MISSING EXAMS FAQ
Important Information on Exam Policy: Sometimes students aren’t well while taking an exam and do poorly. I have had multiple requests to retake exams. Know that once you take an exam, you cannot retake said exam. If you are not well physically or emotionally, consider a short-term illness form and a meeting with your academic dean BEFORE taking the exam. Do not take exams whilst feeling ill. Reach out to me BEFOREHAND instead and I will work with you on a solution.
Missing Exams: I consider missing an exam without a valid excuse a very serious breach of academic standards at Duke. No shows on exam days without prior notification (such as a Short-Term-Illness-Form, athletic participation notification, an official notification by your academic dean, or a prior e-mail-based agreement reached with the instructor), will result in a ZERO for the exam. Since 2020, due to Covid, we have been extremely flexible in exam make-up policies, but this has unfortunately resulted in widespread abuse of this policy in the last few semesters (we are not the only course at Duke that this has been noted for). Make-up requests, many of which were for unexcused or exam-day no-shows, have increased ten-fold, overwhelming instructors and TA resources, as well as the Duke University Testing Center (this center is the best idea Duke has EVER had!). This is why I will no longer honor exam retake requests that do not follow the requirements described in the FAQ below. I am VERY SERIOUS about this. Several students did not heed this warning in the past and took MAJOR hits to their final grade because they received zeroes on an exam.
FAQ 1: “I noticed that one of the exam dates listed on the lecture schedule falls on a day I will not be on campus due to [fill in the blank]. It is more than 7 days before the said exam. What do I do?”
E-mail the instructor about your future absence and check with them if it meets the criteria for being an excused absence. Once your absence for that day has been approved, and you have been granted a make-up exam in writing by the instructor (e-mail), you contact the Testing Center immediately and schedule a make-up exam within 5 days of the day and time when the exam is given in class. You MAY NOT take the exam before it is given in class. Athletes should schedule their make-up exams as early in the semester as possible. Make-up Exams CANNOT be scheduled before they are given in class.
FAQ 2: “I noticed that one of the exam dates listed on the lecture schedule falls on a day I will not be on campus due to [fill in the blank]. It is less than 7 days before the said exam. What do I do?”
E-mail the instructor about your future absence and check with them if it meets the criteria for being an excused absence. Once your absence for that day has been approved, and you have been granted a make-up exam in writing by the instructor (e-mail), you MUST CALL the Testing Center at 919-684-1601 immediately and schedule a make-up exam within 5 days of the day and time when the exam is given in class. You MUST call because, this close to the exam date, you will not be able to make your exam arrangements via the online booking system. If you are unable to get a person on the line, leave a message, and keep trying. You MAY NOT take the exam before it is given in class.
FAQ 3: “It’s the morning of exam day, and I think I am sick. What do I do?”
E-mail the instructor immediately (!) and notify them of your situation, then fill out an “Incapacitation Form“, also see here. NOW you MUST CALL the Testing Center at 919-684-1601 and schedule a make-up exam within 5 days of the day and time when the exam is given in class. You MUST call because, this close to the exam date, you will not be able to make your exam arrangements via the online booking system. If you are unable to get a person on the line, leave a message, and keep trying. You MAY NOT take the exam before it is given in class.
FAQ 4: “Walking over to the Testing Center is a pain-in-the-ass. Can I take my exam in a private session with the TA, instructor, academic adviser, etc. instead?”
No. This is how we used to be able to handle make-up requests. However, we are no longer able to do so. The Duke Testing Center is in Trent Hall at 310 Trent Drive, Room 041.
Please note that we will keep track of any exam excuse requests. If you have repeat requests for exam make-ups throughout the semester, we will notify your academic dean to assure that you will be able to be accommodated and receive the help that you need.
