Proposed revision to Final Examination Policies

The current (Spring 2018) final exam schedule includes the following statement regarding the rescheduling of final exams:

“The final exam schedule may not be changed without the approval of the faculty member’s department chair and college dean. Faculty who need longer periods in which to give their final exams should contact their chair and dean and request to use the Saturday before finals for this purpose. Instructors may also opt to administer final exams scheduled for Friday, May 5, at 6-8:15 p.m. on Friday, May 5, at either 1-3:15 p.m. or 3:30-5:45 p.m. to avoid conflicts with the graduate commencement ceremony. These changes must be approved in advance and posted in the instructor's syllabus. Instructors who receive approval to change their final time should also consult department staff to ensure that classroom space is available.”

This statement reflects the policy found at:

http://gcsu.smartcatalogiq.com/en/Policy-Manual/Policy-Manual/Academic-A...

APC proposes the inclusion of the following statement as part of the Final Examination Policyes:

“The final assigned assessment of any class should be scheduled (or due) during the finals week whenever possible.”  

The issue came to APC because of complaints that some faculty members were scheduling final exams (or their last assessment) prior to the scheduled final exams.  This creates pressure on students who claim to need the extra time to fully assimilate all of the material and potentially creates an atmosphere where studetns expect to be done with classes prior to the end of the final exam period.  Therefore, APC concludes that there should be clear policy concerning the expectations that the final course assemsemnts be given during the final exam period whenever possible.