Remember that final exams are NOT to be given at any time other than that listed for each course in the current timetable. This means final exams cannot be given on the last day of class. Moreover, if you have an alternative activity, such as a final paper, it is due at the time the final exam is scheduled. You are expected to meet your class during the scheduled final exam period. Only classes that are less than two credits, that do not meet for the full semester, or those defined by department policy are exempt from final exams taking place during the scheduled period. Don't be tempted to be a "nice person" and let your students talk you into having a final exam during the last week of classes. Your colleagues will find out and then I will find out and then you will find out that I found out.

 Senate 104 addresses the issue of final exams. I have copied the relevant parts below. Note especially the provision for accommodating students who have more than two final exams scheduled on a single day (rare).

 At the same time we are thinking about it, remember that federal and state law prohibits your placing any graded material out to be returned to students in a manner that would allow another person to see that graded material. This means that you could be sued, and the university will not defend you, if you place graded material outside your door for students to pick up, or in any other location that would allow someone other than the student to whom it belongs to see it.

 Federal and state law also precludes posting of grades by any means that would allow someone other than the recipient of that grade to identify the recipient.

 You should not give any graded material to anyone other than the person to whom it belongs.

 As per Institutional Policy 202, "Final grades must be reported by the instructor [to Student Services] within four working days after the final examination." In 1994 the Senate Steering Committee decided to follow the definition of "working days" for other state employees. This means that neither Saturday or Sunday may be counted as working days and that when a holiday falls on Sunday, then the following Monday may not be counted as a working day.  The Steering Committee was also asked to interpret after the final examination and came to the conclusion that the clock begins running for each examination/course immediately after the examination has been written" [I assume "written" by the students].

 jim (read on)

 IV.  Final Exam Policy

Ratified by the Senate - September 13,1980: page 3, App. 6 and 8

Revision ratified by the Senate - May 13, 1989; page 3, App. 6

Revision ratified by the Senate- May 3, 1991; page 3

Revision adopted by the Senate - March 16, 1995; page 4, App. 8

A.    Each UW Colleges academic department shall have a written statement of its final examination policy. Such policies shall include a stipulation of the courses for which final examinations are mandatory, permissible methods of testing, coverage, and any other guidelines which will assist faculty in conforming to departmental expectations about final examination practices. These policy statements shall also indicate the procedure by which a faculty member may request an exemption.

B.    Final examination schedules shall be published in the campus timetable.

C.    Final examinations in courses offered for two or more credits shall be given at the time indicated in the published schedule, unless the faculty member has received permission for an alternative time from the campus Dean, and shall not exceed two hours in length. An exception to this policy is a take-home final examination, which may be given only if departmental policy permits and then must be due at the time of the regularly scheduled final examination. Final examinations in courses offered for two or more credits may not be given during a regular class period. This policy does not preclude an instructor's making special arrangements for individual students.

D.     Final examinations in one-credit courses offered for less than a full semester may be given either prior to or during the final examination period.

E.      If a student has more than two examinations on one day or two examinations scheduled for the same time, he/she must make arrangements at least one week in advance with one of the instructors concerned to take one of the examinations at an alternate time. When an informal arrangement cannot be made, the instructor of the course of lowest enrollment shall provide an alternate examination time. Examinations in studio or recital courses shall not conflict with regularly scheduled examinations.

F.    When an instructor does not return the final examination, students will have the opportunity to review their final examination or discuss their final evaluations with the instructor up to one semester after the course is completed.

G.    No major activities, events, or organizational meetings which involve students may be scheduled at a UW Colleges campus between 4:00 p.m. of the last day of classes and the end of the exam period. Any exceptions to this policy must be approved by the campus dean, in consultation with the campus collegium steering committee.

V. Recommendations for Campus Administrators

A.  Campus administrators shall be responsible for the scheduling of final exams and for making the exam schedule(s) available to students.

B.   Local administrators should act promptly to accommodate any reasonable variance in scheduling of final exams, as recommended by department chairmen.

C.  It shall be the responsibility of local administrators to see that final exam variances do not affect students adversely.