Dear Colleagues,
As the fall of 2023 draws to a close, I write to remind you of aspects of our academic regulations that are particularly pertinent at the end of each semester.
End-of-Semester Assignments
The current Faculty Handbook states that “Work in all courses, including independents, must be completed by the last day of classes, so that faculty can grade papers and students can study during the review period prior to exams … [E]very class, with the exception of senior seminars, will have one and only one major assignment due or exam take place at the time set by the Registrar for the final exam.”
Please be mindful that granting students extensions to assignments due late in the semester often leads to greater challenges during final exam week. Please follow Handbook guidelines when considering such extensions or later due dates, including that “All other coursework must be submitted by 5 p.m. on the last day of classes.”
Unless an incomplete has been granted in advance by an administrative dean, please do not agree to evaluate any work submitted beyond the last day of finals.
Incompletes
Please note the procedures students must follow in order to receive an incomplete in a course (Colgate Catalogue chapter VII: Academic Regulations). Incompletes will be granted 1) only in unusual cases, such as illness or absence necessitated by an emergency, 2) only by the administrative dean after consultation with the instructor of the course, and 3) prior to the scheduled final exam/project for the specific course. Faculty do not grant incompletes. Normally the administrative deans cannot authorize an incomplete after the last day of final exams, so please be sure to communicate with them regarding potential incompletes before the end of finals week.
Final Examinations
If a student fails to appear for a scheduled final examination or fails to submit a final assignment by the scheduled time during exam week (see Handbook language on final exams and assignments), the faculty member should immediately inform the student's administrative dean. If there is a bona fide reason for the student's missing the exam, and after consulting with the faculty member, the administrative dean may authorize an incomplete grade. If not, you should submit the final course grade based on a failing grade on the final. In any event, please contact the administrative dean and resolve the matter prior to turning in your grades for the course.
Submission of Grades
Final grades for all students must be entered online via the portal/Faculty Dashboard by 9 a.m. on Wednesday, December 27, 2023. You are urged to submit your final grades well in advance of the deadline if possible. Late grade submission creates complex problems for both students and faculty and must be avoided.
Grade Changes
Once a grade has been posted to a student’s transcript, grades may be changed only by following the process outlined in the Faculty Handbook. Requests for a grade change must be based on reevaluation of work completed by the student during the term. No student work may be accepted after the last day of the semester. Grade changes are now submitted electronically through the portal, and instructions may be found on the Registrar Information for Faculty page.
Thank you for all the diligent effort it will take to bring this semester to a successful conclusion.
Sincerely,
Douglas Johnson
Douglas N. Johnson, Ph.D. (he, him, his)
Associate Dean of Faculty for Curricular and Academic Affairs
William R. Kenan Jr. Professor of Psychological and Brain Sciences
Colgate University