Dear Butler First Years and Sophomores,

Congratulations on wrapping up your spring classes! I’m writing with reminders about the end-of-term calendar. Do be in touch if you want to strategize managing your end-of-term work.

Reading period begins today, May 1.

• Start early and give yourself some structure: write down both a long-term and a daily schedule that includes concrete studying/writing goals.
• Check out this great McGraw handout on preparing for exams, which helps you to think like a professor while you’re studying.
• Use the Writing Center for help with your Dean’s Date assignments. Grab an appointment before they fill up!
• Take care of yourself. Practice the self-care routines that you know work for you. Carve out time to eat and sleep. Reading period and finals are a marathon, not a sprint.
• Check out these upcoming McGraw workshops that will help you plan your end of term work:
  • Planning for Dean’s Date & Finals Period (May 1 at 5pm; May 2 at 2pm)
  • Quantitative Problem Solving Strategies (May 5 at 1pm)

Dean’s Date is Tuesday, May 9. 

• Dean’s Date is the university deadline for the submission of all written work (except for take-home exams); it is a firm deadline. 
• All coursework due during the teaching term (lab reports, homework assignments, quizzes) must be turned in by Dean’s Date; extensions for term-time work are not possible.
• Extensions beyond Dean’s Date are permitted only for end-of-term written work (e.g. term papers), and are given only for compelling circumstances beyond a student’s control, such as illness or a personal emergency.
  • Normally, any Dean’s Date extension requires approval from both the instructor and the college dean/assistant dean for studies (as described in the Undergraduate Announcement).
  • This spring, as a continuation of this fall’s pilot, instructors may grant a short extension (of up to 24 hours) for compelling circumstances without additional approval from the college dean or assistant dean for studies. Longer extensions (>24 hrs) require additional approval from me or Dean Andrews. Note that faculty may impose a grade penalty for lateness when granting extensions.
• If despite your best efforts you cannot finish your end-of-term assignments on time for any reason, see me before the work is due! Extensions cannot be granted after the fact. Even if your Dean’s Date paper is due at 11:59pm, you must write to me before the close of business day (5pm) on Dean’s Date if you need help.

I’ll write again soon with detailed information about final exam protocols; in the meantime, please consult this exam comparison infographic and the Final Exam Policy on the Registrar’s website.

Questions? When in doubt, reach out. You may reach me at [email protected] or by scheduling an appointment at https://calendly.com/mlazenprinceton/advising-appointments.

Best,

Dr. Lazen

Matthew Lazen, Ph.D.

Assistant Dean for Studies

Butler College

Princeton University

1976 Hall D028