A policy signed by the university president that governs coursework and activities during Dead Week will be in effect for the first time this semester.

The policy outlines when examinations may be administered during Dead Week, and also suggests other regulations for setting deadlines or introducing new material during that week. Although these are only recommendations, there are avenues students can take to file grievances if they feel the policy is not being properly adhered to.

T.J. Schneider, Government of the Student Body president, said the Dead Week policy is a guideline for professors and students to take into consideration.

Dead Week can be stressful for students who are trying to finish their semester work and the added burden of early finals can be too much, Schneider said. “Dead Week is for studying for finals and finishing coursework,” he said.

If students have concerns with the course structure during Dead Week, they need to take the matter up with the professor and work the problem out at that level, Schneider said.

If the problem can’t be solved, the department head should be contacted, he said.

The policy states, “mandatory final examinations in any course may not be given during Dead Week except for laboratory courses and for those classes meeting once a week only and for which there is not contact during the normal final exam week.”

Take-home finals and small quizzes are permitted.

Schneider said having finals during Dead Week defeats the purpose of studying for exams.

“Why have a Finals Week when we are not offering finals at that time?” he said.

Schneider said classes can agree to take a final during Dead Week if everyone believes they can prepare for it.

According to the policy, “major course assignments should be assigned prior to Dead Week.”

The policy also states that course assignments should be due no later than the Friday prior to Dead Week. Exceptions to this rule include student presentations, semester-long projects and extensions of deadlines requested by students, Schneider said.

Schneider said the policy was designed to help students do their best in classes.

“The policy is geared for increasing academics and making sure everyone can excel,” he said.

Johanna Slessor, senior in art and design, said she likes the policy because it gives her more time to prepare for finals.

“If my projects were due during Dead Week, I wouldn’t be able to get them done because I still have to attend my classes and do work for them,” she said. “It takes more off your mind. If I am worrying about a project or assignment, I usually push my studying back until the project is done.”

According to the policy, “widespread violation of these guidelines can cause student workloads to be excessive as students begin their preparation for final examinations.”

The policy serves to remind students that their main reason for being at Iowa State is their classwork and to study in a timely fashion throughout the semester, Schneider said.

“We want to make it fair for everyone to have time to prepare for finals,” he said.

Jack Girton, president-elect for the Faculty Senate, said the policy is only a recommendation to faculty members.

“Because of academic freedom, we can’t enforce what the faculty can and can’t do,” he said.

Although faculty can’t be forced to teach in a certain manner, Girton said they can be reasoned with.

“We are trying to have a balancing act by allowing students to prepare for exams and allowing academic freedom to have faculty teach classes the way they see fit,” he said.

Girton said he thinks the policy will be successful because it is “supposedly reinforcing what is happening anyway.”

Schneider agreed that most professors are respectful of student concerns during Dead Week and Finals Week.