Examination Procedures

Exam numbers

Pick-up your anonymous examination number at the front desk (in room 2518) no later than one working day prior to the examination and carry the number with you on each exam day. Do not trust your exam number to memory.

Present a picture ID when you come for your number. Do not put your name, initials or other self-identifying information on your exam or in your exam answers or exam answer file.

Exam schedule

The exam schedule is posted on the "wailing wall" and is also available online. All questions regarding exams should be directed to the Registrar (LSRegistrar@law.unm.edu). Do not contact your professor regarding the scheduling of the exam or any problems you have related to the taking of an exam.

Illness – before or during an exam

If a student becomes ill before taking an exam, they need to contact the Registrar. Students are not expected to take an exam if they are sick. If a student is too ill to take an exam, he or she needs to seek treatment for their illness. Documentation from a treating source will allow the exam to be rescheduled.

If student a student becomes ill during an exam, he or she should gather all their exam materials and come out to the exam administrator station in the Forum. Student may take a rest and if they feel better, resume the exam as directed by the exam proctor. Once a student has begun their exam, it cannot be rescheduled to take later.

Exam seating

Seat yourself so that an empty seat or aisle is between you and the next person. Students are not permitted to share notes, textbooks, or have any conversations with other students once the exam has begun.

Electronic devices

Electronic devices, other than a laptop computer for taking an exam, are NOT permitted in examination rooms. This would include (but not limited to) digital watches, cell phones, e-readers, tablets, or other like devices.

Leave your cell phone in your car, put it in your student locker, or turn it in at the exam check-in table in the Forum prior to entering the exam room. Envelopes to hold the phones will be provided at the table.

The use of earplugs or cotton is permitted; but earbuds or headphones are not permitted.

Authorized items in exam rooms

NO papers, books, notes, outlines, or notebooks may be brought into the examination room unless authorized by the professor. Allowances and prohibitions will be on the cover page of the exam. If the exam is declared CLOSED BOOK, students are to leave all materials including computer cases, backpacks, purses, and briefcases outside the examination room.

Distribution of exams

Examinations are distributed in the assigned classrooms approximately ten minutes prior to the starting time for the exam. The exam room assignments will be posted on a white board in the Forum on the day of the exam. Examinations, bluebooks, and scratch paper will be provided in the exam room by the exam administrator.

Exam sequence

The exam administrator will check out exam envelopes to exam takers in the room. He or she will announce when you can open the exam envelope, take out the examination and read the examination instructions on the cover page(s). A call for questions regarding the test will be given. Later you will be told when to begin to work on the exam. Laptop users will then click "begin exam" on the Exam4 file. Near the conclusion of the exam, a "five-minutes remaining" announcement will be given.

Exam materials

Students need to be sure to have all needed materials with them prior to the start of the exam. This would include pens that may be needed. Pencils and scantron sheets are provided when required for a particular exam.

Students are not permitted to take the exam out of the exam room. Students are also not permitted to leave the room to get books, notes, or other items once the exam has started.

Exam seating

Seat yourself so that an empty seat or aisle is between you and the next person. Students are not permitted to share notes, textbooks, or have any conversations with other students once the exam has begun.

Leaving the exam room

Students may leave the room during the exam period for a bathroom break, a stretch break (in the adjacent hallway), or to have a snack. If a student chooses to leave the room, they should do so quietly and taking no exam items. All materials (i.e., examination, bluebooks, computer, scratch paper) must remain in the room.

Students may not leave the building, go to the library, or go the student locker room. Students MAY NOT talk with anyone during these breaks except an exam administrator.

End of the exam time

When the end of the exam is announced, each student needs to stop immediately: no more writing and no more typing. Do not even finish the sentence in progress. Writers should close their bluebooks and Exam4 users should select "EXIT." Computer users should then upload their exam file. All exam takers need to gather all of the exam materials (exam, bluebooks, and scratch paper) and put them in the exam envelope that they received and have marked their name on the exterior of the envelope only. The exam envelope is given to the exam administrator in the exam room.

Rescheduled exams

Exams may be rescheduled to a later date when the reason meets the criteria defined in the Bulletin and Handbook of Policies.

No contact with instructors

Students may not have contact with their instructors regarding any aspect of an anonymously taken mid-term or final exam from the start of the exam period for either until scores (for mid-terms) or final course grades have been reported for the class. This includes notification of illness or requests to reschedule (see above paragraphs on these topics).