At least 706 students will have priority registration when they sign up for fall classes the priority registration advisory committee decided Friday.
Those students — about 2.5 percent of the student body — were determined to have exceptional difficulties with class scheduling because of learning disabilities athletic practices or other significant time commitments.
They will be allowed to register the same day as others in their class but at the earliest time slot.
Eight committee members including two students" reviewed groups' applications for more than three hours and voted on each one.
""What they're trying to determine to the best they can is"" does this individual have a more difficult time getting a viable schedule because they are involved in an activity?"" said University Registrar Alice Poehls"" committee chairwoman.
The committee based decisions on a number of considerations:
- The amount of time students would have available for classes;
- Whether the students have required courses for their activity;
- Whether the athletic team shares facilities;
- Whether students have required study sessions;
- And whether the athletic team will be competing during the fall.
The committee also reviewed sample schedules for each group.
""I make my decisions based on the information that's in front of me"" said junior David Bevevino, a committee member. If two groups that seem similar don't give me the same information"" I can't judge them the same way.""
There is no numerical limit on how many students the committee can approve" but the policy recommends that no more than 25 percent of seats in a course should be available for priority registration.
The eight groups that were not approved will have an opportunity to appeal to the committee on Friday.
When groups appealed last year the committee did not reverse any decisions" Poehls said.
""That's not meant to be a precedent"" she said.
This is the committee's third semester determining which groups will receive priority registration.
Before the committee was created, deans could recommend individual students for priority registration as part of an informal system.
Professor Steve Reznick, who was chairman of the task force that created the policy, said that he was glad that priority registration is being addressed explicitly, but that changes still need to be made.
What we have done is moved toward developing a policy that works"" Reznick said. We are very proud to be at a University that wants to do this right.""
Groups approved for priority registration
- Academic success program for students with LD/ADHD
- Baseball
- Basketball (men and women)
- Cross country (men and women)
- Field hockey
- Football
- Golf (men and women)
- Lacrosse (men and women)
- Rowing (varsity and novice)
- Soccer (men and women)
- Tennis (men and women)
- Track and field (men and women)
- Volleyball
- Wrestling
- Athletic training
- Disability support services
- Education - elementary
- Robertson Scholars
- Navy ROTC
Groups not approved
- Fencing (men and women)
- Gymnastics
- Softball
- Swimming and diving (men and women)
- Education — child development and family studies
- Education — middle grades
- Air Force ROTC
- Army ROTC
Contact the University Editor at udesk@unc.edu.
