by Angelica Martinez
Staff Writer
With the conclusion of fall semester only two weeks away, students interested in registering for winter interterm may have some trouble doing so because not all departments and majors offer classes during that time.
However, even with student’s promptness in registering, many classes offered for winter interterm were closed within a few days.
According to Marilyn Davies, registrar, class schedules are prepared by the academic dean and the faculty. Because of the time length in winter interterm, classes offered “usually close within two or three days.” General education courses close depending on their popularity with the students.
Part of the reason why selection is poor may be attributed to departments’ not knowing what students in that department need.
“Students need to tell their departments what their needs are,” said Davies.
Although there are no set limits for classes offered, the availability of space and budget are factors that determine what classes are offered.
According to Dr. Aghop Der-Karabetian, assistant dean of College of Arts and Sciences, winter interterm classes fall under the same budget for fall classes.
“Each department decides what courses they would like to offer and how many they can offer,” said Dr. Der-Karabetian.
Dr. Der-Karabetian acknowledges that winter interterm is a problem for students. According to him, the dean “encourages department chairs to meet requirements for students.”
It is always a priority for the dean’s office to have departments be “creative when offering their courses,” said Dr. Der-Karabetian.
James Dunkerley, a junior transfer political science and Spanish major, said the winter interterm schedule is “not enough. There should at least be one class offered from each department.”
According to Dunkerley, the classes that are offered still do not meet the needs of students. “The classes that are offered, are at bad times where they conflict with other classes,” said Dunkerley.
Dr. Der-Karabetian said an added problem is hearing students’ complaints and asking departments to add more sections to classes already closed. “Then,” he said, “students are not responsive and do not take the added courses.”
Regardless of where the problem lies, the best advice Dr. Der-Karabetian and Davies can offer students, is to inform their department of the classes they need. This way, says Davies, “the classes can be placed on the schedules” and meet the student’s needs.
