Dean of the College Paul Armstrong and University Registrar Michael Pesta made a presentation in support of a proposed raise in the late fee for class registration at the weekly Undergraduate Council of Students meeting on Wednesday.
The proposed change would increase the charges for late preregistration to $100 and first-time registration during the first four weeks of classes to $150, both from the current $15 students are required to pay. In addition, $50 will be required to add a course after the end of the two-week shopping period.
The proposal originated in the Registrar's Office, and has been endorsed by the College Curriculum Council and the Graduate Council. To take effect, the Brown Corporation must approve it, but Armstrong said this raise is something that should not be rushed - it is "something you do very deliberately."
The proposal is in response to the excessive violation of deadlines surrounding registration that occurs each year. According to the Registrar's Office, 794 students failed to preregister for classes this fall, and there were 2,680 late adds. Currently, three students have not completed their registration for this semester, Pesta said.
"This pattern is not good for students' academic success," Armstrong said. "It doesn't seem to me ... and my colleagues to be conducive to good academic planning."
The goal of the fee increase is not to raise money and will not affect students if they meet all deadlines. "In the best of all worlds, this fee would actually bring in no money," Armstrong said.
The current fee no longer serves as a real penalty for late registration, as it has not been raised since 1975. If adjusted for inflation, the fee today would be $55, which is lower than those of many peer institutions. "For a lot of students, ($15) is pizza money. Registration needs to be taken seriously," Pesta said. "If the fee is there to encourage that, and it's a meaningless fee, what's the point?"
UCS members expressed many concerns about the proposed increase. "I think the council overwhelmingly would not support what they are saying," said UCS President Joel Payne '05.
Wednesday's presentation was intended to obtain feedback, but Payne noted that "they should have been more open-minded to strategizing with us," explaining that there are other options that he thinks the council would find more appropriate for solving the problem.
The current nature of preregistration was a major sticking point for many members, such as Vance Monet '08 who said he believes preregistration needs to be made "more effective before charging for such a fee."
Armstrong also called the preregistration system "antiquated" and agreed "we need to be working on that, too."
He noted that the expected switch from paper to online registration, which would allow for various limitations on class composition and size which are currently ignored, might help increase the importance of preregistration. The goal for a complete switchover is April 2006.
"We decided that there are cultural issues here that need to be intervened on now," Armstrong said. "It may be, too, that changing the registration fee now ... may ease the transition to the electronic registration system."
Many UCS members still voiced concerns about making the switch when preregistration is soon to change drastically. They also hold concerns about difficulties in registration for seminar classes which meet only twice during shopping period, as well as extra spots which open up in classes initially overfilled. Payne also said "those that don't have the ability to pay will be proportionally more affected."
Also at the meeting, Payne said that 4,000 coveted tickets to see Bill Clinton on April 26, as well as 1,500 tickets to the simulcast, will be distributed the day before the former president's appearance.
David Beckoff '08 said that after meeting with President Ruth Simmons, a program of not-for-credit courses provided free to students has emerged as a favorite proposal for a possible winter break J-term.
