Newsfeed
Printer-Friendly ModeEnrolling Cards find classes limited
April 19, 2010 —
For some students, registering for classes can be a nailbiting, heart-pounding competition.
It’s no secret that by the time most students can register, many of the required courses are already filled. Freshman take an especial hit, because their turn comes last.
Robert Maurovich, vice president of student services and enrollment management, doesn’t deny that some serious issues surface during class registration.
But the staff is usually willing to work with students, he said; many times, if a class hits its maximum when more people are trying to enroll in it, a department will open a new section.
Criminal justice senior Sara Cometto agreed.
“I have to give it up to the C.J. department, because they really work with you a lot,” she said. “They make a point to ask students what classes sound good for next semester, and they are willing to add classes if they need to.”
Maurovich said this decision to add depends on many factors: the number of returning students, incoming freshman and transfers, the requirements for general education and the popularity of certain courses.
SVSU already has added 36 sections for the fall semester, he said.
But some students say it’s not enough.
“Once registration starts, all the students swarm on the gen. eds.,” said criminal justice senior John Rittenburg. “Being a senior, I always get underclassmen asking me to reserve classes for them.”
In this system, upperclassmen register first, and they will sometimes sign up for certain classes at the request of their underclassmen friends. When the freshmen and sophomores are allowed to register, seniors such as Rittenburg drop those classes so that spots open up for their younger friends.
Graphic design junior Jenna Mahaffy agreed with Rittenburg that most underclassmen don’t get the classes they want.
“I’m a Foundation Scholar, so it’s awesome for us, but it sucks for other people,” she said. “[Seniors] don’t always get classes they need and sometimes have to stay here a bit longer.”
Secondary education sophomore Brooke Jastrzembowski said that by the time she even had the opportunity to register, all the classes she needed were closed.
“[Registering for classes] is the most stressful time of the year,” she said. “I hate it.”
Maurovich agrees that sometimes registering can be problematic, but usually these problems are “anecdotal,” he said.
“Parents will call me saying that their son or daughter couldn’t get any of the classes they needed,” Maurovich said. “But most of the time it’s because the student either did not register when they were supposed to, or they refuse to take evening or Friday classes.”
For upperclassmen, Maurovich suggests being proactive by meeting with an academic adviser and completing their degree audit ahead of time.
“It is up to the students to exercise long-range planning,” he said.