This year, the school traded WebReg for a software program called Student Center to simplify the process of registration.
But this new so-called “simplification” comes with a projected $14 million price tag? Isn’t the university trying to cut spending?
The Administration’s ill-planned attempt to educate the campus on the new registration program falls short of meeting our needs. This change went largely unannounced, with many students finding out things were changed when they sat down with their adviser.
But the biggest problem is that the school failed to adequately inform students and advisers about the change.
Some advisers were not notified of this new system until the first day of advising.
Not only that, but kinks in the software will not be worked out until October. That’s almost seven months after most students need to register for their fall classes.
The administration should have told faculty and students about the change before the beginning of this semester, so they would be proficient in using this system.
How are advisers supposed to do their job and help students know how to sign up for classes?
We, the students, found out about Student Center in a variety of different ways.
Whether by word of mouth, e-mail or from a professor, what we have learned is that the process is confusing.
The largest means of notifying students about this change are the ubiquitous posters that feature the solid green Rubik’s cube and the slogan, “Some things ARE this easy.”
This might not be the case. The process is neither easy nor student friendly.
Some problems include a lack of pre-requisite requirements, and DARS reports that are more complicated to access and update.
Confusion between fall registration on Student Center and summer registration on WebReg has students wondering why this has to happen now.
This process is too young and all the glitches have not been worked out. Why now and why $14 million?
We hope the school is prepared to live with the consequences of its actions.
Now, it is time for you to educate yourselves on the functions of this new system.
Take a few minutes to navigate around Student Center. See where you access information and where you go to register for classes.
If you get lost, check out our cover story on the new Student Center on page 3.
It is best to do this before your registration time so the process goes smoothly for you.
There are several tutorials available on the Student Center home page to help you better understand the new system.
Save yourself some time and effort, and let the school know how you feel about the new system.
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