Ph.D. readings course for thesis or dissertation preparation.

N   -     Grade sheet submitted in time but grade not assigned to individual student.

X   - Students who do not take the final exam.

I    - Students who have not completed course work prior to the final exam.

11. Students with "bunched" finals may postpone a final examination in the special circumstances described below: In all cases the student must present to the instructor a note of permission which the student has obtained from the Student Services Center in the lobby of the Wilbur Cross Building . For additional information on absences from final exams, go to www.dos.uconn.edu . Students at a regional campus should contact the campus Student Affairs Office.

A student whose final examination schedule includes four exams in two consecutive calendar days may request a rescheduled exam in place of one of the four scheduled examinations.

A student whose schedule includes three exams in one calendar day or three exams in consecutive time blocks spanning parts of two consecutive days may request a rescheduled exam in place of one of the three scheduled examinations.

The Student Services Center verifies a student's final examination schedule and determines which of the "bunched" examinations may be rescheduled.

The rescheduled final examination must be given, at the convenience of the instructor, not later than the third week of the next semester in which the student is enrolled.

When final grades for the course are reported to the Registrar, the instructor should report a mark of Absent ("X"), unless the make-up has been completed in time for the student's letter grade to be determined.

Questions on any of these matters may be referred to Gay Douglas, Dean of Students Office (Ext. 3426) or Jeff von Munkwitz-Smith, University Registrar (Ext. 3903) jvon@.uconn.edu

Last updated 3/21/08