Purdue University Northwest > Faculty Senate > News > Senate Documents > FSD 23-01 Resolution Regarding Final Examination Policy

FSD 23-01 Resolution Regarding Final Examination Policy

November 4, 2023

FSD 23-01 Resolution Regarding Final Examination Policy of PNW

PURDUE UNIVERSITY NORTHWEST FACULTY SENATE

Committee: Educational Policy

For Action: October 13th, 2023

 

PNW has a policy posted in the current PNW catalog regarding final exams. This policy has been in practice but has never been voted on by Faculty. In addition, some faculty give short quizzes as part of the learning process, which is restricted during the last week by the present policy. Changes to allow such quizzes have been included in this document.

From the current PNW catalog regarding Academic Regulations and Final Exam Policy: https://catalog.pnw.edu/content.php?catoid=11&navoid=1615&hl=Final+Exam&returnto=search

Present Final Examination Policy

  1. In regular semesters, the final examination period shall consist of six scheduled days comprising the 16th week of the semester. The two-hour class meetings during the six days of the final examination period will be scheduled. Upon request, a single course-wide examination will be scheduled for any course.
  2. Each class will be scheduled for a two-hour meeting during the final examination period. Excepted are those courses classified as individual study, clinic, student teaching, industrial experience (co-op), or research and those offered for zero credit. If no educational purpose will be served by any type of meeting during the 16th week because the educational objectives of the course have been achieved, a department may dismiss this class meeting during the 16th week.
  3. No student shall be required to take more than two examinations on one day.
  4. Students scheduled for more than two examinations in one calendar day are entitled to reschedule any examinations in excess of two. Similarly, students faced with a direct exam conflict are entitled to reschedule either examination. It is the responsibility of the student to make the necessary arrangements before the last week of regularly scheduled classes. Course instructors shall not penalize a student who chooses to reschedule an examination under these options (University Senate Document 90-22, March 25, 1991).
  5. The final examination period is intended for the end-of-semester examination. No examination or quiz may be given during the week (three days in summer session) preceding the final examination period of the semester (examinations for laboratory, intensive, or minicourses excluded). It will be the responsibility of the department head or, where appropriate, the school head to ensure that none of the departmental or school faculty use the week (three days in summer session) preceding the final examination period to administer an examination.

 

  1. Comprehensive final examinations (examinations for laboratory, intensive or minicourses excluded) are prohibited except during the regular final examination periods of the last week of the semester.

 

Suggested Final Examination Policy

  1. In regular semesters, the final examination period shall consist of six scheduled days comprising the last week of the semester. The two-hour class meetings during the six days of the final examination period will be scheduled. Upon instructor request, a single course-wide examination for the instructor’s divisions will be scheduled for any course.
  2. Each class will be scheduled for a two-hour meeting during the final examination period. Excepted are those courses classified as individual study, clinic, student teaching, industrial experience (co-op), or research and those offered for zero credit. If no educational purpose will be served by any type of meeting during finals week (last three days in summer session) because the educational objectives of the course have been achieved, an instructor may dismiss this class meeting.
  3. No student shall be required to take more than two examinations on one day. Students scheduled for more than two examinations in one calendar day are entitled to reschedule any examinations in excess of two. Similarly, students faced with a direct exam conflict are entitled to reschedule either examination. It is the responsibility of the student to make the necessary arrangements before the last week of regularly scheduled classes. Course instructors shall not penalize a student who chooses to reschedule an examination under these options. If the student and the instructors cannot come to an agreement the Dean of Students office shall arbitrate a solution.
  4. If a student has two consecutive exams (less than two hours between the end of the first exam and the start of the second exam) with either exam on the Hammond campus and the other exam on the Westville campus, they must be allowed to take either one of the exams at the testing center so they do not have to travel between exams or (if the instructor chooses) reschedule one of the exams to allow a sufficient and safe travel time plus 15 minutes break time between exams. If the student and the instructors cannot come to an agreement the Dean of Students office shall arbitrate a solution.
  5. The final examination period is intended for the end-of-semester examination. No examination may be given during the week (three days in summer session) preceding the final examination period of the semester. Exceptions to this rule include: short quizzes (which cover one to two weeks of material) and examinations for laboratory, intensive, or minicourses. It will be the responsibility of the department chair or, where appropriate, the school director to ensure that none of the departmental or school faculty use the week (three days in summer session) preceding the final examination period to administer an examination.
  6. Comprehensive final examinations (examinations for laboratory, intensive or minicourses excluded) are prohibited except during the regular final examination periods of the last week of the semester.

Committee Members:

David Kozel (Chair)

Shreya Surendrama Bhandari

Robert Kramer

Yun Liu

Pamela C Saylor

Donna L Whitten

Ed Policy Members Voting in favor of this resolution: 6

Ed Policy Members Voting against this resolution: 0