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Class and Examination Policy

Attention Faculty and Students:

All members of the academic community are responsible for meeting academic obligations scheduled throughout that period.

Attendance at all scheduled periods of instruction is expected and takes precedence over attendance at common hour tests announced online in the Scheduling website:

It is the policy of the University to excuse without penalty students who are absent because of religious observances and to allow the make-up of work missed because of such absence.  Examinations and special required out-of-class activities shall ordinarily not be scheduled on those days when religiously observant students refrain from participating due to engagement in secular activities. Absences for reasons of religious obligation shall not be counted for purposes of reporting.

Each of the Common Hour Examinations found online on the Scheduling website, has an alternate equivalent form to accommodate students with a scheduled evening class which is in conflict.

During the 13th and 14th weeks of the semester tests of more than 30 minutes duration may not be given except where a course gives more than one hour test and a final. If there is no final examination in a course, the last hour test must be given earlier than the 13th week or at the hour scheduled for the final examination.

Questions concerning the above should be referred to the academic dean responsible for the course involved.

Rules for Common Hour Examinations

The following rules shall govern the conduct of Common Hour Examinations and shall be enforced by the instructional deans of the faculties and colleges offering the courses in which Common Hour Examinations are given:

  1. The overall examination time will not exceed eighty (80) minutes.
  2. For each Common Hour Examination, students will be excused from an equivalent period of instruction.
  3. Departments must provide make-up and conflict examinations or other equivalent means of evaluating the student.
  4. The make-up or conflict examination is given only to those students who have another Common Hour Examination or a regularly scheduled class at the same hour or an equally pressing reason supported by a documented excuse that is acceptable to the instructor.
  5. Faculty should consider the Common Hour Examination schedule in planning additional class hour examinations in other courses.
  6. All room assignments and conflict or make-up dates for Common Hour Examinations must be declared through the Scheduling Office.

Rules for Final Examinations

The following rules shall govern the construction of the examination schedule and the handling of examination conflicts.

  1. All final exams must be scheduled during the official Final Examination period as stated in the academic calendar except those approved by the Dean of Instruction of the academic unit.
  2. Exam periods will be three hours in length and will be scheduled at the following hours: 8:00-11:00 AM, 12:00 Noon-3:00 PM, 4:00-7:00 PM, or 8:00-11:00 PM.
  3. Exams for courses regularly scheduled in the evenings have priority in terms of space and time over group or conflict exams which might also be scheduled in the evening. Students enrolled in courses which are regularly scheduled in the evenings must take those exams at their scheduled times.
  4. A student shall be said to have an exam conflict if that student has: 1) More than two (2) exams on one calendar day.
  5. More than two (2) exams scheduled in consecutive periods (E.g.: a student has exams scheduled for 4-7 PM and 8-11 PM on one day and 8-11 AM on the following day).
  6. Two exams scheduled for the same exam period.

Students having an exam conflict should contact the office of their college dean. Students having an illness requiring medical attention or conflict due to a religious observance, should contact the instructor of the course(s) involved for information regarding the arrangements for the make-up examination. The instructor may reschedule the examination during the examination period and is responsible for rescheduling, proctoring, and grading make-up examinations to accommodate students who have conflicts.

If an instructor desires verification of the absence from an examination, the students must provide it. If they need assistance in providing it, they may contact the appropriate Dean’s Office of the College in which they are enrolled.