** NOTE: THESE PROCEDURES DO NOT COME INTO EFFECT UNTIL SEPTEMBER 1, 2013 **

1.0 Reason for Procedures

To set out procedures secondary to the Policy entitled "Final Examinations and Final Grades", in connection with deferred examinations and supplemental examinations.


2.0 Procedures

2.1 Deferred Examinations

2.1.1 A deferred examination is a privilege that may be granted to a student who is unexpectedly unable to write an examination as scheduled or a student who knows in advance that he or she is unable to write an examination at the scheduled time. Making a false or misleading claim may be considered an offence under the Student Discipline Bylaw. Penalties may range from a failed grade in the course to suspension or expulsion.

2.1.2 Students who are unable to write an examination due to an unexpected illness must file an application for a deferred examination with the advising office of the faculty, school, or academic unit (including University 1 or Extended Education) in which they are registered, setting out the reasons for the deferral. The application must normally be filed within forty-eight (48) hours of the scheduled date of the missed examination or, in a case where more than one examination was missed, within forty-eight (48) hours of the scheduled date of the last examination missed. The application must be accompanied by a medical certificate or otherwise appropriate documentation certifying the reason for the deferral, the inability of the student to write the examination at the regular scheduled time and, where possible, an indication of the period of incapacity. Based on the evidence, the Dean or Director shall decide whether the application is approved. Based on the student’s ongoing incapacity or other exceptional circumstances a deferral may be granted to a student who files an application after the forty-eight (48) hour period has lapsed.

2.1.3 Students may request a deferred examination(s) on the grounds that they are unable to write said examination(s) due to:

a) participation in an inter-university, provincial, inter-provincial, national or international scholastic or athletic event;

b) religious obligations; or

c) a medical condition.

Students requesting a deferred examination due to a known condition as listed above must file an application normally twenty (20) working days prior to the day of the scheduled examination with the advising office of the faculty, school, or academic unit (including University 1 or Extended Education) in which they are registered.

2.1.4 Initial approval of all deferred examinations by the student’s faculty, school, or academic unit shall be conditional upon verification that the student has completed all required components of the course and that it is mathematically possible for the student to pass the course by writing the final examination. Approval will be rescinded if these conditions are not met.

2.1.5 Any students requesting a deferred examination(s) on the grounds that said examination(s) conflict(s) with vacation or holiday plans shall not normally be granted a deferral.

2.1.6 If a student becomes ill or receives word of a family emergency during the course of an examination and is unable to continue, the student must report at once to the Chief Invigilator, hand in the examination, and indicate either that they wish to submit their examination paper as: (1) completed; or (2) not completed and with the right to request a deferred examination. The Chief Invigilator must record all notifications. Students leaving an examination early in compliance with this section are eligible to apply for a deferred examination under the provisions of section 2.1.2. Only students who do not complete the examination and who notify the Chief Invigilator of the reason they cannot complete the examination shall be eligible to apply for a deferred examination.

2.1.7 No faculty, school, or academic unit shall have regulations that compel students to accept deferrals for any or all examinations or examination series.

2.1.8 When an application for a deferred examination is approved by the faculty, school, or academic unit, the head of the unit in which the course is offered, in consultation with the instructor concerned, shall schedule the deferred examination to take place normally within thirty (30) working days from the end of the examination series from which the examination was deferred, taking into account the following:

a) If a deferred final examination is granted for a course that is a pre-requisite to another course or courses, students may be permitted to remain registered in those affected courses. However, if the examination is written after the revision deadline and the pre-requisite course is not satisfied, the student will be withdrawn from all courses requiring it. Faculties, schools, and academic units are encouraged to schedule deferred examinations in pre-requisite courses early in a term to ensure that results are available prior to the course revision deadline.

b) Faculties, schools, and academic units are requested to schedule deferred examinations as soon as possible for potential graduands so that final grades may be available in sufficient time to meet planned graduation deadlines.

2.1.9 In the event students are unable to write the examination as outlined in section 2.1.8 the following may take place:

a) the deferred examination shall be written at the next scheduled examination series in which the course is offered (unless the faculty, school, or academic unit chooses to make other arrangements); subsequent requests for re-deferral may result in the student being denied registration in the current or a future term until all outstanding examination obligations have been completed;

b) the head of the academic unit in which the course is offered, in consultation with the instructor concerned, may assign a grade without examination. In such cases, the grades shall be assigned on the basis of the term work and assignments. Faculty or School Councils shall establish the procedure by which such a decision will be implemented.

c) the deferred examination must be written within a time frame that enables the examination to be written and graded, and, if necessary, a supplemental examination to be written and graded, before the start of the next academic term in such cases in which the progression rules of the student’s program require the successful completion of an entire academic year before a student is eligible to proceed in the next academic year.

2.1.10 A student who accepts standing in a course without examination may not, at a later date, request permission to write a deferred examination in the course.

2.1.11 Students who, for medical reasons, withdraw from a program or receive deferred examination privileges for all final examination series, or who fail to write deferred examinations as scheduled, may be prevented by the faculty, school or academic unit from reregistration until they have established, through appropriate medical consultation, their fitness to resume studies.

2.2 Supplemental Examinations

2.2.1 Supplemental Examinations are offered by some faculties to students who have not achieved the minimum result in required courses. Within the conditions established by the student’s faculty, a student who is granted a Supplemental Examination is given the opportunity to rewrite a final examination. The impact of a supplemental examination on the final grade is to be determined by regulations within the faculty.

2.2.2 The results of supplemental examinations must be reported to the faculty or school council.

3.0 Accountability

3.1 The University Secretary is responsible for advising the President that a formal review of these Procedures is required.

3.2 The Vice-President (Academic) and Provost is responsible for the communication, administration and interpretation of these Procedures.

4.0 Review

4.1 Formal Procedure reviews will be conducted every ten (10) years. The next scheduled review date for these Procedure is September 1, 2023.

4.2 In the interim, these Procedures may be revised or rescinded if:

(a) the Approving Body deems necessary; or

(b) the relevant Bylaw, Regulation(s) or Policy is revised or rescinded.

5.0 Effect on Previous Statements

5.1 These Procedures supersede the following:

(a) all previous Board/Senate Procedures, and resolutions on the subject matter contained herein; and

(b) all previous Administration Procedures, and resolutions on the subject matter contained herein; and

(c) all previous Faculty/School Council Procedures stemming from the Faculty/School Council Bylaw and academic and admission Regulations

6.0 Cross References

Student Discipline Bylaw
Final Examinations and Final Grades Policy
Final Examinations Procedures
Final Grades Procedures