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news
Summer
session students take a number
By Lauren Thompson
Special to the On-line Forty-Niner
Despite a different
summer session system, students had lined up early in the
morning at University College and Extension Services on lower
campus in the hopes to get the class they need.
"Alleviating the line situation is our main concern,"
said Nancy Freer, summer session's coordinator.
This year, Extension Services implemented a staggered plan
to register which began on March 18 with graduate students,
then seniors, juniors, sophomores, and lastly freshmen. In
previous years, registration had been opened on the first
day to students of every class level.
"Students are really appreciative of this staggered plan,
" Freer said. "It does not hold up the line as much."
Melissa Damron, a junior business major thought it had been
worse in previous years.
"I got in line at 5:30 a.m. and was done by 9:30 a.m.,"
Damron said. "It was not bad this year."
Students in previous years would start to line up the night
before registration.
Complaints about course availability and line lengths this
semester have been limited due to the staggered system. Registration
has been running smoothly except for when seniors registered
on March 21.
"We missed the fact that almost one-half the students
registering for summer school are seniors," said Keith
Polakoff, associate vice president for Academic Affairs. "Next
year we will break the senior class up into alphabetical order
and lengthen their registration week."
Freer has heard few complaints.
"I have had a couple students complain but once they
hear our explanations, they are much more understanding,"
Freer said.
Closed course posting, a view of all offered courses, is a
new perk offered this semester. The posting allows students
to see if a course is full. Students may access the posting
near the Extension Services window or via the Internet. The
list is updated as frequently as possible.
"I checked to see if the class was open online the night
before I registered," said Roshni Jamadar, a sophomore
communications major.
Last year, 10,805 students total enrolled in summer session.
The expected count for this summer is unknown, but the university
hopes to reach the same amount as last year. Extension Services
hopes to surpass last year's numbers.
"We are hoping for more students this year because what
number we generate will be our number for next summer,"
Polakoff said. "We will be able to receive more money
from the state."
Summer session costs are lower from two years ago. Students
who are a California resident and CSULB matriculated students
pay $105 per unit versus $130 last summer. Non-resident,
CSULB matriculated students will pay $105 per unit plus $246
per unit out-of-state fee. Non-matriculated students
looking to attend CSULB just for summer session pay a flat
rate of $145.
One common complaint about summer sessions is the non-availability
of VRR.
"The idea never came up to use VRR," Polakoff said.
"We are on such a tight budget."
Extension services, as well as the university, are hoping
to eventually switch to Web registration.
Another complaint had been the number of classes offered during
the three summer sessions. The number of classes depends on
how much money a specific department has is how many courses
they can offer.
"In order for a department to be successful it has to
be student- focused or it won't work," Polakoff said.
"They need to offer courses students want to take versus
courses professors want to teach."
Polakoff suggests students talk to their department to show
interest in specific classes.
"Different colleges within the university are allotted
a budget each year by the governor," Freer said. "If
they go over they are penalized in the fall."
Unless the different colleges get a bigger budget, the limited
amount of courses will continue to be a problem.
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