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Exams, library hours, departure testing, and more | | | | |
Dear students,
As we near the end of the semester, we want to take a moment to reflect on all the challenges you have faced and to appreciate the determination and resilience you have demonstrated over the past several months. We know it has been a long, hard semester for many of us, compounded by a stressful election season and the deprivations of pandemic living. We are impressed with your professionalism and grace in the face of challenging circumstances. We miss you and look forward to the time when we can be in person.
Cheers to the upper-level students who have finished coursework, and best of luck on your upcoming finals. To the first-year students, we wish you a successful and rewarding conclusion to your Contracts study.
Here are a few reminders and updates as we head toward the semester break:
Exam FAQs for fall 2020
For all exams:
Q: What if I get sick or there’s an emergency and I can’t take an exam?
A: Contact exam2020@indiana.edu or email Alexis Lanham directly. We do not expect you to take an exam when you’re sick or when there is an immediate family emergency. Do not contact your professor.
Q: What if I am quarantining? How will that affect my taking an exam?
A: No problem if your exam is online. If you are in-person, email exam2020@indiana.edu, or email Alexis Lanham directly, and we will arrange for you to get a copy of the exam.
Q: What if I experience a technological fail such as a loss of connectivity or a computer crash?
A: Don’t freak. Remain calm. This sometimes happens, and we can help you. Contact exam2020@indiana.edu or email Alexis Lanham directly. If possible, continue the exam writing by hand.
For in-person exams:
Q: Is anything different?
A: In-person exams should be the same as in the before days (pre-pandemic times). Just make sure that you fully understand the directions, particularly concerning what you may bring into the classroom.
Q: Please remind me of some important rules.
A: Do not bring anything with you that you cannot use during the exam. Cell phones, I-pads, headphones, and ear buds are forbidden. Ear plugs are fine.
Q: What precautions are required because of the pandemic?
A: Students must wear masks the entire time and remain at least six feet apart. Also, any physical material will be distributed in a way to minimize contact. Finally, the exam rooms will be cleaned with care after every exam.
For online exams with automatic proctoring:
Q: What is automatic proctoring using LockDown Browser, and what do I need if my exam uses it?
A: Most online exams will be take-home exams with no special software needed, but automatic proctoring will be used for a handful of multiple-choice exams this fall. You will need to download and install an application called LockDown Browser on your computer, and during the exam, you will need a working webcam. Your professor will provide information on where to obtain the software and how to complete a short practice exam to ensure that everything is working in advance of the final exam.
Q: Will someone be watching me while I take an exam with automatic proctoring?
A: No, the software uses the webcam to make a recording. Only your professor and their assistant will have access to the recording, and only for purposes of verifying that no academic misconduct has occurred.
Q: Do I have to stay in my seat and stare straight at the screen throughout the exam? What if I have to go to the bathroom?
A: No, unlike some remote proctoring solutions, this software will not be configured to issue warnings about looking away from the camera. Almost all of our exams with automatic proctoring will be open book, so you will be free to consult any materials that your professor has authorized. Longer exams have been scheduled with breaks to allow an opportunity to go to the bathroom, but if you need to leave the room briefly, of course you should do so.
Q: May I use a separate device, like a tablet or cell phone, during an automatically proctored exam?
A: Generally no, unless your professor has specifically authorized it.
Q: What materials can I use while taking my exam with automatic proctoring?
A: This is up to your professor. Please ascertain before the exam exactly what you are allowed to have with you in the exam.
Q: Assuming some resources are allowed during the exam, how will I be able to access them while using LockDown Browser?
A: Like Examplify, the software the Law School has used for many years for in-person final exams, LockDown Browser prevents students from accessing other applications on their computers while the exam is in progress. For most online exams with automatic proctoring, key resources (such as statutes, materials distributed on Canvas, etc.) will be available within LockDown Browser by clicking a link. However, you may have to print out your notes and outlines in advance for open-book exams.
Q: If I need to print out my notes and outlines but don’t have a printer, what can I do?
A:
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You can buy one and if you need financial assistance, Paul Leopold may be able to help you.
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You can print in advance at the Wells Library at 10th and Jordan. There is one walk-up printer in the lobby of Wells Library next to the doors to the West Tower (Learning Commons). Other printers are available via the computers in Wells’s computer labs. The Wells Library at 10th and Jordan will be open from 8 am-5 pm Monday-Friday during the fall/winter intersession, with some exceptions (see libraries.indiana.edu/wells/hours).
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If you have special circumstances, such as quarantine or illness, OSA in concert with the Jerome Hall Law Library may be able to assist with printing and contactless pick up/drop off.
Library hours
The Jerome Hall Law Library is offering extended hours during the exam period before Thanksgiving. Both the Law Library and the Law School buildings will be closed from Thanksgiving Day until February 8, 2021. The Wells Library at 10th and Jordan will be open from 8 am-5 pm Monday-Friday during the fall/winter intersession, with some exceptions (see libraries.indiana.edu/wells/hours).
Jerome Hall Law Library extended hours for fall 2020 exams:
Nov 14-23:
M-F 7:30 am-10 pm
Sat: 10 am-6 pm
Sun: 12 pm-10 pm
Nov. 24: 7:30am-6pm
Leaving campus – collect your stuff; get a COVID-19 test
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Please don’t forget to remove any items from your lockers or carrels that you will want over break. You will not have access to the building after 6pm on Tuesday, November 24 until January 4, 2021.
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Indiana University is offering free, optional departure testing for students to know their COVID-19 status before leaving campus. Visit the link below to schedule a saliva-based test. Results will arrive via email within a couple of days. https://covid.iu.edu/health-and-safety/testing-requirements.html
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Check for any testing, quarantine requirements and travel forms for the state you’ll be returning to. For example, people traveling from Indiana to places like Chicago, New York, New Jersey, Ohio and many other states are required to quarantine for 14 days after traveling. Likewise, you may need to quarantine upon your return to Bloomington. IU’s COVID-19 Winter Guide has more helpful information: https://covid.iu.edu/health-and-safety/winter-guide.html
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If you will not be on campus from November 20 through January 3, you qualify for an exemption from mitigation testing. To request an exemption, submit this form.
Are you staying in Bloomington over winter break?
If you will be in Bloomington for all (or most of) break, please let us know! We want to stay connected with you. Fill out this quick survey so we can stay connected and, perhaps, plan a socially-distanced gathering.
Peer-to-peer advice for online/block-schedule learning
Did you take a class in a new format this semester? Most of you have had at least one class that was either online or hybrid, and/or taught in an intensive block format. As you reflect on how you adapted to new learning environments, what worked and what didn’t, why not share some advice with your fellow students? Fill out this survey to share your advice. You will have the option to submit text, audio, or video. Your helpful hints will be shared via social media and other law school communication channels throughout December 2020 and January 2021.
January winter wake-up series
Mark your calendars for a wellness series to help you start your mornings all throughout the January session. From January 4-28, we will be hosting a 30-minute wellness session every morning, Monday to Thursday, at 9 am EST. Join us on Mondays for mindfulness practices, Tuesdays and Thursdays for gentle morning yoga, and on Wednesdays for stress management tips. Visit the Law School Calendar for registration links.
As always, please feel free to reach out to the Office of Student Affairs if there’s any way we can support you. Director Beck is available by email (katbeck@indiana.edu) or by appointment (www.calendly.com/katbeck), and Dean Orenstein is available by email (aorenste@indiana.edu). We wish you a smooth end to the semester and a restful, rejuvenating break.
Sincerely,
Aviva Orenstein
Dean for Students
Katie Beck
Director of Student Affairs |
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