PAGE 6 Editorial Opinion Drop/Add System Lacks Efficiency For Students Flow did you spend your first day of classes this semester? A number of students spent Friday, Aug. 24 tracking down instructors for their signatures on drop-add forms. No ad ding or dropping of courses is permitted without these re quired signatures. Many instructors wait until after the first day or two of classes to set office hours, in order to accommoate the greatest number of students in their classes. In the mean time, however, many instructors hold no office hours, nor are they easily found for drop-add signature purposes. Does it make sense to allow other instructors sign drop-add forms, but require course instructors to know class size at any given moment? Upon inquiry of the Records Office, I found that these signatures are needed to ensure that there is indeed room to add another person to a class roster. Does the ad ministration really expect a secretary to telepathically in form an instructor of the five students that just droped his class so that he can accommodate five more students re questing to add it? As Behrend is able to keep track of scheduling through the use of a computer, is it not reasonable to expect that same computer to store efficient records of current class sizes to allow for expedient and competent schedule changes. Shouldn't a school supported largely by the students seek any and all means possible to meet the students' needs? Additionally, if this capacity is unavailable, shouldn't a school which regularly graduates computer science students be able to come by this type of system? Many notable institutions find an extended drop-add period beneficial enough to the students to include in their systems. We are lucky to be able to drop a class when we deem it necessary, but why should we have to pay a $6 fee? The first five days of drop-add are free and we are charged this fee any day thereafter. What is the reasoning for charg ing a $6 fee to follow the exact same procedure that was free five days earlier? Instructors in some cases must add to the drop-add frustrations that many of us experience. Most instructors will, understandably, not sign drop-add forms at the beginn ing of class. Consequently, students must hang around until the end of class for an unguaranteed signature. Is this always practical for a student dropping one course and ad ding another in the same time period? On the other hand, many students attend only the first class before deciding to drop that class. Is the observation of merely one class enough time to make a decision that may affect your semester course load, and ultimately the possibility of graduating on time? I think not. It is necessary for all of us to carefully plan our course schedules so as not to allow for error. If we make unwise decisions, we are not hurting anyone but ourselves. If you make an intelligent decision to drop a course, bear with the system, abide by the rules and most importantly, think before you drop. ~ ~ \ ~' ~. Risa Glick BEHREND COLLEGIAN Behrend Not Utopia, But.. . Is it to be understood from Lisa Pavadore's commentary "Far From An Apology," (Sept. 27, 1984), that she considers some. members of the Behrend Com munity to be shallow? I take that characterization offensively as do I believe, most students, faculty, and staff. I understand that Behrend is not a Utopia, and I certainly hope Ms. Pavadore does not mean to imply that University Park is anywhere near a Utopia. I agree with Ms. Pavadore that Behrend has certain "negative aspects," but it is unfortunate that these are all she can News Editor Feature Editor, Sports Editor Photo Coordinator Business Manager Advisor Mailing Address - Behrend Collegian, Station Road, Erie, PA 16563 Office located in Reed Union Building Office Hours - 9 a.m.-5 p.m.; Monday through Friday Phone: 898-6220 Opinions expressed by the editors and staff of the Penn State-Behrend Col legian are not necessarily those of the University Administration, faculty, or the student body. Reader Opinion recognize. Our lives are spattered with unpleasantness. What we need to do is not "sarcastically ap preciate" the bad points of our environment, but rather, see the good and direct our energy toward solving our problems. I'll take this opportunity to briefly indulge in Behrend's goodness. Our campus is one of the most beautiful I've seen. The students are academically the best at Penn State, and I believe that Behrend students genuinely want to learn and grow. The faculty is excellent; we don't have graduate Penn State Behrend Collegian Member of The Press Association Risa Glick Jill Bedford Carolyn Brust Dale Calvin Robbie Colville Kimberly Ford Paula Maus Thomas Martin Thomas Milley Kevin Moore Phyllis O'Hara Barrett Parker REPRESENTED FOR NATIONAL ADVERTISING BY CASS Student Advertising, Incorporated 1633 West Central,St. Evanston, Illinois 60201 Editors Thad Wawro Lisa Pavadore Rick Larson Napoleon Birch Daniel King Robert Di Nicola Staff Paula Penco Julie Potochny Michael Ross Lori Starcher Tammie Starcher Marge Tomczak Dave Wallach Anne Waskowitz Michael Wimms Jackie Wroblewski Mark Yeager OCTOBER 12, 1984 assistants teaching classes of hun dreds nor do we have taped lec tures. I think most of us know that the list goes on. I love being at Behrend and am proud of that fact. Behrend has a lot to offer the student-so take advantage of it. If Ms. Pavadore truly wants to contribute to the Collegian and the Behrend Community, perhaps she should use her col umn to suggest ways of improving campus life, Criticisms are necessary, but so are solutions. Dongias Gerow Fifth Semester, Business Economics Rod Luery
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