Spanish classes fill fast again
Anna Williams
Issue date: 11/6/08 Section: News
The only two Spanish literature classes offered in the spring 2009 semester closed after just two days of registration.
For some Spanish majors, who must complete at least four semesters of 400-level Spanish literature courses in order to graduate, this presents a problem.
Junior Julia Spiotta, a double major in Spanish and education with history and political science minors, expressed frustration over the closed sections.
"If you're not one of the first seniors to register, you can't get in," she said.
Since she plans to study abroad her senior year, she intended to take one Spanish class per semester this year and her fifth year, after she returns from studying abroad. But by the time she could register for both this semester and next semester, all literature sections were full.
Spanish Department Chairman Sandra Puvogel said the department is discussing the possibility of opening another literature class.
Creating a new class after registration, however, is difficult because the class must be coordinated with the classes the professor and students have already scheduled.
Students may approach a professor individually to be signed into a closed class or to get on a waiting list, Puvogel said.
Spiotta has tried both solutions, so far without success. Some professors are reluctant to sign a student into a class or open a waiting list unless it is the student's final semester at Hillsdale.
Part of the problem is the class size: the literature sections for this spring were limited to 10 students, and while a few more students may be added to each, professors prefer to keep upper-level classes small.
Professors try to find the proper balance between maintaining a reasonable class size and allowing students to take the classes they need, Puvogel said.
"We have to ask, 'Where does [expanding a class] become detrimental to the student?'" she said.
The growing popularity of Spanish as a major or minor also contributes to the problem. Last spring, 21 members of the graduating class were Spanish majors, the highest number ever, Puvogel said.
There are currently just 19 students who have declared a Spanish major; however, many students intend to major in Spanish who have not formally declared a major through the registrar, Puvogel said.
For now, Spanish majors and minors hoping to take a literature class in the spring should plan to register for other classes instead, get on a waiting list and hope for the best, she said.
For some Spanish majors, who must complete at least four semesters of 400-level Spanish literature courses in order to graduate, this presents a problem.
Junior Julia Spiotta, a double major in Spanish and education with history and political science minors, expressed frustration over the closed sections.
"If you're not one of the first seniors to register, you can't get in," she said.
Since she plans to study abroad her senior year, she intended to take one Spanish class per semester this year and her fifth year, after she returns from studying abroad. But by the time she could register for both this semester and next semester, all literature sections were full.
Spanish Department Chairman Sandra Puvogel said the department is discussing the possibility of opening another literature class.
Creating a new class after registration, however, is difficult because the class must be coordinated with the classes the professor and students have already scheduled.
Students may approach a professor individually to be signed into a closed class or to get on a waiting list, Puvogel said.
Spiotta has tried both solutions, so far without success. Some professors are reluctant to sign a student into a class or open a waiting list unless it is the student's final semester at Hillsdale.
Part of the problem is the class size: the literature sections for this spring were limited to 10 students, and while a few more students may be added to each, professors prefer to keep upper-level classes small.
Professors try to find the proper balance between maintaining a reasonable class size and allowing students to take the classes they need, Puvogel said.
"We have to ask, 'Where does [expanding a class] become detrimental to the student?'" she said.
The growing popularity of Spanish as a major or minor also contributes to the problem. Last spring, 21 members of the graduating class were Spanish majors, the highest number ever, Puvogel said.
There are currently just 19 students who have declared a Spanish major; however, many students intend to major in Spanish who have not formally declared a major through the registrar, Puvogel said.
For now, Spanish majors and minors hoping to take a literature class in the spring should plan to register for other classes instead, get on a waiting list and hope for the best, she said.
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