Due to an unusually large number of students registered for the 9 a.m. Monday/Wednesday/Friday section of CH 35: "Organic Chemistry," the class' lecture hall, MacMillan 117, is overfilled. Despite several attempts, the section has been unable to move to a bigger room.
There are currently 314 students enrolled in this section of the class, according to information from the Office of the Registrar. The capacity of MacMillan 117 is 300. In the first few weeks of the semester, students filled the room and crammed into the aisles. "It was literally packed," said Stephanie Angione '08, who is in the section. "People were in the aisles, standing in the back. There was not a free seat in the room."
Though two sections of CH 35 are offered this semester (the second meets on Tuesdays and Thursdays at 9 a.m.), the Monday/Wednesday/Friday section, taught by Professor of Chemistry Matthew Zimmt, is particularly popular.
"He has the reputation of being a good teacher," Angione said.
Julia Beamesderfer '09 signed up for Zimmt's section based on his reputation and on its meeting time. "I've heard that he's very energetic and keeps people awake in the morning. This section also works better for my schedule."
So many students signed up for Zimmt's section that the registrar moved some into the second section. On the first day of class, however, students were told that they could attend whichever section they wanted, as the material covered is identical. There is no cap on enrollment in either class. As a result, many students began attending Zimmt's section, which led to the overcrowding.
"People would come in at (8:45 a.m.) and have to sit on the steps because the classroom was just so crowded," Angione said. She added that Zimmt initially did not want to switch classrooms and tried to get the lecture simulcast in the room next door. The registrar's office gave Zimmt the neighboring room, MacMillan 115, but he later told students that officials at Media Services were unwilling to simulcast the lecture.
Zimmt declined to comment to The Herald about the situation and Media Services could not be reached to comment.
Despite Zimmt's initial opposition to moving, students continued to complain, saying the current situation poses a fire hazard because so many students sit in the aisles, according to Angione. Zimmt then agreed to move and consulted the Office of the Registrar about switching the class to Salomon 101, which seats 576 people.
Beamesderfer said Zimmt told students he had talked to the University and got the move to Salomon approved. Shortly after this, he told the students that the move was cancelled because the lecture hall in Salomon only has two chalkboards, compared to the nine available in MacMillan 117. According to students, when he asked the registrar for additional chalkboards, Zimmt was told he would have to buy them himself.
"The idea of him teaching on two chalkboards is ridiculous. There are nine chalkboards in MacMillan and he covers all of them completely," Beamesderfer said.
University Registrar Michael Pesta wrote in an e-mail to The Herald that because MacMillan 117 is in the chemistry building and was designed specifically for that purpose, it is the logical choice for CH 35. Only two rooms, Salomon 101 and a room in Alumnae Hall, are larger, and "neither of (them) would be deemed suitable by the department," he wrote.
Pesta also wrote that MacMillan 117 is more likely to have the facilities for teaching chemistry that are not present in Salomon.
Beamesderfer, who visited the Tuesday/Thursday section of CH 35, which also meets in MacMillan 117, said that class had only a quarter of the people in the Monday/Wednesday/Friday section. Zimmt asked students in his section to attend the other section if they are able.
Two classes that received larger-than-expected enrollments were able to successfully switch classrooms. Lecturer in Economics Maria Carkovic, who is teaching EC 150: "Current Global Macroeconomic Challenges," said that when many more students than were pre-enrolled came to her class, the students went looking for an empty classroom and found one. Carkovic said she notified the University of the change and was allowed to stay in the new room.
Professor Michael Vorenberg's HI 174: "Civil War and Reconstruction" was also allowed to move to a larger classroom. He said that he notified the Office of the Registrar that there were too many people to fit in his classroom, and they switched him to a bigger room.
The crowding in CH 35 continues. "It's emptied out a little, but it's still pretty packed. Fewer people are standing in the back, but there are tons in the aisles," Beamesderfer said. "If you want to be assured a seat you need to leave at 8:30 a.m. If I leave at 8:40 a.m. I have to sit in the aisle. One day I overslept and had to stand in the back."
"Orgo for me now starts at 8:30 a.m.," Angione said.
