Special treatment
Priority registration needs an open-application process
By: Editorial Board
Issue date: 11/13/07 Section: Opinion
Here's a news flash: UNC students are busy.
That fact, however, appears to be something the Faculty Council missed during its Friday discussion on priority registration.
Priority registration, under the proposed plan, would allow designated groups of students to register earlier than their peers in their class.
But there's an inherent flaw in the plan: It unfairly leaves out large blocks of students who are equally as busy as their counterparts with no practical way to appeal their cases for early registration.
Currently, UNC doesn't have any specific guidelines for priority registration, although students with learning disabilities are permitted to register early.
The task force, convened to study the issue, identified three groups of students who need priority registration: student-athletes, learning-disabled students and students in certain degrees that require time devoted to on-the-job practice (e.g., education and nursing students).
Athletes were included because they spend a maximum of 20 hours a week at practice.
We don't want to downplay the work the athletes put in to their sports, but many other students spend at least 20 hours a week on their activities and they aren't represented in this plan.
What about the students who have to work 20 hours a week to pay for their education? What about those who put in an equal amount of time for other campus groups besides sports?
For the sake of equality, the plan needs to include an application process for all students.
The plan does provide for groups to apply for priority status, but only if a University official with responsibility over the program applies on behalf of the students. Individual students cannot apply.
We understand why the registrar would not want students to be able to apply of their own accord. Many students assuredly would deem themselves worthy of early registration, and the registrar's office would be inundated with applications.
The plan states that early registration will be given to students with "unusual challenges … that inhibit their academic progress and threaten their timely graduation."
So does changing your major multiple times qualify you for priority registration?
We think not, but somebody inevitably will.
That's just a disadvantage the council needs to consider before it votes in December, because there's no legitimate way to implement the plan without allowing for an application process.
That fact, however, appears to be something the Faculty Council missed during its Friday discussion on priority registration.
Priority registration, under the proposed plan, would allow designated groups of students to register earlier than their peers in their class.
But there's an inherent flaw in the plan: It unfairly leaves out large blocks of students who are equally as busy as their counterparts with no practical way to appeal their cases for early registration.
Currently, UNC doesn't have any specific guidelines for priority registration, although students with learning disabilities are permitted to register early.
The task force, convened to study the issue, identified three groups of students who need priority registration: student-athletes, learning-disabled students and students in certain degrees that require time devoted to on-the-job practice (e.g., education and nursing students).
Athletes were included because they spend a maximum of 20 hours a week at practice.
We don't want to downplay the work the athletes put in to their sports, but many other students spend at least 20 hours a week on their activities and they aren't represented in this plan.
What about the students who have to work 20 hours a week to pay for their education? What about those who put in an equal amount of time for other campus groups besides sports?
For the sake of equality, the plan needs to include an application process for all students.
The plan does provide for groups to apply for priority status, but only if a University official with responsibility over the program applies on behalf of the students. Individual students cannot apply.
We understand why the registrar would not want students to be able to apply of their own accord. Many students assuredly would deem themselves worthy of early registration, and the registrar's office would be inundated with applications.
The plan states that early registration will be given to students with "unusual challenges … that inhibit their academic progress and threaten their timely graduation."
So does changing your major multiple times qualify you for priority registration?
We think not, but somebody inevitably will.
That's just a disadvantage the council needs to consider before it votes in December, because there's no legitimate way to implement the plan without allowing for an application process.
Viewing Comments 1 - 1 of 1
Levi
posted 11/13/07 @ 8:45 AM EST
For the sake of equality, the plan needs to not exist at all. If you pick a difficult major that severely restricts your time, then those are the consequences to your actions. (Continued…)
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