Course Archives Procedure

At the end of each semester, library staff are responsible for ensuring that all relevant Course Archive materials are submitted by instructors and other responsible parties. Three weeks prior to the last day of final exams, library staff will email faculty with a reminder and information about Course Archives. The email will contain a list of what documents to upload, due dates, and instructions explaining how to submit files. The submitting of files should be completed by 4:00pm of the second Friday of the following semester.

Course Archives files will be submitted electronically by instructors through the MyAC Course Archives module. In the module, each course section taught in a semester will have its own compartment that the instructor can open and upload the respective files. Instructors can access the module by using their MyAC login credentials. Once instructors are logged in, they can upload the required documents. The documents/files required from instructors include:

• Course Syllabus
• Instructions for Major Assignments (instructions for projects, presentations, term papers and other major work)
  • Instructions for minor assignments / Quizzes (if available)
• Blank copy of the questions for the Midterm Exam(s)
• Blank copy of the questions for the Final Exam
• Instructor Grade Sheet (downloaded from Canvas as an excel spreadsheet)

This process depends on instructors submitting their files by the due date. Due dates for Course Archives are found on the upper right hand corner of the Course Archives module screen. Outstanding Course Archives will be reported as soon as possible to the Associate Dean, who will follow up with the late instructors. Late instructors will be emailed by library staff and asked to submit their files.

As instructors upload their files, library staff will check each course section in the module to ensure that all required files are uploaded, are in the correct course section, and can be opened and viewed. Staff will follow up with an instructor as soon as possible with an email if there are any files that are missing, incorrect, or cannot be opened or viewed.

If instructors have submitted most of their files but have a file(s) missing, they will be emailed by library staff and asked to submit the outstanding file(s).

To ensure the successful implementation of Alexander College’s Course Archives policy, library staff have created a detailed written instruction file to guide them in the process of collecting Course Archives files. To help instructors with their file submissions, library staff have created a written file explaining how to upload files and what files are expected. Library staff distribute this file to instructors every term in an email. Staff will update both files if and when circumstances require changes to the Course Archives submission and collection process.

Unreturned Work and Exam Viewing

At the end of each semester, library staff are responsible for gathering unreturned work and storing this coursework in the Alexander College Burnaby storage room. Faculty are expected to hand in their unreturned work to the Burnaby Alexander College library branch at the end of the semester. The unreturned student work for the past calendar year must stay in on-site storage, for ease of access. At the end of each semester, library staff will contact Burnaby branch front desk, and ask that any materials that are 1 calendar year old be shredded on site.

The unreturned work that instructors are expected to submit to the library include their final exams and any midterm exams they did not return to their students during the semester. Because of issues with space and security, both in the Burnaby library office and in the storage area, the library only excepts final and midterm exams. The library does not except other types of unreturned work, such as section/chapter tests, activities, exercises, quizzes, projects, term papers, etc.

In order to view final and midterm exams, students fill out an exam viewing request form online. Library staff will notify students by email when they can come to view their exam. After being notified, students will have seven days to come view their exam. If they do not appear within the seven days, they must fill out another request.

When students are viewing the exam, they must present their student ID to a Library staff member. Library staff hold on to the ID until the student has finished viewing the exam. Students must not have bags, backpacks, writing materials, phones, smart glasses, or computers with them when viewing the exam. Students are not allowed to view exams for the first 30 minutes of library operating hours or 30 minutes prior to the library closing. Students viewing exams should always be within sight of library staff members. Exams are never handed over to students to take home. Unreturned work must stay at the library unless a staff member requests to have an exam as part of a grade appeal process.

Students who wish to appeal their exam or their grade can get in touch with the Student Rights and Responsibilities team.

To ensure the successful implementation of Alexander College’s Unreturned Work and Exam Viewing policies, library staff have created detailed written instruction files to guide them through both processes. Staff will update both files if and when circumstances require changes to the processes for collecting Unreturned Work and administering Exam Viewings.

Unreturned Work for each term is also tracked in an excel spreadsheet. When an instructor submits their finals/midterms, they are recorded in the sheet and placed in numbered boxes. Staff do this so exams can be located and retrieved for viewings or appeals. Furthermore, each term library staff create an excel tracking sheet for exam viewing requests. The sheet is used by staff to record information about and keep track of exam viewing requests.