OCR Text |
Show Dead' Again When to Study The Executive Council has passed the Senate's "dead week" resolution, apparently after solving some of the problems prob-lems of adopting such a program that we presented earlier this year. We still are left wondering why such a program should be adopted and why it was proposed by the S.enate. The Execs recommended that the University Administration Administra-tion adopt one of the following, which would end student activities ac-tivities five days early and have at least one day free from classwork before finals: First, "Abolishing one day of school immediately preceding preced-ing the four day testing period at the end of winter and spring quarters." Second, "Making test week a three day testing period in winter and spring quarters, making it possible to set one day aside for review without interference of class work." Third, "Having a pre-registration the first week in December De-cember for winter quarter and a pre-registation quarter the last week in February for spring quarter. The first day of school could then be on Friday preceding winter and spring quarters. Tuesdays preceding winter quarter could then be abolished for school work with the same number of school days remaining in each quarter." A basic problem, as we discussed in an earlier editorial, still seems to be evident in each of the above suggestions, although al-though in varying degrees. Whereas the calendar is, at least in skeletal form, established a year in advance, there would be an amount of administrative problems to be solved before any alteration could be made. The student groups wisely did not recommend any changes in this quarter. And what about library facilities. Will student employees em-ployees work during the five day break, the one day break, or not at all? Will the library be able to continue its practice of later hours preceding and during test week if its help is allowed not to work? If problems that would arise in changing the program and in letting those concerned know about the change were met, we cannot see that there would be any harm in adopting a "dead week." Such a program would allow some time for last minute "crammers" to study, whereas with the present system, they may have only the night and morning before if th'ey are to study at all. .Of course, to the serious student, such 'cramming' is unnecessary, except in rare cases where a professor will 'bulk ud' teaching at the year's end if he is behind on his lectures. i1 It follows that there would be students who would find a 'dead week' really of little value. Judging from the support of the Senate and Exec Council Coun-cil and if these groups are truly representative, there are very few who fall in the above category. |