Online program gets first big test

A new online registration system that requires students to obtain one or more clearances from faculty and academic advisors was unveiled last Monday as students began registering for fall semester courses. The online program was piloted to seniors last fall for spring registration. Since then, several changes have been made that include providing more information to students about wait-lists and course conflicts.

Online registration and the process of obtaining clearances from advisors presents a new approach to registration that most say is a welcome change despite a few frustrations due to learning the rules of a new system.

"We love it and the students really love it," said Betsy Paul, Associate Registrar. "It's easier because you can register without leaving your room."

Many students say that the new system is more convenient and informative because they learn immediately if they are registered in a course or wait listed. Online registration also presents a difference in the way priority is given to students signing up for courses. Previously, priority was given based on students' social security numbers. Under the new system, registration is based on a first-come, first-served approach.

"It was convenient. I liked knowing immediately if I was in a class or was wait listed," said sophomore Andrew Woodward.

Online registration has reduced the paperwork and long lines at the registrar's office while changing the roles and responsibilities of faculty and academic advisors.

"Every student needs to see an advisor," said Richard Sanders, Associate Director of Academic Advising. "This [new system] has increased our student contact enormously."

In order to register online, students must obtain clearance from one or more advisors who will lift an electronic hold in the computer system.

Freshmen, who are not assigned faculty advisors until they declare a major during their sophomore year, are advised by members of Academic Advising who will lift their electronic hold.

Sophomores visit their faculty advisors to obtain clearance, and juniors must visit both their faculty advisor and an academic advisor to obtain two clearances.

According to Adriene Breckenridge, a Senior Academic Advisor, requiring that juniors visit the Academic Advising office ensures that students are on track for graduation.

"The good thing is that we are able to catch problems. Students have assumptions about distribution credits and other things they have heard from their friends that might not be true," Breckenridge said.

Breckenridge and Sanders say the new system will also give the Office of Academic Advising an idea of which students plan to graduate.

"In the past we never had a good idea of who was intending to graduate. Now we have them on a list in the fall and we can track their progress," said Sanders.

Breckenridge said the new system benefits students much more than the previous one and that she has received positive responses. Breckenridge explained that her office has had meaningful conversations with students about academics, scholarships, study abroad, tutoring and personal counseling.

"Who else on campus asks questions? Faculty members don't have time to ask some [important] questions," said Breckenridge. Most students say that the increased interaction with faculty and academic advisors is a positive change.

"Being able to talk to my faculty advisor on more generic terms was nice," said Woodward.

Others, particularly juniors who were required to visit two advisors, say that the new system requires too much running around to obtain appointments to gain clearance.

"I didn't like having to go through all those channels," said junior Tannaz Rasouli, a cognitive science major.

Sanders said that it may be possible to computerize graduation checklists in the future if the University's computer system is improved.

One of the biggest frustrations for some students, however, has been continued denied access to the online system despite having obtained clearances.

Keelye Pratt, a junior, woke up last Monday to register at 7 a.m., when the online system was opened to students. She had obtained clearances from her faculty advisor and from Breckenridge. However, Monday morning she was not allowed to access the system.

"I called Academic Advising immediately, and apparently my faculty advisor had not actually gone in the computer and lifted the hold," Pratt said. "It was really annoying because I had made sure that I had done everything so that I could register first thing Monday morning."

Breckenridge lifted the hold and Pratt was able to register by 9 a.m.

Sanders said that the two electronic holds for juniors are on separate views on the computer. Academic advisors lifted the second hold for juniors, but they did not always check to see that the first hold had been lifted by the faculty advisor.

"The biggest hurdle [for online registration] was getting the advisors' hold lifted," said Pat Coady, Associate Registrar.

Breckenridge said that the Office of Academic Advising received some calls from students who said that they could not access the online system to register, but that the situations were remedied quickly.

"We released them immediately," said Breckenridge. "Usually it was no more than a couple of hours or the next morning until they could register."

Sanders said that faculty advisors were instructed last fall on how the new process would work. Instructions for lifting the electronic hold were sent to faculty advisors earlier this year.

"A lot of them [faculty advisors] were very puzzled, mostly about using the computer to release the hold," said Sanders. "We suggested to faculty what they might talk about [with students], but we haven't had any formal training."

Considering the changes in the system, Paul believes that the faculty advisors did a good job of adapting and making the process run smoothly.

"I think the advisors have done well," said Paul.

Paul and Coady also acknowledge that while the Registrar's Office is much quieter than normal at this time of year, that some students still need to fill out paperwork for certain classes.

Classes requiring permission of the professor, as well as graduate level courses must be registered for on paper in the Registrar's Office or, in some cases, with the individual department.

"I basically had to do it [register] twice," said David Katz, a junior who registered for two graduate level courses at the Registrar's Office.

Katz registered for his three undergraduate courses at home on his computer.

Paul and Coady say that the online interface will continue to be improved as Academic Advising works to make the clearance process more clear. And for the first time, incoming freshmen will be able to register online beginning July 1.