Priority registration open to select student groups

The current policy regarding priority registration states the only groups on campus that will receive priority registration are student athletes and students with disabilities that are based on an individual need and is written into the accommodation plan from the very beginning. This policy was established in 2007 by the Student Affairs Committee and verified by Presiding Officer Craig Turner and President Dorothy Leland.The policy motion text states “In order to be considered, student groups must participate in a university sanctioned activity that significantly benefits the university and must demonstrate that priority registration is necessary for the students to successfully participate in the activity and achieve their academic goals. In addition, individual students with special needs will receive priority registration providing that it is specified in their recommendation for accommodations.”

“The rumor that Thunder gets priority registration is not true. Priority registration is based foremost on need. A student group must prove that they have a need, are beneficial to the school, and without priority registration could not both participate in the activity and succeed academically,” said Registrar Kay Anderson.

Freshman pre-nursing major Madeline Kearns is a member of the Sassy Cats, one group that receives priority registration.

“It allows me to create the perfect schedule, so I am less stressed out because I have enough time to focus on my schoolwork and enough time to dedicate to Sassy Cats,” Kearns said.

The policy was created in 2007 due to issues with too many people having the amenity.

“Before the policy was established in 2007, a lot of groups had priority registration including honors students, student ambassadors, Student Government Association and athletes,” Anderson said. “In many cases the reasons groups had it was because of perceived honor, merit, or privilege. The policy was created to make it (registration) equal to all.”

The current policy allows for organizations to apply each Fall to be considered for priority. Every Fall around 10 to 15 groups apply, but since the policy was established only athletes as a group have been seen as having a need for priority registration. The applications for consideration are reviewed by a registration task force consisting of faculty, staff and students on campus.

“I endorsed an unsuccessful petition to restore priority registration for honors students earlier this semester. I understood why the petition was unsuccessful but was still disappointed because lack of priority registration prevents our students from building their schedules around honors classes,” said Honors & Scholars Program Director Steven Elliott-Gower. “Priority registration would also enhance our ability to recruit high academic performing students to campus.”

The applications for consideration are reviewed by a registration task force consisting of faculty, staff and students from around campus.

Student opinions also vary on the criteria they feel should be used to establish priority.

“I think athletes should get it if their sports schedule conflicts with their school schedule, but if they don’t conflict such as if they only have things on the weekend then that is just privilege,” said freshman pre-nursing major Emily Trudeau. “It’s not fair that honors students who can devote all of their time to school don’t get the perfect schedule, but athletes who can only devote half their time do.”

Posted by Caitlin Mullaney on Dec 2 2010. Filed under News. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0. You can skip to the end and leave a response. Pinging is currently not allowed.