Most upperclassmen would kill to have some of the schedules handed out to this year's incoming freshmen, 400 of whom found themselves enrolled in three classes or fewer when they picked up their schedules last week.
"I'm really perturbed," said freshman Ryan Gossage. "I did it all over the summer and had it all figured out.... Then when I get here, I'm signed up for three classes, one of which is biological anthropology, which-if you look at me-I'm not that kind of guy."
University Registrar Bruce Cunningham explained that in previous years, when the registrar's office could not schedule all four classes requested by a freshman, it often added a random fourth course. This year, administrators decided to wait until students had a chance to meet with their pre-major advisers before adding another class.
"I actually received fewer complaints in the past," said Cunningham. "[In the past] they were dumped into something.... This year, let's let them have a chance to get with their advisers."
Still, as is the case every year, many freshmen complained they were enrolled in classes they hadn't selected.
"Even classes I did have were different from the ones I signed up for," said freshman Laura Howard. "People from my hall got classes they'd never even heard of."
Administrators did not seem worried, explaining that many freshmen complain about their schedules each year. Still, with the advent of online registration, even more freshmen expected to get the classes-and sections-they requested.
"I think students felt as if they [registered online], that's what was going to happen," said Bob Thompson, dean of Trinity College. "As you know, those are your requests and you have to see what you can get into and how many people are requesting that particular class at that particular time."
Further complicating the situation were curriculum changes. For example, freshmen can now take their required writing course either in the fall or the spring; previously, all freshmen took the course in the fall. "Ninety percent asked for it in the fall," Cunningham said. "So you got a whole bunch of people who didn't get what they want."
In addition, many freshmen had trouble accessing ACES Web Friday. Thompson said the system wasn't broken, just a bit overwhelmed.
In light of these complications, administrators will reevaluate their decision to allow freshmen to register for specific sections of courses online. "Things took longer than ordinarily would happen, so problems began to emerge and we had narrower time windows to deal with them," Thompson said. "When we get everyone where they need to be, we'll have time to think about the amazing capacities of the system and how we want to use them."
He added that pre-major advisers were trained to deal with students worried about their schedules.
"Students are anxious, some of their parents are anxious and their advisers have been trying to manage the anxiety and certainly some problem-solving," Thompson said.
He added that students met with their advisers Friday and would have four courses scheduled by the time classes start today.
Sarah McGill and Steven Wright contributed to this story.
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