The week before finals is filled with holiday anticipation, campus traditions and stress.The concentrated study period, Wednesday through Sunday before final exams, is more commonly known as “dead week,” a time during which students are expected to prepare for finals. The rules for the concentrated study period state final projects listed on the syllabus within the first two weeks of class do not violate the study period, said Anna Nardo, English Department chairwoman. “I always have a final [English] paper due during dead week,” said Kelly Nelson, psychology senior. “I know it is on the syllabus, but it is just not realistic to do great on the assignment and try to study.” Nardo said well-planned courses lay out the professor’s expectations for the semester, and rules are respected during the week. “The paper is the final project for English, but it takes so much time, no matter when you start,” said Haily Celestin, psychology freshman. “When am I supposed to study?”Most students said the amount of work right before finals affects their performance during finals week. Student Government is working to solve the problems of overloaded students during the week by providing a page on their Web site where violations can be reported. “This feature has been around as long as I can remember,” said SG President Colorado Robertson.When a violation is received, SG sends it to the Office of Academic Affairs where it is investigated. “We only get a handful of complaints every year, but 95 percent of them are actually not violations,” said Jeannine Kahn, assistant vice chancellor of Academic Affairs. “Students don’t understand the policy, and an exam can be given during the concentrated study period as long as it counts for no more than 10 percent of the final grade.”Laboratory courses, in which professors are allowed to administer exams greater than 10 percent during the week, are an exception. Any projects that are progressive throughout the semester are allowed, Kahn said.”We have received a violation already, and we’ve actually fixed the problem,” Robertson said. “A teacher was giving a test worth 20 percent of the final grade and is now reducing it to 10 percent.”About six violations were reported last year, he said.”I usually have a few things due during dead week, but my English assignments always take the longest,” said Brandon Boudreaux, English senior. “It wouldn’t be as bad if I didn’t have other final assignments due.” Assignments do not disobey any of the University’s laws as long as they are presented at the beginning of the semester, Nardo said. “If there are any violations, a student is more than welcome to come to the department, and we will discuss it,” she said.The ideal process of studying occurs over a long period of time, said Sarah Baird, assistant director of the Center of Academic Success. “The nature of the end of the semester is conductive for that kind of stress,” Baird said. “If students have procrastinated, then it can affect their test performance. We are encouraging students to get work done ahead of time.”—-Contact Aimee Effler at [email protected]