What do you think the verdict should be?

[I have WHAT in my yard?]

I am so flocking annoyed right now.

I was scheduled to give a final exam next week. More than half of the students requested an alternate time because so many did not want to have to wait that late. I did not either since I celebrate Solstice and wanted to change the day. So, I told the students we would change the day to the last class day. That would mean they would only have 90 minutes instead of 160 minutes to take the exam. But, the exam was exactly like the one given at mid-term which took the majority of the students 40 minutes.

I told them a week in advance and said, "If you think you will need more time, let me know and we will make alternate arrangements." I don't know if I said a specific deadline for when you had to notify me.

So today a student did not show up for the exam.

After the exam I found an e-mail from him from one hour before he was supposed to take it saying he had decided that he needed more time to take the exam. !!!!

I bend over backwards to accommodate students. I swear. But, I told him he really messed up that if he "decided he needed more time" that close to exam time he should have come to the exam and discussed it with me.

He had over a week to let me know so we could make alternate arrangements!! I live (which he knew) an hour and a half away so he is asking me to make a 3 hour round trip to accommodate him when I could have easily given him more time today had he contacted me PRIOR to the exam!!

An e-mail one hour before his exam is not acceptable to me (I'm not checking my e-mail when I am teaching!!)

So, I have three choices. Fail him. Come up with an alternate project for the exam. Or have to spend essentially a day going back in to give him an exam that I will have to create for him since everyone else has already taken the exam!

I hate failing students for bad decisions, but this is a doozy. In his response he makes it worse by saying he wanted more time not just to take the exam, but more time to prepare!! He does not get more time than anyone else had!!

I am so annoyed I am throwing it out to this group. A mixed bag of ages and education levels.

Which do I do?

Fail him (for the exam)
Create an alternate project
Create another exam and go back in to give it to him.

 

[JustAChickenLittle&More]

FAIL!!! Sorry, he needs to think about the future. Not very many people wait on you.

 

[FarmerJamie]

One vote for an alternate project, a big one, due the first day of school after the holiday break. Just for grins, assign it the last day of school before break.

From a dad who is a stickler on my kids taking responsibility for their education....

 

[Orchid]

Create a giant alternate project that will make him wish he had not only showed up for the exam, but showed up an hour early and brought you your favorite hot beverage, too.

 

[I have WHAT in my yard?]

Quote:
Can't do that due date! This is a semester issue. Grades are final as of 12/22 The last day was TODAY!!!

 

[FarmerJamie]

I have WHAT in my yard? :

Quote:
Can't do that due date! This is a semester issue grades are final as of 12/22

Hmmm, no chance for an "incomplete" grade? Are the grades allowed to be adjusted after the grading period is closed? If not, then I vote for the FAIL, but I'm sure the parents will raise holy heck, so I'm betting you'll be adminstering the make-up test.

 

[I have WHAT in my yard?]

Quote:
Can't do that due date! This is a semester issue grades are final as of 12/22

Hmmm, no chance for an "incomplete" grade? Are the grades allowed to be adjusted after the grading period is closed? If not, then I vote for the FAIL, but I'm sure the parents will raise holy heck, so I'm betting you'll be adminstering the make-up test.

College. No parents. No make ups after the semester ends. This student is 20 years old.

Big project........ More votes??

 

[aShMaNv]

Hello. I take it that this is a college course? I actually just finished up my fall semester with three finals today. Coming from 20 year old college students point of view, he is a young adult and its time he starts acting like it. I am told i am mature for my age and it really annoys me to see young adults who still act like they are 12. Sorry if i am being rude, but i need to vent lol. I would fail him, or give him the choice of doing a project. The project would need to be a big one. Especially if the reason he waited was to get more time to study. That wouldn't be fair to the other students. Its time he realizes he is a young man and takes responsibility for his actions.

 

[thebritt]

I was a college student, going for a degree in wildlife biology with an emphasis in ecological systems. There is no way ANY of my professors would have made special accomodations for anyone who was not facing a life threatening illness!!! Seriously - that guy can just take the class again - that outta give him PLENTY of time to prepare!!!

 

[RoeDylanda]

I used to be a nursing instructor, and a big, complicated, research-heavy project sounds about right to me. You can very kindly allow him to email it to you (by a totally inflexible deadline that gives you a chance to read it and get your grades in on time) and severely limit the number of online resources allowed. Nothing like a freezing cold trek to the campus library to make him wish he'd showed up for the exam. He complains, you can remind him of the F option. Unless your Dean is a complete doormat they should back you up on the no-notice thing.

Good luck!