Student Assembly

Dear President Skorton,

I would like to formally communicate to you SA Resolution 52: Developing a Mental Health Friendly Academic Evaluation Environment. The resolution is a recommendation to the Faculty Senate, and is sponsored by Transfer Representative Syed Ali Khan, along with Cornell Minds Matter President and Vice President of Outreach, Saadiya Mutawakil and Alexandra Skinnion.

This resolution was developed after lengthy discussions about the new academic calendar, the final exam schedule, and the lack of enforcement of the exam conflict policy. The recommendation proposes amended language to the Faculty Handbook that will include not only final exams, but also large projects or papers for those majors that do not depend heavily on exams.

The resolution is a call to the Faculty Senate, as well as the University Registrar, to consider the effects of moving to a reduced number of examination periods for finals, particularly the effects on mental health. The resolution also serves as a call to enforce the conflict policy and to charge the individual schools and colleges to develop workable mechanisms to help students get the accommodations they may require.

Per the final resolved clause of the resolution, I am sharing this with the Dean of the University Faculty and the University Registrar. The resolution is attached for your reference.

Best,

Ulysses