Academic Assessment

Exams, assignments, and various other modes of assessment are employed by course faculty to determine student performance and comprehension of materials. These forms of academic assessment are given at the discretion of the faculty member during class time or as arranged by the course syllabus or Academic Coordinator. Descriptions of the assessments employed for individual classes are identified in the course syllabi which are distributed to all students via the course instance in Canvas at the beginning of each term for the class. Tests may be provided in various formats including practical (in-person), manual, and digital formats. Final exams, if administered, are usually given during the last week of the quarter as scheduled by Academics but could be scheduled at other times due to requirements. Intensive class finals are usually given on the last day of class. Laboratory finals and Practical finals may be scheduled prior to the final week of class. Assignments and class postings are listed with required due dates in the Canvas learning management system.

Student Expectations

Students are expected to take all examinations at the scheduled time and day as well as complete examinations and assignments by the published deadline. This includes didactic and clinical exams, quizzes, assignments, activities, assessments, midterms, finals, and meeting attendance requirements as applicable. In exceptional situations, the course faculty may allow a student to reschedule a missed exam, provide a comparable learning activity/assignment, or permit an extension of an assignment deadline, depending on attendance, examination, and/or assignment specifications, due to an extenuating circumstance as defined in the Attendance and Absences.

Missed Assessments

Students who cannot take an exam, or other evaluations at the assigned time, due to an extenuating circumstance, must notify the Dean of Students Office prior to the examination or, if incapacitated, as soon as physically possible utilizing the Absence Report Form. Simultaneously, they also need to notify their course faculty that they are requesting an absence review from the Dean of Students. Appropriate documentation identifying the circumstance may be required to determine the validity of the request. The Dean of Students decides whether the absence meets policy criteria and notifies faculty to execute absence protocols as per the course syllabus which will determine the student’s eligibility to receive a makeup exam or an extension on other classroom exercises, assignments, and assessments. Timing, location, and format for rescheduled exams are at the discretion of faculty unless otherwise stated in an ADA accommodations plan. Please see the Special Exams tab on this page for further details. If allowed by the course syllabus, all missed graded assessments will be rescheduled, or a new deadline determined directly between the course faculty and the student.

Students should discuss concerns about the grading and rescheduling of academic assessments directly with their course faculty.

Special Exams

Special Didactic Exam Requests

Sonoran University recognizes that under certain circumstances testing may need to occur at a different time, location, or format than originally scheduled.

There are two categories of special exams:

1. ADA accommodation plan requirements
2. Rescheduled exam due to an excused absence

Students are responsible for requesting a rescheduled didactic exam as soon as the need is identified but at least 72 business hours in advance of the regularly scheduled exam time, or within 24 hours of return from an unplanned absence. Requests received after that period will be processed, when possible, but there is no guarantee of test availability.

Please see specific tabs on this page for more information on the various special exam request types.  

Testing Locations

Testing Center

The Testing Center, located in Sonoran University's Library, is utilized by on-campus students or local online students for taking rescheduled or relocated didactic tests, as required and approved by either the Accessibility Office( if ADA-related) or by Library staff if it is a standard rescheduling. Additionally, students on an approved ADA accommodation plan may take tests in the Testing Center, as per their plan, and all other students may reserve any empty testing spaces as available. Student Services also has alternative testing locations depending on request volume and special needs. For additional information, contact the Accessibility Office.

Non-didactic Special Exam Requests

Approved Milestone Exams, Practical Exams, and other assessments, will be rescheduled in their suitable alternative locations directly through the faculty.

Accommodation Requests

Students who receive testing accommodations as part of their ADA-documented plan will be allowed to schedule their tests according to their accommodations plan. Faculty will be notified at the beginning of the term of the student’s testing accommodations. Information on testing accommodations will also be entered into Canvas. It is suggested that students send their faculty a friendly reminder that they will be utilizing their accommodations in an upcoming test.

Depending on the testing format required, the Accessibility Office may need to schedule a test in the Testing Center. Students must notify the Accessibility Office and their faculty that they intend to utilize this accommodation at least three business days in advance of the test. Please contact the Accessibility Office if there are any concerns regarding testing and accommodations.

Rescheduling Missed Exams

The Dean of Students determines whether the absence meets policy criteria and informs the course faculty of the outcome. Faculty, as per the course syllabus, make a determination as to the student’s eligibility to receive a makeup exam or an extension on other classroom exercises, assignments, and assessments, see Absences for more information.

Once the Dean of Students issues a final decision via email, it is the student's responsibility to contact course faculty within 24 hours to determine eligibility to re-take and missed graded assessment activities, and to reschedule accordingly. Note that faculty make the final determination of when the rescheduled exam or comparable learning activity or assignment will occur or the new assignment deadline. Meeting policy criteria does not guarantee that a missed assessment item is possible. Parameters per the published course syllabus determine eligibility.

The format of any rescheduled exam will be determined by the faculty member, subject to any ADA testing accommodations required by law. Special Examination Fee(s) may apply for milestone and practical-type exams, see Tuition and Fees.

Requests to reschedule tests or receive an assignment deadline extension, or comparable learning activity or assignment for unexcused absences are solely at the discretion of the faculty member and will be refused if deemed not within the parameters of the assignment, activity, and/or course syllabus.

Students who are not permitted to make up a missed examination or assignment and/or believe they were not provided fair treatment may utilize the university's grievance procedure.