LETTER: Registation could be easier

Editor,

Frustration. We all get it from time to time. It’s when the frustration could be avoided that students get angry and take up their valuable time to write letters to the paper. My frustration? The administration department of USU, more specifically Registration.

My plight began when I tried to register for Math 1050 and Chem 1210 concurrently. Math 1050 is actually a prerequisite for Chem 1210. I was asked to hunt down a professor. I did. Everything was taken care of, except I forgot to add the recitation section.

So, I went back to Registration. They said I get to go back and get another signature. My professor said I had to find the department head.

The department head is nowhere to be found. He’s only there on Mondays, Tuesdays and Thursdays for about an hour. So, I went back to Registration and told them I tried. This is a recitation section. It has no credit hours associated with it. I was met with an unfriendly clerk who informed me that there is no one in their entire office that I could speak to about this. Well, what if I just don’t register? What’s the worst that could happen? She said I would have to ask Advising about that.

I have a message for the administration at USU: Policies and rules are great, but you can never underestimate the value of common sense.

Here’s an idea. What if we used e-mail to get authorizations? Just think about this: A student wants to get into a class and needs authorization. He goes down to Registration. They fill out an online form and e-mail it to the professor. Or, the student could even do this himself online without the registration office. Then the professor can review the form on his own time. The professor then e-mails the authorization to Registration. The student checks back with registration within three days and the issue is resolved. No more taking up professors’ lunch breaks. No more students using military tactics to hunt down elusive professors. No more frustration. It’s just an idea …

Melanny Cowley