Final examinations | Spring 2012

Final exam schedules online

Students can access their final exam schedules for current classes via the Web. Go to the Registrar's Online Services page and select “Final Exam Schedule for a Student.” Identification and password are required. A public display of final exam information by unique number is also available via the Web site listed above. These services are available approximately one month before the end of the semester.

Index of Final Examination times

Wednesday, May 9–Saturday, May 12
Monday, May 14–Tuesday, May 15

The final examination date and time for a class is determined by the class meeting time as listed in the above index. Final examinations for classes that meet at times not listed in the above index are normally scheduled with classes meeting at the indexed time that most closely corresponds to the beginning day and time of the class. For example, the exam for a class that meets T 3:00–6:00 PM will be at the same time as exams for classes that meet TTH 3:30–5:00 PM. If the beginning time of the class is halfway between two standard class beginning times, the class will be grouped with those meeting at the later time. For example, the exam for a class that meets MW 2:30–4:00 PM will be at the same time as exams for classes that meet MWF 3:00–4:00 PM.

Uniform examinations and their correspondent makeup exams are scheduled for certain courses that administer examinations at the same time for all students enrolled in the course. Generally, these examinations are given at times other than the regular examination time. A list of uniform and makeup examinations will be printed in the final examination schedule distributed prior to the end of the semester.

Questions about the final examination schedule should be directed to the Room Scheduling section of the Office of the Registrar at 475-7600.

Final examination policies

In accordance with Policy Memorandum 3.201, class-related activities, with the exception of office hours, are prohibited on designated no-class days and during the final examination period. These dates are set aside for students to prepare for and take scheduled final examinations. During this period, papers and projects are not to be due, review sessions are not to be scheduled, quizzes are not to be given, and there are not to be any other class-related activities, with the exception of office hours.

The final examination days for the spring semester 2012 are Wednesday, May 9, through Saturday, May 12, and Monday, May 14, through Tuesday, May 15. The designated no-class days are Monday, May 7; Tuesday, May 8; and Sunday, May 13.

There is no University policy that provides relief to students who have three examinations scheduled the same day; in that situation, students may seek the assistance of the course instructor(s), department chair, and/or dean of the college.

The following final examination policies are taken from General Information, chapter 4:

Examinations should begin promptly at the scheduled hour and should not continue beyond the three hours allocated in the official schedule.

No final examinations may be given before the examination period begins, and no change in time from that printed in the official schedule is permitted. An instructor with a compelling reason to change the time of an examination must obtain the approval of the department chair and the dean of the college or school in which the course is taught before announcing an alternative examination procedure to the students.

No substantial examinations may be given during the last class week or during the reading days or no-class days preceding the final examination period. An examination counting for more than 30 percent of the final course grade is considered to be substantial.

A change in the room assignment for a final examination may be made only with the approval of the registrar.

With the approval of the department chair, an instructor may choose not to give a final examination. However, if an examination is given, all students must take it and no exemptions may be allowed except pursuant to a uniform exemption policy announced to the class.

For good cause, an instructor may give a student permission to take an examination with a different class section than the one in which the student is registered.

For good cause, a student may petition his or her academic dean for permission to change the time or place of an examination from that specified in the official schedule. If permission is given by the dean and the instructor, no penalty (such as a reduction in grade) may be assessed.

In a course extending over two semesters, when the subject matter is continuous, the second-semester final examination may include the subject matter of the first semester.

A student may address complaints related to the final examination procedures in a course to the chair of the department or the dean of the college or school in which the course is offered, or to the Office of the Ombudsperson.

Uniform exams

Uniform exams, also known as departmental exams, occur when an academic unit administers a single test to students in multiple classes at the same time.

Since at least some of the students’ default exam periods will be changed as a result of the uniform exam, a make-up exam must be scheduled to accommodate any students with scheduling conflicts. Also, uniform exams and their required make-ups may only be conducted during specific exam periods in order to further minimize conflicts in the students’ schedules as well as to help ensure room availability. This page contains a table indicating which exam periods are approved for uniform and make-up exams for each semester.

Departments will indicate their preferences for exam time, make-up time, and room assignment via the online final exam request system. Due to demand from multiple units across campus, especially in the earlier exam periods, we cannot ensure that each exam will be scheduled at the requested time or in the requested room until the exams are actually scheduled. Therefore it is best for the department to indicate a second-choice exam time with their request. We will notify the department if they do not get their first-choice time.

Academic units are responsible for ensuring that their exam requests do not conflict with their own or another department’s exams and should coordinate their requests accordingly.