DRAFT for CPP · DRAFT for CPP Spring 2008 Final Exams and Reading Days Feedback from TCNJ Students, Faculty and Staff ... Each group received a different online survey created in

DRAFT for CPP

Spring 2008 Final Exams and Reading Days

Feedback from TCNJ Students, Faculty and Staff

Prepared for the Committee on Planning and Priorities

By the Center for Institutional Effectiveness

August 2008

Executive Summary

To assess the effectiveness of the shortened reading days and exam period in the Spring 2008 semester, the

Committee on Planning and Priorities (CPP) asked TCNJ students, faculty and staff to complete a brief survey

after the completion of exams. Each group received a different online survey created in Form Genie. CPP will

use these results in their further discussion of TCNJ‟s final exam policy and the perpetual calendar.

Summary of Results

Almost 60% of freshmen, sophomore and junior respondents indicated that the number of reading days

did not meet their needs

o More students from the Schools of Engineering and Science felt this way.

62% of freshmen, sophomores and juniors felt that the Spring 2008 exam schedule did not allow them to

put forth their best effort.

o More than half the students from the School of the Arts and Communication (56%) felt it did.

A majority of faculty respondents (87%) indicated that they felt their students had adequate time to

prepare for finals.

o Most who felt students did not were from the Schools of Culture & Society and Science.

Over half of the staff (67%) felt that students were given the time and conditions to be successful on

exams.

o Those who didn‟t noted the same issues as students, namely:

exam schedule was too “crunched” together;

exam times were “too early or too late”;

exams were scheduled for Monday evening - which students thought of as a reading day.

Almost all faculty (94%) are available to students during the reading period

o Some (13%) only electronically

Most staff (74%) felt that students used the reading days productively.

Almost all students (90%) indicated that their professors gave them the full two hours and 50 minutes

allotted to complete their final exam.

o More than half the students (63%), across all levels, indicated that they did not need all the time.

o More students from the School of Engineering (54%) did use the full time

Most of the faculty (87%) felt that the time allotted for final exams was appropriate.

o Thirty five (25%) commented that the amount of time allotted for exams was too long,

o Four (3%) commented that there was not enough time.

Spring 2008 Final Exam Period Feedback August 2008

Center for Institutional Effectiveness Page 2 of 16

Introduction

After final exams in the Spring 2008 semester, the Committee on Planning and Priorities (CPP) obtained

feedback from the College of New Jersey community (students, faculty and staff) on their final exam

experience (see minutes from 2/13/08: http://www.tcnj.edu/~Steering/cpp/CPP_minutes_02-13-08.doc).

In this semester, there was both a shortened reading day and final exam period. To assess the

effectiveness of this shortened process, TCNJ students, faculty and staff were asked to complete a brief

survey addressing these issues. Each group received a different online survey created in Form Genie

asking questions related to their final exam experience for the spring 2008 semester. CPP will use these

results in their further discussion of TCNJ‟s final exam policy and the perpetual calendar.

Student Responses

Method

TCNJ students were given the opportunity, via email, to participate in a brief online survey after taking

their final exams. A copy of the student survey instrument is available in Appendix I. The anonymous

survey contained questions about class level and major/department, followed by four statements on the

final exam process that students were to answer by selecting either agree or disagree. Students were

able to elaborate with comments after each question. A section for general comments not related to a

specific question was also provided. In order to continue a discussion on the TCNJ final exam

policy/process, students were able to provide their email addresses for participation in a focus group to

discuss their final exam issues/concerns during the fall 2008 semester.

Results

A total of 1683 students responded to the student survey, which is a 27% response rate. The class level

of student respondents is included in the tables below. There are 35 students included in the total for

seniors who identified themselves as super-seniors, as the current student information system does not

distinguish between 4th

year senior and 5th

year (and beyond) seniors. The response rate by class level

very closely matched the enrolled student population at TCNJ in the Fall 2007 semester.

Class Level Respondents Enrolled Students

Number Percent Number Percent

Freshmen 434 26% 1581 25%

Sophomore 495 29% 1515 24%

Junior 409 24% 1559 25%

Senior 345 21% 1509 24%

Non-matriculant 0 0% 41 1%

Total 1683 100% 6205 100%

The school of the major reported by student respondents is included in the table below. The proportion

of students from each school responding is nearly identical to the number of students enrolled in each

school in the Fall 2007 semester for all schools.

http://www.tcnj.edu/~Steering/cpp/CPP_minutes_02-13-08.doc



School Respondents Enrolled Students


The Arts & Communication 144 9% 599 10%

Business 266 16% 1098 18%

Culture & Society 451 27% 1664 27%

Education 217 13% 754 12%

Engineering 118 7% 431 7%

Nursing, Health, & Exercise

Science

121 7% 560 9%

Science 357 21% 1052 17%

Not Available / Other 9 1% 47 1%

Total 1683 100% 6205 100%

Student Item 1

The number of reading days met my needs as a student in terms of preparing for final exams and/or

completing final projects.

Over half of the students responding (56%) disagreed with this statement, indicating their belief that

they did not have a sufficient number of reading days to prepare for final exams and projects. As the

graph below indicates, by class level, sophomores (65%), juniors (59%) and freshmen (53%) disagreed

with this statement, while seniors (66%) and super-seniors (55%) agreed with it.

As indicated in the table below, a greater number of students in the Schools of Engineering (73%) and

Science (66%) believed they did not have a sufficient number of reading days, while slightly more than

half the students in the Schools of Nursing, Health and Exercise Science (53%), the Arts and

Communication (53%)and Education (51%) believed they did.

FreshmenSophomo

reJunior Senior

Supersenior

Question #1 disagree 53% 65% 59% 45% 34%

Question #1 agree 47% 35% 41% 55% 66%

0%

10%

20%

30%

40%

50%

60%

70%

Responses to Item 1 by Class Level (%)

Question #1 disagree

Question #1 agree



School

Response to Item 1

Total No Yes

Count Percent Count Percent

Arts & Communication 68 47.22% 76 52.78% 144

Business 144 54.14% 122 45.86% 266

Culture & Society 245 54.32% 206 45.68% 451

Education 106 48.85% 111 51.15% 217

Engineering 86 72.88% 32 27.12% 118

Nursing, Health & Exercise Science 57 47.11% 64 52.89% 121

Science 236 66.11% 121 33.89% 357

Unknown 5 55.56% 4 44.44% 9

Grand Total 947 56.27% 736 43.73% 1683

Student Item 2

The schedule for my final exams allowed me to put forth my best effort.

Similarly to the responses for Student Item 1, 59% of student respondents disagreed with the statement

indicating that the final exam schedule allowed them to put forth their best effort. Sophomores (66%),

Juniors (63%), and Freshmen (56%) disagreed with the statement, while Seniors (51%) and Super-

Seniors (51%) agreed with it, illustrated in the chart below.

In a breakdown of responses by school, a majority of respondents from only the School of Arts &

Communication (57%) agreed with the statement. In all other schools, over 50% of respondents

disagreed, as indicated in the table below.

Freshmen

Sophomore

Junior SeniorSupersen

ior

Question #2 % disagree 56 66 63 49 49

Question #2 % agree 44 34 37 51 51

0

10

20

30

40

50

60

70


Question #2 % disagree

Question #2 % agree



School

Response to Item 2

Total No Yes



Business 135 50.75% 131 49.25% 266

Culture & Society 263 58.31% 188 41.69% 451

Education 119 54.84% 98 45.16% 217

Engineering 90 76.27% 28 23.73% 118


Science 251 70.31% 106 29.69% 357

Unknown 6 66.67% 3 33.33% 9

Grand Total 994 59.06% 689 40.94% 1683

Student Item 3

My professors provided me with the full two hours and fifty minutes scheduled to complete my final

exam.

An overwhelming majority of students (90%) responded that they agreed with the statement that

professors provided the full two hours and fifty minutes for exams. The high percentage of agreement

with this statement indicates that students at TCNJ are for the most part able to have the full time

allotted for final exams, as stated in the College‟s final exam policy. Only a small number of students

disagreed with this statement, and, as indicated in the chart below, there was no specific class level that

was in the majority.

Agreement was fairly unanimous across schools as well, as indicated in the table below.

Freshmen

Sophomore


ior


Question #3 % agree 89 89 91 91 86

0

20

40

60

80

100



Question #3 % agree



School

Response to Question 3

Total No Yes



Business 27 10.15% 239 89.85% 266

Culture & Society 49 10.86% 402 89.14% 451

Education 23 10.60% 194 89.40% 217

Engineering 11 9.32% 107 90.68% 118


Science 45 12.61% 312 87.39% 357

Unknown 2 22.22% 7 77.78% 9

Grand Total 168 9.98% 1515 90.02% 1683

Student Item 4

I required the full two hours and fifty minutes scheduled to complete most of my final exams.

The majority of students (63%) indicated that they did not require the full time allotted for their final

exams. As the chart below indicates, there was little variation in response with class level.

In looking at response percentages across schools, slightly more than half (54%) of respondents from the

School of Engineering indicated they used the full time allotted. A majority of respondents from all

other schools indicated that they did not need the full time, as indicated in the table below.

Freshmen

Sophomore


ior


Question #4 % agree 36 38 39 33 46

0

10

20

30

40

50

60

70

80



Question #4 % agree



School

Response to Question 4

Total No Yes



Business 177 66.54% 89 33.46% 266

Culture & Society 313 69.40% 138 30.60% 451

Education 128 58.99% 89 41.01% 217

Engineering 54 45.76% 64 54.24% 118


Science 192 53.78% 165 46.22% 357

Unknown 6 66.67% 3 33.33% 9

Grand Total 1063 63.16% 620 36.84% 1683

Student Comments

TCNJ students were given the opportunity to elaborate on their response to each of the four survey

questions. Students that commented were often candid in their criticism of the final exam and reading

day schedules. In order to provide more specificity, comments were sorted into categories based on type

and an analysis was conducted. Responses were counted under more than one category as appropriate.

Results of the response analysis are discussed below. All student responses are available in the

companion excel file.

Student comments to Item 1

The number of reading days met my needs as a student in terms of preparing for final exams and/or

completing final projects.

Student comments to question #1 were grouped under the following six types of responses:

0%

10%

20%

30%

40%

50%

Question #1 Question #2 Question #3 Question #4

Students with Comments (%)



More Reading Days – Students indicated the need for more reading days/number of reading days

provided was not enough.

Reading days provided was sufficient.

No reading days on weekends-Students preferred to not have weekends included as reading days.

Final exam schedule problems-Students expressed various concerns with the scheduling of the

final exams in spring 2008.

No final exams during reading days- Students were concerned with the scheduling of finals on

Monday evening.

Fall 2007 final exam schedule was preferred by students or a final exam schedule from a prior

semester/year.

A total of 693 students (41%) gave elaborated comments to Question 1: 619 or 89.3%, were from

students who disagreed with the number of reading days available during the final exam period. In 87

percent of the responses, students indicated not having enough reading days offered for the spring 2008

final exam period. The breakdown of this category by class level is 42% sophomore, 38% juniors, 32%

freshmen, and 29% seniors. Comments from students expressing problems with the overall schedule for

spring final exams accounted for 19% of the responses. Other percentages of responses were as follows:

10% believed the number of reading days available was appropriate, 13% of students were concerned

with weekends being counted as reading days, 10% of students had a problem with final exams

beginning on Monday, and 6% commented on preferring a final exam schedule similar to that offered in

the fall of 2007. It is clear from the responses that a number of students believed that more reading days

should be available during the final exam process in order for them to be prepared for exams and

complete final projects.

Student Comments to Item 2

The schedule for my final exams allowed me to put forth my best effort.

Student comments to question #2 were grouped under the following six types of responses:

Final exam schedule was good-Student had no problems with the final exam schedule

Problems with time of final exams-Exams were scheduled too early/too late/poor time.

No final exams on reading days-Student had a problem with an exam being scheduled on

Monday evening.

Final exam schedule problem-Student had problems with his/her final exam schedule/final exam

schedule was confusing.

More preparation time need for exams-Student wanted more reading days for final exams and

projects.

Projects due on exam days-Student had regular/final projects due on same day as final exams.

There were 725 students (43%) that gave elaborated comments to question 2; 88% of the responses were

from students that disagreed with the statement that „The schedule for final exams allowed me to put

forth my best effort‟. Almost half of the responses (49%) were about students‟ displeasure with the

7:30am and 7:30pm final exam time slots. More juniors and sophomores commented on the new exam



times than students in other class levels, 26% and 24% respectively. Another 45% indicated that they

had scheduling problems which interfered with their ability to do well on their final exams (sophomores:

23%, juniors: 20%). Other responses percentages were: 10% students had no problems with the final

exam schedule, 2% of the responses were for no final exams on reading days, 22% of the responses were

for more reading days/preparation time for finals, and less than one percent (0.5%) did not want

regular/final projects due during the final exam period.


My professors provided me with the full two hours and fifty minutes scheduled to complete my final

exam.

Student comments to question #3 were grouped as follows:

Less final exam time was provided.

Full final exam time was provided.

Less time was required to completed final exam.

Time for exam was restricted by program/course (ACS).

More time was required for final exam than given/more time was required for final exam and

given by the professor.

No final exam required/only final project due.

A total of 171 students (10%) provided additional responses to question 3; 62% of the comments were

from students that disagreed with the statement „My professors provided me the full two hours and fifty

minutes scheduled to complete my final exams’. Of those who offered comments, 48% said they were

given less than the full time allotted for their finals, 33% said they were given the required amount of

time, 16% said that less time was needed than the full time allotted to completed their finals, 11% were

taking an ACS regulated final exam which called for two hours only, 9% said that more time (more than

2hrs 50 min) was required to complete their exams and/or the professor gave them more time, and 6%

had only final projects due and did not take a final exam. Comments were evenly distributed across

class levels. With only 10% of those that took the survey commenting on question #3, it‟s difficult to

determine if a majority of professors did or did not offer the full-time allotted as required by final exam

policy.


I required the full two hours and fifty minutes scheduled to complete most of my final exams.

Student comments to question 4 are grouped in the following categories:

Full time allotted for finals not required by student

Full time allotted for finals was required by student

More preparation time needed for final exams by student

No final exam given-only final projects/papers



There were 302 students (18%) that elaborated on their response to question 4. The majority of

comments were from students that stated they did not require the full time allotted for final exams, 55%.

Comments were for the most part distributed equally across class levels. Thirty-nine percent of the

comments were from students that indicated they did require the entire two hours and fifty minutes.

Other types of comments received included 0.3% concerning more preparation time for final exams and

4% of students reported having no final exam only final papers/projects.

Faculty Responses

Method

TCNJ faculty were asked to respond to a brief online survey after the final examination period ended.

The online survey was announced twice to faculty via TCNJ e-mail. A copy of the blank faculty survey

is available in Appendix I. The faculty feedback survey contained items that collected information on

faculty standing and department, followed by three statements on the final exam process that faculty

were to answer by selecting either „yes‟ or „no‟. Faculty were able to elaborate with comments after

each question.

Results

All results are available in the companion excel file. A total of 141 faculty responded to the online

survey, which is a 40% response rate. A breakout of the faculty demographic information as reported by

survey respondents is included in the tables below, and compared with faculty data for TCNJ as of the

Fall 2007 reporting date. Proportionately more full-time faculty than adjuncts responded to the survey.

Faculty

Appointment

Survey Respondents TCNJ


Full-time 107 75.9% 335 45.7%

Part-time 5 3.5% 21 2.9%

Adjunct 29 20.6% 377 51.4%

Total 141 733

More faculty from the School of Science and less from the Schools of Education and the Arts &

Communication responded to the survey than would have been expected given the number and percent

at the College.

Faculty School Survey Respondents TCNJ


Arts & Communication (AM) 11 7.8% 98 13%

Business (BN) 13 9.2% 57 8%

Culture & Society (CS) 48 34.0% 200 27%

Education (ED) 8 5.7% 176 24%

Engineering (EG) 3 2.1% 29 4%

Nursing, Health, Ex.Sc. (NH) 8 5.7% 58 8%

Science (SS) 43 30.5% 115 16%



Not Available 7 5.0%

Total 141 100% 733 100%

Faculty Item 1

Do you feel that the two hours and fifty minutes allotted for your final examinations was appropriate?

Most faculty respondents (87%) agreed with the statement that two hours and fifty minutes was an

appropriate amount of time for final examinations. A breakout of the responses by school is listed in the

table below. While it appears that faculty respondents from the School of Engineering felt the time was

not appropriate, only 3 faculty responded, perhaps artificially inflating this negative response. Twenty-

five percent of the faculty respondents from the School of Culture and Society also disagreed with this

statement.

School

Faculty Response to Question 1

Total No Yes


The Arts & Communication 1 9% 10 91% 11

Business 2 15% 11 85% 13

Culture & Society 12 25% 36 75% 48

Unknown 0 0% 5 100% 5

Education 1 10% 9 90% 10

Engineering 1 33% 2 67% 3

Nursing, Health & Exercise

Science

0 0% 8 100% 8

Science 2 5% 41 95% 43

Grand Total 19 13% 122 87% 141

Forty-five percent of the faculty that participated in the survey elaborated on their response to question

1. Faculty commentary was coded into four groups or types of responses:

Time for exams is too long.

Not enough time for exams.

Time for exams is appropriate.

Did not like final exam schedule this spring 08.

An analysis of faculty comments to item one reveal that 52% of the comments were about the time for

final exams being too long. Within this type of comment, 48% of the responses were from faculty in the

School of Culture & Society. Only 6.3% of the comments were for not enough time for final exams,

41.3% commented on the final exam time being appropriate (34.6% CS, 26.9% SS) and 33.3% of the

comments were from faculty who did not like the final exam schedule this spring 2008 semester (52%

CS). It is obvious from the responses received that the majority of faculty surveyed believe that the

current time allotted for final examinations is adequate and in some cases more than adequate to

successfully complete a final exam.



Faculty Item 2

Do you make yourself available to students during their assigned reading days?

The responses to Item 2 clearly indicate that the faculty at TCNJ understand their students‟ needs for

availability during the final examination period: 94% of respondents stated that they were available to

students during reading days prior to final exams. When examining the response by school, the results

for Engineering may again be deceptive, due to the low response rate.

School

Response to Item 2 Total

Count No Yes


The Arts &

Communication

0 0% 11 100% 11

Business 1 8% 12 92% 13


Unknown 0 0% 5 100% 5

Education 1 10% 9 90% 10


Nursing, Health &

Exercise Science

0 0% 8 100% 8

Science 2 5% 41 95% 43

Grand Total 9 6% 132 94% 141

There were 68 faculty members that elaborated on their response to Item 2 (48%). Of the comments

received, 71% were comments about on-campus availability, 13% were from faculty that were available

by e-mail only, 7% commented on offering an optional review session to students either in addition to

other forms of availability or in lieu of other forms, and 9% were comments on unavailability to students

during reading days.

Faculty Item 3

Do you feel that your students had adequate preparation time in the days leading up to their final

exams?

Again, similar to responses received for Items 1 and 2, an overwhelming majority of faculty (87%)

selected „yes‟ as their response to students having adequate time to prepare. As the table below

illustrates, one hundred percent of faculty respondents from the Schools of Education, Engineering, and

Nursing, Health & Exercise Science, as well as those with an unknown affiliation felt that students had

adequate preparation time. Eight respondents each from the Schools of Culture & Society and Science

(representin



School

Response to Faculty Item 3

Total No Yes


The Arts & Communication 1 9% 10 91% 11

Business 2 15% 11 85% 13


Unknown 0 0% 5 100% 5

Education 0 0% 10 100% 10


Nursing, Health & Exercise

Science

0 0% 8 100% 8

Science 8 19% 35 81% 43

Grand Total 19 13% 122 87% 141

The analysis of faculty comments to Item 3 yielded four types of comments:

Not enough preparation time.

Amount of preparation time was adequate.

Too much preparation time given.

Did not like final exam schedule this spring 2008.

There were 57 (40%) faculty members that elaborated on Item 3 with comments. Comments were

received in each category with the following percentages: Not enough preparation time, 22.8% (53.8%

of the total in this category were from School of Science); 35% commented on students having an

adequate amount of preparation time (50% of the comments in this category were from the School of

Culture & Society); 15.8% commented on students having more than enough time for preparation; and

43.9% of the comments were about problems with the spring 2008 final exam schedule.

Faculty Conclusion

In reviewing the results obtained with the TCNJ Faculty survey we find high percentages of faculty

reporting that they are following TCNJ‟s final exam policy. The majority of faculty that responded to

the survey believe that the amount of exam time offered this spring was adequate or more than adequate,

they report that were available to students during the reading days, and they believe that their students

were given adequate preparation time for final exams. The main issue that appears to be common

among a majority of faculty is the spring 2008 final exam schedule. Faculty comments concerning the

spring schedule ranged from disagreement with the late/early times of exams, scheduling conflicts,

exams „crunched‟ over four days, campus facilities, and genuine concern for their students‟ well-being.

Many faculty members commented that they would like to be consulted about the scheduling process in

the future in order to avoid problems that were experienced this spring.



Staff Method

TCNJ staff were asked to respond to a brief online survey after the final examination period ended. The

online survey was announced to staff twice via TCNJ e-mail. A copy of the blank staff survey is

available in Appendix I. The staff feedback survey contained items that collected information on staff

department, followed by two statements on the final exam process that staff were to answer by selecting

either „yes‟ or „no‟. Staff were able to elaborate with comments after each question.

Staff Results

A total of 34 staff responded to the online survey, which is a 5.1% response rate. Survey data results,

with comments from the survey can be viewed in the companion excel document. Only two

departments had three staff members responding (Athletics and Student Affairs), and most had one or

two. Staff departments were merged into three groups: Academic Departments; Auxiliary Services; and

Student Affairs and/or Student Support Services. Half of the responses to the survey came from staff in

the Student Affairs and/or Student Support Services, the other half was split between Academic

Departments, and Auxiliary Services. A list of departments and the group to which they were assigned

is below.

Department Count Percent

Academic

Library 2

School of Culture & Society 1

School of Education 2

School of Engineering 1

School of Nursing, Health & Exercise

Science

1

School of Science 1

School of the Arts & Communication 1

Academic Subtotal 9 26.5%

Auxiliary Services

Academic Grants/Sponsored Research 1

Admissions 2

Auxiliary Services/CMS 1

Campus Planning/Construction 1

Facilities 1

Public Affairs 1

Auxiliary Services Subtotal 7 20.6%

Student Support/Affairs

Academic Support Programs 1

Athletics 3

Career Services 2

Center for Academic Success 1

EOF 1

Health Services 1

Information Technology 2

Residential Ed & Housing 1

Student Activities/Leadership 1

Student Affairs 3

User Support Services 1

Student Support/Affairs Total 17 50.0%



None Given 1

Total Responses 34

Staff Item 1

Based on your interactions with students through your department/office, do you believe students were

afforded the appropriate time and conditions to be successful in both preparing for and taking their final

exams?

Two thirds (67%) of staff respondents selected „yes‟ in response to this question, indicating that they

believed that an appropriate amount of time was provided and the conditions were adequate for students

to prepare and be successful on their final examinations. Notably, 71% of staff responding from

Auxiliary or Student Affairs/Support Departments felt students had the time and conditions to be

successful, but, only 56% of those from Academic areas did.

Department Type

Staff Response to Item 1 Total

Count No Yes


Academic 4 44% 5 56% 9

Auxiliary Services 2 29% 5 71% 7

Student Support/Affairs 5 29% 12 71% 17

Grand Total 11 33% 22 67% 33

The staff that disagreed, believing an inappropriate amount of time was available and/or conditions

weren‟t adequate, elaborated on their responses with statements concerning the exam schedule being too

„crunched‟ together, exam times were „too early or too late‟, and exams were scheduled for Monday

evening which students thought of as a reading day. All staff members who disagreed provided a

comment, and a total of 42% of the staff commented.

Staff Item 2

From your interactions and observations of students through your department/office, do you feel

students use the assigned reading days productively?

The responses to Item 2 indicated that close to 74% of the TCNJ staff believe that students used their

assigned reading days productively. Once again, staff from the Academic Units were less inclined to

agree with this statement (only 63%).

Department Type

Staff Response to Item 2

Total Count No Yes


Academic 3 38% 5 63% 8

Auxiliary Services 1 17% 5 83% 6

Student

Support/Affairs

4 24% 13 76% 17

Grand Total 8 26% 23 74% 31

There were 14 staff members that elaborated on their response to Item 2 (42%); half were from staff that

selected „yes‟ and half were from staff that selected „no‟ as their response to the item. Forty three



percent of the comments received were concerned with changes that can be made to the final exam

schedule. The remaining 57% were general comments related to students‟ use of reading days.

Staff Conclusion

Overall, responses to the staff survey indicate that a majority of the staff surveyed believe that students

were given an appropriate amount of time to prepare for their final exams and that the students made

productive use of their study time. Due to the low number of responses received from staff, it would be

difficult to use the results obtained here to make any statements about the final exam schedule at TCNJ,

but these results may be used to supplement the results of the faculty and students surveys for spring

2008 final exams.

Overall Conclusion

Students felt there were not enough reading days, with almost 60% of freshmen, sophomore and junior

respondents indicating that the number of reading days did not meet their needs. More students from the

Schools of Engineering and Science felt this way. Similarly, 62% of freshmen, sophomores and juniors

felt that the Spring 2008 exam schedule did not allow them to put forth their best effort. However, more

than half the students from the School of the Arts and Communication (56%) felt it did. In some

contrast, a majority of faculty respondents (87%) indicated that they felt their students had adequate time

to prepare for finals. Most of the Faculty who felt their students did not have adequate time to prepare

were from the Schools of Culture & Society and Science. Over half of the staff (67%) also felt that

students were given the time and conditions to be successful on exams. The 33% of staff responding

who felt students did not have the best conditions, a larger proportion of whom were from Academic

units, noted that the exam schedule was too „crunched‟ together, exam times were „too early or too late‟,

and exams were scheduled for Monday evening - which students thought of as a reading day.

Almost all faculty respondents (94%) indicated that they are available to students during the reading

period, although some indicated in their comments (13%) that they are available electronically, and not

in person. Most of the staff respondents (74%) felt that students did use the reading days productively.

Only 63% of those from Academic units did so, however.

Almost all student respondents (90%) indicated that their professors gave them the full two hours and 50

minutes allotted to complete their final exam. However, more than half (63%), across all levels,

indicated that they did not need all the time. More students from the School of Engineering (54%) did

use the full two hours and 50 minutes to complete their exams. Most of the faculty (87%) felt that the

time allotted for final exams was appropriate. Upon looking at the comments provided, more than half

faculty who commented (52%), especially those from the School of Culture and Society, felt the amount

of time allotted for exams was too long, and only 6% felt that there was not enough time.

The feedback received from the spring 2008 Student Feedback Survey on Reading Days and Final

Exams provides the Committee on Planning and Priorities (CPP) and TCNJ administrators with key

student information to help assess the policy and procedures in place for final exams and reading days.

Due to the robust response rate for this survey, results obtained will be helpful as a guideline for

planning future final exam and reading days scheduling at TCNJ.

Documents

DRAFT for CPP · DRAFT for CPP Spring 2008 Final Exams and Reading Days Feedback from TCNJ Students, Faculty and Staff ... Each group received a different online survey created in