Amidst finals, students hope for a future “dead week”
In the past, professors have been able to assign projects and give tests before finals. With the so called, “dead week” policy, professors are not supposed to give tests or assign new material during the week before exams. This is a huge relief for students because they do not have to worry about extra tests and quizzes while studying for finals, but on the other hand, some professors view the dead week policy as a conflict with their lesson plans for the semester.
Senior Marketing major Kat Wall thinks the dead week policy is a life saver.
“Studying for finals takes up all my time and I couldn’t imagine having to study for other tests on top of finals,” said Wall. “I think it would be completely unfair for professors to assign tests or other work during this stressful time.”
According to GCSU’s Academic Calendar for 2008, classes officially end on Dec. 4 and finals begin on Dec. 6. These two days in between have become known as “Reading Days,” allowing students extra time to prepare for finals.
Some professors do not like the idea of the dead week. They feel that it interferes with the plans that they have for their classes and it does not allow for them to plan their schedule as freely as they would like.
Madeline Timm, also a marketing major, has professors who do not abide by the “no tests the week before finals” policy.
“In one of my classes, I have a test the Tuesday before finals begin and I also have a huge project due right before that,” said Timm. “I am going to be in the library non-stop trying to finish all of this work and I just wish that my professor would have spread everything out a little more.”
With the library open extra hours, it is definitely time for the dreaded finals. There is not an unoccupied computer or study room in sight and it is a race to get the next one available.
Dr. Louis Bourne, Associate Professor of Spanish, does not see the need to add to the stress of students by adding additional assignments and giving tests so close to the final exams.
“Personally, I would never give tests so close to the final exam period. You have to prepare yourself mentally,” said Bourne. “Why make life more unnecessarily difficult for students than it already is by assigning extra work?”
Whether the students and professors agree or disagree with the dead week policy, there will always be a difference in opinion. For the most part though, most professors take into account that students do have several other classes and do not purposefully add to the work load and extras stress around the final exam period.
Posted by Colonnade Archives
on Dec 5 2008. Filed under News.
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