President Gregory Geoffroy approved the 25th draft of a Dead Week policy proposed by Government of the Student Body leaders Tuesday. The new policy provides guidelines for faculty to consider implementing during Dead Week.

These include limiting mandatory final examinations during Dead Week, as well as having major course assignments due.

The policy was originally proposed by former GSB President Andy Tofilon and current president T.J. Schneider. It was approved by the Faculty Senate April 9 and was then sent to Geoffroy for approval.

“I have indeed approved the policy, but I am not sure yet that the formal approval letter has been sent,” Geoffroy wrote in an e-mail.

Provost Rollin Richmond said he supports the policy as well.

“Students were saying it helps to have time to review material. That’s what learning is all about,” Richmond said.

Specifically, guidelines in the policy recommend that mandatory final examinations should not be given during Dead Week. There are some exceptions, however, such as laboratory courses or those that meet only once a week and do not have a contact hour during Finals Week.

Also, major course assignments are recommended to be assigned prior to Dead Week and due no later than the Friday prior to that week.

Schneider said he hopes the policy will help students in their learning process.

“We think Dead Week will increase the learning environment at Iowa State. We want to make sure students have time to prepare themselves and are achieving all they can,” Schneider said. “We discussed [the policy] with the administration and faculty and we realized that it might not be the best. We wanted to improve the policy and make it something effective for students and faculty.”

Included in the policy are requests that the provost publicize the policy’s guidelines and monitor the effects it has on student achievement.

Faculty Senate President Christine Pope said the senate cooperated with GSB, but changes had to be worked on to meet the concerns of staff.

“The senate was attempting to devise a policy which permitted the flexibility necessary to accommodate differences in disciplines,” she said.

Pope said she also thinks the time given to students during Dead Week is a good learning tool.

“From a pedagogical point of view, it is important to provide time for the student to reflect upon what has been taught over a semester and integrate knowledge from various sections of a course,” she said.