Honors College students hoping to take part in priority scheduling, which begins Oct. 20, may have to wait a bit longer than they have in the past.
Last week at a Faculty Senate meeting, University Registrar Robert Doolos addressed a change in scheduling procedures: Honors students will no longer have priority scheduling.
While group 1A — student athletes, Honors College and disabled students — previously scheduled first, now degree candidates for the following semester will have first priority. Student athletes, Honors College and disabled students will schedule afterward in category 1B.
The number of students registering for courses was slowing down the computer system, prompting the change.
Honors College Dean Nancy Clark said the University Registrar found the computer system could not support the large group, and meetings were held to reduce the number of students registering at the same time.
Clark said she was not sure about the number of honors students in the registration system during scheduling, but this fall the numbers will be looked at more carefully.
Student Government President John Woodard said SG will be taking students’ input to determine if an alternate scheduling system should be developed.
Doolos said this should not be a problem because most Honors College students are freshmen and sophomores and generally do not compete for courses with graduating seniors.
In giving degree candidates the first shot at scheduling, Doolos said the school is providing them the opportunity to get the classes they need.
Reid Burns, psychology and philosophy freshman, is enrolled in the Honors College and said this change is not surprising.
“Hopefully, it won’t be a problem because I shouldn’t be competing in senior level classes,” Burns said.
Clark said the Honors College has concerns about students competing for courses.
Because there is a relatively limited amount of honors classes for students, if they can’t work those courses around classes for their major, it puts students in a tough spot, Clark said.
“We don’t want to put an Honors College student between their major’s courses or honors courses,” Clark said. “It’s not just a question of some sort of privilege.”
Giovanni Silva, political science senior, said last year he was in a situation where he couldn’t get into a specific course for his major, making him feel pressed for time.
Woodard said the change reflects one of the University’s goals being carried out, referencing LSU President F. King Alexander’s priority to make sure students graduate. Woodard said the scheduling change shows a focus on getting rention and graduation rates up.
“They needed to do something on helping graduating seniors to actually graduate,” Woodard said.