PLEASE READ THE MESSAGE BELOW IN ITS ENTIRETY AS IT CONTAINS INFORMATION RELATED TO THE UPCOMING EXAM SCHEDULE
To faculty and students,
Many faculty and students have raised concerns about the university’s plans to proceed with in-person exams during the COVID outbreak. Other members of the campus community have contacted us and expressed support for proceeding as originally scheduled.
The university has been in regular contact with Nova Scotia Public Health officials and they have assured us that proceeding with an in-person exam schedule can be done in a safe way. However, we know that because of recent events, a number of students would not be able to attend in-person exams due to isolation requirements. We are also aware that some faculty and students are very uncomfortable taking part in these in-person exams settings despite reassurances from Public Health that it is safe to do so.
Taking the various perspectives in mind, the university has decided to:
1) Allow faculty members to proceed with in-person exams, as scheduled for the courses where such a format is most appropriate. In this case, students who are unable to attend, and those who would be uncomfortable to write in-person, will be able to defer/postpone the exam until January.
2) Allow any faculty member who would like to move their exam on-line, or to a take-home format, to do so. There is no directive provided by the university to move to on-line or take home exams. It will be an option and at the discretion of each faculty member.
PLEASE BE AWARE:
FOR STUDENTS
Students must be mindful that their in-person scheduled exam will proceed at the time and date currently scheduled unless their instructor has made them aware of a change in the mode of delivery. In other words, if students have not been contacted by their professor of a change, the exam remains as per the original exam schedule. If students are unable to attend, or choose to defer this exam until January, they must notify their instructor immediately. They will not need a formal deferral from their Dean.
FOR FACULTY
a) Faculty are required to notify their students, their Dean, and the University Registrar should there be any changes in their exam delivery mode.
b) Faculty members who move to a synchronous on-line exam must ensure it aligns with the date/time of the pre-existing exam schedule.
c) Faculty members who move to an asynchronous on-line exam must ensure the deadline for completion is consistent with the originally scheduled exam time.
d) Faculty members who opt to change to a take home exam must ensure the deadline for submission is consistent with the originally scheduled exam time.
In summary, in all cases students will have the option to write their exam in the format chosen by the professor, OR for those who are uncomfortable or unable to write in December, may elect to write in January.
Further details surrounding January exams will be forthcoming.
Timothy W. Hynes, PhD
Academic Vice-President and Provost (Acting)
StFX University
