The University's final exam scheduling system is in need of repair. Any student who has had four exams in five days or lost two weeks of vacation because of an exam on the very last day of finals period will tell you as much. The current system disadvantages some students because of random scheduling misfortunes, and thus partially undermines the meritocratic principles on which our grades are based. Indeed, few students would ever choose the exam schedules presented to them by the Registrar if they had the choice.
The University should offer its students exactly that choice, allowing them to take their exams at the times most convenient for them during the exam period. A number of classes have already embraced take-home exams, for which students may choose when and where to complete their work within a one to two week period. Some of these exams are open book and untimed, while others mimic in-class exams and have strict time constraints. Except for a few, rare classes that have unusual exams, there is no reason why the University cannot offer this kind of flexibility to all of its students.
Embracing a flexible exam schedule has the potential to reduce end-of-semester headaches for much of the student body. There is simply no reason why any student should have to take three or four exams in that many days, and then have two weeks with no other commitments. Particularly in classes graded on a curve, it is often unfair for a student who has not slept for three days to be measured against another who has had plenty of time to study. It's also inconvenient for a student with one exam spring semester to have to wait until the last day to take it, missing out on time he or she could spend at home or starting a summer job.
A flexible exam schedule is not without its problems, though. As it now stands, the Honor Code derives part of its power from the requirement that students report violations they observe. If the University instituted flexible exams, the administration would have to do one of two things. It would either have to establish designated exam rooms for test takers so that students could continue to monitor each other, or revise the Honor Code to make students solely responsible for monitoring themselves.
These are important considerations for any policy reform, but they do not change the fact that flexible exams would make life better for many students on campus and put students with packed schedules on a more even playing field with students who have fewer exams. We believe that a compromise can be reached between an exam schedule that gives students some control over their schedules and one that upholds the spirit of the Honor Code.
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