Students in the College of Liberal Arts and Social Sciences got a nasty surprise this semester when they learned they could not add classes after the sixth class day on Jan. 22 instead of today, which is officially the 12th class day.
CLASS administrators said that they cut the deadline in half so that they could report accurate enrollment numbers to the state on time.
While the University does depend on enrollment for state funding, it should also remember that its first priority is students. Regardless of whatever college houses them, all students should be subject to the same deadlines when it comes to enrollment, and this change only shows the inequality CLASS students are facing.
As the largest college on campus, CLASS students totaled 8,357 undergraduate and graduate students last fall, according to the Office of Institutional Research.
As the largest college, CLASS students deserve the same courtesy as any other student, regardless of major.
For those who needed that last class to graduate in spring, the deadline to add any needed courses won’t let them finish their degree. University officials have said time and again that their main concern is student success, but by not letting students take required courses they aren’t showing it.
Officials have said that problems take time to solve, but they only appear to be heaping more troubles on students, troubles that distract them from classes. Administrators appear to have overlooked problems that have plagued the University since last fall, especially with the switch to PeopleSoft 8.9, which generated concerns from students who were not able to receive financial aid, make payments or enroll in classes by deadline.
CLASS students are not asking for deadline extensions or special treatment, only to be in equal standing with any other student on campus, which isn’t too much to ask from administrators.
By abruptly changing policies, CLASS officials are echoing the rest of University administration in not sharing information about decisions reached and the reasons behind them.
