Ford to Raise Issue Of Returning Exams

Dean Ford will raise the question of returning bluebooks from final exams at the February Faculty meeting.

Ford's action follows a resolution passed by the Harvard Policy Committee on Nov. 27 recommending that "bluebooks from all final examinations be returned to the students as soon as grades have been submitted to the Registrar."

Faculty legislation has been approved in the past, Ford said, urging professors to retain bluebooks so that students who wanted them could request them.

But Ford added that new Faculty members may not be aware of the policy regarding bluebooks.

At the Faculty meeting, Ford said, he will announce that the HPC has requested the return of bluebooks, remind the Faculty of the existing legislation, and ask if there is any misunderstanding on the issue.

Stated Policy

"At the very least," Ford said, "the HPC is justified in asking that the Faculty be reminded that it is stated policy to return bluebooks."

The HPC resolution reads in part: "Examinations should be regarded as educational experiences, not simply as disciplinary exercises or mechanisms for grading. The educational function of the examination is best served if the student has an opportunity to reconsider and reevaluate his own performance in light of his instructor's evaluation."

The HPC also recommended that June examination papers be saved over the summer by either the instructor of the department, so that students who could not obtain them in June would be able to do so in September.