The Senate of Michigan Technological University

PROPOSAL 3-76

 

FINAL EXAMINATION POLICY

I. INTENT

The intent of this policy is to require that Final Examinations be given to all students in all courses, both graduate and undergraduate, during the Final Examination Period. The only exceptions are for graduating seniors and for certain courses which, by their nature, do not lend themselves to either a written or oral Final Examination; e.g., certain Physical Education courses or seminars.

II. DEFINITIONS

  1. Academic Quarter: a nominal eleven week period consisting of ten weeks of instruction and a one week Final Examination Period.

  2. Final Examination Period: last week of a quarter, designated as the Final Examination Period by the official University Academic Calendar as published in the University Catalog. During the summer quarter, The Final Examination Period may be shorter than one week.

  3. Final Examination: An examination, either comprehensive or incremental, to be administered during the Final Examination Period at a particular time designated by the Director of Scheduling or at a particular time established by arrangement pursuant to Parts III-D (S), III-F, III-G or III-L (2) of this policy. No administrative regulation shall attempt to govern the content of the Final Examination. However, it is recognized that, in general, a comprehensive Final Examination is considered to be a good pedagogic policy.

III. POLICY

  1. Previous Senate Policy as stated in Proposals 1-61, Proposal 2-65, and Proposal 7-69 is hereby repealed.

  2. An obligate Final Examination shall be administered to all students in all courses, both undergraduate and graduate, except as provided in Parts III-C or III-D below. The Director of Scheduling shall schedule Final Examinations in all courses except as provided in Parts III-H and III-L (2) below.

  3. Students in their last quarter of work prior to graduation may be exempted from a Final Examination subject to conditions 1 and 2 below:
    1. the degree granting department approves of the exemption, and
    2. the course instructor approves of the exemption

      In order to be considered for exemption from a Final Examination, a graduating senior shall provide the course instructor with written verification of condition 1 above.

  4. For certain courses in which the subject material does not lend itself to a written Final Examination, the department offering the course may decide:
    1. either to eliminate the Final Examination, or
    2. to offer individual oral examinations. These individual oral examinations shall be administered during the Final Examination Period at times arranged by the instructor. Any examination so arranged shall not conflict with regular Final Examinations scheduled by the Director of Scheduling.

  5. In the case of a course in which the Final Examination is eliminated pursuant to Part III-D (1) above, no written examination shall be administered to any student during the two weeks preceding the Final Examination Period.

  6. For low enrollment courses with five or less students, the department offering the course may decide to administer the Final Examination during the Final Examination Period at a time to be arranged by the instructor. Any examination so arranged shall not conflict with regular Final Examinations scheduled by the Director of Scheduling.

  7. For graduate courses requiring more than the normal two hour examination period, the department offering the course may elect to schedule the Final Examination by arrangement during the Final Examination Period. Any examination so arranged shall not conflict with the regular Final Examinations scheduled by the Director of Scheduling.

  8. After consultation with departmental faculty, department heads shall designate and prepare a list of all courses to which the provisions of III-D, III-F or III-G are to be applied and for which no Final Examination is scheduled by the Director of Scheduling. Justification is to be given for each course on the list. One copy of the list shall be transmitted to the Faculty Senate Instructional Policy Committee and a second copy transmitted to the Director of Scheduling.

  9. The University shall not schedule, nor shall the student participate in, any official function during the scheduled Final Examination Period. Exemption to this prohibition occurs for those events the date of which the University cannot control.

  10. In recognition of the need of the student to prepare for Final examinations, no Final Examination will be given earlier than the regular Final Examination as scheduled during the Final Examination Period. Special Final Examinations necessitated by illness, storms, athletic events, schedule conflicts, etc. shall not be given at an earlier time than that scheduled for the Final Examination in that course.

  11. No student shall be required to take more than three Final Examinations per day. Special Final Examinations necessitated by this provision shall not be given at an earlier time than that scheduled for the Final Examination in that course.

  12. Special provisions applicable to accelerated courses:
    1. The time period devoted to instruction and examination may be shorter than eleven weeks.
    2. For courses which terminate before the end of the full eleven week Academic Quarter, the Final Examination shall be administered during the last class period.
    3. For courses which terminate at the conclusion of the eleven week Academic Quarter, the Final Examination shall be administered during the Final Examination Period as defined in Part II-B.

While the Senate is loath to interfere with the academic freedom of the faculty, it is felt that this policy is necessary to maintain the integrity of the University. Deliberate and frequent violation shall be taken into account in evaluation of performance by colleagues and administrators.

 

Defeated by Senate: 5 May 1976