Registrar's Policy Is Flawed

Students who incorrectly fill in or fail to fill in the bubbles on their study card are fined and forced to file an add petition. I am writing to complain about this administration policy.

When I received my course list on Tuesday, October 3rd, I was shocked not to find my junior tutorial listed on the card; had written it on the study card. I had my tutor's signature which is required for the class. When I called the office of the Registrar, they informed me that I had failed to fill in the bubble for one of the slots for the class and that the computer would not read the abbreviated course name, catalog number or signature I had listed.

The computer only reads the bubbles and not the rest of the listing. I was then informed that I would have to file an add petition and pay a fine.

My reasons for finding fault with this policy are as follows:

1. Students are never informed that failure to properly fill in the bubbles on the form will result in a fine.

2. Students are misled by desk attendants who check for certain errors on the form such as conflicting exam schedules but not other errors such as failure to fill in bubbles.

3. Students are led to believe that listing the course name in the box labelled "Abbreviated Course Name" will protect them from errors in filling in bubbles. In fact, the study cards ask that students "clearly print the relevant course name and catalog number before coding the bubble areas." I met both of those requests. In reality, all that matters is proper bubbling. The course name and catalog number are never checked or even looked at. This is misleading.

4. Students receive their official course lists on October 4th. The deadline for the first fine for adding a course is October 3rd. Thus students who make an error bubbling their form already pay the second tier fine.

5. Students are forced to gather both the signature of their Senior Tutor and their concentration advisor. In my situation, I have to gather signatures which I had already gathered when I filed my initial study card. If unable to obtain them quickly, students fall into the third tier of fines.

Finally, I find the administration policy deceitful, misleading and petty. Students are led to believe one thing and then slapped with petty fines and huge inconveniences. For the richest university in the world, and one that charges its students close to thirty thousand dollars each year, this policy is insulting and greedy.

I demand the refund of my add petition fee and the end of this poorly conceived policy. Shawn C. Zeller '97