Final exam schedule remains unchanged

Dead day is still alive and well, at least for this semester.

Administration officials discussed changes last semester to the final exam schedule including a possible elimination of dead day, but decided not to rearrange it for spring semester.

Several graduating students in past years have argued the last day of final exams, which always falls on a Friday, conflicts with other university activities such as graduation ceremonies, said Juan Garcia, vice provost of academic affairs.

"Some colleges spread events over a two-day period," he said. "Secondly, families are in town for graduation, and students want to spend time with them."

Garcia said student leaders brought these concerns to the president's Cabinet and as a result, administrators came up with three suggestions so finals would not be held on the last Friday.

The proposals included shortening passing periods between finals, holding exams on the first Saturday during finals week and eliminating dead day, which gives students an extra day to study before finals begin.

"We've looked at a number of options but none have been workable," Garcia said.

The suggestions were presented to the undergraduate council, a committee of the Faculty Senate, but members voted them all down.

If administrators cancelled dead day, finals would begin the day after classes end, Garcia said, but will not happen within the next year because the schedule has already been set.

"This would not appropriately give students time to prepare for finals," Garcia said.

Some students said they used dead day to cram for their week of exams, but others said the day is better spent participating in activities other than studying.

Beth James, a veterinary science senior, said she uses the day off to study if she has exams early in the week.

"It's great if you have a final on Friday," she said.

Elizabeth Logan, a senior majoring in English and linguistics, said she catches up on sleep, studies a little, but mostly relaxes.

"It helps your grade if you don't go intense," Logan said.

Logan said some students choose to go out the night before dead day, something she does not prefer to do so close to finals.

"For those who choose to party, it's their funeral," she said.

Scott Schindler, a pre-business freshman, said he enjoyed the break for the first time last semester.

"The day allows you to take your mind off studying and do other things," he said.

Allison Love, a mathematics sophomore, said back-to-back finals are rough and students could use as much time between them as possible, whether it be to quickly review or get to the next classroom on time.

"One time I got out of a final, and I had to sprint to the other side of campus," she said.

Longer passing periods also help break up sitting for long periods of time, Love said.