Revised Final Evaluation Week Policy

Applies To:

Month/Year Posted: 
April, 2009
Policy Number: 
VPAA 08-06

At the request of the Academic Senate, and the endorsement of the President, approval has been granted to officially replace the current Final Evaluation Week Policy (2002) with a revised Final Evaluation Week Policy (#10-08/09-EP). The primary purpose of revising the policy is to bring it in line with the new syllabus policy and remove various logical inconsistencies in the old policy. The revised policy shall be printed in the Schedule of Classes, be added to the Faculty Handbook, and it will be the responsibility of the Office of Academic Affairs to disseminate reminders to the faculty before every semester. The revised Final Evaluation Week Policy will take effect beginning of Spring Semester of 2009.

  
HUMBOLDT STATE UNIVERSITY
 
Final Evaluation Week Policy
 
The following policy is intended to assist faculty to meet their responsibility to evaluate student achievement during the final evaluation period.
 
1.     Finals Week is part of the instructional period for a course. Consequently, student achievement shall be assessed during finals week in all courses, with the following exceptions:
 
a.     Courses involving laboratory or activity instruction only. They may have their final evaluations during the class’s designated time during the last week of class.
 
b.     Courses that are non-traditionally scheduled (weekend workshops, theater productions that last only 6 weeks, etc.).
 
2.     Classes which involve both lecture/discussion and laboratory/activity methods of instruction, shall use Finals Week for the lecture portion of the class and if a separate final evaluation of laboratory or activity instruction (e.g. laboratory practicum) is desired, it shall be given during the last week of class and shall not substitute for the final class evaluation. Students should not be expected to complete these types of finals outside of the normally designated times for the class.
 
3.     The designated hours allotted during the final evaluation week may be used for any number of summative or evaluative activities. They include, but are not limited to, traditional exams, presentations, portfolio sharing, performances, critiques, oral examinations, or, field trips. In-class final evaluation activities must occur during the final evaluation time designated for the course (not the week before). 
 
4.     The required submission date and time for take home examinations, final papers, or other out-of-class activities must fall no earlier than the designated final evaluation time slot for the course (student may voluntarily submit their work earlier).
 
5.     The final evaluation time and location designated for a course as published in the Schedule of Classes may not be changed except in special circumstances, which must be approved in writing by the Department Chair and Dean.  
 
6.     Students shall be informed of the nature of the final evaluation at the beginning of the semester.
 
7.     All faculty members shall remind their students of the final evaluation schedule as published in the Schedule of Classes. Faculty must include the dates and times of the final evaluation for the class in the course syllabus as specified by HSU’s Syllabus Policy. Any student who finds it impossible (for serious and compelling reasons) to participate on the date, time or place scheduled must make arrangements in advance with the instructor.
 
Passed, Academic Senate (Resolution #10-08/09-EP), December 9, 2008
Approved, President Richmond, February 9, 2009