Spring Break
Registrar sets spring 2009 for online registration
After a several-year delay, administrators say WebAdvisor can finally end lines and paper shuffling
Mary Petrides
Issue date: 9/4/08 Section: News
Beginning with preregistration for spring 2009, keyboards and clicks will replace long lines and paper shuffling, when the registration process moves from the Knorr Student Center to WebAdvisor.
"We always said it's coming," said Kevin Maurer, information systems manager for Information Technology Services. "It's here."
Preregistration for next semester will be done through the "search for sections" tool on WebAdvisor. Students can enter academic department, course levels, section numbers, course-title keywords, days, times and other course-specific information, then click "submit" to reveal a list of classes matching the criteria. Students can then build a list of preferred sections like they would a shopping cart at Amazon.com, Maurer said.
The "search for sections" tool is already in place, and registrar Douglas McArthur said his office hopes to publish a list of spring semester classes by Oct. 3.
When that list goes online, students will be able to register after meeting with their advisers.
Restrictions such as outstanding tuition fees prevent students from registering until the fees are paid. A link on WebAdvisor opens a page that displays all restrictions.
Students will not be limited to classes approved by their advisers.
"It's self-governance," Maurer said. "If you want to be an eight-year senior, that's fine."
Seniors may begin registration Oct. 27, followed by juniors, then sophomores, then freshmen.
"The system is set up so we can handle the entire senior class registering at the same time," Maurer said.
"We think," he added, laughing.
Maurer said other colleges use similar systems which have allowed 1,000 students to register at once without any glitches.
Some parts of registration cannot be done online, however. Students wishing to add or drop classes after the semester begins or who wish to join a class that is already full must do so in the registrar's office.
"I think it's going to be a very straightforward process," McArthur said.
"We always said it's coming," said Kevin Maurer, information systems manager for Information Technology Services. "It's here."
Preregistration for next semester will be done through the "search for sections" tool on WebAdvisor. Students can enter academic department, course levels, section numbers, course-title keywords, days, times and other course-specific information, then click "submit" to reveal a list of classes matching the criteria. Students can then build a list of preferred sections like they would a shopping cart at Amazon.com, Maurer said.
The "search for sections" tool is already in place, and registrar Douglas McArthur said his office hopes to publish a list of spring semester classes by Oct. 3.
When that list goes online, students will be able to register after meeting with their advisers.
Restrictions such as outstanding tuition fees prevent students from registering until the fees are paid. A link on WebAdvisor opens a page that displays all restrictions.
Students will not be limited to classes approved by their advisers.
"It's self-governance," Maurer said. "If you want to be an eight-year senior, that's fine."
Seniors may begin registration Oct. 27, followed by juniors, then sophomores, then freshmen.
"The system is set up so we can handle the entire senior class registering at the same time," Maurer said.
"We think," he added, laughing.
Maurer said other colleges use similar systems which have allowed 1,000 students to register at once without any glitches.
Some parts of registration cannot be done online, however. Students wishing to add or drop classes after the semester begins or who wish to join a class that is already full must do so in the registrar's office.
"I think it's going to be a very straightforward process," McArthur said.
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