A final examination schedule for the University shall be disseminated as early as possible in the semester. It is the responsibility of the faculty and the students to acquaint themselves with the schedule. It is the responsibility of the students to be present at the prescribed time and place unless other arrangements have been made with or by the instructor.
The last examination of a course shall not be given during the week prior to the final examination period (Success Week) without the approval of the department chair/school director or, when applicable, the Dean of the Mennonite College of Nursing or the Dean of Milner Library. Exceptions granted to this provision of the policy shall be announced to all students enrolled in the course.
Success Week
Success Week is designed to provide time for undergraduate students to adequately prepare for final examinations. Success Week is designated as the week that precedes final examinations during both the Fall and Spring semesters.
During Success Week:
- Tests that amount to more than 10% of the course grade may not be given and due.
- Assignments worth more than 10% of the course grade, including but not limited to course projects, papers, speeches, graded performances, graded performance and portfolio assessments, etc., may not be due unless they have been clearly specified on the class syllabus distributed within the first two weeks of the semester. Exceptions to the rule include:
-
- Summer classes
- Make-up exams
- One-credit courses
- Labs
- Graduate Courses
A make-up exam is defined as any exam that is not given to the entire class, but is used to give a student (or students) an opportunity to make up a missed exam when approved by the course instructor.
Instructors may petition their department chair/school director or, when applicable, the Dean of Mennonite College of Nursing or the Dean of Milner Library if they believe the policy jeopardizes or interferes with their professional judgment regarding appropriate pedagogy.
Exceptions granted to this provision of the policy shall be announced to all students enrolled in the course.
Complaints about failure to follow the procedures outlined above should be made immediately to the appropriate department chair/school director or, when applicable, the Dean of the Mennonite College of Nursing or the Dean of Milner Library.
Request for Alternate Arrangements for Exams
Students who are unable to take an examination due to emergencies (e.g., illness, injury) should notify their instructor as soon as possible and make acceptable alternative arrangements. Students who qualify for other university-approved absences (e.g. religious reasons, military service, bereavement) should notify their instructor in advance, whenever possible, If an instructor does not consider an excuse for missing a scheduled examination as acceptable, the student may appeal the action to the department chair/school director or, when applicable, the Dean of the Mennonite College of Nursing or the Dean of Milner Library.
Students who are scheduled for more that two (2) final examinations in one day may request to take all but two (2) of the examinations another day during the final examination period. Procedures for the request are available on the Office of University Registrar website. Any such request shall be made at least five (5) business days prior to the date of the exam.
Grading
Final exams should be returned to the student or retained for one term, permitting the opportunity for student review with the instructor if the student desires. It is expected that faculty members will collect sufficient data on the performance of students to justify the final grade. Evaluation of students and award of credit must be based on professionally judged academic performance and not on matters irrelevant to that performance such as personality, race, religion, sex, degree of political activism, or personal beliefs.