An instructor can restrict the time period over which ratings are allowed - this is useful to provide time-limited, focussed discussions, where the instructor is grading student contributions to the discussion.
However, there is no way for a student to actually see what this time period is!!! And students may continue to post to this discussion after the rating period has expired, unaware that their work will not be graded (ouch!)

I would like to be able to either restrict students from posting outside this period, or have the UI provide them with feedback that the forum is no longer being rated and so any postings they make will not be graded.

It would also be nice if the discussion time period showed up on the "Upcoming Events" and maybe the closing date could show up on the Calendar? This would allow instructors to put "due dates" on discussion contributions more easily and transparently for the students, and it would highlight current and upcoming discussions as important activities.