Academic Planning/Final Exams for High Wind Warning on 12/15

Dear Faculty, Staff and Students,

The National Weather Service is predicting that wind gusts may exceed 60 miles an hour in our area beginning in the late afternoon Wednesday through the overnight hours.

Accordingly, no in-person academic work can occur after 3 pm, including exams, oral exams, presentations, or other similar activities. Academic buildings and administrative offices will be closed after 3pm and students are being asked to shelter in place in their residences as of 4 pm.  Safety is our top priority, and we want to ensure that all faculty, staff, and students are home and/or in their residence halls before the weather intensifies. 

In person exams scheduled for 2-5pm tomorrow (Wednesday) must be rescheduled.  Below are some options.  Each faculty member will determine which option is appropriate and notify their students.

• Reschedule to noon-3pm on Wednesday. Please be aware that you will need to accommodate students who have morning exams or for whom the moved up schedule may not be possible.
• We are creating a Thursday evening exam block from (7pm-10pm), as an alternative time. [Check in with Administrative Assistant to confirm new room reservation]
• Change the in-class exam to take-home exam due no later than Monday, December 20th at 5pm.
• Shift oral exams to an online option – please pay attention to student availability and safety as you reschedule.
• Other options are possible, please reach out to Cynthia Hansen if you have any questions.

Faculty should be sure to communicate with Autumn Wilke’s office to ensure that students who need accommodation have a plan in place. Disability resources will be in touch with faculty of students scheduled for tomorrow afternoon with accommodations for exams to make individualized plans.  Faculty are encouraged to reach out to Autumn Wilke at 715-323-5291 or via e-mail with questions or to make plans.

As needed, we will provide additional updates via emergency notification messaging about how to approach exams scheduled on Thursday.

Due to the disruption of this event, we are extending the last possible due date for all work and incomplete requests.  All take-home exams must be submitted to the appropriate instructors by the date stipulated by the instructors, or, at the latest, by 5 p.m. on Monday December 20. All other written work, or oral defenses of written work, required in various courses will also be due by 5 p.m. on Dec. 20. As always, instructors may also stipulate earlier due dates for this work if they so choose.

Thank you for all that you do to support our students, our academic mission, and our community.  We appreciate all of you.

Elaine Marzluff, Interim Dean of the College
Cynthia Hansen, Associate Dean and Chair, Committee on Academic Standing
Vida Praitis, Chair of the Faculty