Have you ever stood in line for a flight and had to wait for eternity while everyone boards the plane ahead of you because they have some sort of priority status? Once you do get on the plane, there is no room in any of the overhead bins. I would think this annoying practice would apply only to commercial industries. But I have noticed that it seems to be exactly the same for GW’s academic registration system
As I prepare my schedule for the spring, I am faced with the difficulty of classes being closed before registration even starts. This happens because GW has decided to allow nearly 20 percent of the student population to register ahead of the rest of their peers. For a variety of reasons these students are granted special privileges because of a unique status.
Honors students and athletes are given early registration because of the requirements of attending practices or seminars. Early registration for these students is not a convenience but a necessity.
But that only makes up a fraction of the 1,500 students who register early, and for what? Are they any better than me? Do these students pay more tuition? Do they study more? Are they elected by their peers to represent the student population? The answer is no.
If so many people get early registration, does that not almost defeat the whole purpose of the system? The answer is yes.
GW gives hundreds of students early registration just because they are in the Student Admissions Representative program. Some argue that STARs need priority registration because they need to have time cleared to give tours, but they are only required to give a tour for one hour a week. I do not know of anyone whose class schedule does not have an hour free in a week. Others argue they deserve it because they provide a service to the University. But what about student employees in other departments? The Marvin Center, Gelman Library and the Health and Wellness Center could not operate if students did not work in the building, but they do not get early registration.
GW and elected student leaders need to address the issue that students are being locked out of classes because they are not in a certain student group. The Student Association is addressing the issue of overcrowded classes, but what they fail to address is the fact that students sitting on the floor are upperclassmen taking courses required to graduate, while the seats are filled with those whom got into the class because of early registration.
-The writer is a junior majoring in international affairs.
