Posted on: Saturday, December 11, 2004

UH-Manoa will add 150 classes in spring

By Beverly Creamer
Advertiser Education Writer

With $440,000 from tuition footing the bill, the University of Hawai'i-Manoa has added 150 classes to its spring semester to avoid being caught short as it was in the fall semester.

In August, officials had to scramble to add dozens of classes to meet overwhelming demand as the Manoa campus enrollment increased for the fourth year in a row.

"The chancellor was very clear, we have to avoid the crunch we had this semester," said spokes-man Jim Manke.

Registration for spring is under way online, said Neal Smatresk, vice chancellor for academic affairs.

The extra classes will add 3,500 student seats in everything from high-demand arts and humanities courses to natural sciences, language and social-sciences courses. The classes also should help students finish degrees more quickly and take courses in the order most suitable, UH officials said.

That will help 20-year-old junior Keith Nishida, who was delighted to be able to sign up for an English 200 course that he needed and hasn't been able to get for the past two semesters. It was crucial to get the English course next semester if he is to be able to transfer to a Mainland college next fall as planned, he said.

"Now I can finally fulfill my required courses to apply for a dental program on the Mainland," he told a top administrator by e-mail, praising him for making the extra resources available. "I'm trying to keep my options open.

"On behalf of all the students who benefited from this new section, thank you."

Manoa chancellor Peter Englert said providing undergraduate classes is a priority and basic to the campus mission.

"This should make it easier for our students to make progress toward their degrees in a timely manner," said Englert. "Our campus recruiters are reporting high interest in enrollment for fall 2005, and we hope to be better prepared to meet the demand" next year.

He said the university will be going to the Legislature again in the coming months "for additional money for instruction to relieve the pressure even more in the next academic year."

In August and September, with enrollment at Manoa topping 20,000 — 18 percent higher than four years ago when the increase began — students were shut out of many classes that filled early and Smatresk scrambled to add classes where he could.

Some reallocation of money allowed several dozen classes to be added. In turn, deans hastily looked for instructors at the last minute.

At the time Smatresk vowed that the situation wouldn't recur and that the computerized "Banner" system allowing students to register online would be tweaked enough to show which classes were getting the most "hits." That would, in turn, tell administrators which classes are popular and where more classes may be needed.

"If we're not putting the classes the students need on the table, what are we doing?" said Smatresk, who has conferred with his deans in identifying class needs across the board.

Smatresk said sections have been added in entry-level courses, to enable freshmen and transfer students to get what they need early, but also in higher levels for junior and senior students who need them to complete majors.

"It certainly should help them move through college better, with less false starts. And they can take courses in the proper sequence," said Smatresk. "And it should lead to quicker degree completion."

At state colleges and universities across the country, the average length of time to complete an undergraduate education is between five and six years, and public schools come in for heavy criticism for not moving students through more rapidly. In comparison, bachelor's degrees are generally completed in four years at private schools.

Manke said 80 classes have been added in social sciences, 22 in arts and humanities, 46 in languages, linguistics and literature and natural sciences, with additional teaching assistants and lab sections in the latter.

In languages, linguistics and literature, interim associate dean Jean Toyama reassured students that classes they had asked for had all been approved. This includes both Ilocano 101 and 102 and 201 and 202 as well as Filipino 101 and 102 and 201 and 202.

"We got funding for all the courses we asked for," said Toyama. "They're filling up, but there are lots of openings."

Toyama said she hasn't heard any complaints yet about classes not being available.

"If we don't hear any complaints, it means they're happy," she said. "They never call us up to tell us they're happy."

Reach Beverly Creamer at bcreamer@honoluluadvertiser.com or 525-8013.