Brandon Cortés- News Writer
The add/drop class policy could be extended for up to two weeks thanks to a proposal drafted and submitted by Registrar Alicia Carroll to the Faculty Senate. Some universities throughout Connecticut have already extended the deadline to add or drop a course to two weeks, with the university being one of those which has not yet done so.
In addition to extending the duration to two weeks, a notable change in the course withdrawal process is that students will no longer require the Dean’s approval; instead, the department chairperson’s permission will suffice.
“Students will also no longer be required to demonstrate extraordinary circumstances too,” Carroll said. “Things like financial aid won’t be affected, and students will no longer receive a ‘W’ grade in the second week if they drop the course from their schedule.”
Carroll suggests that this change can offer significant advantages to students.
Nonetheless, it is advisable for students to engage in open conversations with their instructors, discussing the potential consequences of withdrawing from a course, especially during the second week of classes.
This proactive communication ensures that students are well-informed about the implications and can make informed decisions regarding their academic choices.
Biology major Santi Arounsack-Colon, a junior, expressed curiosity about the shift to a two-week period, noting that it appears to be a change that could positively impact the academic experiences of students. He said that one week is often not enough for students to fully get used to a class.
“What is the time frame for an average class? One to two hours a day? That means that is three and a half hours a week,” Arounsack-Colon said.
Arounsack-Colon mentioned that for classes that meet two to three times a week, many teachers do not even cover the real material until the second week. This makes the one-week timeframe quite tight, and having two weeks could really help students get a better handle on the course before deciding whether to drop it.
“That is just not enough time for students to get familiarized with the class and decide if they should stay or get out of there,” Arounsack-Colon said.
However, it is important to note that this is just a proposal, and nothing has been decided yet since it is a long process that can take months to reach a final decision.
The proposal was submitted by Caroll to Faculty Senate President Natalie Starling, who then assigned it to a subcommittee of the Faculty Senate for review.
Carroll says that if the subcommittee are in support or have additional changes, they will prepare a resolution of the revised policy to be voted on by the full Faculty Senate. If approved, the resolution will be forwarded to Interim President Dwayne Smith for review and approval or denial.
“This is the last step in the approval process,” Carroll said. “If it gets approved, then we would hopefully implement this change by next fall.”
