During the term, faculty members have the authority to make reasonable adjustments to deadlines on assignments when extenuating circumstances for an individual student warrant such an adjustment.  Normally, any such adjusted deadlines will not be after 11:59pm on the last day of classes, but in rare cases the new deadline may fall during Reading Days or the final examination period.  (Instructors should exercise restraint in adjusting deadlines into Reading Days or the exam period, as such adjustments can encroach on a student’s capacity to complete the final work for this and other courses.)

Outside of these rare adjustments for individual students, work due after the last day of classes may only have one of the following two deadlines: (1) during the scheduled final examination slot for the course, or (2) at the end of the official examination schedule for that term (the end of the last scheduled final exam slot, including self-scheduled exams). Deadlines may not fall at other times after the last day of classes, including during Reading Days. In all cases, students are to have all work completed and submitted for a course no later than the end of the official examination schedule for that term. Work may extend beyond the end of the exam schedule only if an extension (EX1, EX3, or EXT) has been approved by an associate dean of students or an associate provost. If no extension has been approved, then any work received after the end of the official examination schedule for the term may not be graded.

For a course that is neither a ten-week nor second five-week course, a one-week period after the last class stands in for the official examination period.  If no extension has been approved, then any work received more than one week after the last class meeting may not be graded.

This policy is intended to set an outside limit on the time allowed to complete coursework and provide a degree of fairness among students. While the quality of a student’s work may improve if given additional time, it is also important to maintain a common framework of time available to all students. If special circumstances seem to warrant additional time beyond the end of the final examination period for an individual, the student or faculty member should request and receive approval for an extension before any extended time is provided.

See also examinations, “ext”–extension granted.