Advising delays irk students

Due to long lines at the advising offices of the College of Arts and Sciences and the Wharton School, many students are beginning their first day of classes with incomplete or incorrect schedules, undeclared majors and many questions. Wharton freshman Amy Greine had to wait three hours before she spoke with an advisor in Wharton's undergraduate advising office. And like the many other students on the office's lengthy waiting list, Greine said she was flustered and angry by the time her name was called. Although officials said these waits were typical for the first week of classes, College Dean Robert Rescorla said the delays may have been longer than in the past. He attributed the longer waits to the elimination of one day in New Student Orientation week. This is the first year that classes are beginning on the Wednesday, instead of the Thursday, following Labor Day. "Last year, I thought that day was dead time," Rescorla said. "We did it intentionally, but maybe it wasn't as dead of a day as I thought." The College also used some personnel and assistant deans for advising to run the Academic Fair on College Green yesterday, Rescorla said. Although their absence was felt in the office, Rescorla said the College did not foresee the longer wait caused by the loss of personnel as this was the first New Student Orientation Academic Fair. One assistant dean was also ill yesterday -- further limiting the College's advising capacity. Assistant Dean for Advising Harriet Joseph said hiring additional personnel and advisors could eliminate future crowds of advisees and delays. According to the walk-in list, the College office saw a total of almost 190 students yesterday, with at least 80 coming during lunch hour. "I need to do this now since classes start tomorrow," said waiting College sophomore Erin Meek, who just transferred from Bodin College in Maine. Meek, who was trying to check her schedule and discuss her major at the College office, had just waited almost 45 minutes at the Office of Transfer Credit. "I wish they had set up something to take care of the 250 transfer students earlier," Meek said, noting that she moved in last Thursday. She added that the advising she received over the summer was very general, and "not very helpful." "But I guess I could've done this sooner," she added. Other students voiced similar sentiments, realizing that their own procrastination was partly at fault for their long wait yesterday. "I'm getting what I deserve, I guess," College sophomore Jae Lee said.