At the first Faculty Senate meeting of the school year, OU President David L. Boren gave his annual State of the University address, and UOSA proposed an alternation to the university’s Dead Week policy.

In his address Monday in Adams Hall, Boren touted freshman enrollment numbers and divulged upcoming plans for the university.

Boren said freshmen enrollment numbers are on target.

“We came out just exactly where we hoped we would,” he said.

Boren said the administration’s goal for the year was to increase the quality of the freshman class while keeping enrollment below 4,000 students, despite the fact that 1,400 more people applied to OU this year than last year.

The university aimed to enroll about 3,800 incoming freshmen, and Nancy Mergler, senior vice president and provost said the latest figure reported 3,803 freshmen.

He also said this is the highest academically ranked class ever at OU.

“So far, the beginning of this year could not have gone any better,” Boren said.

He also talked about the recent hiring freeze that was put in place, but he said the word “freeze” is an overstatement.

With no additional money from the state and $22 million in additional expenses, hiring at the university has been halted for now, he said.

While OU is trying to conserve its money, areas in need of funding will not be shut out, Boren said.

“Where there is a real need, we’re not slamming the door,” he said.

Boren also pointed out the rising graduation rate, which increased from 58.8 percent in 2006 to 63 percent in 2007.

This increase is the largest OU has ever had in a single year.

“This is a huge jump for us,” he said.

Boren also said he would like to increase the number of international students at OU and the percentage of OU students studying abroad.

After Boren’s address, Student Congress presented a proposition by Undergraduate Student Congress to change the university’s Dead Week policy.

Currently, professors are not supposed to make assignments due during Dead Week worth more than 10 percent of a student’s grade.

The proposition would alter these regulations so assignments could not be worth more than 5 percent.

Mergler said she doesn’t think the proposition would force faculty members to make major changes.

If the changes were made, OU’s policy would be more aligned with Oklahoma State University’s, Mergler said.

Frank C. Wood, chairman of Student Congress’ academic affairs committee, is one of the authors of the petition.

“One of the primary concerns raised to representatives of Student Congress last year was the lack of a true studying period prior to finals,” said Wood, zoology senior.

According to the petition, “the current regulations… which guide pre-finals week, are detrimental to the academic growth of students.”

Wood said 93 percent of students voted for a revision to Dead Week policies.

But many of the professors at Monday’s meeting said they wanted more relevant information.

Michael Kent, journalism professor, said he did not see any information indicating problems with the current regulations.

Kent pointed out the increase in the graduation rate Boren mentioned earlier as evidence that there isn’t a problem.

“We fully understand this is highly contentious,” said Kurt Davidson, Student Congress chairman.

The Senate decided not to schedule a vote on the proposed changes. They are waiting for more evidence from Student Congress before considering the change.

The Faculty Senate’s next meeting is Oct. 13 in Jacobson Faculty Hall 102.