With less than three weeks left until the end of the first semester, students have already begun to receive those dreaded end-of-term paper topics. For many students, particularly in the humanities, the task of writing final papers must begin now. If not, they will have to face the daunting task of writing 40, 60 or even 80 pages — the equivalent of a senior thesis — in only a few short weeks.
While that much writing is a difficult task to accomplish in any system, these students' assignments will be due at one time: the infamous 5 p.m. Tuesday deadline, somewhat affectionately known as Dean's Date. This system is unfair. At a time when larger questions of calendar reform are being asked, the University should also investigate whether it makes more sense for paper due dates to be spread out over the course of the two week exam period just like exams.
For students enrolled in both "paper courses" and "exam courses," there may be some benefit to having a separate time for writing papers and studying for exams. But the schedules of many students, depending on their academic interest, are dominated by either papers or exams. Few anthropology majors, for example, have ever taken four finals in one semester (some have not even taken four in their college careers), and equally few engineers find themselves running through McCosh courtyard at 4:45 p.m. on Dean's Date.
The Dean's Date system is no more necessary for professors than it is for students. After all, faculty members are currently required to submit grades within one week of when an assignment is turned in regardless of whether they are papers or exams.
The basis for such a system already exists. The registrar currently assigns exams in a somewhat random fashion. Why not include courses with final papers? Of course, it would be sad to see the band and the USG food at McCosh Walk go, but we are willing to make that sacrifice for the sake of a fairer system.
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