VIII--Undergraduate Degree Regulations and Procedures
During the examination period, Saturday is considered a regular day. Examinations may be scheduled on public holidays. Students are advised to note Section III -- Schedule of Dates. Students who encounter a conflict between a scheduled mid-term or final examination and a religious obligation must contact the instructor-in-charge to request that alternate arrangements be made. A listing of major religious holidays is available from the Office of Student Affairs. If alternate arrangements cannot be made the student may submit a "Request for Academic Consideration" form and obtain approval for a deferred privilege from the Academic Review Sub-Committee prior to the scheduled examination. Verifying documentation must be presented and the granting of consideration is at the discretion of the University.
The following is the University policy as approved by the Senate on November 21, 1972.
Term tests must not be schedule during the last five class days prior to the final examination period.
Departments are urged by the Board of Undergraduate Studies to make every effort to schedule term tests and examinations in regularly scheduled class time. The Board recommends that faculty make every effort to accommodate students representing the University in extra-curricular activities when there is a conflict between those activities and scheduled tests or examinations held outside regularly scheduled classes.
The directors of schools and department chairs must apply the policy having due regard to the special needs of courses over which they have jurisdiction.
In addition, mid-term examinations should be scheduled such that no conflicts occur with a regularly scheduled class or section. In the event of a conflict the scheduled meeting holds priority.
The Board of Undergraduate Studies has reaffirmed the commitment to maintain the 17:20 to 19:00 time slot free of academic activities. Request for scheduling out-of-class mid-term examinations should therefore be restricted to normal academic hours (8:30 - 17:20 and 19:00 - 22:00). In the event that appropriate space is not available during normal hours, the use of the 17:20-19:00 time slot may be approved.
All rooms for mid-term examinations are to be booked through the Reservations Clerk, Schedules Section, Undergraduate Program Services.
Students who encounter a conflict between a scheduled mid-term examination and a religious obligation must contact the instructor-in-charge to request that alternate arrangements be made. A listing of major religious holidays is available from the Office of Student Affairs.
Department chairs shall:
Faculty members:
The following is the University policy as approved by the Senate on November 21, 1972.
Where final tests or final examinations are to be given they must be given during the examination period.
All final examinations shall be two hours in duration.
The following guidelines for conducting final examinations have been approved by the Board of Undergraduate Studies:
The Office of Registrarial Services of the University is the final arbiter of the manner of conducting examinations and he/she receives general directives on policy from the Provost and Vice President (Academic), and the Board of Undergraduate Studies.
The Office of Registrarial Services will, in cooperation with the appropriate examiners, establish special examination procedures as and when needed, for students who have temporary or permanent physical handicaps, e.g. accident victims, the blind, the epileptic, those with cerebral palsy, etc. Medical opinion shall be sought whenever there is doubt about the extent of the disability.
Student's Responsibilities
Department Chair's Responsibilities
Responsible for the security of the examinations printed in the department for the instructor.
Printing the required number of copies for each examination.
Responsible for distributing the copies of the examination to the instructor on the date set for the examination.
Distributing a copy of the "Final Examination Seating Plan" to each instructor concerned. The timetable is sent from the Office of Registrarial Services in course number sequence approximately one week prior to the final examinations.
Responsible for the conduct of all examinations held in their department by their faculty. They shall be responsible for appointing invigilators. The instructor-in-charge of the examination shall be the faculty member responsible for the course and the setting of the examination or a designate.
To distribute the examination attendance records provided by the Office of Registrarial Services.
To appoint invigilators for examinations under the direction of the Office of Registrarial Services. A class of 20-25 students -- 2 invigilators, a class of over 50 students -- 1 additional invigilator per 50 students. Thus, a class of 125 students should have 4 invigilators.
Completing the examination information sheets by the requested deadline dates, and informing the Schedules Section, Office of Registrarial Services, regarding any requests for changes.
Instructor's Responsibilities
The faculty member responsible for the course and the setting of the examination, or a designate, shall be the instructor-in-charge for that course.
If it becomes necessary to change an examination time or to add a final examination, the instructor-in-charge of the course is required to contact the Schedules Section, Office of Registrarial Services, and once a time is set, obtain the written approval of all students.
To advise the Schedules Section, Office of Registrarial Services, prior to the examination if an "open book" examination is to be written; otherwise, it will be considered "closed book".
To be present at the examination room thirty minutes prior to commencement of the examination and to be responsible for distribution of examination papers, attendance cards, if used, and other authorized materials.
To be responsible for the taking of attendance during the first hour of the examination period. (Attendance cards are used in the Athletic Centre and class lists in other locations.)
To be responsible for arranging the pick-up of examination books and papers and comparing the number of examinations collected to the number of attendance cards or student signatures collected. These records should be retained by the department for a period of one semester.
To ensure all examination books are securely packaged.
The instructor-in-charge and their invigilators shall not allow any student to enter the examination room after the first 60 minutes nor allow any student to leave during the first 60 or last 15 minutes of the examination period.
Include all instructions regarding the examination on the examination paper, i.e., writing on every other line, writing on the right hand pages of the book. No verbal instructions can be made at the examination hall with the exception of corrections to printed instructions and material.
Where a student does not write the final examination, the instructor shall follow the procedures outlined under Academic Consideration in this section of the calendar.
The instructors who wish to hold formal oral examinations should discuss procedures with their department chair. The latter may, of course, refer to the Registrar for guidance on University regulations.
Registrar's Responsibilities
A "Departmental Final Examination" form is distributed by the Schedules Section, Office of Registrarial Services, to all department chair approximately six weeks prior to the semester to which it applies.
The Final Examination Timetable is computer prepared and is based on student course selections made during the course selection period. The Final Examination Timetable is available to the students at least 2 days prior to the start of classes.
Approximately 6 weeks prior to the start of final examinations, a Final Examination Seating Plan Information Sheet is distributed by the Schedules Section, Office of Registrarial Services, to the department chair. The department chair is asked to have the form completed by the deadline date in order that a seating plan can be arranged. It is most important that all information sheets be returned by the deadline date.
Under normal circumstances, changes to the published examination timetable are not allowed.
To provide each instructor-in-charge with an examination attendance record in the form of a print-out of all students registered in the course or attendance cards for those examinations being written in the Athletic Centre.
Examinations held in the Athletic Centre shall be under the direction of the Office of Registrarial Services or the designate who shall be the coordinator responsible for the conduct of the examinations during final examination period.
The coordinator will start and end the examination.
The coordinator shall assist the instructor-in-charge to ensure that no student enters the examination room after the first 60 minutes or leaves during the first 60 minutes or the last 15 minutes of the examination period.
The Office of Registrarial Services shall prepare a set of guidelines for the instructor-in-charge and invigilators which will assist them in carrying out their duties in the examination rooms.
Final examination papers and term papers are to be retained by faculty members for a period of one semester.
Printed or written materials directly related to examinations conducted in the final examination time period published in the Undergraduate Calendar, or related to final assignments shall be made available to a student, upon submission of a written request to the department chair. The request shall be submitted by the fifth class day of the next semester.
Printed or written materials to be made available include the examination question paper, the marking scheme keyed to desired responses to questions, where appropriate; the student's response to the examination questions; and records taken by examiners during oral or any other examination. Faculty members are encouraged to discuss openly with the student any questions raised. The department chair will make the necessary arrangements for student access to the material. When a large number of requests are received in connection with a specific course or when a faculty member is on leave it may be necessary for the department chair to delay access and make special arrangements, e.g., the posting of the marking scheme on a bulletin board, the scheduling of a special meeting at which the faculty member will review the examination, etc.
Mid-Term Examinations
Department Chair's Responsibilities
Instructor's Responsibilities
Final Examinations
Policy on Student Access to Final Examination Materials
1998-99 Undergraduate Calendar
VIII--Undergraduate Degree Regulations and Procedures |