Student Senate unanimously passed legislation Wednesday supporting the implementation of a partial Dead Week, which would allow students a rest period on the Thursday and Friday before finals week. No major projects, papers or exams may be given in any class during these two days, with the exception of labs, studios, classes that meet only once a week or other activities with limited class time, Chris Kurtz, vice president of Student Government Association, said.
"We're in an academic institution [and are] here for education. So if we have the end of the week to study for finals, it will help us to prepare better, especially in classes that have comprehensive finals," Kurtz said.
Tristan White, chairman of the Academic Affairs Committee, said Purdue University, Indiana University and Indiana State University, among other universities, have successfully implemented a Dead Week plan. Indiana State University has used a Dead Week plan for four years, and Ball State should follow their examples, White said.
"I want to use this as a trial run to see how students and teachers adapt to it," White said.
Ball State students might see the implementation of the partial Dead Week beginning Fall 2007, Kurtz said.
Under the plan, which was suggested in a University Senate agenda meeting about a month ago, professors could still assign an earlier due date for major assignments or make last tests a major component of the semester exam, Devin Baier of the Academic Affairs Committee said.
"There are 15 or 16 weeks of class," Baier said. "Professors can avoid putting tests on those last two days."
According to the legislation, students would still be required to go to class and participate just as they would during any other week, and professors who require final presentations to start before finals week would be exempt.
White said his goal is to eventually implement a full Dead Week, which would further help to reduce students' stress before finals week. The full Dead Week would keep students from having to turn in major assignments during the entire week before finals, not just the currently proposed Thursday and Friday.
The Dead Week legislation will soon go to SGA President Steve Geraci, followed by the University Senate or Interim Provost Deborah Balogh, White said. The Undergraduate Education Committee proposal that would eliminate Saturday finals will go before the Academic Policy Council in University Senate today but also might not be implemented until Fall 2007, Kurtz said.
Baier said he looks forward to addressing students' complaints about the week before finals through the Dead Week plan.
"Just like any other university and all teachers," Baier said, "we're always pushed for time at the end of the semester, and we're trying to make it easier for our students here at Ball State so they can succeed with their finals."
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