2025-2026 MELA Minutes

G. Action Items H. Open Forum a. Discussion on Proctored Exam Courses Policies: Angel Nickens (NWCC) raised concerns about the requirement for proctored final exams in certain courses at her institution. She explained that many face-to-face courses rely heavily on multiple projects rather than proctored exams, as these projects often carry the most weight in the course grade. Angel shared the following points:  Some instructors feel that creating low-weighted proctored exams (e.g., quizzes worth only 5%) is a waste of time , especially since students may need to travel long distances (up to two hours) to take a brief 15-minute test.  In courses like entrepreneurship , students are required to develop a business plan and present it to a bank over Zoom, which provides sufficient verification of their identity and work.  Angel asked whether the MSVCC policy could evolve to allow more flexibility, particularly in cases like these, where proctored exams might not be necessary. She noted that although the current policy states that courses offered through MSVCC must include at least one proctored exam, the wording is not entirely clear. Buffy Matthews responded with the following observations:  While she believes moving in the direction Angel suggested could work , strict guidelines would need to be established to ensure compliance with identity verification requirements.  The purpose of proctored exams is to confirm the student's identity by requiring them to show official identification .  Buffy emphasized the need to clearly define requirements and limitations , such as whether this approach could apply to math courses or specific disciplines.  Before implementing any changes, detailed policies and guidelines would need to be developed and included in the Policies and Procedures Manual . b. Complaint Process in College Catalogs: Angel Nickens mentioned that during the August meeting (approved in July), it was noted that the student complaint process needs to be included in each institution's college catalog . Angel inquired about how other institutions are addressing this requirement in their catalogs.