So, it’s day four of the deadliest week of them all — the famed “Dead Week,” which immediately precedes the involuntary catharsis of Finals Week — and now is as good a time as ever to remind students, once again, of your rights during this heinous academic study bonanza.
Although the University’s Dead Week policies have been around for many years, they never fail to sneak past the radar of some hapless educators. As a result, students subsequently complain that they have WAY too much work during Dead Week without knowing that the art of complaining does get things accomplished in this world.
However, the common misconception among students is that educators are powerless to assign anything during Dead Week because of the understanding that the week is for cramming like crazy. But the rules governing Dead Week mostly apply to testing.
First, according to an administrative letter periodically sent out to faculty and graduate teaching fellows, “No examination worth more than 20 percent of the final grade will be given with the exception of makeup examinations.”
Second, “No final examinations will be given under any guise.” That’s right, teachers, save it for Finals Week. It just makes sense.
Third, “No projects will be due unless they have been clearly specified on the syllabus within the first two weeks of the term.” This is a biggie for the many students who are undoubtedly sweating about that huge project due tomorrow. Check your syllabus — the assignment may be breaking the rules.
Last, “Take-home examinations will be due no earlier than the day of the formally assigned final examination for the class in question.” Duh.
Also, don’t forget that as a student you have the right to reschedule a final exam if too many have been scheduled for you on any given day. That is, if a student has more than three final exams scheduled on one day, any exams after the third can be rescheduled for later in the week to keep the student from keeling over from a debilitating brain aneurysm.
The first four rules were drafted into faculty legislation by the University Assembly in 1982, and the last is a statement by the Faculty Advisory Council.
All in all, the Emerald Editorial Board wishes all students successful Dead and Finals weeks and a great summer and hopes that faculty will work within the established University standards.