Administration of Examinations

Upon the completion of each course, other than those where the final grade is based upon the submission of a paper, a written examination is administered which determines the student’s final grade for the course. Each student must be present for the examination unless excused. An excused failure to take the examination will result in a grade of INC (incomplete) on the student’s transcript until the course requirements are satisfied. An unexcused failure to take the examination will result in a grade of F for the course.

The Law School has adopted procedures to guarantee the integrity of the examination process and to prevent dishonesty. The examinations are proctored under the supervision of the Law School administration. The Law School makes every effort to assure that examinations are fairly and honestly administered. The same fairness and honesty is expected from the students. Any incidents involving cheating or breach of examination procedures will be dealt with promptly in accordance with the Professional Misconduct Grievance Procedures set forth in Appendix “B.”

The following procedures must be followed:

  1. Students are expected to be on time for final examinations. Be advised that a student may enter the examination room up to one-half hour after the starting time but will be granted NO EXTRA TIME to complete the examination.
  2. Beginning with the Summer 2004 semester all students are required to sign in with the hall proctors BEFORE entering their assigned examination room. Photo ID must be presented to the proctor at this time. Students will sign out at the end of the examination, as usual.
  3. Books, notes and/or other papers are to be left along the perimeter of the examination room unless otherwise permitted by the professor for an open-book exam.
  4. Cellular telephones/beepers are not permitted in the examination room absent exceptional circumstances, i.e., physicians, expectant parents, etc. Such exceptional circumstances must be brought to the Registrar’s attention prior to the administration of the examination.
  5. Proctors will ensure that students do not leave the examination room during an exam. When circumstances dictate the need for an exception, a proctor will accompany the student to the appropriate location.
  6. Students who leave and return to an examination room will be required to sign out when leaving, noting the time, and the same procedure will be employed upon the student’s return.
  7. If for some reason, a student is not able to take a final examination at the specified time, the student should advise the Assistant Dean or the Registrar. UNDER NO CIRCUMSTANCES SHOULD A STUDENT CONTACT THE PROFESSOR REGARDING ABSENCE FROM AN EXAMINATION.
  8. In case of an emergency, which requires evacuation of the building, proctors will tell students to stop work immediately when the alarm sounds. It is imperative that all students follow this directive. If an when the students are allowed to return to the building, they are NOT to begin work on the examination until the proctors inform the students of the amount of additional time to be given to complete the examination. All students in a given classroom will resume work on their test at the same time. This procedure assures that all students will get the same amount of additional time to complete their exams.

A mandatory anonymous grading procedure is utilized whereby no student may indicate his or her name in any way on answer booklets and true-false/multiple choice answer sheets. In midsemester, the Registrar assigns each student a number which will constitute the student’s examination number for the semester. That number must be placed on all essay booklets and answer sheets. A master list is maintained by the Registrar, who converts numbers to names as the last step of the grading process. New anonymous grading numbers are assigned for each semester. Both answer booklets and examination question papers are collected following each examination. Examination question papers, which will be identified by the student’s anonymous grading number, may be returned at the conclusion of the examination period at a student’s request and with the faculty member’s permission. Accordingly, no examination question papers will be released to students (including the library and the SBA) until the last rescheduled examination has been administered.

In grading essay booklets or reviewing true-false or multiple choice results, the professor receives nothing which bears a student’s name or the key for conversion of a number into a name. The professor will receive a master grading sheet for the course containing only the examination numbers of all those taking the course. Additions or subtractions to the final grade based on class performance are submitted separately to the administrative office and are incorporated by the Registrar at the time of conversion from number to name.

No grade will be posted until all exams (including exams administered on the make-up day) have been completed.

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