UH vows to correct class shortage snafus
By Beverly Creamer
Advertiser Education Writer
University of Hawai'i officials promise changes to a $20 million computerized student information system by January to prevent a recurrence of problems that marred the start of the fall semester yesterday.
Jeff Widener • The Honolulu Advertiser
Despite warnings last spring that a surge in student enrollment threatened to tax the university system, officials were surprised by overwhelming demand for classes and worked yesterday to accommodate hundreds of students who were shut out of courses they need.
Overloaded courses weren't the only sign of strain at the University of Hawai'i-Manoa yesterday. Parking lots filled quickly. Enrollment is projected to top 20,000 — several hundred more than last fall.
The problem has been blamed in part on a lack of information generated by the new Banner student registration system, but officials said yesterday the problems weren't the fault of the system.
The computerized system is capable of giving officials all the information needed, including how many students are on waiting lists, or trying to get into classes that are full, according to David Lassner, in charge of UH information services.
Administrators knew the year-old Banner information system could put students on a waiting list for classes, a top administrator acknowledged yesterday, but for some reason the feature wasn't working adequately for Manoa's needs.
"Some people felt there were problems with the wait-list function, little bugs," said Neal Smatresk, vice chancellor for academic affairs. "It would have been nice if someone would have taken the steps to discuss it further, but now it's on the table and we'll take it further."
Smatresk said that by the spring semester UH tech "wizards" will have tweaked the wait-list function so administrators will know which classes are filling up in time to respond to the demand.
He also wants to use the system's information to improve student tracking and course interest, to give Manoa a better estimate of student demand — possibly by logging mouse clicks even before classes close — as well as make it easier for students to find new sections being offered, rather than hunting through all the class offerings.
Officials don't expect the changes to cost extra. The system was bought in 2002 from SCT of Malvern, Pa., among the country's largest firms providing information systems to educational institutions.
Yesterday, as Smatresk assessed the need for classes in critical areas, students surged back to Manoa for the first day of fall semester, creating heavy traffic and crowded parking lots along with concern over jam-packed classrooms.
Administrators had to add 30 classes to accommodate students yesterday, and more could be forthcoming.
Smatresk said Manoa chancellor Peter Englert "has made it clear we need to continue putting classes on the table for our students."
The effort to make sure enough classes were available began in earnest a week ago, with Smatresk asking Manoa deans to monitor classes near capacity, especially in areas that affect progress toward degrees.
But students were still scrambling yesterday to find seats here and there in classes they wanted — often settling for second and third choices.
Transfer student Tania Glinski from the University of Massachusetts said she likely would be able to stay only one semester because she got only one critical accounting course, and no other upper-division courses for her business major.
"I was able to get into classes, but not the ones I wanted," said Glinski, 20, a junior. "They closed off all the upper-level business courses (last semester), so I had to take them back home, on overloaded credits last spring and in the summer, so I wouldn't fall so far behind."
If she hadn't done that, she said, she wouldn't be able to graduate on time after she returns to Boston.
In the First Year Advising Center for Arts and Sciences, Megumi Taniguchi was helping walk students through course offerings and celebrating when spaces opened up. The center has been fielding problems for more than 200 students daily for more than a week.
"We've been able to really assist a lot of students," said Taniguchi. "A lot of it is timing. I had been working with a student trying to get into a Spanish course. It was closed, closed, closed, and I said, 'Let's check again,' and there was one space. She was ecstatic."
Taniguchi said a lot of professors are helping out by adding "overloads" — extra seats — to their classes, and one, Dineh Davis in communications, even scheduled an evening class to accommodate students who need the class as a prerequisite.
Freshmen and transfer students, who have the lowest priority for courses, are having the most trouble.
Manoa's enrollment likely will top 20,000, compared with 19,683 last fall, administrators said. Each new student translates to a minimum of four new seats in classes at an average of four classes each — considered a full load.
Students tried to be philosophical, hoping to meet with professors and get overload status to take a class. And they were monitoring the Web site, waiting for dropouts.
William Thomson, 24, said if he couldn't get the Japanese language course he was hoping for, he'd try something else.
"Maybe a music class to fulfill a minor," he said.
"I'll keep looking," he said. "I'll just hope someone will drop."
Reach Beverly Creamer at bcreamer@honoluluadvertiser.com or 525-8013.
