Homecoming Week is one of the University’s most cherished and important traditions, and it should remain so. Changes need to be made, however, to stop Homecoming Week from being the academic nightmare it has become for students.

I am a PhD student in English Literature, and I teach Freshman Composition. Each year, during Homecoming Week, I have seen my students suffer academically, because their mandatory time commitment to Homecoming Week functions leaves them with little or no time for their schoolwork.

For this reason, I have made it a point not to have papers due during Homecoming Week. I would propose, more broadly, that the University adopt a rule, similar to dead week, whereby exams could not be scheduled, nor longer term paper assignments be due, during Homecoming Week.

And, in case any administrators are listening, the rule should be enforced. Students have told me of numerous cases of exams being scheduled during dead week, contrary to University policy.

But this is not enough. The executive boards of Greek organizations need to make changes in the way they use their members’ time, to respect the fact that they are “also” students. Required pomping? Fine. But up to 80 hours required to do it? Absurd. Give your members a quota to meet, and let them choose when to do it.

And figure out a more professional way to run your planning meetings. Every student I have spoken to has indicated that the majority of the time spent in these meetings is wasted, more a tribute to the vanity and incompetence of the executive board members than anything else.

Learn some basic management skills. Figure out how to run an efficient meeting. Empower your members to get things done on their own schedules. And, above all, respect your members’ time.

They are students, and they are concerned about their studies. Your organization’s goals during Homecoming Week should not, and need not, be achieved at the price of their academic success.

Andrew Ash is a graduate student studying English literature.