From: "Carl Gagliardi" <cggroup@comp.tamu.edu>
Subject: 218 labs and MATH/ENGR common exams
Date: Wednesday, September 22, 2004 11:42 AM

Hi Physics 218 Faculty:

Below you will find notes from the math and engineering depts. regarding 
the proper procedures for students to follow when they have a "common exam" 
conflict.  I thought I sent these to everyone when I got them from 
Lewis.  But a note this morning from Dave Toback made me realize that they 
previously only went to a subset of you.

Carl
------------------------------------------------------

Math Dept policy:

Here is the word from Mike Pilant (Associate Head of Math) about time
conflicts between math exams and scheduled classes (such as 218 lab):

+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
Lewis:

Here is the official policy, and it is the same as it has always been.

1) If a student can not attend the common exam because of a scheduled course
conflict (lab or recitation) the student can come to BLOC 601 and sign up
for the early exam. Their schedule will be verified on SIMS.

2) If a student cannot make either the common exam or the early exam
(because of a course conflict) they will be permitted to take the makeup
exam (offered after the common exam, and a different test) under the
"university excused absence" clause for makeups.

Students cannot just show up for the early exam, they must go through our
office for verification.

If a student does not show up for the make up exams, then we will handle
that on a case by case basis.

In every semester that Al or I can check, there has been typically one
section of Physics which conflicts with the common exam, and a much smaller
subset of  students who cannot take either the early or common exam.  These
have always been  handled as through makeup exams.

-Mike

----------------------------------------------------------------------

A note from Lewis regarding Engineering conflicts:

The common evening exams for ENGR 111 and 112 are scheduled for Wednesday,
October 6, Wednesday November 17 and Thursday December 2.  Here is what
Terry Kohutek says about their exams:
"We offer our exams at three times: 5:00 PM, 6:30 PM & 8:15 PM.  Student
are required to attend the exam at the time assigned to them (6:30 or
8:15 PM) unless they have a legitimate class conflict - such as PHYS.
In that case they can take it at the other time, unless that time also
conflicts, in which case they can take it 5:00 PM. "

It is my understand that students have to sign up in advance to take the
exam at an alternative time.   These alternative exam times resolve most of
the conflicts with PHYS 218 and 208 labs, if students take advantage of the
alternative exam times.  Here is what I recommend about the conflicts that
are not totally resolved by an alternative time:

PHYS 218 section 510 lab W 6:10-9 pm.  These students should take the
5--6:30 pm exam and if the exam takes them the entire time they will be
about 20 minutes late for Physics recitation twice during the semester.

PHYS 218 section 511 lab R 5:55-8:45 pm.  These students should take the
5--6:30 pm exam and if the exam takes them the entire time they will be
about 30 minutes late for Physics recitation once during the semester.

I know this is not a totally satisfactory solution but I hope we can
accommodate Engineering and the students in this way.

Can you pass this information to the 218 and 208 instructors?  Let me know
if you have problems or concerns.

Thanks,
Lewis