Spring 2020 Final Exam Relief FAQ

The new policy, passed by Faculty Council and approved by the Provost on June 3, 2020, gives faculty three options for responding to the current crisis. These options are the following:

To award, at the student’s request, a final course grade on the basis of materials due by May 29, 2020, assuming that at least 70% of the graded materials, according to the learning goals of the course, had been submitted by that date.

To complete the course as expected, with the understanding that the final exams and/or projects may be determined optional by faculty, and all work submitted after May 29, 2020, cannot reduce the final grade.

To award, at the student’s request, an Incomplete (IN) without explanation and subject to all rules regarding incomplete grades, including a satisfactory record in the work already completed for the course. Faculty will clearly inform students about completing the material within a specific deadline, as per the IN policy. Note that degree conferral is June 22nd, and therefore graduating students would need to have their IN grade resolved prior to this date.

The faculty member determines which of the three options are available for a given class. Faculty must choose at least one of the three available options, but may also give students more than one option. The students can then choose whether or not they want to use that option or complete the quarter as previously planned.

• My professor is having us complete all of our assignments, even though we have completed over 70% of them. S/he said something about standards. Please explain.
  Professors (and DePaul) cannot waive standards that you will need to get your counseling or teaching license and these final assignments may be required to complete those standards. The assignments have to be completed so that we can testify that you have passed them.
• Can my professor increase the value of assignments so that the total reaches 70%.
  We believe that doing so violates the spirit of the option. There is not an official position on this, but, it should not negatively affect a student’s grade if it is done.
• Our professor has stated that only an incomplete will be offered. In this class, we have completed exactly 70% of the coursework. However, we still have a final exam, a project, and an assignment all due within 5 days.
  A faculty member may choose to offer only one option.
• My professor is only offering INC and grades until June 30 regardless of the persons situation at this time. If their final project is 35% of the grade in that 30% of the grade, does that mean they don’t have to follow any accommodations?
  A professor may choose to only implement the INC option. They do not have to waive final projects/exams.
• My professor is only offering an “incomplete” as an option and not the other two. So with final papers does that mean their grade cannot be decrease from what it is as is stated in one of the other options?
  This professor is not modifying the grading process for the class which is his/her right. S/he chose to only offer incompletes “without cause.”

Yes. Professors may choose to offer one, two or all three of the options to their students.

No. Professors must offer at least one of the options to their students.

Your professor should have notified you as to which option(s) are available. If not, please contact them. If you do not get a response, please contact the Chair of your department.

Yes, as long as it isn’t LESS favorable to the student.

We urge you to contact your professor ASAP and ask about your grade. If you do not get a response, please contact the Chair of your department.

Incomplete grade policies can be found in the Student Handbooks:
Undergraduate
Graduate
The only alteration to these policies for this quarter is that students can request an IN without providing a reason/documentation.

As always, students will have two quarters to complete the work. For Spring 2020 Incompletes, that deadline is the end of Winter Quarter, March 21, 2021. Students should consult with their instructor to agree on what work is due by that date. Students should consider whether taking an Incomplete at this time will delay their degree conferral (graduation); degrees cannot be conferred until all requirements are complete.

Yes, students they may still opt for the Pass/D/Fail grading basis. As always, students will have two quarters to complete the work. Once a letter grade of C- or higher appears in Campus connect, students will have three days to notify the Office of the Registrar of their decision to change grade to Pass.

If faculty select option #2, no assignments due after May 29th may adversely affect students’ grades.

No, this policy does not require that final exams or any other assignments be cancelled. Faculty have the option to make such assignments optional, or to calculate student grades on the basis of materials submitted prior to May 29th, as long as at least 70% of materials had been submitted prior to that date.