May 11, 2026  • By Dennis Beaver

Under what circumstances should university students be allowed to take their final exams before the scheduled date or after? Could a professor who denies a request get into trouble if a student complains?

“Ada” teaches history at a major West Coast university. She phoned our office, worried that two of her students in an online course were going to file a grievance against her.

“Mr. Beaver, I have read you in Kiplinger for years and need your help. My syllabus lists all exam dates and times, along with my policy on rescheduling an exam, which is the same as the university’s.” She included the policy, which states:

With few exceptions, students are not permitted to take any test early or late. Those exceptions include:

Emergencies, including verifiably documented medical issues, deaths

Preapproved university events, including athletics and conferences

Religious observance. Accommodation will be allowed for alternate exam dates if a scheduled exam conflicts with a student’s religious creed. Students should tell me during the first three weeks of class beginning, or as soon as possible after an examination date is announced.

In those events, an alternate exam will be administered, different from the test that all the other students have taken to prevent test questions being leaked to others in the class.

Ada’s syllabus, which legally forms a contract with students, states in bold letters: “Students are required to show up or log in for all tests. Failing to do so without my approval will result in a failing grade.”

A chance to visit Italy

Ada told me, “Two students rushed into my office, without making an appointment, and didn’t ask — rather, they stated that I needed to let them take the final exam early or late, because the family of one had just invited both to accompany them on a trip to Italy.

“I pointed out that the test is online, multiple choice, true/false and, with a cell phone, they could take it, even in Italy. They rejected my explanation, so I encouraged them to sign up for the course next term, as not taking the final would result in a failing grade. They left the office in tears, and I heard them mumbling ‘grievance’ as they walked down the hall.”

Ada added, “As I am a new employee, the last thing I need is a black mark on my record, and I am afraid to tell my department chair, so my thinking is that I will send them a polite letter inviting them to sign up for the class next term if they plan to miss the final. What do you think I should do?”

Do not let yourself get blindsided

In my law practice, I’ve spoken with new and tenured instructors who’ve experienced virtually identical situations and worried about bringing a student’s entitlement issue to the attention of their department chair for fear of looking like a problem employee.

Yet, Ada’s silence could be dangerous, as the students could use the grievance process to extort what they want and embarrass her.

“Talking with your chair now is the correct approach,” I told her. Here’s why:

• This prevents the chair from being blindsided if the students file a grievance and the chair hears about it from the dean instead of from Ada. By just saying, “I want to be certain that I am handling this properly,” she would show herself as a responsible faculty member and that she is being fair to all the other students in the class.

• Sending a letter to the students before alerting the chair means she could inadvertently use language the department might not approve of.

• The chair may agree that she should write to the students, and if so, Ada should ask if there is preferred language she should use. She should also show a draft of the letter to her chair for editing and approval.

Heads, I win; tails, I win

I discussed these issues with grievance personnel at universities around the country, and it became painfully clear that higher education has become a world like Alice in Wonderland’s, where up is down, right is wrong, and entitled students have found a “heads, I win; tails, I win” strategy to coerce higher grades or avoid consequences for academic misconduct, such as plagiarism or failing to show up for a final exam.

All of the people I spoke with agreed that Ada must immediately alert her chair. By doing so, she would thwart any scheme the students might try to force her to cave in to their demands.

One longtime staff member at a Florida university’s grievance office described these students’ justification for rescheduling the exam as “capricious.”

His tone conveyed disgust. (He asked not to be identified so he could speak bluntly.)

“We see this all the time, and you really have to wonder what kind of education at home they get, as so many view threatening instructors with grievances (as a means) to make up for their failings. If they do not log in for the exam online when it is given, I would tell Ada to give them a zero!”

Dennis Beaver Practices law in Bakersfield and welcomes comments and questions from readers,
which may be faxed to (661) 323-7993,
or e-mailed to Lagombeaver1 – at – Gmail.com.

The post Final Exam vs Family Vacation: What’s a Professor to Do When Students Demand an Exception to a Hard and Fast Rule for a ‘Capricious’ Reason? appeared first on Dennis Beaver.

“I am the fourth-generation CEO of our family’s agricultural services business. I want to write a book about our history, the people who have been at the helm for over 100 years, and show our business community just how dedicated to their needs we have always been, so there is a PR benefit I’m trying to achieve.

“Candidly, I don’t know a thing about what’s involved. Have you some suggestions on how to get started and how to not get taken advantage of by the internet ads I see about giving them two hours of my time and they will create a best-seller? Thanks, ‘Scott.’”

Advice from a Book Collaborator

I ran Scott’s question by Caroline Lambert, who is an internationally recognized ghostwriter and book collaborator. She provided down-to-earth recommendations for anyone who is thinking of writing a non-fiction book.

Lambert began our interview with these cautionary statistics and highly focused questions an author must not fail to answer:

“Only 10% of all books sell 10,000 copies in the first year, which pays for the publishing costs. Below that, a publisher does not make back its money. Statistically, few books even sell 1,000 copies. Very few sell a million copies. If someone goes into it thinking to sell millions of copies and become famous and rich, their odds would be better in Las Vegas!”

Still, she points out, there are valid reasons to write a book that may only sell just a few copies — such as family memoirs. Whatever your motivation, it is critical that you do not fail to ask these questions:

1. Why do you want to write this book?

2. Who is your audience? What do you want this book to do for your readers?

3. What questions do you want to answer for them, or what problems are you trying to help them solve?

4. What do you want this book to do for you? What are you trying to achieve?Are there some ideas that you want to share? Is your purpose business promotion, services that you want to sell? Or are you writing just for your family?

The answer to the why is that you need a central thread that ties everything together so that you never lose track as to what this book seeks to accomplish and who you are writing it for.

5. How much staying power do you have for this? (Hint: It takes more than just time.)

Writing a full-length book by yourself requires a lot of staying power. Besides skill, it takes effort and time. Unless you are clear as to why you are doing it and have a compelling reason that gives you a desire and motivation, at some point, you may hit a roadblock, such as getting stuck on a structure issue or some other frustration.

6. Do you have what you need? Do you have enough material, or do you need to do research? Are interviews needed?

How much time do you have to write?

Do you have the skills to write a book by yourself?

7. Should you consider working with a ghostwriter or writing coach?

A ghostwriter is a professional writer who writes on your behalf — and “becomes you” in terms of style and voice. Authors who don’t have the time or skills needed to write a book often go that route.

Even though it is faster than doing it yourself, don’t expect your book to be written in a week, however. It can be a long process.

Reputable ghostwriters will have a proper contract that sets out the various rights and responsibilities each of you have, including whether their name will appear on the book cover with yours.

A writing coach supports you through what, for many, is the challenge posed by writing itself, but you hold the pen.

8. What kind of publishing will you do? Traditional, hybrid or self-publishing?

If traditional publishers aren’t interested in your book, or you’re not interested in traditional publishers, then you can self-publish.

Self-published authors are responsible for all of the costs in book development: production, printing, distribution and marketing, but retain all of the profits (if any!).

You can do it all yourself or turn to companies that can help with self-publishing. Beware of publishers who advertise “Give us two hours and we will write a bestselling book for you.”

Research, research, research them. Use your business judgment. Are they reputable? Do they produce good-quality books? (You can read more about this in my article You and the Law: Author in search of a publisher? Beware!)

If you’re aiming higher on the quality scale, then hybrid publishing could be the right choice, as it is often described as a partnership with shared responsibilities, guidance and control throughout.

Authors still cover most of the costs, but hybrid publishers typically bring expertise honed in traditional publishing.

Lambert concluded our interview with this observation: “Never forget the why.”

Find out more about her and what she does on her website, carolinelambert.com.

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