The University Senate has adopted three new measures to curtail examination malpractice among students.

Under the new measures, all final exams will hold during the period scheduled by the University. “Except for extraordinary circumstances,” however, no exams are to be conducted before the end of classes on 6 December.

Another policy in effect proposes: “No individual student, or group of students, is to be given a final exam at any time other than that assigned by the Registrar.”

Also, any student caught in the act of giving unauthorized information during exams, cheating, or violating the Academic Integrity Code in any other way will earn an F grade in the course concerned.

President Margee Ensign said the new measures, adopted during the Senate’s November 11 meeting, will address the “important attempt” to curb cheating during examinations.

“Thank you for complying with this important attempt to curb cheating,” she said. “We would like to make it clear what our policy regarding final exams is so that there is no confusion.”

She recalled that in 2010, faculty members agreed on the use of Turnitin to curb forms of dishonesty in academic work.

She said since it was agreed that Turnitin reduced plagiarism, it should be adopted in the course of the session. “Make sure that you use Turnitin for all papers and that you submit your sheets from Turnitin with your grades,” she said.

The President cautioned that the new policies created to curtail cheating “will be strictly enforced.”

While assuring that the University will not compromise academic standards, she urged members of faculty to send their questions on the use of Turnitin software to the Chief Information Officer.