UA calls for changes to add/drop period

The Undergraduate Assembly is hoping to make life easier for students trying to "shop around" for classes during the first two weeks of each semester.

Although students currently have the ability to attend more than their allotted number of classes at the beginning of each term and then add and drop classes to create ideal schedules, many, the UA believes, find the process too difficult to take advantage of the opportunity.

"I know a lot of people who feel unsatisfied with their classes," College sophomore Adam Altman said at the assembly's general meeting on Sunday.

In order to make this process easier for students, the UA will urge the University not to penalize students who enroll in a class after the semester begins for missed assignments, attendance, quizzes and exams.

"It's sort of like trying on clothing," UA representative and College freshman Matt Leskowitz said. "Try it on and see what fits best."

The UA also hopes to better advertise the benefits of the current add/drop period by sending out e-mails and flyers, postering campus and reminding academic advisers to tell their students to shop around.

Additionally, the UA plans to increase faculty awareness by printing notifications in the faculty publication, the Almanac.

They also hope to change the name of the period to the "Course Selection Period."

In order to facilitate the process, the UA urged the University to make changes on Penn InTouch so that students can view a list of all classes, even those that are closed, and the number of open seats in a class.

"I think it's a good idea," College sophomore Rachel Adler said, adding that she wished the add period lasted longer.

Other students saw potential problems.

"I see that it has obvious pros and cons," Altman said. "You would have more flexibility in trying out classes and getting ones you really enjoy, but at the same time it would cut back how much a professor could squeeze into a semester."

Some UA members also expressed concern that the proposal may shorten the academic year and trivialize the first two weeks of classes.

However, Leskowitz stressed that this would not be the case because students will be expected to keep up with work even if they have not yet decided whether to take a course.

"Anything that's coming up, you're still going to be responsible for it," Leskowitz said.

Many professors also support the proposal as long as students catch up on missed work.

"I would advise [students] to first see if they can get the class notes from fellow students, and if no one is willing to accommodate, they should be meeting with a professor or TA," said Psychology professor Harvey Grill, who does not assign homework or exams in the first weeks of school. "The same would be true if someone didn't come to class for vacation or if they were sick."

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