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Do not segregate registration

Written by: Ritsuki Miyazaki 

It’s that time of the year for students to start getting worried about their current classes. Not only that, but students also have to start considering their classes for next semester.

Yes, early registration for spring 2014 has started. The first week of early registration can be very stressful and busy, especially for freshmen and sophomores looking for core classes that they need to take.

During the first week of early registration, it is common to see the computer labs in Odum Library get full as early as 7 a.m. with stressed-faced students.

Some might have to change their weekly schedule due to a technical difficulty or the capacity of a class being reached. And yes, we’re college students. We have jobs and other activities, so not all of those class options work for us.

At that point, it is easy to imagine how many students have dreamt about registering successfully with no such stress.

But there are some students who can get access to registration on the first day of early registration regardless of their classification. According to Stanley Jones, VSU registrar, those students include student athletes, honors students and students who are registered with the access office (students with disabilities).

These students have access to registration from 7 a.m. until midnight on the first day of early registration. Then the remainder of students must wait until their regular registration time according to their classification.

There are varieties of reasons behind this system.

For example, students with disabilities may prefer to take classes in classrooms with easy access.

Student athletes, on the other hand, have to take courses at specific times that do not conflict with their practices.

But wait, if student athletes can get prior access, then what about other members in campus activities? For instance, members of the Blazin’ Brigade practice three times a week and as hard as the athletes, but they do not get prior registration.

Registration has been a big debate among students, and it is our belief that the Registrar should give prior access to those with the same situation as student athletes.

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2 comments

  1. To clarify: students with disabilities do not “prefer to take classes in classrooms with easy access.” They must be able to register for classes that are accessible to them. The Access Office needs time to make arrangements to get materials in accessible formats and to schedule interpreters, notetakers, captionists, etc., that may be necessary to provide access. There are many reasons why students with disabilities need, not prefer, specific course design. Thank you for the opportunity to provide this clarification.

  2. Stanley Jones-VSU Registrar

    The following statement “Registration has been a big debate among students, and it is our belief that the Registrar should give prior access to those with the same situation as student athletes” is not factual. The Registrar has absolutely nothing to do with these groups registering early. These groups were approved to register early by the Faculty Senate-Educational Policies Committee.

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