Re: Discontinuation of in-person exams
December 10, 2021
To all students, faculty, and staff,
Today, Nova Scotia Public Health announced a new isolation policy that significantly affects our ability to deliver in-person exams. For clarity, Public Health reiterated that in-person exams are safe; however, this new province-wide change will almost assuredly increase the number of students required to isolate and test, affecting their ability to attend an in-person exam. Staff and faculty are likely to be impacted as well.
You can find the updated policy here.
Due to this policy change, the University has decided to discontinue in-person exams during the December exam period effective Saturday, December 11. Faculty members are asked to change to an alternate delivery format, whether online or take-home, where possible. For those courses where such a change is impractical, faculty members will need to defer the in-person exam until January.
This evening, we are reaching out directly to faculty members who are scheduled to deliver in-person exams tomorrow to ensure they are aware of the change. For members of faculty who are still scheduled to deliver in-person exams, we ask that you please contact your students, the Dean, and Registrar as soon as possible to indicate whether you are deferring your exam until January or changing your exam to a different delivery mode. Please be advised that students still have the option to defer their exam(s) until January, regardless of delivery mode.
I recognize and regret that the decision to convert to online exams with such little notice may cause additional stress and challenge at an already stressful and challenging time. However, it is important to comply with this latest directive from Public Health officials and continue to follow their lead.
Sincerely,
TIMOTHY W. HYNES (he/him)
ACADEMIC VICE-PRESIDENT & PROVOST (Acting)
St. Francis Xavier University
Antigonish, Nova Scotia · Canada
I acknowledge that StFX is located in Mi’kma’ki, the ancestral and unceded territory of the Mi’kmaq People.
