The waiting game

Scheduling problems make academic planning difficult

It's that time again when students wake up at 7:45 a.m., dial 863-9000 and listen to a busy telephone signal for about an hour just to hear a computer voice say "all sections of . . . are closed."

Yes, class scheduling has begun and so has the aggravation that follows.

"If the University realizes that scheduling is a problem for Scholars, then it should realize that scheduling is a problem for everyone."

Undergraduates began registering Monday by telephone and yesterday in person at the Office of the Registrar in Shields Building. However, Schreyer Scholars were able to schedule classes March 5.

The Schreyer Honors College recognizes that scheduling is a problem for its students, allowing honor students the "opportunity" to schedule before all other graduate and undergraduate students.

Marilyn Keat, assistant director of the Schreyer Honors Program, said "priority scheduling" is a benefit for Schreyer Scholars because they must be able to schedule the classes they need in order to meet the requirements of the college.

"Scholars need to schedule early to make it all fit together," she said.

If the University realizes that scheduling is a problem for Scholars, then it should realize that scheduling is a problem for everyone.

Don't all University students have requirements to meet for their respective majors? Granted, Scholars do have to take a number of honors courses and conduct various research, but it is possible for non-Scholars to conduct research and have difficulty scheduling around required courses.

The scheduling hassle is a problem that needs to be addressed for the sake of all students, and soon.

And that problem goes beyond the hysteria associated with calling 863-9000 or waiting in long lines at the registrar's office. It's about students getting the classes they need, when they need them, in order to graduate on time.

However, students must overcome certain obstacles when trying to get the classes they need. Such obstacles may include required classes filling up because of a limited number of sections and required classes being slated at the same times and days, obviously making it difficult for a student to take both classes.

The University needs to asses the number of students in a major and the number of sections of required classes that are offered for that major. Nearly all students of all majors have this problem. For students who are trying to schedule classes for multiple majors and minors it can be especially discouraging.

More sections of upper-level, required classes must be offered and those classes must be restricted to upper-level students in that major.

Everyone at this University should have the "opportunity" to schedule classes without hassle and aggravation.