December 9, 2017
Share:

Dear Students,

With the College having decided to cancel exam week, many of you may be wondering about how we will administer this semester’s final exams. In order to preserve as much as possible the integrity of the first semester, and to minimize the adverse effects of the fire and evacuation, tutors will administer final exams during the first week back after the Christmas break.

Serious consideration of having take-home exams revealed some distinct disadvantages. The principal benefit of final exams is for students to solidify their understanding of the material by reviewing the semester. But this is perhaps most effectively done together with your classmates. By holding exams when students return from the Christmas break, the College can preserve the benefit of common study. Also, since many of you were unable to retrieve your books from the campus before returning home for the Christmas break, having take-home exams would unfairly disadvantage those students who left without their books. Finally, having exams soon after experiencing the fire and evacuation would unnecessarily add to the stress and anxiety associated with final exams.

In order to have exams after Christmas break, it will be necessary to cut one week from the second-semester syllabus. To minimize the number of changes to the second-semester schedule, some adjustments will be made to the academic calendar and the exam schedule. First, in order to have ample study time for those students who left without their books, the residence halls will be opened on Thursday, January 4, 2018, so that students may return earlier to begin studying for final exams. Second, in order fit all of the exams into one week, some exams will be optional and some adjustments will be made to the exam schedule.

Finals for Seminar, Sophomore Language, and Music will be optional, i.e., students who are content with being graded on the basis of their class participation and other work during the semester can skip the final exam. If, however, they would like to take these finals, they may do so on Monday, January 8. If students have questions about the advisability of skipping a final exam, they should communicate with their tutors. Tutor email addresses can be found on the College’s website, but please keep in mind that most tutors are currently unable to access their College email accounts. So if you send them an email in the next few days, please be patient while you wait for a response.

Here is the schedule for finals when you return from the Christmas Break:

Monday, January 8

  • Seminar (optional)
  • Sophomore Language (optional)
  • Junior Music (optional)

Tuesday, January 9

  • Freshman Language
  • Mathematics

Wednesday, January 10

  • Theology

Thursday, January 11

  • Natural Science

Friday, January 12

  • Philosophy

Some of your tutors may want to distribute review guides for final exams. To facilitate their efforts, please provide a reliable email address and phone number where you can be reached over the break.

If you have any questions, please use this temporary email address: ThomasFireTAC@gmail.com.

Thank you for your continued prayers for those affected by the fire and your patience during the last week. I hope you have a blessed Christmas!

Sincerely,

John J. Goyette
Dean