Crashing. Dropping. Needing. Lacking. Frustrating.

These words describe the enrollment process at SRJC due to limited class availability. As budget cuts proceed, SRJC students are being hit hard with the closed sign blocking the way into the classes they need and want.

With approximately 35,000 students at SRJC and huge cuts to course sections, there is an abundance of students who will not get the classes vital for success.

Students have been turned away from classes such as Math 150A, English 1A, Biology, Anatomy, Chemistry and Psychology 1A and are forced to pursue other options.

“I had a friend who would keep track of when people would drop and as soon as the person on the wait list closest to her would drop, she would add. She would keep checking all day and night,” SRJC student Janice Lal said. “She ended up adding the class at midnight. She was super persistent. She called and emailed the teacher as well as showed up to the classes when she was not in them yet.”

Another popular technique is crashing a course. Crashing is when the student goes to a class during the first week hoping to gain a seat. Student Trenton McClellan has crashed many classes and thinks it is a good technique, especially if the teacher has a history of letting people into the course.

Unfortunately, add codes are not always given to waiting students and they are left to wait for next semester. “If you don’t get into a class it may be a good idea to take a lower level class so that the subject matter is fresh in your mind when you get into the class you want; such as a lower level math class,” student Linda Mercado said.

Other students expressed different techniques. “It may be helpful to reshuffle your schedule to fit in the classes that are still available,” Dominic Brabo said.

Along with this, Lal thinks it may be helpful to find classes that fit the same requirements although it may not be your first choice.

It is not just the students that are frustrated with the limited class space; teachers don’t enjoy turning away future hopefuls. Math instructor Dean Gooch wishes he could accommodate all the students who want to take one of his courses, but the classroom is only so big and with 56 students and 37 spots there is not much he can do. He would be willing to teach another course or section but the classrooms are just not available.

Because crashing is so popular, Gooch tells his students to try to add before the semester starts by continuing to check online and see if people drop beforehand especially right after the grading period. Admissions and Records drop students who don’t fit the prerequisite requirements, allowing other students to take their place.

As the classrooms crowd with students wanting to be seated, frustrations take over as some students take their seat in the class seriously and others don’t. Some students choose not to drop classes but receive F’s for medical benefits or other reasons. These techniques frustrate teachers. “I find it very frustrating, especially for a class that is impacted, that a student who isn’t trying will fill a seat that could be for a student who plans on working hard,” Gooch said.

Other instructors have the same feelings as Gooch. “This really bothers me because the seats are so valuable. Yes I do have students do that, and I don’t have any that admit it, but I know that’s what they are doing. I have a policy that if they are not there for two days in a row, without contact, I can drop them. But what bothers me is when they come to class but don’t do the work, and I can’t drop them because they are in class. This just blows my mind,” said Susan Houlihan, speech instructor at SRJC.

These instructors advise students, especially those with a low priority, to enroll in large lecture classes that meet their requirements because those tend not to fill as quickly. Instructors also advise students to talk to counselors in the hopes of getting a higher priority. Gooch thinks it is good to show up on the first days of class (crashing). People do not sometimes show up for class and if the class permits you may be able to fill their spot, you may also try to stay sitting in front of a computer waiting to see which classes students have dropped.

The SRJC priority system, which determines student registration date, has its positive and negative effects for students. The major concern is about those who have been at the JC for a long time and have earned the units but are not trying to advance their education to move on. “I don’t like the priority system because some people are just here to take classes just because, like older people, they should give priority to those who know what they want to do,” Mercado said.

Other students had objections as well. “I don’t think it’s fair because they are getting those spots that a lot of us need and those who are trying to advance their education should get priority,” Myers said.

However, students do see the good in the priority system. “I like how the priority system is set up so that if you go and see the counselor, have a good GPA and do well in school, you will have better chance at getting classes and unmotivated students don’t get the classes,” Lal said.

Counseling department chair Filomena Avila explained how students could use the priority system for advancement. Avila said she has seen a rise in students taking advantage of early bird counseling to improve priority. “Early bird counseling is for any student with fewer than 42 SRJC local units , and they want to better their registration priority. They can better their priority by seeing a counselor early in semester to create a long-term academic plan. It’s first come first serve and the deadline for Fall 2012 is April 26,” Avila said.

Avila said students with a low priority still have options, but they must realize they will not get their first choice schedule. “It behooves students to be proactive, plan ahead, do their homework and be ready for different options if a class is closed during registration time. Come in early and see a counselor. Don’t wait until priority registration begins. Come in after the first two weeks of the semester and see a counselor,” Avila said.
English instructor Lauren Servais believes in the priority system. “I think it works. Students need to make sure they have a good education plan and know exactly what they need to take,” Servais said. “With a low priority, you need to take whatever you can that will fulfill your education plan and take what you can and then when you have priority you will be able to get into them”.

Unfortunately for transfer students, the low availability for classes slows down the two-year plan for transferring or for getting your certificate. McClellan said low class availability makes it harder to get into your programs so it takes longer to succeed.

“I think we’re trying to be strategic in the classes that we offer campus wide,” Avila said. “I think we’re trying to understand what our demand is, and we add courses back depending on the demand for the course among students and as the budget gets better, we can add back high demand classes first.”

Until we see that change, Avila said, it’s important for students to be proactive and not procrastinate even if that means taking classes that are not at your preferred time and be sure to see your counselor and register at your scheduled time.