This semester will mark the beginning of a new system for final paper submission for University students.
In an email sent to students on Oct. 31, 2024, Dean of the College Michael Gordin and Registrar Emily Shandley announced that the second phase of the Dean’s Date reformation will begin this semester.
Dean’s Date has been a long-standing tradition at the University since 1999, serving as the final submission deadline for all final papers and non-exam work. This past Dean’s Date marked both its 25th anniversary and the end of this longstanding practice in its previous form.
There are two parts to the Dean’s Date reform.
The first change began last spring, which limited each student to no more than two assessments per day during the finals period.
Gordin told The Daily Princetonian in an interview that, starting this semester, the Office of the Registrar has set aside an exam period for all classes, even if there is no sit-down exam for that class. Final papers will be due by the end of those exam blocks.
“They’re all scheduled by the Registrar,” he explained.
Students can view this list of exam periods on TigerHub.
Gordin stated that the goal of these changes is to “try and level what goes on between the exam classes and the paper classes to make all final assessments sort of equal.”
“The assessments and the final papers are now due during the assessment period and not all clumped together, which for … English majors, juniors and seniors, history majors got to be a lot, so they’re now all spread out,” he continued.
Tal Naider ’28 told the ‘Prince’ she believed that “the new Dean’s Date will alleviate stress for a lot of students.”
Nabeel Shad ’25 shared similar feelings.
“It seems like it’ll probably help more people than it hurts,” he told the ‘Prince.’
“It gives people more of an opportunity to manage their course load in a way that they want, rather than have an arbitrary deadline for written assignments,” he continued.
Meanwhile, SPIA major Mariem Elgendy ’26 sees both positive and negative aspects of the new reforms.
“I don't think it’ll necessarily be an answer to alleviating stress,” Elgendy expressed. “For people who are all papers or all exams, it’s gonna make more of a difference, but for people taking a mix of classes, it’s gonna maybe create even more stress.”
However, Dean’s Date won’t disappear entirely. Instead, it will now be the last date for any work assigned during the term, excluding the final submission for the class. Gordin explained, “Dean’s Date still exists. We haven’t given it up entirely, but it’s the last date for any term-time work.”
There has been some confusion among students and faculty about adopting these new changes. Concerning final papers, Gordin said, “Your faculty member cannot say it’s due on the Dean’s Date.”
“We are working with the faculty to remind them of the policy,” he said.
Students will be able to look to their residential colleges for advice. Gordin shared that “there’s communications to the residential college deans and so on to try and make sure that everybody knows what's going on.”
University students also have other resources to assist them with understanding and adapting to these changes. “Residential college deans and McGraw learning consultants are available to help with this planning,” Wei wrote. “So students should not hesitate to reach out. We are here to help!”
Luke Grippo is a staff News writer for the ‘Prince.’
Associate News editor Hayk Yengibaryan contributed reporting.
Please send any corrections to corrections[at]dailyprincetonian.com.
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