The news site of Santa Barbara City College.

The Channels

The news site of Santa Barbara City College.

The Channels

The news site of Santa Barbara City College.

The Channels

Online wait list introduced for summer and fall registration

City College is creating a wait list that will make it easier for students to join already full classes, but some students aren’t as thrilled as the institution is.

With a budget crisis in hand and many classes being cut, City College is trying to implement a wait list system via Pipeline that is suitable for both students and teachers.

“Most universities are already using this system, we are just joining a new era,” said Political Science Professor M.M Eskandari-Qajar. ” I think its great especially for the online classes.

The wait list allows students to sign up for full classes and register if an opening becomes available. If a seat does open up, they will get a Pipeline e-mail and have 72 hours to add the class. If they don’t add it, the next person on the list will be notified.

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“We have done this before,” said Communication Professor Tina Kistler. “I think it will add fairness.”

The reformed waiting list system is an option for each department and course and will be effective for Summer and Fall 2010. Students on the wait list will be prioritized ahead of students trying to “crash” classes until the first day. After that, the wait list won’t be effective.

“It seems a good thing, I’m constantly battling with e-mails from students that are trying to add a class,” said Instructor Elizabeth Cunningham. ” But with wait list first come first served.”

However, students cannot wait list the same class section more than once, but they can be on the wait list if they are registered in a class with the same course registration number, or CRN.

Carola Smith, senior director of international programs said the wait list would help students and have a positive effect on them. She said the problem with the previous solution was that students could go on with an add code for weeks without using it, and that would take away a spot for someone trying to add.

“We are just trying to manage a balance for everyone,” said Smith.

Smith also said that the transformed system is accessible to International students. She explained they could sign the late payment referrals after their registration.

But all parties are not convinced that the wait list is the way to go.

“For new students this is a major failure,” said international student Per-Henrik Wahl. “Because classes get full early and new comers don’t have the same opportunity.”

Other students fear that by adding the wait list they will lose the face-to-face communication with teachers and believe the wait list will only make it harder to get into preferred classes.

“It’s going to make it worse,” said student Greg McDougal.

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