FINALS: Some finals already a memory

Although most students are still thinking ahead to their final exams, some students have already taken some of their final tests. Despite University policy, which prohibits giving final exams during the last week of classes, many instructors skirt the official policy by giving non-cumulative exams, technically not "final" exams. Kent Peterman, executive assistant to the associate dean of the College of Arts and Sciences, said a precise definition of a final exam is difficult to ascertain. "The policy is not clear on that point. It doesn't define what a 'final exam' is, in terms of non-cumulative versus cumulative," he said. According to Peterman, the College deans have yet to hear any complaints from students about instructors who hold final exams during the last week of classes. Executive Assistant to the Provost Linda Koons said early final exams are not a rare occurence. "Every year there are a fair number of poeple who give exams early," Koons said. "Some students like that, some don't." Last week Communications Professor Joseph Turow gave a "final" to his Mass Media and Society class. According to Turow, students initially showed an interest in moving the final to the last day of class. Turow polled his class and found that "over 90 percent, a month ago, raised their hand" in approval of the change. Turow said at first he was going to give the exam during the normal time slot designated by the registrar. "My intention was to give it during final times, and I then heard a few groans," he said. College freshman Sebnem Gokcen, a student in Turow's class, said she did not mind the early exam. "I think that everybody preferred that we had it the last day," said Gokcen. "If I was behind in the readings, then I wouldn't want it [earlier]," she added. The Rules Governing Final Examinations state that "no final examinations may be scheduled during the last week of classes or on reading days." According to Koons, exams on the last days of classes should not be given. "If it's a final exam, they're not supposed [to hold it during the final week of classes,]" she said. Turow said he could administer his exam since it did not cover the whole semester's material. "I checked with a person of authority at Annenberg, who said it's not a final exam in the sense that it's not cumulative," said Turow. College freshman Michelle McIlvaine, also in Turow's class, said that one final in the last week was manageable. "If they were all crammed into that last week, you wouldn't have time to study. You couldn't do it all," she said.