Exam Policies and Procedures

Academic Integrity

• All students are subject to the School of Law Academic Integrity Code (see Student Handbook).
• It is a violation of the Code to:
  • give, seek or receive information, answers or solutions to exams
  • divulge questions or answers, or comment upon the substantive nature of the exam under circumstances in which a person could use the information to improve their performance on the same exam
  • use resources not authorized by the faculty member
  • discuss a take-home exam with another person or to work with another person on a take-home exam without the faculty member's permission
  • violate any other rules established to ensure the integrity of the exam
  • enter a faculty office, secretarial area, or other area with the intent to obtain a copy of an exam (except when authorized).
• Every student will be expected to read and sign a document that outlines Examination Rules and the Academic Integrity Code before they may begin their exam.

Accommodated and Modified Exams

• Accommodations for students with documented disabilities will be arranged on a case-by-case basis. Please see pg. 75 of the Student Handbook for an overview of our polices. To submit an application for accommodation, complete the School of Law Disability Accommodation Request Form.
• Exam modifications are also available for pregnancy. Please see pg. 23 of the Student Handbook and contact the Associate Dean for Student Development or Disability Services Coordinator to request modification.
• Exam modifications may also be available for ELL students. Please see pg. 77 of the Student Handbook and complete the ELL Extended Time Modification Request Form.
• Please initiate requests for accommodation or modification as early in the semester as possible.
• Accommodated or modified exam schedules will be emailed to you at least 2 weeks prior to the start of the examination period.

Alternate Exams

• To be eligible for alternate exams, a course must have 25 or more enrolled students. Remote and 1L courses are not eligible for Alternate Exams at this time.
• To be scheduled, at least seven students must opt for the alternate exam.
• Each faculty member has discretion to offer this option.
• Alternate exam request forms will be available one month before the exam period begins.
• Students must first obtain approval from their professor and then contact the Registrar’s Office, who must approve the date and time.
• Alternate exams are not permitted in summer semester courses.

Exam Codes

• Every semester, each student is assigned a unique four-digit exam number per exam session (midterms and finals). This number will be emailed to the students’ @seattleu.edu account at least 2 weeks prior to the exam.
• Use this number in place of your name; it is also used as your password for ExamSoft (“su” and then your exam code).
• Your code changes each semester. If a course holds a midterm assessment administered by the Registrar’s Office, a separate code will be generated and communicated per midterm exam.
• If you lose or forget your exam number, go to the Exam Office with a valid form of identification (student ID, driver’s license, state ID, military ID or passport). You may also email lawreg@seattleu.edu from your SU email address. Under no circumstances will exam numbers be given via telephone.

Permitted & Prohibited Items

• For in-person exams, students are strongly encouraged to bring a laptop to take the exam. If you choose to write your exam, you will be supplied with blue books, scratch paper, and an objective answer sheet (if applicable). Students using a laptop will still be given scratch paper.

*Always make sure to take the mock exam to replicate the testing environment you’ll be in for the exam. Examplify software will usually allow access to cloud-based notes and e-books when the exam is “Unsecure”. External hardware/devices, such as keyboards or mice typically work in a “Secure” environment if they are connected before starting the Examplify software. Tech Support will not be available for device troubleshooting during exam periods so be prepared to use your default equipment.

Laptop Usage

• To use your laptop computer, you must install ExamSoft software, which is a program that allows you to use your laptop as a simple word processor while blocking access to all stored files during the exam administration.
• Additional external hardware/devices, such as wired or wireless keyboards/mice or secondary monitors are typically useable in the exam environment. However, any devices that might be a distraction, such as mechanical keyboards, are not allowed.
• Mock exams will be created and distributed to students prior to each exam period. The Registrar’s Office strongly encourages students to use these mock testing environments to ensure that their computer and device set-ups work correctly well before the start of the exam when Technology staff are less available.
• ExamSoft download instructions will be emailed prior to the exam period. For technical difficulties, contact the Bao Campbell (bao@seattleu.edu) and the Office of the Registrar (lawreg@seattleu.edu).

Rescheduling Exams

Exam Conflict Policies

• No student shall be required to take exams during consecutive exam periods, such as two in the same day, an evening exam followed by a morning exam, or three exams in three days (see Student Handbook).
• Exams on two consecutive days do not constitute a conflict.
• Rescheduled exams must be taken during the next exam period in which no conflict exists between the first day and the last day of exams.
• Exams cannot be rescheduled for a date that precedes the scheduled date (or the alternate exam date, if applicable).

Exam Conflict Forms

• Students will be notified when conflict forms are available.
• After returning your completed form to the Registrar, you will receive email confirmation. Your new exam schedule will be emailed to you at least 1 week prior to the start of the examination period.

Emergencies

• If an emergency arises prior to a scheduled exam, you must contact the Associate Dean of Student Affairs. You are also encouraged to email lawreg@seattleu.edu, but not required.
• In all cases, you must submit a statement explaining the nature of the emergency.
• Do not contact your professor; they are not responsible for rescheduling exams. Attempts to contact a faculty member may jeopardize the anonymous grading system.

Illness During the Exam

• If you cannot complete an exam due to illness, you must notify the proctor of the nature and seriousness of the illness.
• The proctor will note the time and your exam number and collect the exam and any written work.
• Report to the Exam Coordinator for further instructions.
• It is better to defer an exam than to start it and have to leave.

Reviewing Exam Responses

• Exam review is coordinated by faculty administrative assistants.
• After exams have been returned to faculty offices, notification of exam review procedures will be sent to students.
• Course grading materials are retained by the course professor. Questions about grading, including calculation, curves, and ranges, can only be released by the course professor at their discretion.

Technology Issues

• It is important to always ensure all computer updates are downloaded and installed prior to the exam. After confirming computer updates, download and install the most current Examplify software. This information will be emailed prior to your first exam.
• Mock Exams are created for most in-person and remote exam settings. We strongly encourage you to take 5 minutes to make sure your set-up works in the same testing environment you will be in BEFORE you show up for the exam. Contact Technology Services in advance to resolve issues.
• During an in-person exam, if you experience a technology issue, raise your hand to notify the proctor. They will note the time and contact on-site Tech Support. While Tech Support responds and tries to resolve any issues, you should continue to work on your exam. If a solution will take longer than 10 minutes, Tech will direct you to the Exam Coordinator in the Exam Office while they take your computer to resolve the issue. You will receive that lost time when your computer is returned to you if a solution takes longer than 10 minutes.