Faculty Senate passed a new Dead Week policy Tuesday that would prohibit quizzes and exams on the Thursday and Friday of Dead Week.

The proposed changes were introduced by Student Government leaders President Cole Staudt and Vice President Cody West, who surveyed roughly 3,600 students on their feelings about Dead Week.

There seemed to be confusion about why there was any need for change until Cody West, vice president of Student Government, clarified the need for change from the students through the survey conducted.

West also mentioned that Dead Week policy reform was a top priority for him and Cole Staudt, president of Student Government, as members of the executive branch of Student Government. It was one of the main points that they had made while running for office.

The bill passed and will take effect by the fall 2017 semester.

President Steven Leath also made an appearance at Tuesday’s Faculty Senate meeting, where he went over several issues before Faculty Senate decided on the new Dead Week policy.

Leath went over Bill 41, currently in the state Senate, that could affect Iowa State faculty members and their tenure. Leath also went over fundraising from private donors. 

Leath doesn’t believe that Bill 41 is gaining any traction or that it has any real future.

“It’s amazing to me that people still don’t understand tenure,” Leath said.

Leath went on to explain that there is a process to gaining tenure, and that the process is being explained to legislators so they understand the importance of tenure to members of academia.

A campaign to raise $1.1 billion also was showcased by Leath. The campaign has already made $690 million, and of that money, $204 million will be allocated toward scholarships and other student support. It has also opened 35 new faculty positions, according to Leath’s presentation.

Faculty Senate President Jonathan Sturm was curious as to how well the people in state government would listen to community members of Iowa State. Leath believes they will be easy to talk to due to their previous relationships with Iowa State.

Some of Leath’s final remarks were in regard to faculty salaries and hirings.

“More emphasis is going to salaries right now rather than hiring,” Leath said.

He went on to mention that if that faculty members believe they need more help, then hiring will become the emphasis, but that would make salaries less of an emphasis again.