After strong student opposition, the Faculty Senate will consider asking the provost to keep the add/drop period at 10 days.The Senate originally voted to shorten the period from 10 days to seven during its Feb. 16 meeting.
However, students asked the Faculty Senate to consider this and other proposals during the Feb. 23 meeting, including:
• Allowing two General Education courses to be taken pass/fail • Allowing Freshman Forgiveness to apply to two courses, with the ability to retake any classes • Allowing students to be waitlisted for more than one section of a class
The Faculty Senate only discussed the add/drop period during the Feb. 23 meeting and will vote on the changes during the March 2 meeting.
The final decision rests with the provost.
Faculty senators were split over the add/drop period to allow students to “shop” for the right class.
Larry Engel, a faculty senator and School of Communication professor, said the 10 days allow students to fall behind on work and restricts faculty.
“If I’m going to lose five out of my 17 students and gain three more in the next week, it makes the faculty question why invest that kind of time in the first class,” Engel said.
Faculty Senator and SOC Professor Lenny Steinhorn, however, believed limiting students’ time to find classes they enjoy is “punitive and controlling.”
Student Government Class of 2013 Senator Tim McBride said students are aware of the consequences of adding and dropping classes.
“We are growing into adults,” McBride said. “We need to take more life choices unto ourselves and face the responsibilities that come with that.”
School of Public Affairs sophomore and Veteran Chair of AU Vets Roger Deming said he spoke for AU veterans when he asked the Senate to keep the add/drop period at 10 days.
“We’re used to … sucking it up and dealing with it,” Deming said. “Unfortunately, I’d really not like to have the guys do that, especially after what some of them have been through.”
pjones@theeagleonline.com
