[Senate] [From Academic Senate Chair Barish] Regulations on Credit in Courses & Final Exams, Open Access Policy Opt-Out Choice, Student Absences, Academic Freedom & Civility Information, and Academic Integrity and Intellectual Property Information

Thu Oct 8 08:44:34 PDT 2026

*Sent on behalf of Academic Senate Ken Barish*

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October 8, 2026

*TO:*    Members of the Academic Senate

          Mia Rose Tu'ifua, President, ASUCR

          Katia Hatem, President, GSA

          Mata Elangovan, Editor-in-Chief, The Highlander

*FR:*    Ken Barish, Chair

          Riverside Division

*RE:    Regulations on Credit in Courses and Final Examinations*

          *Open Access Policy Opt-Out Choice*

*          Student Absences*

*          UC Academic Council Position on Academic Freedom and Civility*

*          UCEP Annual Reminder About Threats to Academic Integrity and
Intellectual Property*

As the new academic year is underway, I would like to remind you of the
University of California Regulations on "Credit in Courses" and on "Final
Examinations'. I would also bring to your attention the opt-out option of
the open access policy and a suggestion concerning student absences.

I also share the most recent reminder about academic integrity and
intellectual property from the University Committee on Educational Policy
(UCEP).  This is an annual reminder, and UCEP has posted it here
<https://senate.universityofcalifornia.edu/_files/council-chair-to-senate-divisions-re-ucep-recs-on-academic-integrity-annual-reminder-10-7-26.pdf>.
Finally, I also link here
<https://senate.universityofcalifornia.edu/_files/reports/documents/MG_ChairsDirectors_AcademicFreedomStatement.pdf>
the Senate Academic Council’s position on academic freedom and civility as
endorsed in 2015.

*Credit in Courses:*

Regulation 760: “The value of a course in units shall be reckoned at the
rate of one unit for three hours’ work per week per term on the part of a
student, or the equivalent.” Related information may be found in the UCR
General Catalog under Policies and Regulations - Academic Policies.

*Final Examinations:*

Regulation 770
<https://senate.universityofcalifornia.edu/bylaws-regulations/regulations/rpart3.html#r770>
– Examinations:  No student shall be excused from assigned final
examinations except as provided in SR 772 (D). Regulation 772 in its
entirety is given below:

1.     Final examinations are required in all undergraduate courses, except
as provided elsewhere in this Regulation. Whenever practicable each such
examination shall be written and must be completed by all participants
within a previously announced time limit. Examinations in non-laboratory
courses may not exceed three hours' duration.

2.     Examinations are normally not required in laboratory courses or
their equivalent, as individually determined by the appropriate Committee
on Courses. At its option, the department concerned may require a final
examination in any laboratory course, subject to prior announcement in the
schedule of classes for the term in question.

3.     With the approval of the appropriate Committee on Courses and upon
recommendation of the department concerned, the final examination may be
omitted in any undergraduate course or sets of courses either once or for a
longer period.

4.     At the end of the term in which a student is expected to be
graduated, the student's major department may examine the student in the
field of the major, may excuse the student from final examinations in
courses offered by the department during that term, and, with the approval
of the appropriate Committee on Courses, may assign a credit value to such
general examination.

*Open Access:*

On July 24, 2013 the Academic Senate adopted an Open Access Policy
<https://osc.universityofcalifornia.edu/scholarly-publishing/uc-open-access-policies-background/systemwide-senate/>
that includes the expectation that all faculty will upload all scholarly
articles to a UC-supported repository at https://escholarship.org. The
types of articles covered are listed in the policy. The policy also
includes the possibility of opting out from this process by filling out the
appropriate online waiver
<https://osc.universityofcalifornia.edu/for-authors/open-access-policy/waiver-embargo-addendum/>
(please note that opting out is *not* the default option in the policy)

*Student Absences:*

Provost Watkins and I encourage all faculty to take into consideration the
suggestion below when dealing with student absences:

Student attendance at University classes is always expected. It is
recognized that students’ absences may result from external circumstances,
as well as from activities that are important to a student's overall
educational experience and are consistent with the University's mission to
serve students. Some of these activities are also beneficial for the campus
culture and image. Faculty are encouraged to be cognizant of these
principles when articulating their procedures for handling absences in
their course policies.

*UC Academic Council Position on Academic Freedom and Civility: *
https://senate.universityofcalifornia.edu/_files/reports/documents/MG_ChairsDirectors_AcademicFreedomStatement.pdf

*UCEP Recommendation on Academic Integrity and Intellectual Property: *
https://senate.universityofcalifornia.edu/_files/council-chair-to-senate-divisions-re-ucep-recs-on-academic-integrity-annual-reminder-10-7-26.pdf

<https://senate.universityofcalifornia.edu/_files/council-chair-to-senate-divisions-re-ucep-recs-on-academic-integrity-annual-reminder-10-7-26.pdf>

- - - - - - -

Cherysa Cortez

Executive Director, Academic Senate

University Office Building 221

cherysac at ucr.edu

*UNIVERSITY OF CALIFORNIA RIVERSIDE*

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