Instructors Memo - Winter 2025

You can make minor revisions to the outline after it has been published (until late in the term).  

After the first week of classes, substantial changes to the outline, such as changing the weight of course assessment or course hours, require the approval of the Associate Dean, Undergraduate Studies.

Substantial changes to an outline can be viewed as unfair and lead to grievances.  

Flexible or contingency course assessment weights should be clearly stated in the course outline. This is to be fair to everyone. Know why you are including an assessment, why you have set the weights, and why you have set the timing in the course. If you know the “why’s” and use best practices in setting assessments, then it is easier to consider alternate assessment formats that will meet your course objectives, if the need arises. If you are looking for more information on assessment practices or inspiration around alternate assessment methods, contact the Centre for Teaching Excellence.

Including a proviso for “Fair contingency for unforeseen circumstances” is advised as unforeseen things can happen for instructors and students. A contingency proviso is NOT a work-around for instructors and/or students to get out of work, responsibilities, or accountabilities. As a safeguard to allow you reasonable flexibility to work with your students and departments to respond in a fair way for your course, we recommend the Faculty of Engineering boilerplate proviso wording be included in course outlines, in proximity to where you include details of course assessments.

Continuity Plan - Fair Contingencies for Unforeseen Circumstances Boilerplate

In the event of emergencies or highly unusual circumstances, the instructor will collaborate with the Department/Faculty to find reasonable and fair solutions that respect rights and workloads of students, staff, and faculty. This may include modifying content delivery, course topics and/or assessments and/or weight and/or deadlines with due and fair notice to students. Substantial changes after the first week of classes require the approval of the Associate Dean, Undergraduate Studies.

1. What should I know about classes, rooms and tests/exams?

• You are expected to teach as scheduled. Most courses are in person and have an assigned room. Contact your department if you have concerns or anticipate missing some classes. ITMS can help with room technology.
• You must finish teaching on time and leave the room within 5 min so the next instructor can prepare (e.g., for an 8:30-9:20 class, finish promptly at 9:20 and leave by 9:25, so the next instructor can begin at 9:30).
• Tests (quizzes, mid-terms and finals) are usually expected to be in person (with exceptions such as take-home exams); online closed-book tests are discouraged. Check with your department around expectations.

2. What should I know about deferred exams?

Deferred exams are to be written in-person (for courses that have in-person exams). The University and Faculty are strongly encouraging instructors to have a second exam ready so that students can write deferred exams as soon as possible after the normally scheduled exam. The Registrar’s Office, as well as some departments, coordinate make-up exam dates with rooms and proctors provided; you can also make individual arrangements with students.
If the exam will be written after the grades submission deadline, please submit a grade of INC for students writing deferred exams. If the grade will not be known by the official standings date, please also submit an INC form.

3. Creating a second exam for deferred exam is a lot of work. What are options for instructors?

With large cohorts, we strongly recommend having a second exam ready. An instructor might use a final exam from a previous course offering and remove or modify questions based on materials presented to the current cohort. The deferred exam should assess key concepts, applications, and/or skills that fairly reflect those on the original exam.

Students may request an informal review of a final examination (both the questions and the examination responses) up to one year from the date that the examination was written or until the date indicated in the course outline.

If students wish to challenge their grade on the final examination, the request must be made within one month of notification of the grade. Policy 70 (Student Petitions and Grievances) dictates the challenge process.

1. What types of absence must I accommodate?

We have policies in place that govern when student absences must be accommodated. These generally fall into one of the following categories:

• Short-term (ST) absence of one or two days that can be declared for any reason. These cannot be used to excuse absence from in-person attendance for scheduled LAB, STUDIO or CLN meets. One absence per term is permitted during the lecture period.
• Illness, which may be self-declared (SD) or verified (VIF).
• Compassionate consideration for extenuating circumstances (EC) (for example, bereavement).
• Religious or creed-based absences (RL). Students may approach you directly with these; please contact your department for advice as needed.

For most absences, you will receive an e-mail from the absence database advising you of the dates of absence (you may see the abbreviations ST, SD, etc. indicating the reason).

2. How do I accommodate missed course components?

Ultimately, as the instructor it is up to your judgement how to deal with absences. You are encouraged to discuss with your department if you are unsure. Consider how you will handle absences as you design your course (particularly if you have components such as group projects or presentations, which may present particular challenges). Some typical approaches:

• Missed assignments, quizzes, etc.: consider extending the deadline or transferring the weight to similar components.
• Missed mid-terms or other tests: consider transferring the weight to the final exam.
• Missed major deliverables (e.g., project reports): provide an extension.
• Missed presentations: provide an alternative date (or format – can they make a video presentation)
• Missed final exams: provide a deferred exam (with a course grade of INC if necessary)

3. Are students abusing the system?

We are actively monitoring the use of the different absence mechanisms. Generally, student use of these mechanisms has been very responsible; exceptions do exist, and we have intervened to remind certain individuals and classes of our expectations for responsible use of these mechanisms. We also pursue discipline procedures where appropriate. If you have concerns about particular students or classes, please contact the Associate Dean, Undergraduate.

4. A student self-declared absence but still submitted an assignment/wrote the mid-term.

This is permitted and you should grade the work.

5. What happens to a deliverable deadline if a student self-declares a short-term absence (2 days) on the last day of classes?

It is recommended that instructors use the same approach that has been followed throughout the term; this may mean that deadlines are extended into the study days. Note that this concern has not been a significant issue in recent terms.

1. You must not have a major test (worth more than 25% of the course grade) scheduled in the final five teaching days of the formal lecture period. Exceptions must be approved (in advance, please) by the department chair and associate dean undergraduate/graduate studies.
2. No deliverables or required meeting times can be placed in the “study days” between the end of classes and the beginning of exams.
3. Courses with final exams may not have any other deliverable due during the final exam period.
4. Courses without final exams may have “an assignment equivalent in scope and value to a final examination” due during the final examination period.

• Direct students to submit a COVID-19 absence declaration or VIF for absences with instructions here: Engineering Declaring Absences.
• Post support materials on LEARN, abiding by Copyright at Waterloo and Privacy and Remote Teaching and Learning.
• Hold virtual office hours to allow students self-isolating to participate.
• Provide grace days or compassionate consideration around deadlines for assignments and projects.
• Use a “best x out of y” scheme for quizzes, tests, or assignments.
• Provide alternate assessments to midterms and final exams (e.g., projects, virtual presentations).