Section Contents

1. Final Exams Generally
2. Anonymous Grading
3. Laptop Test Taking
4. Fully Closed-Book Exams
5. Communication Prohibited
6. Academic Misconduct
7. Departure from the Exam Room
8. Failure to Return Exam Materials
9. Exam Times
10. Late Arrival to an Exam
11. Scheduling of Exams
12. Handwritten Exam Answers
13. Reading Period
14. Exam Accommodations

Adopted 11/2022.

A. Final Exams Generally

Final exams are administered at the end of each semester on a schedule published each academic year. In no event may a student drop a course after the distribution to that student of the final exam in the course. The following policies apply to centrally-administered final exams using the College of Law’s exam proctoring software. Other forms of assessment are governed by the course policies set by the instructor.

B. Anonymous Grading

Before taking an exam, each student will receive an identification number. Students must not use any other identifying information on their examination materials. Exam answers provided to instructors for grading will contain only the student’s identification number as an identifier.

Each instructor will submit a grade for each identification number. To preserve anonymous grading, students may not discuss the exam with their instructors until the exam has been graded and exam grades provided to the Registrar. After the exam grade is provided to the Registrar, the instructor will receive from the Registrar the student names corresponding to each identification number. The instructor may then assign class participation or other non-anonymous grading components consistent with announced course policy and submit grades to the Registrar.

C. Laptop Test Taking

Students will type their examination answers on a laptop computer equipped with pre-purchased exam software specified by the Registrar. If students’ hardware or software malfunctions during an exam they should begin to handwrite the remainder of their exam answers. Exam blue books will be available in each room. Students who experience hardware or software malfunctions will not receive additional time to complete their answers. To preserve the integrity of the exam process, students may not bring any other electronic devices into the exam room unless expressly permitted by their instructor. Access to class notes, outlines, or any other reference materials during an exam is governed by individual course policies set by the instructor.

D. Fully Closed-Book Exams

If an instructor designates an exam as closed-book, students may have only pens, pencils, and a laptop at their desk during the exam. Any other personal belongings must be placed at the front of the room. All materials provided for the exam must be returned at the end of the exam.

E. Communication Prohibited

Students may not communicate about the exam with anyone other than exam administration staff during an exam.

F. Academic Misconduct

Student conduct during exams is subject to the Policy on Misconduct. Students who believe they have observed exam-related academic misconduct should immediately contact the Dean of Students, a proctor, or a member of the Dean’s Office staff.

G. Departure from the Exam Room

Students should make every effort to remain in the exam room during the exam because departures can disrupt others. If students must leave the exam room, they must leave the exam questions, answers, and all other items in the exam room. Before departing from the exam room, students must sign out with the proctor and sign in upon return. Absences from the exam room should be few and brief and conducted in accordance with the following guidelines:

1. To avoid the appearance of impropriety, students who have left an exam room may not communicate with others about the exam;
2. Students may not access any exam-related materials during this period;
3. Students who finish their exams with fifteen or fewer minutes remaining in the exam may not leave the exam room early.

H. Failure to Return Exam Materials

After completing an exam and before leaving the exam room, students shall identify any physical exam materials with their exam number and return them to the proctor. Such materials include: the exam questions, answer book, answer sheet, and scratch paper. Failure to return the exam materials may be considered academic misconduct.

I. Exam Times

Students should be in the appropriate room prepared to receive instructions at the scheduled time for the exam to begin.

J. Late Arrival to an Exam

Students who begin an exam after the scheduled start time will not receive additional time to complete the exam unless the professor expressly permits.

K. Scheduling of Exams

1. Initial scheduling of exams

   Final exams shall be scheduled by the Registrar in consultation with course instructors. The Registrar shall try to minimize exam conflicts, including by making reasonable efforts to schedule courses that meet at the same time into the same exam time slot.

2. Rescheduling of Exams

   In all cases where make-up exams may be permitted by these rules, students must follow the deadlines for requesting alternate exam dates as sent out in notices from the Dean’s office. Late submissions will require special permission from the Associate Dean of Student Affairs to receive a rescheduled date.

   1. Unexpected Absences from Exams

      If, before or during an exam, a student believes they are unable to take or complete the exam because of serious illness, emergency, or personal tragedy, the student must immediately report the inability to the Dean of Students. Otherwise, it will be considered insufficient grounds for the granting of permission to take the exam at a later time. An unexcused absence from an exam shall result in a grade of zero on the exam. Any request for make-up accommodations due to unexpected absence should include written verification of the event that caused the absence including medical notes to support the request.

   2. Rescheduling for Exam Conflicts

      Students who have more than one exam scheduled for the same day, or three or more exams scheduled on consecutive calendar days, may request to reschedule an exam.

      If a student is permitted to reschedule an exam, they will receive notification from the Exam Coordinator designating which exam will be taken on the next available makeup date. The policy is as follows:

      1. If a student has two exams on one day, the course with lower enrollment will be rescheduled (i.e. larger classes are kept intact).  If there is already a conflict on the makeup date, the following makeup date will be used instead. 
      2. If a student requests a rescheduling due to three or more exams on consecutive calendar days, the third exam will be rescheduled to the makeup date.

   3. Observation of Religious Holidays

      Rescheduling of exams that conflict with religious holy days is governed by the University of Iowa Policy Manual. Requests under that policy should be made in writing and directed to the Associate Dean for Student Affairs.

   4. Other Scheduled Events

      To preserve the integrity of the exam process, requests to reschedule exams to allow students to attend other events will be approved only in highly extraordinary circumstances. To be considered, requests must include the following information:

      1. Description of a significant life event requiring the student’s attendance;
      2. Statement describing the degree to which the student had a role in scheduling the event; and
      3. Evidence establishing that the student notified the Associate Dean of Student Affairs at the earliest 

      Only in extraordinary circumstances, and only with the permission of the instructor, will the Associate Dean of Student Affairs approve a request to schedule a make-up exam to occur before the regularly scheduled exam.

   5. Academic Conduct and Rescheduled/Makeup Exams

      Any student who has been excused from a regularly scheduled exam must refrain from discussing the content of the missed exam with anyone and must not receive any information about the content of the missed exam. Immediately before taking a make-up exam, the student must certify the following:

      I understand that I was permitted to reschedule this exam on the condition that I have not received any information about it. I now certify that I have neither discussed the contents of this exam nor received any information about the exam.

      I understand that the Policy on Misconduct prohibits cheating on exams. Violation of this policy may subject me to disciplinary action.

   6. Grading policy for Make-Up and Rescheduled Exams

      To preserve the anonymity of students who are taking a makeup exam, exam administrators will, whenever practicable, retain two additional completed exams until all makeup exams have been completed.

L. Handwritten Exam Answers

Handwritten exam answers are not permitted except in the event of a computer hardware or software malfunction during the exam or an approved accommodation for a disability.

M. Reading Period

Whenever possible, the Dean will set aside one to three days for a study period between the end of regular classes and the first regularly scheduled upper class exam.

N. Exam Accommodations

1. Accommodations for students with limited English proficiency

   Students at a substantial disadvantage taking an exam within the specified time limits by reason of limited English proficiency may receive additional time to complete an examination commensurate with the extent of the disadvantage and/or may be allowed the use of a language dictionary during the exam.  A student seeking such an accommodation must make a request to the Dean or Dean’s designate by the deadline announced each semester.  After consulting with the faculty member teaching the course, the Dean or Dean’s designate will then determine the extent, if any, of accommodation for the student.

   The Dean or Dean’s Designate will inform the faculty annually of the number of students who received accommodations under this policy during the preceding academic year.

2. Disability-related accommodations

   See the Policy on Accommodations for Students with Disabilities (section XIV of the Academic Policies and Procedures).