Document No. I-03-10

PROPOSAL TO THE ACADEMIC SENATE

TITLE: Final Examination Week

SUBMITTED BY: Select Calendar Committee

DATE: December 12, 2003

ACTION: Legislative (effective ’04-’05 academic year)

REFERENCE: Faculty Handbook–Faculty Policies: Teaching–Tests and Examinations

PURPOSE: To protect and strengthen the academic integrity of the final examination week at the University of Dayton, the Academic Senate recommends adoption of the following policy on final examination week, which replaces in its entirety the existing policy.

1. Final examination week is defined as the sum of one full week of scheduled examinations, the weekend immediately preceding, and a minimum of one study day. Multiple study days are preferred.

2. Every course of study, undergraduate and graduate, must conclude with an academically rigorous culminating learning experience, normally a final examination. A culminating learning experience may involve traditional in-class examinations, presentations, performances, critiques, portfolios or other similar experiences. Laboratory, studio, or similar courses may be regularly exempt from this requirement, with the approval of the department chair and a designated administrator in the office of the dean.

3. No new material may be introduced in a course after the last scheduled class meeting. No final examination may be scheduled at a time other than the time prescribed by the Registrar during final examination week, with the sole exception of block examinations. No final examination of any kind may be given prior to final examination week. Any exceptions must receive the approval of the department chair.

4. A block examination is a common examination that covers several sections of the same class, taught by different instructors, for the purpose of establishing a uniform scale of achievement. Such examinations are scheduled through the registration office. Multiple sections of a class, taught by the same instructor, are not eligible to give block examinations unless they are part of a class taught by more than one instructor.

5. Grades for all students, including graduating students, will be reported by a single deadline, as determined by the Registrar.

6. When a student has three or more final examinations scheduled for the same day, faculty are encouraged to accommodate the individual student on an alternative day agreeable to both the student and the instructor. The student must make the request by the last scheduled class meeting.

7. Students must have access to graded examinations for a period of six months after the examination has been given.

8. Any on-going or regular exception to the final examination policy requires the approval of the department chair and a designated administrator in the office of the dean.

9. The School of Law is exempt from this policy, due to its independent academic calendar.