Exam Procedures

I. GENERAL RULES

A. COMPUTER USE
You may use a computer for your essay examinations if you install and register SofTest. Please download your exam file before coming to your exam room.  See the Hastings website for details. Computer use in an exam room is restricted to answering exam questions in SofTest.

B. EXAM NUMBERS
You must pick up an exam number from the Records Office before your first exam. Examinations are anonymously graded and you are to use your exam number in place of your name on examination materials as instructed by the proctor. If you have the same professor for two anonymously graded courses in the same semester, you may request two different exam numbers.

C. EXAM ROOM
You must take the exam in the room to which you have been assigned. You must sign in and out of the exam room as directed by the proctor. When signing in you must present your Hastings ID (or other valid photo ID).  If your name does not appear on the sign-in sheet, you must report to the Records Office or room B-8 in the 198 building. Bluebooks or floppy disk, scantrons, and scratch paper will be provided by the proctor. You must provide your own earplugs if needed.

D. EXAM ROOM RESTRICTIONS
Please no heavy perfumes or scents in the exam room. Food or drink - other than liquids in a securely closed screw-top container - are not allowed in the exam room. Liquids that are not in a spill-proof container will be disallowed by the proctor.  While briefcases, backpacks, purses and the like are allowed in the exam room, you may not access extraneous information of any sort during a closed or limited open book exam. Materials found in the hallways, corridors, or restrooms will be confiscated.

E. EXAM START TIMES
The proctors have been instructed to start all exams promptly at 8:30am or 1:30pm. You should plan on arriving at your exam room at least 15 minutes ahead of time if you are using a bluebook and at least 30 minutes ahead of time if you are using a computer; late arrivals will not be given extra time and will be subject to exclusion from the exam. No extension of time will be permitted if you arrive late for an examination. If you are 30 or more minutes late you will be refused permission to sit for the examination and will receive a grade of "Administrative F" for the examination. Receipt of the "Administrative F" may be avoided only on the basis of an extraordinary and compelling excuse as determined by the Academic Dean.

F. NO TALKING
Once an exam has begun, you may not converse with another student for any purpose. Requesting, giving, or receiving unauthorized assistance in any form during the course of an exam is prohibited. Under no circumstances may a student leave the building during the course of an exam until his or her examination materials have been turned in to the proctor.

II. DELAY OF EXAMINATIONS

These rules can also be found in Section X of the Academic Regulations

A. GROUNDS FOR DELAYING EXAMS
All examinations must be taken on the date and at the time they are regularly scheduled with the following exceptions:

• Conflicts/24-Hour Rule: If you have two examinations at the same time or if you are scheduled to sit for an examination that begins within 24 hours of the end of another of your exams, the examination shall be rescheduled according to the "delayed exam" guidelines in Section C below. (AR3003).
• Compelling Reasons: The Academic Dean may authorize a delay of your examination if you submit compelling reasons for the delay based upon health reasons, accident, personal emergency, or some other extraordinary circumstance (AR3004).
• Health Reasons: Students may reschedule examinations if they have a medical or psychiatric emergency or a severe health condition. A student who knows in advance that he or she must delay an examination should fill out a "Petition to Reschedule Examination" and submit it to the Records Office. This petition must be accompanied by medical documentation from the Health Services Office or the student's own doctor. If a medical condition arises on the day of the examination, the student should contact the Records Office immediately.  Medical documentation will be required to postpone the exams, so the student should see a doctor as soon as possible.  All requests for examination delays for medical reasons will be reviewed by the Academic Dean (AR3005).

B. REQUEST FOR APPROVAL OF DELAYS
During the semester, please file a "Petition to Reschedule Examination" in the Records Office to request an examination delay. During the exam period, call the Records Office at (415) 565-4613 if you wish to delay an exam.  You must provide documentation of any health or special circumstances. The response to your petition will be emailed to your Hastings email account.  File as soon as possible.

C. SCHEDULING THE DELAYED EXAM
The rescheduled examination will in all cases be administered after, not before, its originally scheduled date. The second of the two conflicting exams will be rescheduled to allow 24 hours between the two examinations. If this creates an additional conflict, the examination will be delayed further. Rescheduled examinations are usually administered at 10:30am in Classroom B.

You must complete delayed examinations by the end of the examination period for the semester unless authorized by the Academic Dean. See section III below for information regarding Incomplete grades.

III. INCOMPLETE GRADES

You cannot graduate with an "Incomplete" grade on your transcript.

A. EXAM COURSES
If you are unable to sit for an examination due to health, accident, or other extraordinary circumstances, you may receive a grade of "Incomplete" with the permission of the Academic Dean based on documented hardship. You must remove such incompletes from your record during the next regularly scheduled examination for the course. If you do not, a grade of F will be substituted for the incomplete grade and no credit shall be received. No incomplete may be removed by examination at another law school.

B. NON-EXAM COURSES
A professor may issue you an incomplete grade for a non-examination course without the approval of the Academic Dean. You must remove the incomplete grade from your record by the last day of the following semester. If you do not, a grade of F will be substituted for the incomplete grade and no credit shall be earned.