The Candor - SEPT. 17, 2007 EDITION

PRINT EDITION KEY HEADLINES: Krasa cafeteria has new Tuscan decor; BU alumni working at Edward Hospital; probing the parking problems; Global Studies foum; Dr. MeShelda Jackson is new education department chair; new master's degree for teachers; Krasa Experience a passport to info; Muslims begin month of Ramadan; campus security training; science students present research at math meeting; summer abroad students share experiences; comparisons of energy drinks; book and restaurant reviews; Joliet band features Ryan's Hope; Opinion-A man should act like a gentleman; soccer, volleyball and football recaps; men's golf swings to a great start

A FEAST FOR THE EYES: The Krasa cafeteria's new interior decor reflects a "Taste of Tuscany" and provides a cozy and warm environment for eating, socializing and watching shows on flat-screen TVs. Photos by Katie Buell

Planning on dropping a class? Sorry, too late – you should have done that weeks ago!

The fact is, we only have seven days to drop a class and I believe there are some problems with this system. First off, within those seven days, you don’t really get a “feel” for your classes. You are not yet familiar with the professor’s teaching style and you do not the curriculum requirements.

Usually, the first day of class consists of getting-to-know-you exercises and receiving the syllabus. Some classes are only offered once a week and it isn’t possible to make an educated decision to drop a class after meeting for only one session.

Another concern is what if a student is enrolled in a class and he/she learns that he/she doesn't even need to take that class? I am a communication arts major, and during one semester, I was enrolled in an economics class. The first week was a breeze; however, the second week was brutal. It wasn’t until the third week that I discovered I didn’t even have to take that class and I could have fulfilled that requirement with political science. Needless to say, I withdrew from the class and cut my losses on the $60.00 book that the bookstore wouldn’t buy back.

There is nothing wrong with a withdrawal. You can do it up until Nov. 18. There are no penalties and your transcript reflects a “W” instead of a grade. David Striker, registrar, said, “The W on the transcript is simply used for history of enrollment.”

Conversely, many schools allow their student to drop a class up until the final. I personally think that this is too extreme, and if you do drop a class so close to the final, then you’re just a slacker and shame on you for using up a seat in the class.

I do believe, however, that we should have another week of leeway to drop a class so we can lose the first week jitters and really analyze the situation. Striker said, “If you keep the add/drop open, then classes aren’t stabilized because of a revolving door effect.” Striker explained that the goal is to stabilize enrollment as quickly as possible.

In reference to changing policies, Striker said, “If something isn’t working, use governance. Students or faculty can submit proposals to the Department Chair Council and set up discussion of policy.”