The Subcommittee on Examination and Term Regulations was asked to "re-examine current Faculty regulations governing the administration of quizzes, tests, and examinations during the regular term as well as the Faculty regulations governing the end of term." Specifically the Subcommittee looked at seven areas: term and end-of-term regulations, evening examinations, take-home examinations, governance of examination policy, procedures to deal with violations, suggestions for informing faculty members of the regulations, and changes to Rules and Regulations of the Faculty.
The Subcommittee's Findings and Recommendations are in Section IV of the full report, which follows this summary. This summary includes only proposed regulation changes. In the full report, the Subcommittee also endorses continuation of a number of existing regulations.
The Subcommittee's report was first presented to the faculty on May 19, 1999, so that there could be discussion before the vote of the faculty on this report. As a result of that discussion, the Subcommittee has amended some of its recommendations. These changes are noted in Section IV.
1. Announcement of Assignments at Beginning of Term
In each undergraduate subject faculty members must provide to students, by the end of the first week of classes, a clear and complete description of the required work, including the number and kinds of assignments, the approximate schedule for tests, whether or not there will be a final examination, the due dates for major projects, and the grading criteria and procedures to be used. By the end of the third week, faculty members must provide the precise schedule of tests and major assignments.
Currently, during the first three weeks of classes, instructors are to provide a clear and complete description of the requirements in each subject, including the due dates for required work, the schedule of examinations during the term, whether there will be a final examination, and the grading criteria and procedures to be used. Major assignments are to be made early enough to allow students the opportunity to manage their time effectively throughout the term.
2. Testing during Last Week of the Term
No tests may be held in undergraduate subjects after the Friday preceding the start of reading period, to be called the Last Test Date. Instead, all testing at the end of semester in undergraduate subjects must be conducted during the final examination period.
Currently, comprehensive examinations are to be held during the final examination period. The Friday preceding the reading period is defined as the Final Exercise Date for subjects with finals. Tests covering the last section of a subject may be scheduled after the Final Exercise Date, provided there is no other assignment during that period and the subject does not have an examination during the finals period.
3. No End-of-Term Assignment in a Subject with a Final
In an undergraduate subject with testing during the finals period, no assignment may fall due after the Last Test Date. Optional assignments during the last week are for self-study, and may not be used toward part of the grade in the subject, even for extra points or as substitutes for earlier assignments. Normal background reading in preparation for lectures or class discussions is permitted.
Currently, no assignment may fall due in the last week but there is no regulation about optional assignments.
4. One End-of-Term Assignment for a Subject without a Final
In an undergraduate subject without a final examination only one assignment may fall due after the Last Test Date. An oral presentation and written report based on the same project will be considered as one assignment. Optional assignments during the last week are for self-study, and may not be used toward part of the grade in the subject, even for extra points or as substitutes for earlier assignments. Normal background reading in preparation for lectures or discussions is permitted in addition to the assignment.
Currently, only one assignment may fall due.
1. Scheduling of Academic Exercises
a. For undergraduate subjects: No required academic exercises may be held between 5 p.m. Friday and 8 a.m. Monday.
Currently, no required academic exercises may be held between 1 p.m. Saturday and 8 a.m. Monday.
b. For undergraduate subjects: the regulation prohibiting required academic exercises between 5 p.m. and 7 p.m. Monday through Thursday should be retained but limited to the instructional periods of the fall and spring terms. "Optional" review sessions should not be scheduled during this time, and if a conflict test is scheduled during this time, the instructor must offer an alternative to students who request it. Evening tests scheduled outside class time should begin no earlier than 7:30 p.m. Evening tests may not be held on Monday evenings.
Currently, evening tests may start at 7 p.m. They may not be held on Monday evenings, and it is "preferable" that they not be offered on Wednesday evenings.
2. Reduction in Class Time and Work When Test Is Added
When an evening test or other test outside class time is scheduled, a regularly scheduled class hour (lecture or recitation) shall be cancelled, or no assignment shall fall due within the two calendar days preceding the test, on the day of the test, and during the remainder of that calendar week.
Currently, during the week of an evening test either a class hour shall be cancelled or, alternatively, no homework shall fall due during that week.
For undergraduate subjects the length of tests scheduled outside class times during the term shall not exceed 2 hours.
Currently, an evening test must be the equivalent of a quiz that could be given in a normal class period.
Ex camera (out-of-room) finals may be held in undergraduate subjects with the permission of the Chair of the Faculty. The following restrictions apply: the ex camera final must be scheduled through the Schedules Office; the ex camera final must be offered over the course of a single afternoon, starting at 1:30 p.m. and ending no later than at 7:30 p.m.; and students must be permitted unrestricted use of resources, i.e., open book, open notes, etc. The faculty member must state expectations of the students, i.e., inform students what is and is not acceptable behavior during the course of taking an ex camera final. Ex camera examinations are intended to be a different mode of testing, not a way to double the amount of material covered in a conventional examination.
Currently, finals are given in assigned rooms and may be no longer than three hours. Take-home final examinations are not permitted.
Issues regarding assignments and examinations, including requests for exceptions to regulations and permission for ex camera examinations, should be referred to the Chair of the Faculty who will direct them to the appropriate committee. Exceptions to regulations and permissions for ex camera finals should be granted for no more than five years.
Currently, there is no designated recipient for requests. Exceptions to policies have been granted indefinitely.
Violations should be reported to the Chair of the Faculty, who will respond by contacting not only the faculty member whose actions are in question but also his or her Department Head.
Currently, violations are reported to the Chair of the Faculty, who contacts only the faculty member.
An educational campaign should be undertaken to raise faculty awareness of the relevant policies and regulations.
Rules and Regulations of the Faculty have been revised and are being submitted to the Faculty for approval, so that changes will go into effect beginning with the academic year 2000-2001. Policy statements should be revised for consistency, and the regulations governing examinations should be published so as to be readily accessible.
Examination practices should be monitored, and there should be periodic review of examination and term regulations. A committee designated by the Chair of the Faculty should undertake the first review four years after the new regulations are implemented.
Copyright
© 2000 Massachusetts Institute of Technology