As the student government officials take office, for a second term for President Erik Pederson, they bring new ideas to campus. One of the main ideas on Pederson’s 2013-14 agenda is academic review days, which would give students more time to study the week before finals.

Although the planning is still in early stages, review days would prohibit professors from assigning new projects, assignments, quizzes or tests that would be due the week before final exams, according to Pederson.

This idea of a review week has been modified from the University of Kentucky’s Dead Week, but it would be adapted to meet the expectations of Northern Kentucky University.

“We’re learning from universities that have been around a lot longer,” said David Trump, the 2013-14 SGA vice president. “Seeing how they run things and if it works for them, why can’t it work for us?”

Pederson said he hopes to have this in place by fall 2013, then it’s up to the students to use this time wisely. These review days would help the students’ grade point averages and help them be less stressed out, the SGA president said.

“This will provide built-in time for your study time, your review time, questioning of what important materials you’ll need to know the most for finals,” Pederson said. “[It will] ensure there is a comfort window between the time of finals and your last project so there is adequate prep time for finals.”

Pederson and Trump have already come up with some ideas as to how review week might work, including continuing to have class during the week, but no new material would be taught or covered. Whether the review days would last an entire week or just part of the week before finals is still in question.

If there are assignments set on the original syllabus to be due during these review days they will still be due. Review days would prohibit new assignments or tests from being assigned last minute. But, professors would be encouraged to stay consistent with the syllabus.

“A syllabus is a binding contract with the professor and students so they know ahead of time about projects,” said Brittany Wren, a junior public relations major.

Because this idea is still new, Pederson and Trump are still modifying ideas and planning to work with faculty members on how to best implement academic review days.