Test-free week and final exam week will not occur this semester to make up for the lost class time during Hurricanes Helene and Milton, the university said Monday.

The final two weeks of the term will be normal instructional weeks, meaning classes will meet at their scheduled times — an exception to USF Regulation 3.011 Testing and Final Examination.

Because of the adjustments, the fall semester won’t have to be extended and will still end on Dec. 12, the university said.

Canceling final exam week doesn’t mean exams won’t happen — they will just be offered differently.

Typically, the Office of the Registrar establishes the date and time for each final exam. This semester, professors will need to hold exams during regular class time.

Katherine Mavridou-Hernandez, an English graduate teaching associate, said instructors were concerned students wouldn’t have time to learn all class material due to the interruptions caused by the hurricanes.

Now, she said professors are acclimating to this semester’s changes.

“Give us a little bit of time while we figure out our plans.” she said. “We’re all equally confused.”

Related: USF students critique ‘early’ return to class after Milton

Johnny El-Rady, a molecular biosciences professor, said for the first time in almost 30 years, he will not give a final exam. 

El-Rady said his final exams are always two hours long. This semester, since students must take final exams in class, he will give a shorter non-cumulative exam.

The exemption to the “formal” final exam week basically means professors can give final exams at their discretion, El-Rady said.

For example, professors could still hold a cumulative final, but they would have to cut it down to fit the class time of 75 minutes instead of the usual two hours, he said.

Jill Roberts, a public health professor, said the academic changes can be “tough” for certain students because multiple “finals” could now fall on the same day.

Students who need help navigating challenging schedules during the final two weeks should contact their instructors as soon as possible, a USF spokesperson said.

Related: USF experts say students need mental health support post-Milton

Mavridou-Hernandez said not every course has exams at the end of the semester — some have final projects or essays.

For those courses, final exam week is usually a time for students to ask questions about their projects with no attendance required, she said.

Even though the last two weeks of the semester will serve as “normal instructional weeks,” professors can still choose whether to take attendance, Mavridou-Hernandez said.

The university said instructors must guide students on how their classes will be held in the final two weeks.

Some professors are still figuring out their plans because they weren’t on campus last week, Mavridou-Hernandez said.

She said students will get a better idea of what their professors’ plans are this week.

“The changes are feasible,” she said. “Once professors give students a plan with more information, everything will be clarified.”

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