After evidence that the academic policies committee of University Senate may not approve Student Senate’s resolution which would allow students to take final exams early, it now may pass the resolution.
Craig Smith, director of Student Senate’s academic affairs commission, feared the resolution was dead because the academic policies committee was questioning its language.
The resolution states that students should be allowed to take an exam early if they have a death in the family, illness, military obligation, three or more exams in one day; or a commitment to participate in an NCAA post-season tournament.
The academic policies committee discussed whether the list should be all-inclusive with detailed examples, which Smith said would be unrealistic.
After its Tuesday meeting, the committee decided to wait a week before voting on the resolution so they can review it and make sure there were no obvious reasons that a student should be able to take an exam early that are missing from the list.
The resolution came about from students, such as senior senator Janel Soppeland, who plays Blugold basketball and doesn’t think it is fair for students who miss exams for tournaments to have to take them during the summer.
Smith said he thinks the committee will vote on the issue next week and it then will go before University Senate.
“It is very consistent with what we wanted in the Student Senate resolution, so frankly I’m overjoyed with what happened,” he said. “It took me by surprise and it is exactly what I was looking for.”
The resolution also would make students go through the associative dean, rather than just their professor, to get approval to take an exam early.
Two years ago, academic policies proposed a similar policy, but where the decision would be strictly between students and faculty. University Senate turned down the proposal.
“I really hope the University Senate passes the resolution as it stands right now,” Smith said. “I think it’d be great for students overall and I think it’d make life a lot easier.”
