Every fall and spring, there is one university event that every single student is required to participate in (with the exception of graduating seniors).
This event, commonly known as Fall or Spring registration, is widely feared by students. It is a major source of stress for all, as many feel scheduling is more like the Hunger Games than an opportunity to better prepare themselves for their bright and shining futures.
This concern stems from many reasons, but the most frequent complaint is not getting the class they need for their majors.
Some departments even set up waiting lists for classes that students need to graduate, and will make room for those students more in need, and force other students out.
Another point of concern is also the fact that Slippery Rock University is not planning on rehiring open positions, and may be transferring other professors.
With more professors gone, the less classes will be available for students, making the situation even worse.
On the other hand they could make class sizes larger. However, one of the points of pride as our at our university is our faculty to student ratio and our nice and small class sizes.
While it’s true that classes can only be offered at certain times, many students commonly complain that if they can’t get into the classes they need, how does anyone ever graduate?
Have students ever changed their majors before because they couldn’t get classes they need?
While it may have never been that drastic if students think it is common problem; why has action never been taken?’
In last year’s SGA Presidential election process, one of the main points on the platform of Ben Motyl, previous Vice President of Financial Affairs and presidential candidate was scheduling.
Motyl, in the presidential debate, said “We want to tackle this area because scheduling is something that a lot of us don’t like on campus. The idea we had is to reformat the current structure we have and make it based on a merit system and reward the people who have been here longer.”
Going by this plan, student athletes and students with disabilities would still be the first to schedule. Then honors seniors would schedule their classes, then seniors, then honors juniors, then juniors, and so on. Motyl explained that this was in order to prevent honors freshmen from taking classes that juniors and seniors need.
While Motyl lost the election, his idea for improving the scheduling might be a solution for the university to consider in the future.
