Deferred Evaluations Policy

This policy amplifies the University-wide policy set forth in the General Academic Regulations (Undergraduate).

This policy sets out procedures for students who are absent from final examinations, mid term tests, laboratory tests, project presentations and other forms of evaluation in an academic course. It also sets out procedures for work term students who are unable to complete a component of the work term (such as submission of a work term report and delivery of an oral presentation) by the specified deadline.

1. Academic Courses - Examinations

1.1. A student who is prevented, by acceptable cause, from writing a final examination, a reexamination, or a deferred examination may apply to have it deferred (or further deferred).

1.2 The student must submit this application by telephone or in writing through the student’s University-approved e-mail account to the appropriate Head of Department (see section 4) no later than 48 hours after the original date of the examination. If application is made by telephone, written confirmation must then be received by the appropriate Head of Department on the appropriate form available from that Office, within seven calendar days of the original date of the examination.

1.3 The student must state in writing the reasons for the application and provide appropriate documentation in support of the application. The student must also indicate any times when he/she is not available for the deferred exam and the reason(s) for their unavailability.

1.4 In cases where the basis for the application is illness or medical conditions, medical documentation from a health professional is required. This should normally be in the form of the Student Health Certificate, available at www.mun.ca/regoff/forms.php.

1.5 In cases where the basis for the application is bereavement, the student must present independent evidence such as a newspaper announcement or a physician’s note.

1.6 The Department Head shall review the application and reach a decision.

1.7 In those cases where the Department Head grants the deferred final examination, an interim grade of ABS will be assigned to the course. The Department Office will set the date for the deferred examination.

1.8 Scheduling

  • A deferred final examination will normally be written before the fourth teaching day of the next semester. (For example, if the course was in the spring semester, the deferred exam will be written before the fourth day of the fall semester.) When practical, the deferred exam should be scheduled prior to the start of the student’s next potential work term. The results will be provided to the Registrar no later than one week after the beginning of the semester.
  • A deferred re-examination will normally be scheduled for no later than 2 weeks from the start of the semester.
  • A twice-deferred final examination will be scheduled for no later than the end of the exam period for the semester following the semester of the original exam. (For example, if the exam is in the spring, then the twice-deferred examination will be before the end of the fall exam period.) Deferrals beyond the last date for examinations in the following semester require the approval of the Senate Committee on Undergraduate Studies.
  • A twice-deferred re-examination will be scheduled for no later than the end of the exam period for the semester of the original re-examination.

1.9. The decision of the Department Head, including the dates and any conditions, will be communicated in writing by the Department Office to the student and the instructor of the course, within one week of the receipt of the student’s complete application.

1.10. Appeals against the decisions of the Department Head may be made to the Committee on Undergraduate Studies of the Faculty of Engineering and Applied Science.

2. Academic Courses - Other Evaluations

2.1 A student who is prevented, by acceptable cause, from completing an evaluation item, (other than a final examination, re-examination, or deferred examination), in a course, may apply, no later than 48 hours after the submission deadline or test, to have it deferred (or further deferred).

2.2 Such evaluation items include, but are not limited to, mid term tests, quizzes, presentations, laboratory tests, project reports and assignments.

2.3 In the first instance, the student and the instructor may agree upon an informal resolution. However, no deferred quiz, test or examination shall take place within the last two weeks of classes or after the last day of classes for the course.

2.4 Where the student and the instructor do not achieve an informal resolution, the student may submit a formal application for a deferral of the evaluation item, on the appropriate form, to the appropriate Head of Department (see section 4), in which case the provisions of sections 2.5 to 2.13 below shall apply.

2.5 The student must state in writing the reasons for the application and provide appropriate documentation in support of the application. The student must also indicate any times when he/she is not available for the deferred evaluation and the reason(s) for their unavailability.

2.6 In cases where the basis for the application is illness, medical treatment, or a medical procedure lasting less than five days, the student must provide a signed self-declaration of that illness, medical treatment, or medical procedure.

2.7 In cases where the basis for the application is illness, medical treatment or a medical procedure lasting at least five days, medical documentation from a health professional is required. This should normally be in the form of the Student Health Certificate, available at www.mun.ca/regoff/forms.php.

2.8 In cases where the basis for the application is bereavement, the student must present independent evidence such as a newspaper announcement or a physician’s note.

2.9 The Department Head shall review the application and reach a decision.

2.10 In those cases where the outline for the course states that no deferred version of the evaluation item is offered and where the application for a deferred evaluation is granted, the instructor shall replace the marks for the missing evaluation item by some combination of marks from other components of the evaluation of the student in that course.

2.11 In those other cases where the deferred evaluation is granted, the instructor may choose to provide a deferred form of test / quiz / laboratory test, (subject to clause 2.12 below), or to extend a submission deadline (as appropriate). The instructor may instead, at the instructor’s sole discretion, replace the marks for the missing evaluation item by some combination of marks from other components of the evaluation of the student in that course. The instructor shall inform the student of the instructor’s decision in a timely manner.

2.12 In no event shall a deferred quiz, test or examination take place within the last two weeks of classes or after the last day of classes for the course.

2.13 Appeals against the decisions of the Department Head may be made to the Committee on Undergraduate Studies of the Faculty of Engineering and Applied Science.

Work Terms

3.1 A student who is prevented, by acceptable cause, from completing within the prescribed deadline a requirement of a work term, (such as an oral presentation, submission of a work report or submission of performance evaluation), may apply, no later than 48 hours after that deadline, to have that requirement deferred (or further deferred).

3.2 In the first instance, if the requested new deadline is no later than one week after the end of the work term, then the student and the ASM-CE may agree upon an informal resolution. Where the student and the ASM-CE do not achieve an informal resolution and/or the requested new deadline is later than one week after the end of the work term, the student may submit a formal application for a deferral of the evaluation item, in which case the provisions of sections 3.3 to 3.9 below shall apply.

3.3 The application must be submitted on the appropriate form to the Director, Engineering Co-operative Education Office, within one week of the deadline for thatrequirement.

3.4 The student must state in writing the reasons for the application and provide appropriate documentation in support of the application. For oral presentations, the student must also indicate any times when he/she is not available for the deferred oral presentation and the reason(s) for their unavailability.

3.5 In cases where the basis for the application is illness, medical treatment, or a medical procedure lasting less than five days, the student must provide a signed self-declaration of that illness, medical treatment, or medical procedure.

3.6 In cases where the basis for the application is illness, medical treatment or a medical procedure lasting at least five days, medical documentation from a health professional is required. This should normally be in the form of the Student Health Certificate, available at www.mun.ca/regoff/forms.php.

3.7 In cases where the basis for the application is bereavement, the student must present independent evidence such as a newspaper announcement or a physician’s note.

3.8 The Director shall review the application and reach a decision.

3.9 Appeals against the decisions of the Director may be made to the Committee on Undergraduate Studies of the Faculty of Engineering and Applied Science.

Where to Submit Applications

Requests for deferred evaluations, deferred examinations and rereads for courses with the course prefix ENGI (except for work term courses ENGI 00xW and ENGI 200W) should be directed to the Associate Dean (Undergraduate Studies), who shall act as the “appropriate Department Head”.

Requests for deferred evaluations, deferred examinations and rereads in other courses should be directed to the appropriate head of department as follows.

Course PrefixHead of the Department of
CIV Civil Enginering
ECE Electrical and Computer Engineering
ME Mechanical Engineering
ONAE Ocean and Naval Architectural Engineering
PROC Process Engineering

Requests for deferred work term requirements should be directed to the Director, Engineering Co-operative Education Office.

 

Approved by Faculty Council on 29-07-2020. Original version approved on 27-06-2007.