The registration process continues to see changes, as the student waitlist has been decreased to five slots and priority registration is being reviewed for an overhaul.
The waitlist was limited to 10 students for the fall 2009 semester but after months of discussion, the administration for all three campuses has agreed to cut the amount to five.
According to Executive Vice President of Ventura College Ramiro Sanchez, the reasoning for reducing the waitlist was for the benefit of the students.
“This allows students to make other choices earlier rather than waiting until opening day and then searching for an open section when they are unable to get into the class where they were waitlisted,” said Sanchez.
In addition, Sanchez said the new waitlist has encouraged students to enroll in open courses and has allowed students to look at other course selections that fit into their educational plan. It also reduces the level of false expectations that students will automatically be admitted into the class.
Executive Vice President of Oxnard College Erika Endrijonas expanded on Sanchez’s comments, explaining why the administration found it necessary to alter the waitlist.
“Right now we have fewer sections being offered and enrollments are high,” said Endrijonas. “Just because you’re on a waitlist does not mean you’re definitely going to get into the class so what we’re trying to do is reduce students’ expectations that they’re definitely getting into the class.”
According to Endrijonas, reducing students’ false expectations for entering a class was the chief reason for the adjustment. The administration wants to encourage students to explore their options and enroll in open courses, rather than having students remain on the waitlist and believe falsely that they will be admitted.
Executive Vice President of Moorpark College Ed Knudson helped to explain the benefits of a reduced waitlist.
“It’s really just an enrollment management tool,” said Knudson. “It helps with faculty because again when you have a lot of people on a waitlist you might have another ten show up to class. With a smaller waitlist it becomes a lot easier to deal with just the students that we have in the class.”
According to Knudson, wait list adjustment had been in the works for months and took effect when priority registration began for the spring semester on Nov. 16. When the spring semester begins on Jan. 11, all instructors will be given five add-codes to admit waitlist students as they please and they may receive additional codes upon request.
Another item of discussion amongst district administrators has been changing the order in priority registration. The current process includes giving priority to students with more units. This model gives the highest priority to students with 45 or more units, followed by students with 30 or less, then 15 or less, and with the lowest priority given to new students. The model in discussion is mostly the same, with the difference of giving lowest priority to students with 60 or more units.
Accroding to Endrijonas, giving these students the lowest priority would benefit students who are in greater need of classes.
“It’s a way for the district to help those who are trying to complete their goal in a timely manner,” said Endrijonas. “If a student has 90 units compared to a student with 40 units, we have to ask ourselves why does this person have 90 units? Are you actually trying to work towards a degree? If you’re not, then we want to give priority to someone with 40 or 45 units and who really is trying to get to 60 units so that they can graduate on time and transfer, or take a licensing exam or whatever it is they’re trying to do.”
According to Dave Fuhrmann, the associate vice chancellor of information technology, other changes to the registration process include a two week period in which students must pay fees for enrolled courses after signing up for those courses. Failure to pay these fees will result in an automatic drop in the affected courses.
According to Fuhrmann, students will be sent warnings via e-mail and notifications will be displayed on the MyVCCCD portal.
“We’re not trying to be annoying, but we do try and give fair warning that they may be dropped,” said Fuhrmann.
Accroding to Endrijonas, all changes regarding registration are intended to help students.
“More than just becoming more efficient, we just want to create a better atmosphere for students,” said Endrijonas. “That’s our main purpose here. We just want to help our students achieve their goals.”
