SparklyUnicorn Posted May 22, 2017 Share Posted May 22, 2017 I've always wondered this. Anyone know? 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kiana Posted May 22, 2017 Share Posted May 22, 2017 Often required to hold on file for a certain time. I'm honestly not sure but I have every final exam I've ever given -- one folder per year, all in stacks. If you ever took my class and wanted to see your final from when you took it, I could dig it out if you gave me enough warning. 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
regentrude Posted May 22, 2017 Share Posted May 22, 2017 We save them for an extended period of time. At least until grades are posted for the students - they may have questions. I usually keep mine for a year. 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SparklyUnicorn Posted May 22, 2017 Author Share Posted May 22, 2017 Funny. My husband said final exams are legal documents in Germany and they hold onto them for long periods of time. They just announced they'd be getting rid of the high school exams from when he was a student and to come and get them if one wanted them. So my BIL went there and picked them up (which according to my husband is weird that they allowed someone else to pick them up). So he mailed them to my husband. Weird... I was asking for my son. He wanted to see his final. He will have the same teacher in the fall so I said just ask her then. Maybe she will still have them. She didn't post grades on-line (like pretty much all the profs do). So he was a bit bummed to not know what he got. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kiana Posted May 22, 2017 Share Posted May 22, 2017 I usually don't give final exam grades because right after grades are posted it is so, so common for me to get "but I have 88.46 which rounds to 88.5 and that rounds to 89 and that's only one percent away from an A so please please give me the A" or similar pleading and frankly answering queries like those detracts from my Christmas. I triple-checked my grades and if there are any legit errors I will file a change of grade in January. That being said, for people who want to come by in the next semester and see how they did, I am more than happy to allow them to visit their exam and if I get some advance notice I will even make corrections for them to view rather than just marking errors as I customarily do when grading exams. This is not universal but there is no harm in sending an email to inquire. 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
G5052 Posted May 22, 2017 Share Posted May 22, 2017 (edited) When I taught face-to-face, I had to keep them for two years. I had a file drawer, and would clear it out every summer. We are also supposed to keep all course emails for two year. Mine are electronic now, so easy-peasy. Grades are due two days after the end of the semester, and we're supposed to make the course site unavailable after that. Edited May 22, 2017 by G5052 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SparklyUnicorn Posted May 22, 2017 Author Share Posted May 22, 2017 I usually don't give final exam grades because right after grades are posted it is so, so common for me to get "but I have 88.46 which rounds to 88.5 and that rounds to 89 and that's only one percent away from an A so please please give me the A" or similar pleading and frankly answering queries like those detracts from my Christmas. I triple-checked my grades and if there are any legit errors I will file a change of grade in January. That being said, for people who want to come by in the next semester and see how they did, I am more than happy to allow them to visit their exam and if I get some advance notice I will even make corrections for them to view rather than just marking errors as I customarily do when grading exams. This is not universal but there is no harm in sending an email to inquire. I get the annoyance, but then I think a student has a right to the information too. My prof told people not to e-mail him regarding grades because he is not allowed to discuss grades via e-mail. That probably prevents some of that. If someone is that hell bent they'd have to shlep down there. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bootsie Posted May 22, 2017 Share Posted May 22, 2017 I have taught at schools where exams have to be kept for one semester and schools where exams have to be kept for two years. I also taught at a school where we were not allowed to discuss grades via email. When I left two universities, I left the exams from the previous semesters boxed and labelled in the departmental office. Another university did not want any exams left behind when I quit working there. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
elegantlion Posted May 23, 2017 Share Posted May 23, 2017 I know they keep them at our university. I can't remember how long, but at least a year, maybe two. Professors are more than willing to let students have the grades. Many of my finals include essays (either in class or take home). Those can be picked up the following semester or over the summer if the professor is on campus. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
regentrude Posted May 23, 2017 Share Posted May 23, 2017 (edited) I get the annoyance, but then I think a student has a right to the information too. My prof told people not to e-mail him regarding grades because he is not allowed to discuss grades via e-mail. That probably prevents some of that. If someone is that hell bent they'd have to shlep down there. I MUCH prefer to have the discussion about grades per email, rather than dealing with irate disappointed students in my office. My answer is always along the lines of: " As stated in the syllabus, grade cuts are absolute and will not be adjusted. There are no extra points available at the end of the semester." It is much easier to write this than have a personal discussion with students who think they deserve 3 or 13 more points. My final is multiple choice, They should have just answered one or two more questions correctly. We have plenty of built in slack. I drop the lowerst quizzes and homework scores. The final replaces the lowest test score. At some point, enough is enough. Edited May 23, 2017 by regentrude 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
regentrude Posted May 23, 2017 Share Posted May 23, 2017 I also taught at a school where we were not allowed to discuss grades via email. What was the rationale for that? I prefer to have all discussions about grades in writing so that there is a paper trail in case there is a dispute. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kiana Posted May 23, 2017 Share Posted May 23, 2017 What was the rationale for that? I prefer to have all discussions about grades in writing so that there is a paper trail in case there is a dispute. Some university lawyers interpret FERPA as implying that all emails are insecure communications as someone else could have accessed them. Many universities ban discussion of grades via email in any form other than through the students' university emails, which are assumed to be secure. And of course many do just expect the professors not to be unprofessional. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Laura Corin Posted May 23, 2017 Share Posted May 23, 2017 Here they are held for a few years in case of disputes, then shredded. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
G5052 Posted May 24, 2017 Share Posted May 24, 2017 Some university lawyers interpret FERPA as implying that all emails are insecure communications as someone else could have accessed them. Many universities ban discussion of grades via email in any form other than through the students' university emails, which are assumed to be secure. And of course many do just expect the professors not to be unprofessional. I teach online, so other than my online office hours, I have to discuss grades via email. But yes, only via college email addresses. I live in a sue-happy area, so even face-to-face professors are supposed to tell students that they will be receiving an email from the professor if any concessions are given grade-wise. I used to talk to the student and then sit down with them there and email them what was agreed to or not agreed to. As much as possible, I am supposed to deal with students as a class group with limited individual concessions. So when the college FTP system was being unpredictable in March, I gave more time to ALL of my students versus keeping track of who was having trouble and who wasn't. I'm also supposed to give any extra credit to the entire class, not individuals. But of course when a student has to go away for a funeral or are out for surgery, I ask for documentation and give more time. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
aprilleigh Posted May 27, 2017 Share Posted May 27, 2017 I returned them to the students when I could (very few actually bothered to come get them after the semester ended), or I'd keep them for a couple years then toss them in a shredder box. I gave my students the option of providing a SASE at the final exam if they wanted the graded final returned to them, but only one student ever took me up on it. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Reefgazer Posted May 27, 2017 Share Posted May 27, 2017 (edited) I save the exams until after the grade-appeal date and then toss them. If someone wants theirs and lets me know, I'll save it for them and mail it to them. Edited May 27, 2017 by reefgazer Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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