2024-2025 Faculty Exam & Grading Guide

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Faculty Exam & Grading Guide 2024-2025

Published by: Office of Academic Services July 2024

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Table of Contents

Examination Preparation …………………………………………………………………………….4 Assessment Methods and Exam Definitions……………………………………………………………………....….5 Examination Numbers………………………………………………………………………………………………...6 Midterm and Mock Exams………………………………………………………………………………….…………6 Multiple Choice Exam s…………………………………………………………………..…………………………….7 Take Home Exams, Projects and Papers………………………………………...…………………………………...7 Examination Administration ………………………………………………………………………...8 Examsoft………………………………………………………………………….……………………………………9 Remote, Take-Home and In-Person Exams………………………………………………………..………………...9 Academic Integrity……………………………………………………………..…………………………………….10 Exam Schedule………………………………..………………………………..…………………………………….10 Make- Up Policy……………………………………………………………...……………………………………….10 Grading ………………………………………………………………………………………………11 Grading Procedure (NEW)... ………………………………………………………………………………………… 11 Multiple Choice Results………………………………………………………………………………………………12 Grading Systems…………………………………………………………………...…………………………………12 Non-Classroom Activities………………………………………………….…………………………………………13 Due Dates…………………………………………………………………………………………………………….. 14 Grading Policy ………… ... …………….……………………………………………...……………………………... 14 Required Courses ………………………………………………………………… .. ………………………….. 14 Elective Courses …………………………………………………………………… .. ………………………… 15 Grade Conformity Exception………………………………………………………………………………………... 16 Pass/Fail Grading………………………………………………………………………... .......................................16 Grade Increase and Class Participation……………………………………………………………………………... 17 En tering Grades……………………………………………………………………………………………………… 18 Incomplete Grades…………………………………………………………………………………………………… 22 Student Codes and Notification……………………………………………………………………………………... 22 Grade Changes…………………………………………………………………………... ........................................22 Jurisprudence Awards………………….………………………………………………... .......................................22 Grade Confirmation……………………………………………………………………... ........................................22 Examination Rules ………………………………………………………………………………….23 General Rules for all Exams…………………………………………………………………………………………. 23 Remote- proctored Exams………………………………………………………………... ......................................23 Live- proctored Exams……………………………………………………………………………………………….. 24 Hand- written Exams ……...………………………………………………………………………………………… 26

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Faculty Exam and Grading Guide

This Faculty Exam and Grading Guide explains the policies and procedures in place for the administration of exams, projects, papers, take-home exams and the submission and subsequent release of grades. Any faculty member with questions or concerns related to examination and grading policies and procedures should contactthe Office of Academic Services at:

Lorraine D. Cove Office of Academic Services 120 Tremont Street, Suite 130 617-573-8160 lcove@suffolk.edu

The Office of Academic Services administers all Law School in-house examinations, is responsible for the oversight of take-home examinations, and implements policies and procedures on behalf of the faculty and administration of the Law School.

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EXAMINATION PREPARATION

Examination Preparation All faculty members are asked to adhere to specific formatting guidelines in the preparation of examinations.Each question on the examination needs to be separated by a three inch space and each page requires page numbers. All examinations must have a title page that contains comprehensive examination instructions. Clearly defined instructions provide students with proper direction and minimize any confusion on the part of the students and the proctor administering the exam. Detailed instructions can also lessen uncertainty and allegations of cheating. Below is an example of the examination title page:

SUFFOLK UNIVERSITY LAW SCHOOL

COURSE TITLE

Fall 2024

PROFESSOR’S NAME

OPEN BOOK, LIMITED OPEN BOOK, OR CLOSED BOOK EXAM # Pages Student Exam #

Examination Content: Multiple Choice: True/False: Essay:

Number of Questions Number of Questions Number of Questions

Length of exam:

Allowable Materials: Examination Instructions:

All examinations are due from faculty, in ready to print format ( SINGLE-SIDED ), to the Office of AcademicServices approximately 10 days prior to the last day of classes for the term. Assessment Methods Course instructors may use a number of different assessment methods for grading the students in their classes, including quizzes, one or more assignments (papers, memos, drafting exercises, simulations, oral exercises or presentations), class participation, mid-term examination, final examination, or final paper. This also includes following a traditional approach by offering a three-hour examination given at the end of the semester (or at theend of both semesters for year-long courses other than Legal Practice Skills). The instructor will notify the students of the grading method used.

Exam Definitions

In a closed book examination , the examinee cannot bring any materials into the examination area.

In an open book examination , the examinee may bring materials without limitations into the examination area.

In a limited open book examination , the examinee may bring only the specified materials authorized by the faculty member into the examination area. All materials brought into the examination will, in fairness to all, besubject to inspection, and students who are deemed to have violated the terms of the limited open book allowance will have the material in question taken away and will not be able to refer

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EXAMINATION PREPARATION

to it during the examination. We ask that faculty with limited open book examinations be on campus during their examinationin case a question should arise relating to allowable material.

It is strongly recommended that examinations be either open book or closed book.

Limited open book examinations can be troublesome to students, proctors and the Office of Academic Services. Difficulties may arise when uncertainty exists concerning what materials students are allowed to bring into the examination area. Please provide clear instructions; anticipate and address potential questionsthat students or proctors may have. For example, if students are allowed to bring certain books or codes into the examination area: 1. Can the books contain highlighted, tabbed pages; notes in the margins; loose sheets (containingnotes) inserted into the book or codes? Can the notes be typed and taped into the book etc.? 2. What edition or editions of the books or codes can the student bring into the exam? 3. Are supplements permissible? 4. Can students bring loose papers containing notes, and, if so: a. What paper size is acceptable? b. Can the notes be double-sided? c. What font size is acceptable? d. Can students bring a magnifying glass if their notes are formatted in small font? 5. Are calculators allowed? The preceding questions represent real-life scenarios that have arisen during previous limited open book examinations. It is strongly recommended that all faculty members preparing limited open book examinations distribute the examination instructions to the students before the end of classes. Studentswho are permitted to bring notes into the examination room should be advised to print them in advance. Examination Numbers Students are provided with one/an examination number per term to facilitate “blind grading”. No student’s name or any other identifying information, other than the examination number, may appear on a student’s exam. Faculty are provided with a grading roster containing examination numbers only. A unique examination number is provided to every student per term.

Midterm/Mock Examinations

Midterm Examinations are defined as in-house examinations required of all students in a class and forwhom grades earned will count toward the final grade. Students will be provided with a separate uniqueexam number (secondary exam number).

Mock Examinations are defined as an in-class examination that will not count toward the final grade.

Assignments are defined as those exercises that may be a take-home examination, quizzes, or otherassignment that may or may not count toward the final grade.

• During a designated period during the fall and spring semesters, the Office of Academic Services will provide support in the administration of midterm examinations provided the faculty member submits the Midterm Examination Notification Form by the due date. Dates will be determined each semester and will be listed on the Midterm Examination Notification Form.

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EXAMINATION PREPARATION

• Mock examinations will no longer be scheduledby the Office of Academic Services and it is expected that faculty will administer these examinations in class.

• A Teaching Assistant in a course in which a midterm exam is administered is required to assist the Office ofAcademic Services with this process. For those faculty who do not have a Teaching Assistant, the Office of Academic Services will hire proctors for the administration of the examination.

• ExamSoft is available to students for Midterm Examinations.

• Students will be assigned secondary unique examination numbers for all midterm examinations. A secondary examination number will not be provided for mock examinations; it is expected that students willuse their student ID number for mock examinations.

• No more than 50% of assessment/midterm grades may be applied to the final grade for the course.

• Midterm examinations are assigned terms i.e. Fall Law 2024 or Spring Law 2025.

Multiple Choice Examinations

Exams that contain a multiple-choice component either as the entire examination or in part,will no longer be administered via “scantron.” Students will now respond to multiple choice questions by inputting answers directly into ExamSoft, which like scantrons only allow for 5 possible answers (A-E). The answer key must be submitted to the Office of Academic Services with the examination. Multiple choice answer keys will not be accepted by email or in text form.

Take Home Exams, Papers & Projects

Take Home Examinations that are anonymous will be managed through Appointlink and faculty will have the option, as in the past, to allocate 24, 48, 72 hours, etc., for student completion. Appointlink will manage the student download of the examination and the student upload of the examination to conform to faculty specifications. This means that if a take home examination is a 24 hour examination and the student can select any 24 hours within a window of time, (e.g., one week), this can now be managed automatically. Once completed, student take home examination answers will be downloaded from Appointlink by the Office of Academic Services and sent to faculty by email.

Faculty will be required to submit typed, administrative instructions 10-14 days prior to the beginning of the exam period to the Assistant Dean for Academic Services.

Sample questions that have been raised in the past regarding take-home examinations include:

1. With whom can students speak or consult with during a take-home examination?

2. Can students speak to a lawyer-relative?

3. Is consultation considered research?

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EXAMINATION PREPARATION

Without a written statement of rules, confusion will surely arise. Examination violations are far more difficult to determine after the fact without a written statement of rules.

• State clearly the conditions for take-home exams or questions that students receive in advance of theexamination date (providing a copy of the instructions is strongly recommended).

• Instructions for an anonymous take-home examination should include the date and time when a student can download the examination from Appointlink, and the date and time that the student must upload the examination to Appointlink.

• If a faculty member requires a paper or project, the faculty member must notify the Assistant Dean forAcademic Services of the date and time that the paper or project is due.

Extension Requests for Papers, Projects and Take-Home Exams

Students are expected to plan for the due dates of papers, projects and take-home exams. If a student experiences an unforeseeable, extraordinary personal matter or emergency situation which presents an unavoidable conflict with the deadline for a paper, project or take-home, the student should contact the Dean of Law and Graduate Student Affairs for assistance (unless the student is sure that the professor is accepting the paper, project or take-home non-anonymously , in which case the student should contact the professor for assistance). Examplesof an unforeseeable, extraordinary personal or emergency situation include an issue relating to the health of thestudent, or close family member, or death of a family member. Documentation is required. More information regarding extensions beyond the end of the semester, including the limitation on enrolling inclasses with Incompletes or Exam Excusals from a previous semester, may be found in the La w School’s Rules and Regulations II.J: Academic Standards; Extensions Beyond the End of the Semester.

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EXAMINATION ADMINISTRATION

Examination Administration

ExamSoft

ExamSoft is special software that permits students to type examinations on personal laptops in a secure and encrypted word processing environment. It prevents the use of other computer programs installed on a student’s laptop; students are unable to access the Internet, computerized notes, documents, outlines or other materials during the exam. Technical staff assist in the administration of ExamSoft by staffing a help desk located on the second and third floors during the examination. All students must be prepared to begin ExamSoft without assistance. The ExamSoft software program saves work automatically every minute. Should the student beunable to continue typing, the student is provided with a book for handwriting the remainder of the examination. Once the student completes an examination with ExamSoft, only authorized personnel can access and print the student’s examination. All typed examinations are printed in the Office of Academic Services immediately upon completion of the exams . Typed exams can also be zipped into a compressed zip file to be emailed to faculty. Multiple choice responses will be compiled via an Excel Spreadsheet. Every effort is made to ensure the student typed in the correct exam number. Remote examinations are administrated through a virtual proctoring software ExamMonitor . Students are recorded using their computer’s video camera while they are taking their exams. The recordings are uploaded with students’ exam answers after the exam and are processed and reviewed a t a later time. An internet connection is not required during the exam. All monitoring recordings are forwarded to the school. ExamMonitor implements a combination of AI software algorithms and human validation to mark certain recordings for review by the law school. Exam Monitor does not employ facial recognition technology. It is entirely up to the school (the deans and faculty) to determine whether to pursue any matter with a student. Based on prior experience, this is rare. Routine activities such as restroom breaks are expressly permitted and will not be problematic. Remote Exams

At the end of the remote examination, students will submit their exam on Examsoft.

Take-Home Exams

In-Person Examinations

On the day of your scheduled examination, your examination is administered in accordance with your exam instructions and the Exam Rules and Regulations. All examinations are proctored by individuals hired by the Office of Academic Services.

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EXAMINATION ADMINISTRATION

It is not uncommon for any one examination to have students located in multiple locations in addition to theregularly assigned classroom. Should an error be discovered during an examination the Office of AcademicServices staff must locate and notify all students taking the examination. Students may either type (using ExamSoft) or handwrite examinations. Students who are provided with exam accommodations either type or handwrite examinations in separate classrooms, in a private room or in a distraction reduced environment. A handwriting book is provided to students who experience problems with his/her laptop during the exam.

Writing Books Used 1. Yellow, blue, pink, green, salmon

2. A white supplemental book is used when students need a second book

Academic Integrity

At the end of every examination each student must sign the following Academic Integrity Statement:

I hereby certify that the entirety of this examination is my own work and that I have complied with all applicable exam regulations and the Academic Integrity Policy. I confirm that I have not given aid to or received aid from others, not used ideas or phrasing suggested by technology (e.g., artificial intelligence), except for spelling and grammatical corrections, or as expressly authorized in writing by the course instructor. Students with remote or take-home exams are required to electronically submit the academic integrity statement within two hours of completing the examination. Students taking in-person exams will sign the academic integrity card at the end of the examination. All exam materials will be collected by the proctor before the student may check out of the exam room. Examination Schedule A tentative exam schedule is available at the time of registration and is rarely changed. The Fall 2024 examination schedule is available. Students are cautioned not to schedule any commitments during the examination period which may interfere with their exam schedule. A Snow Make-Up Day is scheduled in December, should examinations be postponed due to inclement weather. Examinations are scheduled Monday-Saturday. No exams are held on Sundays. Students who are unable to takeexams on certain days for religious reasons, or who have 3 proctored examinations within a 53 hour period, or who have extreme extenuating circumstances may submit an Examination Reschedule Request form to move anexamination to the next available Make-Up date. Students should never contact any faculty member regarding an exam reschedule as it will destroy anonymity in the exam process. Students who reschedule an examination will be eligible to use ExamSoft for the rescheduled exam provided the missed examination is rescheduled to the make-up date immediately following the original examination date.

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EXAMINATION ADMINISTRATION

Make-Up Examination Policy

Under certain circumstances, the Law School Administration may grant a student the ability to take an examination after the original scheduled exam date. Make-up examinations are permitted for the following reasons: • student illness; • death of an immediate family member; • three examinations within a 53 hour period; • active military service; • or other extreme extenuating circumstance. The Office of Academic Services administers all make-up exams. The make-up exam administered will be thesame examination administered as on the original scheduled examination date. If any faculty member is uncomfortable with a late administr ation of the same exam, the faculty member may submit a “special exam” for the examinee to the Office of Academic Services. The make-up examination will take place on the closest available make-up date after the original scheduled examination. Under special circumstances, make-up examinations may occur after the examination period, butnot later than 30 days after the end of the exam period. In some cases, a student may attempt to notify a faculty member of his/her absence from an examination. All faculty members must refrain from speaking with a student who explains his/her absence from an examination. In circumstances where the examinee has identified his/her absence from a scheduled examination, the student may be graded on a pass/fail basis, or may be prevented from taking a make-upexamination in the course if the anonymity of the student is compromised.

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Grading

NEW PROCEDURE Recently, the current student information system, Web Advisor, was converted to Workday Student. Because Workday does not provide student examination numbers or the ability for faculty to grade anonymously by examination number we have contracted with a third party vendor, Appointlink, to provide these services. Going forward, Appointlink will be used for all law school grading. Web Advisor will no longer be available. Workday Student will continue to be the platform that faculty use to access their course schedules and view student advising information. Appointlink has been integrated with Canvas. To enter grades for a course, faculty will simply click on the “Grading” link on the left hand side of that course’s Canvas page. The lin k will open the Appointlink grading application. In addition to entering grades in Appointlink, Faculty are able to allocate grade “bump ups,” assign Jurisprudence Awards for eligible courses, and certify completion of the Legal Writing Requirement if applicable. Faculty entering grades in required courses and courses with 25 students or more will be alerted by the Appointlink application if they have departed from the applicable grading curves. Appointlink will prompt faculty who depart from the curve to submit a request for a “conformity exemption” before grades can be recorded. Take Home Examinations that are anonymous will also be managed through Appointlink and faculty will have the option, as in the past, to allocate 24, 48, 72 hours, etc., for student completion. Appointlink will manage the student download of the examination and the student upload of the examination to conform to faculty specifications. This means that if a take home examination is a 24 hour examination and the student can select any 24 hours within a window of time, (e.g., one week), this can now be managed automatically. Once completed, student take home examination answers will be downloaded from Appointlink by the Office of Academic Services and sent to faculty by email.

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GRADING

At the end of each examination, the Office of Academic Services staff collects all examination materials from the proctor. Examinations, both handwritten and typed, are placed in numerical order by examination number. The grading roster notes if the examination was handwritten, since the majority of students type exams. A grade distribution report will be included with required course examinations. The examination numbers of the students who did not take the examination as scheduled will be crossed out on the grading roster.

Students whose examination numbers are crossed off the list, indicate that the examination was not taken as scheduled and will take the exam at a later date (make-up).

With each set of examinations, an examination cover sheet report will note the number of examinations in thegroup, the number of handwritten books and the number of students who are scheduled to make up the examination at a later date. [Faculty must retain examinations for one year].

Once the exam checking process is complete, you will receive an email at your suffolk.edu email address. Arrangements for pick-up of these examinations (or papers/projects) must be made by you or your assistant.

Examinations may not be mailed, fedexed or couriered to you unless as an accommodation for a disability, or if traveling for a school related reason; however, faculty who are not on campus may request to receive exams electronically.

Multiple Choice Examination Results

The Office of Academic Services will provide each faculty member with the results of each student’s responses, question analysis (e.g., number of correct/incorrect responses) and statistics (e.g., mean, standard deviation, and test reliability) for multiple choice questions.

Grading Systems

Students will be graded on a scale of 0.000 to 4.000. Grades of A, A-, B+, B, B-, C+ and C are considered Satisfactory (but receiving satisfactory grades does not guarantee a grade point average sufficient to maintain good academic standing). Grades of C-, D+, D, and D- are considered Unsatisfactory. A grade of F is considered a Failure and no credit is awarded. Cumulative and yearly grade point averages (GPAs) will be computed and recorded by a 0.000 to 4.000 system. A student’s official transcript will also show the letter grades awarded for all courses taken and will translate those letter grades into yearly and final cumulative grade point averages (GPAs).

Once course grades are submitted by the instructor to the Academic Services Office they may not be altered (other than to correct a clerical error), and are not subject to appeal by students.

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JD Grading Scale

4.000

High Honors

3.670

Honors

A-

3.330

Pass

B+

3.000

Low Pass

2.670

Satisfactory

B-

2.330

Credit

C+

2.000

Unsatisfactory

1.670

No Credit

C-

1.330

Failure

D+

1.000

0.670

D-

0.000

LL.M and Exchange Students Alternative Grading Scale

High Honors – A, A-, B+

Pass – C+, C, C-, D+, D, D-

Honors – B, B-

Fail - F

LLM and Exchange students have the option of receiving grades as assigned by Faculty (A, B, C, etc.) or may select the alternative grading system. LLM and Exchange studentsare required to submit the online LLM Grade Election Form/Exchange Student Grade Election Form no laterthan the last day of classes each semester. Once grades are received from faculty, the Office of Academic Services will convert the letter grade to the alternative grading system as selected by the student.

Non-Classroom Activities

Externships, directed study, research assistantships, teaching assistantships, law reviews, journals, and mootcourt (including moot court teams) are graded as CR (credit) or NC (no credit).

Students undertaking a directed study, research assistantship or teaching assistantship must complete a time logand submit this to the Office of Academic Services upon completion of 90 hours work (the minimum for 2 credits). This time log must be certified by the faculty member. The certified time log must be submitted no later than the last day of classes for the semester in which the student is receiving credit. Students serving as a teaching assistant in both the fall and spring must submit their certified time log at the end of each semester.

Grading Due Dates

The Associate Deans’ Due Date policy requires faculty to report grades to the Office of Academic Services by aspecified date. These grades must be submitted in Appointlink by the faculty member. Faculty using multiple assessments can now enter the grade component and weight for those assessments during that phase of the grading procedure.

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Faculty members have the responsibility to score and report student grades in a reasonable amount of time. By meeting due dates, the faculty can ensure proper delivery of grades to students and avoid delays. Grades not submitted on the due date cause the inability to:

1. prepare class ranks;

2. prepare transcripts;

3. provide tuition reimbursement letters;

4. determine student’s con tinuing status at the Law School;

5. determine awards, scholarships and academic honors;

6. determine financial aid eligibility for next semester;

7. certify 3:03 letters; and

8. attend another institution as a visiting student.

Fall Semester:

Grades are due on January 2, 2025

Spring Semester:

Grades for graduating seniors are due Monday, May 10, 2025 prior to Commencement in May unless otherwise specified. All other grades are due May 27, 2025.

Grading Policy

1. Required Courses: Faculty members assigning grades in Civil Procedure, Constitutional Law, Contracts, Criminal Law, Property, and Torts must follow the minimum/maximum number of students per grade based on the grading policy. Faculty members must assign grades within the specified grade range, based on the enrollment for the course. The Appointlink software calculates the distribution based on the 1L policy; upon completion of the non-anonymous (participation bump) selection and the entering of the anonymous grades. The grading phase will not allow faculty to continue through the process if the grading range does not comply with the policy (i.e., grade component: midterm weight 20%).

5% to 10% of enrolled students can receive an A

20% to 25% of enrolled students can receive an A – or higher

35% to 45% of enrolled students can receive a B+ and higher

65% to 70% of enrolled students can receive a B and higher

30% to 35% of enrolled students can receive a B – and lower

20 to 25% of enrolled students can receive a C+ and higher 10% to 16% of enrolled students can receive a C and lower 0% to 12% of enrolled students can receive a C – and lower

Every course in the Required Curriculum subject to the mandatory curve is likely to result in some unsatisfactory grades. This is not a requirement, however, and a faculty member might not have unsatisfactorygrades in any particular semester if in their view circumstances do not warrant the assignment of them.

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Grading Policy for Elective Courses: Faculty entering grades in courses with 25 students or more will be alerted by the Appointlink application if they have departed from the applicable grading curve. Appointlink will prompt faculty who depart from the curve to submit a request for a “Conformity Exemption” before grades can be recorded.

2. B+ median: In courses other than those covered by paragraph 1 of this Policy and having an enrollment of25 or more students, the required median final course grade is B+.

3. 2:1 ratio of grades above and below B+: In courses other than those covered by paragraph 1 of this Policy and having an enrollment of 25 or more students, the number of grades above B+ shall be no more than two times the number of grades below B+, and the number of grades below B+ shall be no more than two times thenumber of grades above B+. 4. Recommended adherence : In courses other than those covered by paragraph 1 of this Policy and having an enrollment of at least 15 and no more than 24 students, adherence to the B+ median and grading ratio set forth in paragraphs 2 and 3 of this Policy is strongly recommended, except for courses defined as experiential coursesunder these Rules. 5. Courses with graduating students : Where an instructor submits an incomplete roster of final grades due to the early deadline for submitting the grades of graduating students, the instructor should make good faith judgments based on facts and circumstances in an effort to achieve compliance with the mandatory B+ medianand grading ratio limit. 6. The policies set forth in paragraphs 1, 2, 3 and 4 of this Policy do not apply to the following courses: Advanced Survey of Core Legal Principles; Clinical Program courses; Fundamentals of Law; Introduction to US Law; Legal Analysis & Methods; and Legal Practice Skills.

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Grade Conformity Exception

The grading policy provides:

Whenever a faculty member’s distribution of grades in a course for a semester does not conform to the applicable limits for each letter grade range, an Associate Dean shall review the faculty member’s explanation for such non-conformance. If the Associate Dean believes that such explanation is unsatisfactory, the Associate Dean shall confer with the faculty member to discuss the faculty member’s reasons for the non -conformance. If the Associate Dean determines that such reasons are insufficient, the Associate Dean shall inform the faculty member that he or she is not in compliance with this policy.

Exemption Requests Procedure

If the grades you are assigning do not meet the grading curve, and you want to keep those assigned grades, then you need to Submit an Exemption Request.

The Course Grading Details and Current Conformity Status will display with an explanation on the Instructor Letter Grading Phase screen. The option to Submit Exemption Request will display in the upper right corner in red. Once you click on this prompt, you will be brought to a pop-up page where you can type in your request for the exemption. Hit YES to send this message to the appropriate dean for approval.

Pass/Fail Grading

The instructor in any non-anonymously graded course may elect to grade the course on an Honors/Pass/Low Pass/Fail basis. Such grades will not be calculated into a student’s cumulative average. An instructor must notify the students at the first meeting of the course if the instructor elects the Honors/Pass/Low Pass/Fail basisof grading. Prospective students in a clinical course will be notified at the time of application if the instructor intends to utilize the Honors/Pass/Low Pass/Fail basis of grading. The grades of Honors, Pass and Low Pass shall be satisfactory grades, and the grade of Fail shall be the equivalent of a grade of F. Faculty who intend to grade on the Honors/Pass/Low Pass/Fail scale should include this information on thesyllabus and students must be aware of the grading method prior to the add/drop period. Faculty using this scale must communicate that information to the Office of Academic Services during the first two weeks of classes.

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Grade Increase/Class Participation

Faculty members grade students on a 4.000 scale and may also give students a half-step grade increase for class participation. The grading participation selection can be entered on Appointlink during the grading phase for non anonymous components. The software computes the selection once the letter grading phase is complete.

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Entering Grades

Faculty members are required to enter grades online using Appointlink and can begin to enter grades online from the first day of the examination period. Please be aware that for security reasons you may be timed out of Appointlink after 15 minutes. Data entered is auto-saved.

Select the appropriate term that you are submitting grades for on the top right corner of the screen (i.e., Fall Law 2024; Spring Law 2025) under the Selected Schedule dropdown. If you are administering a midterm exam, be aware that the midterm is given its own examination number. The midterm grade is submitted on Appointlink and identified during the Grade Components and Weights Phase. Once this grading phase is complete, the final exam grading phase will begin.

From your Canvas class site click on the Grading option on the navigation bar. On Appointlink the following steps need to be followed to complete the grading process:

Grade Components – type of grading (exam, paper or project) Weights – % values assigned to final grade Participation – the ability to bump up a student’s grade by one half -step grade Grading – assign grades Grade Submission

A Welcome screen will appear. To navigate through the grading procedure, use the View/Edit selection in blue. This will enable the next step in the process.

NOTE: There are RED COMMANDS IN THE UPPER RIGHT CORNER throughout the grading process.

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1) Define Grade Components & Weights – this is where you can assign multiple components that will contribute to the final grade.

Grade Components - Under the grade component drop down you will see the options for grading – Midterm, Final Exam, Paper, Project, or other.

Weights - You need to assign a weight to the component you select (i.e.: Midterm – 20%). If you have multiple components (Midterm and Final) those must add up to 100%. If you have only one component, like a final exam, then the weight should be 100%.

Note – the Grade Component Title is optional. The Grading Type should default to Anonymous, unless you are grading a non-anonymous paper or project.

Next, click on Submit Grading Components & Weights (in red upper right corner). A confirmation pop-up will appear, hit YES which brings you back to the Welcome Page.

2) Welcome Page – Click on the View/Edit in blue to get to next phase

3) Grading Phase – (Non-Anonymous Components) This is where you can give a student a participation bump. A list of your students will appear, check the box next to the student(s) who should receive a bump up.

Once the bump ups are assigned, if any, click on Enter Anonymous Scores (the red button top right corner).

4) Grading Phase (Anonymous Components) - This is where you assign the letter grade for the students by exam number. Type in the appropriate grade (A, A-, B+, B, B-, C+, C, C-, D+, D, D-, F). As you fill in the grades the software will let you know if you are meeting the grading curve (Right Side of Screen). If your scores meet the grading requirements – a green check box will display “Meets Grading Requirement” on the right side of the screen. If your grades meet the grading

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requirement click on the Lock in All Raw Scores (red button top right corner). You will receive the confirmation pop-up, hit Yes. If your grades do not meet to the grading requirements in place you will need to adjust your grades or follow the prompt for a conformity exception. PLEASE NOTE: there are now three options in red (top right corner) – you can Submit Partial Grades and return to complete later; you can edit the bump ups you put in by clicking on the Enter Participation and Non-Anonymous Scores to be brought back to those screens; if you have entered all of your grades and no changes are needed, select Lock in All Raw Scores.

5) Welcome Screen – note that the current status is Awaiting Submission of Letter Grades (in red). You now need to Submit the grades. Click on the View/Edit in blue.

The grades you entered display – both letter grades and the 4.00 equivalency scale.

The last column is to assign the Jurisprudence Award if your course has an enrollment of 25 or more in an anonymously graded course.

Once your grades are ready to be submitted, click on Submit Grades (red button top right corner). A confirmation pop-up appears click YES.

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GRADING

6) Welcome Page – note in red print that your Current Status is Awaiting Review and Adjustment of Faculty Grades. The process is complete.

Once grades are reviewed, grades will then be published to Workday for student access. Student access to grades will be determined by class year, and a specified date.

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GRADING

Incomplete Grades

Any paper or other project required for a final grade in a course must be submitted no later than the end of the examination period for the semester in which the course is taken. If, for compelling reasons (other than a disability accommodation, which must first be requested through the law school’s disability coordinator), the instructor allows an extension of time to complete the paper or project, the extension may be for a period no longer than 90 days from the end of the examination period. No further extension may be granted unless approved by the Assistant Dean for Academic Services, the Dean of Students or an Associate Dean for extraordinary reasons. During any extension, the course grade will be recorded temporarily as “Incomplete.” However, if by the end of the examination period or extension, the paper or project has not been submitted, a grade of NO CREDIT (F) will be recorded.

Student Codes

The following student codes appear on class rosters and grading rosters to identify those grades that may be needed earlier than the due date for graduation purposes.

1L First Year Day, First Year Evening 2L Second Year Day, Second Year Evening 3L Third Year Day, Third Year Evening 4L Fourth Year Evening Visiting Students – Non Degree Foreign Educated Attorneys- Non Degree Exchange Students – Non Degree

LLM - Graduate SJD - Graduate

Grade Notification to Students

Faculty may not release grades to any student prior to distribution by the Office of Academic Services. Faculty may not enter midterm or final grades on Canvas.

Grade Changes

Grade changes are permitted in instances of a clerical error only and with the approval of the Academic Associate Deans. Faculty who have discovered a clerical error must submit a request for a grade change to the Vice Dean and Associate Dean.

Jurisprudence Awards

Faculty are able to select students for the Jurisprudence Award on Appointlink, for those courses that qualify (see below). 1. All first year courses, except LPS, and second year required courses where there is a final examination that is graded anonymously. 2. All other courses, except LPS, with 25 or more students where there is a required final examination that is graded anonymously.

Student selection will be by examination number for those courses which have examinations or by student name if grades are entered non-anonymously.

Grade Confirmation

Once the faculty members grades are submitted and released according to the release schedule, faculty may return to Appointlink to view their grades.

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REFERENCE

General Rules for all Exams

1. All students are subject to Suffolk University Law School’s Examination Regulations. 2. All students are responsible for ensuring they have the adequate exam-taking technology and the up-to-date version of all required exam-taking software. All instructions for new and returning Examsoft users must be followed. 3. Any attempt to bypass or disable the security features of the Examsoft software will subject the student to disciplinary action as described in Rule XI. Suffolk University Law School Rules and Regulations. In addition, any attempt to launch, copy, move, or delete a download exam file prior to starting the exam will cause the file to be disabled. 4. The Law School is not responsible for any computer hardware/software problems that may arise, or any damage which may occur to student property, by downloading and using the exam-taking software. 5. Students are expected to be on time for examinations. Any student who is unable to start an exam on time, due to transportation problems or other extenuating circumstances should contact the Dean of Students. Only the Dean of Students may permit the student to begin the examination at a later time with the full time allocation. 6. There shall be no materials of any kind in the examination area during CLOSED BOOK examinations. Students taking LIMITED OPEN BOOK examinations will be allowed to bring in only those materials specifically authorized by the professor. Only printed, hard-copy materials are permissible in a limited open book exam. For limited open book exams, digital texts or materials will not be permitted; therefore, students who have purchased digital texts should plan accordingly. 7. During exams, students should not wear caps, hats or hoods, except for religious or medical need. 8. No student is permitted to bring any non-medical electronic devices in to the examination room or to have such devices within the area of a remote-proctored exam. This includes cell phones, smartphones, smartwatches, tablets, iPads, E-Readers, handheld devices, calculators (unless permitted in a specific exam), cameras, radios, tape recorders, headphones/headsets, wireless email devices or any other non medical electronic device. 9. Since the examination process is anonymous, students shall not identify themselves to the professor in any manner whatsoever in their exam answers or via any other exam material. 10. Until grades are posted, students shall refrain from contacting their professor with any information that could identify their exam to the professor (this includes alerting a professor that the student will be taking a rescheduled exam.) 11. When a student completes the examination, the student must sign the Academic Integrity Statement. 12. In the unlikely and rare circumstance that a student believes that all or a portion of an exam answer that the student believes to have properly typed during the examination while using Examsoft is missing or the student believes that a technology matter caused the Examsoft program to cease working during a remote proctored exam, the law school will investigate and resolve the matter in accordance with the Process For Investigating and Resolving Claims of Missing Exam Text or Technology Failure During Remote Exam. In other rare circumstances where a student is unable to complete an exam they have started, the Exam Interruption Policy will apply. Rules for Remote-proctored Exams 1. All students must complete a Mock Exam at least two days before their first scheduled exam of the exam period. This is the opportunity to ensure that ExamSoft is operating correctly in the remote environment. By completing the mock exam process, there will be time to identify and resolve issues prior to the date of the actual midterm or final examination.

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REFERENCE

2. Students may have access to beverages in clear containers only. For remote proctored exams taken in private locations, food or food related products (i.e. gum, candy, mints) are permitted but must not be in packaging (or should be in a clear container. 3. Students in remote-proctored exams may take quick breaks as necessary. Students taking a quick break, must say out loud that this what they are doing. This will help in excluding the quick break from any consideration of irregularities. 4. Remote exam takers who experience a technical problem with Examsoft, should contact the ExamTaker Support Line: 866-429-8889 or 954-429-8889. If the issue is not resolved by contacting Examsoft, remote exam takers should contact the Assistant Dean of Academic Services ( lcove@suffolk.edu , 617-573-8160) or the Dean of Students Office ( LawDeanOfStudents@suffolk.edu , 617-573-8157) 5. Hard copy scrap paper is not permitted unless specifically allowed by the professor in the course examination instructions. Otherwise, students may use the virtual notes feature in Examsoft to make in exam notes. Rules for Live-proctored Exams 1. All examination rooms must be completely vacated one half hour prior to the scheduled time for the examination. Thereafter, students may only enter the examination room when the proctor so indicates. 2. Students who enter the room prior to the proctor’s arrival to the examination will be asked to vacate the room. All students must be checked into the examination room. 3. Upon entering the examination room, each student must present his or her student identification card to the proctor in order to receive his or her academic integrity card and handwriting book (if the student will not be using ExamSoft). 4. Students in live-proctored exams should arrive 30 minutes before the starting time of the exam. 5. All students must be checked in with the proctor at the assigned examination room at least 15 minutes prior to the scheduled start of the examination. (For example, a student must be checked in at 9:15 a.m. for a 9:30 a.m. examination). Students who are not checked in at this time must handwrite the examination. This includes students who receive exam accommodations. Once a student checks in to the exam room, the student may not leave the room until after the examination has begun. 6. No technical support is available to students prior to the start of the exam. 7. The proctor may impose seating arrangements in the examination room to facilitate the examination process. 8. Any student who arrives to the examination room after the starting time of the examination (without approval of the Dean of Students) will not be permitted any additional time to complete the examination. Examinees who arrive late to an examination will be required to handwrite the examination. 9. Students must come to the examination room with their laptop, power cord and Ethernet cable. Students without a power cord will be required to handwrite the examination. 10. Students may not return to their personal belongings while the examination is in process, except under the direct supervision of the proctor. 11. Students are strongly encouraged not to bring any non-examination materials (other than personal items) into the examination room for a closed book/limited open book examination. Students who remove articles of clothing like sweaters or jackets during the examination must place these items under the desk. Students will not be permitted to leave these articles on writing surfaces or on the backs or seats of chairs. 12. Students must leave their personal belongings including hats, caps or hoods in the front of the room in the area designated by the proctor. 13. All non-medical electronic devices must be brought to the proctor. All audio alarms on watches must be disabled.

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