Athletes could get to register early
By: David Hodges, Staff Writer
Issue date: 4/3/07 Section: University
Alex Kenley, a sophomore business major, says he works hard as a student. He's also on UNC's varsity diving team, and he said scheduling classes around practice times is a real challenge.
"I miss about half my practice on Tuesdays and Thursdays," he said. "The coaches tell us they want to put academics first and athletics second. … It's just hard because we feel an obligation to go to practice and to work hard every day."
But a proposal sitting before the Faculty Council's educational policy committee aims to help Kenley and others by giving priority registration to varsity athletes, students with disabilities and students enrolled in degree programs requiring them to spend at least one semester off campus.
"By and large, the question was about athletes," University Registrar Alice Poehls said. "There are some other groups that have some scheduling needs … based on their requirements."
UNC is the only school in the ACC that doesn't already give athletes priority in course registration.
In the system for undergraduates, priority is given by class. Each class registers in its own week - seniors first, then juniors, then sophomores and finally freshmen.
To avoid a server overload, students have different registration times based on alphabetic groupings. If the proposal becomes policy, athletes and other selected groups still will register the same day as the rest of their class, but they will be guaranteed the first available time.
"It's trying to find a balance that people would perceive as fair and reasonable," said Steven Reznick, member of the faculty committee on athletics and chairman of the task force that drafted the proposal.
Ensuring that the process is balanced and fairly administered was important to the task force, he said.
"A lot of athletes have practice in the afternoon. … Having a priority registration will enable us to get into those classes that fit our schedule," said Lindsey Marck, a journalism major who also is a captain of the women's swim team and serves as a member of the student athlete advisory committee.
Poehls said she supports the proposal. But she said that it must become an official policy before it can be enforced and that student concerns should be considered.
"It's something that students have to be not only informed about but they have to be part of the conversation," she said.
Although some students who don't participate in varsity sports said they support the new system, others said the process values athletics over other commitments.
"I don't think it's fair because everyone has conflicts," freshman Emily Widle said.
The committee will meet April 21, and members said the proposal likely will be on the agenda. The group then can make a recommendation to the Faculty Council, which has the authority to create policy.
Contact the University Editor at udesk@unc.edu.
"I miss about half my practice on Tuesdays and Thursdays," he said. "The coaches tell us they want to put academics first and athletics second. … It's just hard because we feel an obligation to go to practice and to work hard every day."
But a proposal sitting before the Faculty Council's educational policy committee aims to help Kenley and others by giving priority registration to varsity athletes, students with disabilities and students enrolled in degree programs requiring them to spend at least one semester off campus.
"By and large, the question was about athletes," University Registrar Alice Poehls said. "There are some other groups that have some scheduling needs … based on their requirements."
UNC is the only school in the ACC that doesn't already give athletes priority in course registration.
In the system for undergraduates, priority is given by class. Each class registers in its own week - seniors first, then juniors, then sophomores and finally freshmen.
To avoid a server overload, students have different registration times based on alphabetic groupings. If the proposal becomes policy, athletes and other selected groups still will register the same day as the rest of their class, but they will be guaranteed the first available time.
"It's trying to find a balance that people would perceive as fair and reasonable," said Steven Reznick, member of the faculty committee on athletics and chairman of the task force that drafted the proposal.
Ensuring that the process is balanced and fairly administered was important to the task force, he said.
"A lot of athletes have practice in the afternoon. … Having a priority registration will enable us to get into those classes that fit our schedule," said Lindsey Marck, a journalism major who also is a captain of the women's swim team and serves as a member of the student athlete advisory committee.
Poehls said she supports the proposal. But she said that it must become an official policy before it can be enforced and that student concerns should be considered.
"It's something that students have to be not only informed about but they have to be part of the conversation," she said.
Although some students who don't participate in varsity sports said they support the new system, others said the process values athletics over other commitments.
"I don't think it's fair because everyone has conflicts," freshman Emily Widle said.
The committee will meet April 21, and members said the proposal likely will be on the agenda. The group then can make a recommendation to the Faculty Council, which has the authority to create policy.
Contact the University Editor at udesk@unc.edu.
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