Students late to their Public Policy 55D class may find themselves watching a broadcast of the lecture in an adjacent classroom.
As a result of enrollment exceeding the course's room capacity in the Sanford Institute of Public Policy, a new procedure has recently been implemented to air the class via satellite.
"It definitely does give me an incentive to come early to try to get a seat," said freshman Cat Crumpler.
In an announcement dated Nov. 20, the course's Blackboard web site states that "there are more people registered for the class than we can fit in the permanent seats in Sanford 04."
One hundred and fifty six students are registered in the course, but Sanford 04 has only a 122-person capacity.
"We have temporarily added extra sections to PPS 55D this semester to handle excess demand stemming from the recent departmental policy changes," the Blackboard announcement reads.
The Public Policy Department was revamped in Spring 2005, and PPS 55 became a prerequisite for PPS 114 and 116.
Juniors and seniors who had not yet taken the course were enrolling at the same time freshmen were being introduced to the major, creating a heightened demand, Jay Hamilton, director of undergraduate studies in the Public Policy Department, wrote in an e-mail.
"This is a temporary expansion made necessary by the changes in the rules," Hamilton explained. "Given the large number of students who have been able to take PPS 55 in Fall 2006 and Spring 2007, we now anticipate that the class size in the future will go back to 122."
The Blackboard announcement, posted by professor Judith Kelley, also states that extra chairs will be available in the back of the lecture hall, and "for those late arrivals who prefer a table to write on, the lecture will be broadcast into Sanford 03 (right next door). I don't anticipate this being as much of a problem as it sounds."
Hamilton also said he has not received complaints from students, and indicated that the expanded program is working well.
"It's an okay system," said freshman Will Burke. "You can still get the same experience from watching it, and you can always check out office hours if you need it."
On the first day of class, Kelley told students that typically not everyone comes to lecture, and that the department does not expect to use the adjacent room every day.
"In large classes at Duke, attendance is not 100 percent, except for midterms," Hamilton said.
Although almost 20 percent of the class was relegated to the broadcast room on the first day, most agree that the demand-and attendance-has declined.
"I very rarely see people have to use it," Crumpler said. "I guess it's hard to say though because we've only had class for a few weeks. A lot of people will choose a seat in the back over going to the other room. It definitely wouldn't help my grade if I was in there, without a live teacher."
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