Although final exams are far from students’ minds, University officials are already in the process of making changes to pre-exam week traditions.

The week before exams, affectionately known by students as “Dead Week,” is a time just before exams when students are not supposed to have anything due or any tests scheduled that were not originally on the class syllabus.

As of next semester, this will change, at least in regards to the name.

The name Dead Week was dropped in favor of “the last week of the semester” as a result of the feedback regarding the sensitive nature of the name. According to Louis Hunt, vice provost and University registrar, using the word “dead” in the nickname was offensive to some people. 

“Students have always referred to the week before exams as Dead Week, but from a policy and regulation perspective, the name is not appropriate,” Hunt said. “The policy has not changed in any way, but the term ‘Dead Week’ has.”

This alteration is similar to when the formerly called Easter break was changed to Spring Holiday due to sensitivity to the University having religious affiliation. 

According to Hunt, Dead Week was never technically a name affiliated with N.C. State, but became a nickname used among students and eventually caught on within the entire University.

“I’m honestly not sure where it came from,” Hunt said. “I guess it grew somehow through student use or from an old outdated handbook.”

Although the nickname for the week before exams has been changed through policy, there is no way to control student usage of the term. However, Stacy Rodsater, a sophomore in international studies, said the term “Dead Week” is misleading for students.

“I’m not really a fan of the term ‘Dead Week,'” Rodsater said. “The name makes it seem like an easy review week, but there is always so much work to do, at least for me.”

Rodsater said she believes a name change could prove beneficial for students by providing a more realistic set of standards.

“A new name could be more accurate, so students know what to expect,” Rodsater said.

Despite the controversy over what to call it, biology professor Anita Flick said she believes the policy of assigning no new assignments and tests the week before exams has been helpful to students.

“What I have heard from students is that the policy of Dead Week and the two reading days before exams has been beneficial because, thanks to our schedule, it is our tendency to have a lot of tests right before finals,” Flick said. “Having a small break like this leads to our students being better rested and more prepared for their exams, and that is a positive thing.”

The policy of the week before exams remaining the same is what is really important, according to Jim Biglin, a junior in mechanical engineering.

“It gives us a chance to catch up on what we missed during the semester, so we don’t have to do that while studying for our finals,” Biglin said.

According to Hunt, this name change is not the first nor the last time a name will be switched due to a sensitive subject. 

“As our culture changes, there is an increased sensitivity in society about the words we use,” Hunt said. “We always want to be aware of that.”