Dead week hardly dead

By Mandy Cawood
Contributing Writer

The UK campus is full of life this week; the computer labs are crammed, classrooms are packed, and the library has become home to many students. Students are preparing for final exams, finishing papers and researching class projects.

The picture hardly fits the name given to the week before final exams -- "dead week."

According to Selected Rules of the University Senate Governing Academic Relationships, "no exam shall be given during the last week of regular session classes, and no take home finals shall be due before the regularly scheduled exam time."

Faculty are also told not to assign unreasonable class exercises or fail to give students ample time to prepare for an assignment, said Lee A. Edgerton, UK's academic ombud.

"Announcing a requirement on Friday before dead week for a major oral presentation to be given during dead week is not in the spirit," Edgerton said.

So what exactly is reasonable during dead week?

A reasonable class exercise might be an impromptu oral presentation in a speech class. Any exercise that may occur on a normal class day is acceptable.

There are exceptions to the rule, of course. A completion date during dead week for a project assigned early in the semester is acceptable. Laboratory practicums and make-up examinations may also be given during dead week.

Many students, however, are frustrated during this time of the semester with faculty members who pile the work on them and do not give students a break to study for finals.

"I haven't even been able to begin studying for finals yet because I have both a project and a paper due this week," said Emily Bittman, a nursing senior.

Edgerton suggests faculty members plan less intensive activities and communicate their schedules and expectations in advance.

"I suspect most of (faculty and students) agree that the intent is to provide a week with a reduced load, not an increased load," Edgerton said.

The office of the UK Ombud receives and considers the complaints and grievances of students. The ombud is a UK faculty member who acts as a voice for students and makes sure they are treated fairly.

"Every semester we get around 15 to 20 complaints from students during dead week," said Michelle Sohner, assistant to the academic ombud.

"Some are serious and others are just questions," Sohner said.

This week is Edgerton's first exposure to dead week, having only been in office since July of this year, and so far it hasn't been too overwhelming.

"A few students have raised questions concerning the legitimacy of an assignment," Edgerton said, "but the phone's not ringing off the wall."

Complaints or questions concerning dead week should be directed to the office of the ombud at 257-3737 or 257-7530.