Prelims and Final Exams

Dear CALS Instructors,

Below are recommendations agreed upon by all the colleges to sustain our efforts during the remainder of the semester.

Faculty are strongly recommended to consider use of alternate assessments in place of previously scheduled preliminary exams and final exams, where possible. If it is critical to retain a University schedule for preliminary exams, faculty should reference the table below, which provides alternative dates for prelims scheduled after March 13, 2020. Due to the broad range of time-zones and internet accessibility by students, faculty must provide for a minimum window of 24 hours over which students may take their exam. Faculty who intend to administer a final exam should follow the original final exam schedule, pushed back by one week. Please be prepared to provide accommodations to students who may not have reliable access to the internet.

The table below maintains the original sequencing for prelims as much as possible. The April 21 course drop deadline extension allows for a significant number of prelims to be held before that deadline. In classes where the adjusted prelim date is after April 21, it is important to provide students with the feedback they need to make an informed decision about whether to drop the course or change the grade option.

If you need to make accommodations for students, or otherwise seek to move their prelim exam to a Monday or Wednesday, you should communicate with your students in advance to determine the number of conflicts that may be created.

Thank you for considering these recommendations for the success and welfare of our students.

Take care,

Don Viands
Associate Dean, Academic Programs