You scream. I scream. We all scream for extensions, especially as we approach the crucial crunch period. An entire semester's worth of work must be crammed into a few short and utterly crazy weeks. We begin to send humble emails to professors, or even anticipate meeting with deans, pondering what excuse to use.

Okay, while we admit that some extensions are given for legitimate reasons, we also feel that the number of extensions granted is higher than what is truly justifiable. All of us have either received one or known someone who has, which is a much too large percentage of the student body, considering that they should be "given only for extraordinary reasons," according to the Faculty Handbook.

So, what are valid grounds for of an extension? Severe sickness is of course one, as well as bereavement and other extreme family and personal emergencies. We realize that the word "extreme" is a little vague, but there are a few reasonable parameters which can dictate what an "emergency" is. Laziness is not a viable excuse, but we do feel that a large amount of work due on the same date is a reasonable basis for an extension, provided that it is asked for well in advance, which shows some foresight on the part of the student. At the collegiate level, professors should expect a certain measure of forethought from their students, in terms of time management and reliability.

Many of us have felt slightly cheated when we hear of a classmate who got an extension on an assignment that we pulled an all-nighter to finish. They didn't have to deal with wee-hours-of-the-morning incoherence and simply had more time to polish their work, an unmerited advantage if the extension was given for the wrong reasons. We feel that extensions should be definite, as we are aware of some extensions for final papers that have dragged well into the summer. While extension policy should be determined primarily by the professor and varies on a case-to-case basis, the time limit should be in keeping with the situation and assignment.

Ideally, the "Policy on Extensions" in the Faculty Handbook would be followed to the letter. However, we realize that this is difficult to regulate so precisely. Nonetheless, we urge professors and students to follow it to the best of their abilities.

Finally, we think there should be a definite penalty if a student turns in a late assignment without any notice. And yes, we do approve of extensions granted to an entire class, if any extensions are to be given at all.