As of this semester, VSU implemented a new system to change the way class registration works: class waitlists.

Waitlists are queues students join when a class is at full capacity. From there students are notified when a spot opens up in the class.

“If a student selects a class that is full, the registration screen will ask if they wish to be added to a wait list for that course,” Dr. Rodney Carr, president of student success, said. “Select yes, and you are added to the waitlist.”

Waitlists are in place to allow students to access courses they need for degree completion, at the times they need. This automated system allows students easy enrollment in filled classes and helps Academic Affairs to give rapid responses to student needs.

“If an opening occurs for that class, the student will receive a notification that they have 24 hours to select the opening,” Dr. Carr said. “If they choose not to enroll in that course the notifications go out to the next person on the list.”

Currently, the system allows students to be on as many wait lists as necessary so long as the class’ course time is not in conflict with another class’.

Along with helping student needs, the waitlist has a second objective: obtaining accurate data on student demand for various courses. Trends in the waitlists are not clear as of yet but, so far, course type comes first in student priorities versus the time of the classes.

“There are no big trends that I have seen, but we have not sorted these by timeslot, as we are working to meet the needs on a course by course basis,” Dr. Robert Smith, provost and vice president for academic affairs, said.

Dr. Smith said that since some courses have longer waitlists Academic Affairs is putting more of their focus into them. He said that one such course is English 1102 (ENGL 1102).

“In the case of ENGL 1102, we have added several sections,” Dr. Smith said. “When I last checked (yesterday), there were 88 seats open in this course and we were working to notify all students on a wait list for any section that these seats are available.”

Thus far, students appear to appreciate the waitlists as much as VSU staff does.

“When I first registered all of my classes except one was waitlisted,” Lenah Allen, freshman journalism major, said.

Allen said that after talking to his adviser he had to change a few things but ended up only being in two course waitlists.

“I was relieved when I got all of my classes,” Allen said.

Written by Andrew Farace, Staff Writer. Photo courtesy of Odyssey.

For more News, click here