Fewer Students 'Sick Out' of Final Exams

Fewer students than in past years have sought and been granted medical exemptions for their exams, continuing a three-year trend.

As of Monday, 86 students had "sicked out" of their exams, while at this time last year illness had prevented 115 students from taking their exams, said Dr. Warren E.C. Wacker, director of University Health Services.

Wacker said that most students this year have complained of flu-like ailments, either gastro-intestinal or bad colds, but added that UHS has seen a few broken bones mainly from slipping on the ice.

Health Services will rarely deny anyone a medical exemption. "It is very difficult to determine how sick someone is. Most people are legitimately sick to the extent that they would feel uncomfortable taking their exams," Wacker said.

As for whether he has ever heard any excuse beyond belief, Wacker replied, "I wouldn't say so."

"There are many more who are sick, who simply take their exams, and we encourage all students who come to us to take their exams if at all possible," Wacker said.

Students who currently in the infirmary can opt to sit their exams at UHS, said Sheila Stull, assistant registrar for scheduling.

The University makes allowances for disabilities, such as needing extra time because of visual impairment or an amanuensis to write an exam for someone whose hand is injured. In such cases the professor is advised of the special conditions so that he takes that into consideration while grading the exam, Stull said.

Besides sickness or injury, students can be excused from examinations in times of family emergencies. In such cases, if time permits, the student can take the test in absentia, said Dean of the College L. Fred Jewett '57.

Certain sports teams have taken exams in absentia when national championships have conflicted with the examination weeks. When Dick Button '52 was skating for Olympic gold, the Ad Board let him take his exams in absentia, Jewett said.

"We try to be as fair and compassionate as possible in granting make-ups and special allowances," Jewett said.

According to Jewett, the legendary one-time-sleep-in is true. "A person in good standing with the University and in a course will usually be granted an one-shot make-up for missing an exam for inadvertent reasons," he said.

All petitions for make-ups are sent to the Ad Board, which rubber-stamps almost all medical exemptions. The few students who are not granted make-ups receive ABS on their transcripts, which is equivalent to a failing grade.

Around 300 exams are made up every year, Stull said. Make-ups for exams missed this testing period will begin on March 16.