Academic Calendar 2007
(New Academic Choices)

As a guideline for departments (or faculties where applicable), the last day of scheduled classes in any course will the last day on which assignments will be accepted for credit in a course.

As a guideline for departments (or faculties where applicable), assigned work will be distributed in such a way that approximately half way through the course the student will receive an estimate of his or her standing in the course. As a guideline for departments (or faculties where applicable), instructors will be required to return assignments to students as promptly as possible with reasonable explanations of the instructor's assessment of the assignment.

The policy of the University shall be that departments (or faculties where applicable) ensure that, wherever possible, final grades in courses under their aegis are derived largely from documented evidence demonstrating academic achievement, i.e., written or practical examinations, essays, reports, problem assignments. This shall not preclude the use of oral examinations as part of the evaluative process.

As a guideline, departments (or faculties where applicable) shall take appropriate action to ensure that for all sections of a multi-sectioned course,

a) course requirements and grading procedures are equivalent;

b) grades assigned reflect achievement accurately.

Departments chairs (or deans of faculties where applicable) are required to co-sign the official record of final grades of students registered in courses under their aegis prior to submission to the Registrar for issuance of student reports.

Each student granted admission to Western must be proficient in spoken and written English.

Students must demonstrate the ability to write clearly and correctly. Work presented in English in any subject, at any level, which shows a lack of proficiency in English and is therefore unacceptable for academic credit, will either be failed or, at the discretion of the instructor, returned to the student for revision to a literate level.

To foster competence in the use of the English language within their own discipline, all instructors will take proficiency in English into account in the assignment of grades. (See also the policy on English Language Proficiency for Admission.)