Jim Merriam, Chair, Academic Programs Committee

DATE OF MEETING: November 17, 2005

SUBJECT: Additional correction to University Examination Regulations

DECISION REQUESTED:

That Council extend the five-day policy for submission of marks to all terms, as described in the Examination Regulations policy attached.

SUMMARY OF PROPOSAL:

At the June Council meeting, Council approved a number of revisions to the University's Examination Regulations.

During implementation of the regulations, however, it was also noted by the Student and Enrolment Services Division that there was no policy around submission of marks following spring and summer session, nor for regular and special deferred and supplemental examinations. It was also noted that a suggestion had been made during Council discussion that the existing policy requiring submission of Term One marks within five days of the exam or by the first day of Term Two should be simplified.

The Academic Programs Committee discussed both these issues.

The committee agreed that a five day policy on submission of grades should apply to all examinations. They agreed that the five days would not include weekends or holidays and that implementation of a five day policy would be sufficient to ensure that students receive their Term One marks in a timely manner.

The rule requiring submission of marks to the Registrar by the first day of the winter term had been introduced so that students writing an exam late in the Christmas examination period did not have to wait an unreasonable length of time to find out whether they had passed the course. However, now that grades are submitted electronically, students are no longer required to wait several extra days for data entry before they can find out their grades. APC agreed that the five-day policy alone would be sufficient to ensure that students receive their Christmas grades in a timely way. Under this new policy, for example, students writing an exam on December 22, 2005, the last day of the examination period, would have their marks by Friday, January 6, 2006, which is two days after classes begin for Term Two.

The five-day rule applies to courses which have their final examinations within an official examination period. The existing rule for courses which have examinations prior to the official examination period - that final grades be submitted by the end of that period - remains in effect.

The Office of the Provost has also sent a report to APC regarding how many Term One grades are submitted late. The Committee has reviewed this report and will be suggesting some changes in format.

Council had also asked APC to discuss whether final exams in courses should be required. We will be receiving a report from the Registrar regarding exam exemptions and will be discussing examination policies with colleges before we report back on this issue to Council.

1.4.4 Reporting, Recording and Issuing Examination Results and Grades
. . .

ii. Reporting of Grades by Instructors:
Reports of final grades for all one- and two-term courses and for 100-level, two-term courses examined at midyear will be submitted according to procedures established by the Registrar:

• no later than the end of the official examination period in a given term, for those courses with no examination in the official examination period and for midyear examinations in 100-level, two-term courses offered over the Fall and Winter terms; or

• final grades of Fall term 1 courses with examinations within the official examination period shall be in the hands of the Registrar by the end of the first working day in term 2, or within five workings days (counting Saturday, but not Sunday) after the examination date, whichever occurs first.

• final grades of Winter term 2 and Fall and Winter two-term courses with examinations within the official examination period shall be in the hands of the Registrar by the end of the first day in the Spring and Summer terms, or within five working days (counting Saturday, but not Sunday) after the examination date, whichever occurs first.

Grades for supplemental, deferred and special examinations should be reported according to procedures established by the Registrar.

• within five working days after the date of the examination, for those courses with examinations in the official examination period in a given term, as well as final grades resulting from deferred, special deferred, and supplemental examinations