Faculty Policy Series #10

Examinations, Final Grades, and Student Absences

  1. Faculty are strongly encouraged to provide students with graded feedback on their performance as early in the semester as possible and before the deadline for a grade of W. See hofstra.edu/sfs/sfs_deadlines.html for the grade of W and other deadlines. In general, the final grade should take all work graded by the instructor into account. The faculty member’s policy for establishing the final grade must be clearly stated in the syllabus. Any change in grading policy that occurs during the semester from that established in the syllabus should be communicated in writing to students enrolled in the course (e.g., via email, posting on the Canvas site, hardcopy handout).

  2. Final examinations shall normally be given during the time scheduled by the Office of Academic Records. All classes must meet during the scheduled final examination period.

  3. Faculty shall grade, as promptly as possible, all student papers and examinations. The final examination shall be retained for one year.

  4. Final grades shall be recorded with the Office of Academic Records no later than December 29 for the fall semester and the first Friday after graduation for the spring semester.

  5. Information regarding student’s grades, courses, GPA, 700#, and other personal information will not be released without the student’s written consent. The University will not provide directory information for specific students who formally request that such information be withheld from all third parties, including military recruiters. A form to request nondisclosure of this information must be filed by the student. This form is available at the Office of Academic Records or can be downloaded from Hofstra’s website.

  6. See the current University Bulletin for procedures for handling incomplete grades.

  7. Individual faculty members determine policies regarding missed quizzes and exams. If a student is unable to take a regularly scheduled final examination because of circumstances beyond his or her control, the student must obtain permission from the instructor to take a postponed examination. Such permission should not be unreasonably withheld. Faculty are not required to provide make-up opportunities for students absent from quizzes and/or examinations during regularly scheduled classes. The rules and procedures governing the documentation of excused absences described in FPS#48 are also applicable here.

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FPS #10
(rev. 2017)