General Exam Policies

 

• In the absence of an emergency, exams are re-scheduled only in accordance with our conflict policies, found in the Bulletin at http://law.gsu.edu/registrar/bulletin/
• If an emergency arises, making it impossible for you to take an exam, notify the Registrar (Patricia Rackliffe at 404-413-9012 or prackliffe@langate.gsu.edu and/or Lauren St. Clair at 404-413-9010 or lmartin14@langate.gsu.edu) immediately. Once you take your exam, there is nothing we can do to deal with emergencies.   You may be asked for documentation of the emergency.
• Do not speak directly with your professors about re-scheduling exams, arranging to take an exam with accommodations, typing instead of writing, and such matters. Such conversations will compromise anonymity. 
• Be sure to arrive at your exam on the right day and in plenty of time to start.  If you are late for an exam, you will not be permitted to make up the time you missed, except for documented emergencies.  If you miss an exam, unless there is a documented emergency, you will receive a grade of F.
• No outside blue books are allowed into the exam room.
• Cell phones must be turned off before the exam begins.
• We will put on the exam room's whiteboard a phone number where the proctor can be reached, as well as the room number for the Registrar's office.
• Make sure you comply with all aspects of the College of Law Honor Code, including the admonition to stop writing or typing when time is called. Writing or typing after time is called (even putting your name and/or exam number on the exam or bubbling in answers on an Opscan sheet after you've already entered the answers on the exam) is a violation of the Honor Code. The Code also obligates you to report all possible Honor Code violations of which you are aware.
• Professors are required to turn in their grades by the end of business on January19, 2010. For grades submitted on the 19^th, it may still take a day or two for the Registrar to enter them all into GoSolar. In some cases, professors turn in grades before the deadline and authorize the Registrar to post them immediately on GoSolar. That decision is entirely up to the professor, not the Registrar. Please do not ask the Registrar for earlier disclosure of your grades or any other special treatment.
• If you believe you are entitled to disability accommodations for exams, it is your responsibility to timely arrange for such and to provide the appropriate documentation. Contact the Office of Disability Services at 404-413-1560 for further information.

A FINAL NOTE ABOUT EXAMS

• We have an excellent and dedicated staff who administer our exams, including all the technical issues that go along with taking exams on computers. Even so, things beyond our control sometimes occur. Our people are experienced enough to deal with just about all problems, so long as you let them know about them in a timely manner. Please be respectful of our hard-working staff.

 

Laptop Exam Policies

 If you want to take your FALL in-class exams on a laptop, you must download AND test the Securexam software before the end of the day on Friday, November 20th.  After 11:59 p.m. on November 20th, the software will no longer be available for download or testing.  You test the software by taking the practice exam.  IF YOU DO NOT UPLOAD THE PRACTICE EXAM BEFORE 11:59 P.M. ON November 20th, YOU WILL BE UNABLE TO TAKE YOUR EXAMS ON A LAPTOP.  You will have to hand-write your exams.  EVEN IF YOU HAVE A PREVIOUS VERSION OF THIS SOFTWARE FROM ANOTHER SEMESTER, YOU WILL NEED TO DOWNLOAD A NEW VERSION OF IT EVERY SEMESTER.

            The instructions for downloading the Securexam software are online for MAC or PC.  Print them prior to installing the software.  Note that you need to download this software only if you want to take an in-class exam on a laptop; you do not need this software for take-home exams.  The downloading process is the same as in previous semesters, but the software is new, as it will be each semester.

            You have a new exam number, and your new password to log in to the PlanetSSI system is now your exam number with two preceding ones (i.e. exam number 333=11333). Look up your Fall exam number.

            To view your FALL exam number, you will login using your MyLaw ID and password.   If you have a Securexam version from past semesters (including Summer) already on your laptop, you will need to delete the Securexam icon from your desktop.  MAC users will need to drag their file to the trash bin.  

            Downloading, installing, and testing the software will take about 30 minutes.  TESTING THE SOFTWARE BY TAKING THE PRACTICE EXAM IS MANDATORY, AND MUST BE COMPLETED BEFORE 11:59 PM. ON November 20th.  If you have problems, there is a support link at the end of the instructions to ask for help.

            Securexam support is available 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. The link is http://d2.parature.com/ics/support/default.asp?deptID=8043 and we strongly suggest that you bookmark this link.

  OTHER IMPORTANT information for taking laptop exams:

• Bring a Power Cord: Batteries can fail. If you do not have a power cord, you may have to hand write your exam.
• Bring a Network Cable: Wireless is not recommended.
• Report Early: Report to the exam room 30 minutes prior to the start of the exam.
• Be ready to take your exam: Your computer and exam software must be ready and functioning properly at least ten (10) minutes before the scheduled start of the exam. If your computer software is not functioning properly before the start of the exam, you will be moved to the writing room.
• For laptop exams, a proctor will be in the exam room 30 minutes before exams start and 15 minutes after the start of the exam. A proctor will also be in the room at least 15 minutes before the end of the exam and will remain until all exams are turned in.