AGENDA ITEM NO: 8.1
UNIVERSITY COUNCIL
ACADEMIC PROGRAMS COMMITTEE
REQUEST FOR DECISION


PRESENTED BY: Jim Merriam, Chair, Academic Programs Committee

DATE OF MEETING: June 15, 2006

SUBJECT: Examination Regulation policy changes

DECISION REQUESTED:

That Council approve the following policy changes for Examination Regulations:

That colleges may permit a student to obtain credit for a course even if the final examination is not written. A requirement to write the final examination or to complete specified coursework in order to pass the course should be stipulated by the instructor in the course outline.

That the grade comment of INC (Incomplete) no longer be used when a student has passed a course with coursework outstanding


SUMMARY

Motions for Council:
At its June 2, 2006 meeting, the Academic Programs Committee agreed to recommend the following changes to the Examination Regulations:

Item 1.4.8 Absence from Final Examinations
That colleges may permit a student to obtain credit for a course even if the final examination is not written. A requirement to write the final examination or to complete specified coursework in order to pass the course should be stipulated by the instructor in the course outline.

Rationale for the change: During its discussion of examination policy last June, Council asked the Academic Programs Committee to consider whether it was still necessary to have a university rule which made it mandatory for all students to write final examinations unless the course itself had received an examination exemption.

The Committee reviewed practices at other universities in this regard, and discussed the issue at some length. The Committee has concluded final examinations ought to be considered in the same way as other coursework..

If a student has done well enough to pass the class without writing the final examination, it does not seem reasonable to fail solely because the final examination was missed.

The option would still exist for colleges to require a student to attend a final examination in a course before credit for the course could be obtained, just as colleges also can require completion of any specified coursework component in a course.

The Committee also agreed that it is not necessary to maintain a unique grade comment (ABF: Absent Failure) that relates specifically to failing a course as a result of missing the final examination. INF (Incomplete Failure) can be used as the grade comment for any course, to indicate that the student failed because they did not write the final examination or because they did not complete some other piece of required coursework.

Item 1.4.7 Incompletes and Incomplete Failures
That the grade comment of INC (Incomplete) no longer be used when a student has passed a course with coursework outstanding.

Rationale for the change: If a student is able to pass and receive credit for a course without completing all of the coursework, as determined by the instructor and the department or college, the grade comment of INC holds no useful purpose.

The grade of INF (Incomplete-Fail) would still be used as a grade comment in cases where failure in the course was attributed to incomplete course work or failure to write the final examination, as described above.

Item for Information:
At its June 2, 2006 meeting, the Academic Programs Committee also approved formal implementation of a 30-minute-rule as a procedure for examination invigilation:

Item 1.4.3 Invigilation and Conduct of Final Examinations
That the University institute a 30-minute rule whereby students are not allowed to leave the examination room until 30 minutes after the start of the examination AND that invigilators have the authority to deny a student entrance to the examination if the student arrives later than 30 minutes after the start of the examination.

Rationale for the change: This is to formalize a practice that has been in place for some time. A procedure which allows invigilators to prevent students from entering or leaving the examination form prevents any exchange of information regarding the contents of an exam. That this rule was not already part of the Exam Regulations came to the attention of the Registrar when a student who was refused admittance to a final examination after arriving 90 minutes late asked to see the policy.

Attachment: Excerpts from June, 2005 Examination Regulations

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Excerpts from
Universityof SaskatchewanExamination Regulations
As of June, 2005
…
1.4.3 Invigilation and Conduct of Final Examinations
a. University level:
i. Before leaving the examination room, students are required to sign a tally sheet indicating their attendance at the final examination and submission of examination materials. The tally sheets are to be retained according to procedures defined by the College.
ii. Students are required to have suitable identification (Student I.D. card or other picture I.D.) available during examinations. Invigilators may require students to produce such identification during examinations.
iii. Council delegates to each College and Department responsibility for setting responsibilities of invigilators.

b. College level:
No additional regulations.

c. Department level:
No additional regulations.

…
1.4.4 Reporting, Recording and Issuing Examination Results and Grades
It is the responsibility of the instructor and Department Head, or Dean in non-departmentalized Colleges, to report final grades to the Registrar in accordance with the regulations outlined here. The final grade report, prepared by the instructor, must be approved by the Department Head, or Dean in non-departmentalized Colleges.
a. University level:
i. Recording Final Grades:
It will be the responsibility of the Registrar to record the final grades for all courses on the official student record. Final grades will normally be recorded as percentage units, with the following alternatives:

• audit (AU)
• completed requirements (CR)
• failure (F)
• not applicable (NA)
• pass (P)
• withdrawal (W)
• withdrawal from audit (WAU)

Final grades recorded as percentage units may be accompanied by the following additional grade comments as warranted:

• absent failure (ABF)
• aegrotat standing (AEG)
• deferred examination approved (DEFG)
• deferred examination written (DEF)
• incomplete (INC)
• incomplete failure (INF)
• special deferred examination approved (SPECDEFG)
• special deferred examination written (SPECDEF)
• special supplemental approved (SPECSPG)
• special supplemental written (SPECSUP)
• supplemental examination approved (SUPPG)
• supplemental written (SUPP)
• withdrawal failure (WF)

…

1.4.7 Incompletes and Incomplete Failures
a. University level:
i. When a student has not completed the required course work by the time of the submission of the final grades to the Department Head, or Dean in non-departmentalized Colleges, the instructor will submit a computed final percentage grade which factors in a grade of zero for the incomplete course work.. This grade will be recorded along with the grade comment of either INC (Incomplete) if a passing grade or INF (Incomplete Failure) if a failing grade.
ii. If an extension is granted and the required course work is submitted within the allotted extension, the instructor will submit a revised computed final percentage grade. The grade change, approved by the Department Head, or Dean in non-departmentalized Colleges, will replace the previous grade and the grade comment of INC (Incomplete) or INF (Incomplete Failure) will be removed. Such extensions must be approved by the Department Head, or Dean in non-departmentalized Colleges, and may exceed thirty days only in unusual circumstances. The student must apply to the instructor for such an extension and furnish satisfactory reasons for the deficiency.
iii. In the event that 1.4.7.a.i results in a computed passing final percentage grade, and the instructor has indicated in the course outline that failure to complete the required course work will result in a failure in the course, a final grade of 49% will be submitted along with a grade comment of INF (Incomplete Failure).

b. College level:
No additional regulations.

c. Department level:
No additional regulations.

1.4.8 Absence from Final Examinations
a. University level:
A student who is absent from a final examination will receive a failing final grade for the course.
In the event that a student is absent from a final examination, one of the following will occur:
i. The instructor will submit a computed failing final percentage grade which factors in a grade of zero for the missed final examination, along with a grade comment of ABF (Absent Failure). This grade will change if a deferred examination for the student is authorized and written, and the grade comment will be removed.
ii. In the event that 1.4.8.a.i results in a computed passing final percentage grade, a final grade of 49% will be submitted along with a grade comment of ABF (Absent Failure).

b. College level:
No additional regulations.

c. Department level:
No additional regulations.