Author: Emily Phillips
In what world does it make sense for sophomores to register for classes ahead of seniors? This concept sounds absurd to any friends or family members that I explain it to. I have yet to see the ways in which changes made to the registration process a year ago have improved the system “in many ways for all students” as was promised by the registrar’s office in December 2007. I see several problems with the new order: 1) students were not consulted, 2) first-years are not signing up for their Core classes even with the new order, 3) juniors and seniors cannot get into their classes, 4) why in the world wouldn’t seniors be registering first?
The dialogue between administrators and students about significant changes that directly affect the lives and well-being of the students has reached a disappointing low with the new registration order. The registrar’s office explained the new system (only after a series of complaints from students and parents) by stating that introductory classes were being filled by juniors and seniors, and that seats in those classes were only being held reserved for first-years. In their e-mail explaining the new process, they claimed that “many sophomores could not make adequate progress on their Core requirements because of this.” When were students consulted about whether they felt they could complete their Core requirements by their junior year? If the administration had asked students, would students have suggested that they were struggling so much that the system needed to be drastically altered? I very much doubt it, because nobody wants to register second as a senior. Seniors should register first.
Victor Egitto claimed on behalf of the administration that “having sophomores go first will not significantly impact the spaces available in the upper division courses that juniors and seniors need to take.” Well, that’s where they were wrong. What seems to have been overlooked in this whole plan is that students do not enjoy fulfilling their core requirements. In fact, many students dread signing up for a class that satisfies a lab-science, pre-1800, fine art, or other requirement. If sophomore students can take any classes they want, are they really going to fill their schedule with classes that they think they will suffer through? No. They are going to take that really interesting upper division DWA class with no prerequisite.
So, by the time seniors get a chance to register (which for many, is on the THIRD day of registration out of five), the classes they wanted to take are already full of sophomores. Since the new registration order has been in place, many seniors have only been able to get into one class of their choice: their senior seminar. If they are lucky, they’re able to get into an upper division class in their major, but even then it depends on the popularity of their major. Speaking from experience, sociology majors don’t have a chance. I hear it’s nearly impossible for biology majors as well. We pay a hell of a lot of money to not be able to get into the classes required for our majors and minors.
So, who does this system benefit? All students? I think not. It pretty much only helps sophomores.
As a rising senior, I am registering for my last undergraduate courses. Going into our senior year, most of us are probably just about finished with our majors and are looking to take random classes because they interest us. Seniors should be able to take classes for fun! That’s the whole point of senior year! I understand that Econ 101 or UEP 101 should not be filled with upperclassmen, but for 200 and upper division 200 or 300 level classes, we should have first pick.
This brings me to some possible solutions to the registration process that really would benefit all students.
Solution 1: Allow only first-years and sophomores to take 101 classes except with permission from the instructor, and reinstate the original registration order. Some classes, such as politics 101, are already set up this way. In addition, hold more seats for underclassmen in 100 and lower 200 level classes. This allows first-years and sophomores to take the introductory courses they need to fulfill their Core requirements, and allows juniors and seniors to take the elective courses they want. If sophomores sign up before first-years, then it shouldn’t matter that some seats are reserved for first-years in those classes. Everyone is happy.
Solution 2: A less desirable solution is to allow the new registration order, but to hold all seats except five or less in any upper-division courses for juniors and seniors. After everyone has registered, open up any remaining seats and sophomores can feel free to take them. This way, sophomores are forced to use the new registration order only to gain “adequate progress on their Core requirements,” and juniors and seniors have rightful priority over upper-division courses. Everyone is at least satisfied, but could be happier.
To reiterate, the new registration procedures are both unfair and unwarranted.
Emily Phillips is junior sociology major. She can be reached at ephillips@oxy.edu
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