January 15, 2008
TO: Faculty, Unclassified Staff,
and Graduate Teaching Assistants
FROM: Barbara Phipps, Curriculum and
Teaching (email: phipps@ku.edu )
Chair, University Senate Calendar Committee
RE: Regulations on Final
Examinations and Regular Examinations for the Semester
Occasionally our Committee receives reports from
students that instructors have scheduled final exams during the last week of
classes or during Stop Day. The purpose
of this memo is to remind instructors that they are required to follow University
Senate Rules and Regulations (“USRR”), Sec. 1.3 and Sec. 1.4, concerning
final exam and regular exam scheduling.
The rule was developed to protect students from the potential
development of unmanageable test loads.
The regulations require that the last major exam of a
class, whether covering material for the entire semester or only a section of
the course material, may not be held during the last week of classes or on Stop
Day. The appointed time for the exam
during the final exam period is listed in the Timetable. This regulation applies to classes on both
the Lawrence and Edwards Campuses.
The Calendar Committee does allow exceptions to the
rule, but only under very special circumstances with the best interests of
students the overriding criterion. A
vote by the class, even when unanimous, is not considered justification since,
among other concerns, it can unintentionally place students under pressure to
follow their peers. Also, special recognition
ceremonies (held before the final exam week) are not grounds for rescheduling
final examinations. Petitions for
exceptions to the rule should be directed to me by email (phipps@ku.edu) and
must be received at least three weeks before the last scheduled day of classes.
Instructors are also reminded that normally, exams
and tests other than final examinations CANNOT be scheduled outside of regular
class or laboratory hours. As stated in
USRR 1.4.2, examinations and tests other than final examinations may be given
at times other than regular class hours ONLY when the time and place have been
approved by the Calendar Committee and published in advance in the Official
Timetable of Classes.
Thank you for cooperating with these important
regulations.
EXCERPT FROM UNIVERSITY SENATE
RULES AND REGULATIONS
ARTICLE I. ACADEMIC
SCHEDULES
. . .
Section 3. Final Examination Schedules
1.3.1
The Calendar Committee shall prepare and submit to
the University Senate for approval a schedule for final examinations for each
semester, so that it may be included in the Official Timetable of Classes.
1.3.2 A Comprehensive Final Examination is defined
as an examination that tests over class content covering the entire
term. A Section Examination is
defined as an examination that tests over class content covering a unit,
section, topic or part of the term, but does not cover the entire content of
the class.
Normally the last examination in a course - whether a Comprehensive Final
Examination or a Section Exam - is administered at the appointed time during
the regularly scheduled final exam period.
An exam may be given during the
last week of classes ONLY if it is a Section Exam preceding a Comprehensive
Final Examination; this
Comprehensive Final Examination must be administered at the appointed time
during the regularly scheduled final exam period. If neither a Section Exam nor a Comprehensive
Final Examination is to be given, the class is not required to meet at its
appointed time during the regularly scheduled final examination period. The above does not apply to assignments such
as projects, performances, or papers.
These may be due or take place during the last week of regular classes.
Any exceptions to the above rules must be approved by the Calendar Committee. Petitions to the committee must be submitted at least three weeks before the last scheduled day of classes. Students' academic best interests shall be the criteria for the Calendar Committee's decisions on petitions. The Committee will consider a request for a special final exam time only if the request encompasses ALL sections of a course. The Committee will not accept petitions for special final examination times for the purpose of consolidating single exam times for multiple sections taught by the same instructor.
Students
should report violations of the above to the appropriate department head or
dean.
1.3.3 The
instructor of a course shall decide whether a final examination is necessary
unless the department in which a course is given (or the College or school, for
courses which are not listed in a department) makes that decision. Decisions by the department, the College, or
school would normally relate to multisections or service courses. As early as possible in the course, the
instructor shall inform the students of the function of the examination in
determining the course grade.
1.3.4
Except for
those excused in advance by the instructor, all students are required to take
final examinations when prescribed. However, in the event that a student has
three (3) or more final examinations scheduled on the same day, no student
shall be obligated to take more than two exams on that day. No later than two weeks before Stop Day, the student shall notify the
instructor(s) from the highest numbered course(s) not having a common final
exam of the need to provide a
make-up examination to be administered at a mutually acceptable time.
A Common Final Exam is defined as one approved for a
particular multi-section course by the Calendar Committee in accordance with
USRR 1.3.1, and published in the Timetable.
Lecture classes with various discussion or laboratory sections are not
“Common Finals” for the purpose of this regulation.
1.3.5 Within the
guidelines established by these rules and regulations, the faculty of the
College and each school of the University may establish regulations regarding
the administration of final examinations, with due concern for students outside
the College or school. (a) The faculty of the College and each school of the
University may stipulate that if a final examination is required in a course
offered in the school's curriculum, no other examination shall be given in that
course in the week immediately preceding the period of final examinations. (b)
The faculty of the College and each school of the University may allocate the
decision‑making responsibility for that stipulation in (a) supra
to the faculty of each department within the College or school.
1.3.6 Each
semester, the Calendar Committee shall make arrangements to inform students and
faculty, through the Official Timetable of Classes, of the regulations
governing final examinations and the appropriate procedures to be followed if
questions arise about the application of the regulations. The Provost's Office shall remind faculty of
these regulations by circulating copies each semester.
1.3.7 No university
organization shall schedule events or meetings that require student
participation or academic assessment (e.g., honors placement exams) during the
final examination period, including Stop Day.
Exceptions are allowed for local events or meetings that are scheduled on
Saturday and up to
1.3.8 Students with a verifiable medical crisis
of a relative or friend may be excused from being present for the final
examination. It is the responsibility of
the student to initiate discussion with the instructor, prior to the
examination/test if possible. The
instructor and student shall attempt to come to a mutually agreeable method of
making up the missed work.
Section 4. Examinations,
Quizzes and Tests Other Than Final Examinations
1.4.1 Examinations and tests other than final examinations shall
normally be given during regularly scheduled class or laboratory hours.
1.4.2 Examinations
and tests other than final examinations may be given at times other than
regular class hours when the time and place are approved by the Calendar
Committee and published in advance in the Official Timetable of Classes. The Committee will consider a
request for a special exam time only if the request encompasses ALL sections of
a course. The Committee will not accept
petitions for special examination times for the purpose of consolidating single
exam times for multiple sections taught by the same instructor. When such examinations conflict with a student's obligation
to other regularly scheduled university classes the student shall be accorded
the opportunity to take the examination or test at a time not in conflict with
other regularly scheduled university classes.
In the event of the cancellation of an examination due to an emergency,
rescheduling of the examination shall be negotiated by the Senior Vice Provost
for Academic Affairs with the affected unit.
1.4.3 Examinations
and tests other than final examinations should not be scheduled in conflict
with mandated religious observances. In
order to ascertain in a given class if a scheduled examination conflicts with a
mandated religious observance, at the beginning of the semester the instructor
shall ask students who may be affected to identify themselves privately so that
a make-up examination may be scheduled at a mutually acceptable time.
1.4.4 Students with a verifiable medical crisis of a relative or
friend may be excused from being present for scheduled examinations and
tests. It is the responsibility of the
student to initiate discussion with the instructor, prior to the
examination/test if possible. The
instructor and student shall attempt to come to a mutually agreeable method of
making up the missed work.