This semester business students were dismayed to see classes for fall 2007 fill up particularly quickly. Even seniors struggled to be admitted into courses they need to fulfill their major requirements.
“Due to the demand of various business courses from both majors and minors, the majority of our courses do fill up quickly each semester,” said Mark Ligas, acting as assistant dean of undergraduate programs for Norm Solomon, who is currently on maternity leave.
Each semester, it is likely that seniors are unable to get into major classes they need during official registration in the spring semester. In cases such as this, the business school responds by having a waitlist for courses.
“If a student does not get into a course, they put his/her name and their desired course on a waitlist,” said Ligas. “Our office then spends the weeks that follow looking at the various course requests and working with the departments, in order to best accommodate the students.”
One attempt the business school has taken to prevent this problem is to offer courses that all business students need to take, regardless of major, such as the business core, each semester.
This way, if students are unable to take a course in the fall, they can pick it up in the spring.
To help alleviate the senior scramble to find classes, the business school will often add more courses.
Whenever a class closes, the departments work to add additional sections, which Ligas assured is happening this semester.
“Unfortunately, we are unable to add them immediately after a section closes because the departments must make decisions about when the additional course should occur in the schedule and who will teach the added sections,” said Ligas.
After the departments make decisions about courses and time codes, each waitlisted student is contacted and informed of new course options.
Students then are given time to modify their schedules to make the added course fit. Finally, the department works with the registrar to enroll students in the new sections.
One additional way the problem is solved is to add students to already existing classes.
“In some cases, we do also add extra students to already closed courses,” said Ligas. “However, most of our courses are ‘capped’ at 25 or 30 students, and it is our policy in the School of Business to not add more than a few students to already-full sections because this is counter not only to Fairfield’s, but also the School of Business’ mission of keeping the class sizes at levels where the students feel comfortable and able to approach the professors, as well as one another.”
Although the situation can be frustrating, the business school is working hard to give everyone the courses they need.
“As I work one-on-one with each student, I know that some of them feel anxious and frustrated, but I will also say that they understand the demand for the courses, and they respect the fact that we are ultimately able to provide the courses and/or guidance, so that they will remain on track to graduate,” said Ligas.
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