Exam Information & Policies
Final examinations generally are administered at the end of the semester during the designated examination period. Midterm examinations and other assessments may also be administered at the discretion of the instructor.
Exam Information and Policy
A schedule of final examinations is prepared each semester. The final examination schedule will be available on the College of Law website throughout the semester. Room assignments will be posted on the day of the exam. Except for take-home examinations, all examinations must be taken in the designated examination rooms.
All students must be present for and take examinations on the scheduled date, time and designated location, except when a rescheduled exam is authorized by the Office of Student Affairs or in the case of students requiring accommodations for documented disabilities.
A student who arrives late for an examination will be permitted to take the exam, but the time for completing the exam will not be extended. A student who begins an examination, but decides not to finish the exam, will be graded on the work submitted by the end of the examination period. An unexcused absence from a final examination will result in a failing grade (F) in the course, and the failure is counted in computing the student’s grade point average.
Faculty members may not make exceptions to the final examination schedule and students should not ask them to entertain requests for rescheduling.
Due dates and times for take-home examinations are established by the faculty members teaching courses with take-home exams.
Except as specifically approved in writing by a faculty member or required as reasonable accommodation for students with disabilities, students are prohibited from bringing the following into the final examination room:
Food (unless there is a medical condition which warrants it), hats, hoodies, digital wristwatches, purses or pocketbooks, cell phones, electronic devices of any kind. Further, no bags of any kind will be allowed either in the exam room or on the second or third floors of the building. Bags must be secured in a locker or automobile before the start of the exam.
Students should bring with them the following items in a clear plastic bag:
A pen and/or pencil, keys, money, bottled water, a sweater or jacket, if using exam soft, a laptop (without the carrying case), power cords, ear plugs without cords, specified materials allowed for open-book exams if applicable.
Students will not be admitted to the final exam room and allowed to sit for exams unless they are in compliance with only those allowable items listed above. Book bags or any other materials may not be left in the hallway.
Students may request the Director of Student Affairs to reschedule exams only in compelling circumstances. No examination may be administered prior to the time set forth in the examination schedule. Once an examination is rescheduled, the date will not be changed again except in extraordinary circumstances.
Delayed Exam Taking: Rescheduling Required in Advance.
The student must submit an Examination Reschedule Request Form to the Director of Student Affairs by the following dates:
Fall Semester Examinations: September30
Spring Semester Examinations: February28
Summer Session Examinations: June 30
ABSOLUTELY NO EXCEPTIONS WILL BE GRANTED FOR FAILURE TO MEET THE ABOVE DEADLINES
The Director of Student Affairs will determine which exam(s) to reschedule. The student will not be permitted to choose which examinations are rescheduled or the rescheduled dates and times.
Delayed Taking: Serious Illness, Emergency or Other Compelling Circumstances. All requests for exceptions to the final examination schedule must be made to the Director of Student Affairs BEFORE the examination and will be granted only upon a documented showing of an emergency, serious illness, or a sufficiently compelling circumstance. An examination WILL BE RESCHEDULED, in the following circumstances:
When a student is scheduled to take two examinations on the same day (not including take-home exams) or scheduled to take one exam each day for three consecutive days (not including take –home exams).
When illness of the student actually prevents a student from taking an exam or when a student becomes ill during an exam and is unable to complete the exam, documented by a physician’s written certification.
When a member of the student’s immediate family becomes critically ill during the exam period.
When a member of student’s immediate family or his /her “significant other” has died, and the student is attending the funeral or grieving.
When a Sabbath or other religious observance precludes a student from taking an exam.
When a student is attending the birth of his/her child
When a student is attending the wedding, graduation, or other such ceremony of his/her immediate family and the student could not have known prior to the last day to drop a course that the exam and the special ceremony were in conflict
An examination WILL NOT BE RESCHEDULED, in the following circumstances:
When a student has a professional opportunity that conflicts with a scheduled exam.
When a student is late due to oversleeping, being caught in traffic, having automobile difficulties, forgetting about the scheduled exam, and all similar circumstances, the student will be allowed to sit for the exam in the time remaining for that exam. No extra time will be allowed when starting an exam late.
When a student wishes to leave early for winter or summer break.
Final Date for Rescheduled Examinations
Rescheduled examinations must be taken at the earliest possible date, and must be taken no later than one week from the end of the examination period for the semester. No rescheduled exam will be given prior to the scheduled date of the exam.
It is the policy of the College of Law to provide reasonable accommodations for students with disabilities. Where appropriate, additional examination time can be provided, as well as the use of auxiliary services, such as readers, interpreters, and other aids. The Office of Student Affairs will make the appropriate accommodations. Students are encouraged to request examination accommodations as soon as possible, but in any event, no later than the fifth week of the fall and spring semesters and the third week of the summer sessions. A failure to request accommodations in any given semester waives your right to accommodations during that semester.
Examinations are graded anonymously. The College of Law Registrar will assign each student an anonymous examination number each semester to be used for selected midterm and all final exams taken in the given semester. Students are to use this number on their exams and bluebooks and are not to use their names or other identifying information on examinations.
Legal Methods and other courses and seminars in which papers and projects are the basis for the grade are not subject to the anonymous grading system.
Students have the ultimate responsibility to maintain the anonymity of their exams. Students must not contact faculty members during the exam period or prior to the posting of their grades. Any inquiries students have concerning grades, their performance on an exam, or any other topic that may possibly allow a faculty member to identify their work should be directed to the Associate Dean for Student Services and Administration.