Evaluation of Academic Progress

Dead Week

The last week of fall and spring undergraduate classes has been designated Dead Week by the Government of the Student Body and Iowa State University. The intent is to provide students with time for review and preparation for final examinations. Therefore, no student organization registered with the Student Organization Office may hold meetings or sponsor events without the expressed permission of Program Coordinator in the Student Activities Center. For academic programs, the last week of classes is considered to be a normal week in the semester except that in developing their syllabi faculty shall consider the following guidelines:

1. Mandatory final examinations in any course may not be given during Dead Week except for laboratory courses and for those classes meeting once a week only and for which there is no contact during the normal final exam week. Take-home final exams and small quizzes are generally acceptable. (For example, quizzes worth no more than 10 percent of the final grade and/or that cover no more than one-fourth of assigned reading material in the course could be given.)

2. Major course assignments should be assigned prior to Dead Week (major assignments include major research papers, projects, etc.). Any modifications to assignments should be made in a timely fashion to give students adequate time to complete the assignments.

3. Major course assignments should be due no later than the Friday prior to Dead Week. Exceptions include class presentations by students, semester-long projects such as a design project assignment in lieu of a final, and extensions of the deadline requested by individual students.

Instructors are reminded that most students are enrolled in several courses each semester, and widespread violation of these guidelines can cause student workloads to be excessive as students begin their preparation for final examinations. Students are reminded that their academic curriculum is their principal reason for being in college and they have a responsibility to study in a timely fashion throughout the entire semester.

See also:

Evaluation Procedures

Retention of Records

Examinations

Grading System