Almost without notice, Solano community college changed its registration priority sequence, pushing students who formerly had priority 1 registration further down the list. The change leaves some students wondering if registering later will make their stay at SCC longer than anticipated.
"I'm worried because the classes that I am trying to get into are hard classes," said nursing major Karen Gong, referring to classes like anatomy and physiology.
The change that students appear to be most unhappy with is the creation of a priority 2 registration, which did not exist before summer intersession and entitles athletes, student government and those who participate in the summer bridge program priority over the rest of the student body.
Former priority 1 registration gave students who had completed 40 or more units first crack at registering for classes. Priorities then moved down according to units completed.
Gong has completed over 30 units and states, "It's not fair that an athlete coming in this semester may have zero units and will have priority over me, and not for any other reason but that they're an athlete."
Dean of physical education and athletics Bob Myers feels the priority registration changes are necessary for athletes due to their hectic and demanding schedules.
"The athletes are usually at practice or in some type of weight training or field practice three or four hours a day so it's especially hard to get lab classes because they can't take classes in the afternoon, and morning classes are so hard to get.
"There are a lot more requirements on the athletes, so it makes sense to give them a little higher priority," he said adding, "There's 49 community colleges in California that do this; we're kind of behind on this."
Myers defined athletes as one of the elite groups on campus that must work extra hard to maintain a full class load of 12 units as well as the "pressure to maintain a slightly higher GPA requirement."
"Most are averaging 16-19 units per semester. It's a way to get classes because you are limited on what times you have available to take classes. This way players can get what they want and still go to practices; it's kind of an equalizer."
According to the SCC athletic eligibility program, athletes are required to maintain a cumulative 2.0 GPA. The same minimum GPA required for students who wish to receive federal grant funding, hold an officers position in student government, maintain good academic standing at SCC and receive EOPS services.
Myers did not mention other campus groups that are required to have a GPA above 3.25 to participate such as nationally recognized honor societies like Phi Theta Kappa and Alpha Gamma Sigma.
Gong does not feel that meeting GPA requirements and unit loads are good enough reasons to implement a priority registration change.
"I have the same pressure and although I might just have to maintain a 2.0 they will take a higher GPA over a lower GPA," she said adding, "A higher GPA gives me a better chance at getting into a nursing program."
According to Fisher, the change in priority registration was proposed by Catherine Fites, dean of office of admission and records. Student government reviewed and accepted the change and the governing board gave official approval.
"Student government should not even have had a vote in this, they're just giving themselves perks," said Gong who feels putting your participation in activites like athletics and government on your transcript or college applications is more than benefit enough.
"I have to support myself; I have to work to pay for school and bills and just to survive. A lot of us work to support ourselves. Athletes and student government is a choice. It's a choice they make. I don't think its right to reward them for something they choose to do."
Fisher states priority changes will not affect the student body as much as they anticipate because the athletic priority is limited to when the sport is in-season.
"There are only around 300 athletes, so there is a maximum potential of maybe 150 students registering for that priority each semester. If you're a football player, you get that priority in the fall but not in the spring and the same for all the other sports. "It's a relatively small number when you distribute it across 1300 or so sections."
"But the truth is if you go to every campus, forget what the priority system is, they have an issue about enough anatomy classes period, Just to meet this big influx of nurses," said Fisher. Napa Valley student Mwela Mapanda is an athlete and feels schools should give priority registration to athletes.
"We are the spirit of the school. If people see us work out, then they will want to work out. If they see us running, they will want to run. People should support the athletics, we give the school energy."
Myers agrees and explains that athletes give SCC an advantage that other campus groups do not offer.
"It helps the school because it puts the college in the newspapers in a positive light. A lot of people, because sports are in the paper all the time, if the teams do a good job then people in the community have a positive image of the campus. So it helps the promotion and the marketing of the college."
Fisher has a different view of the outcome and feels that with the two new biology labs in the Vallejo center and the anticipated two for the Vacaville center, eventually students will not remember the old priority system.
"I would ask students to be patient and see how that plays out. We always try to meet demand; we would like everybody to get what they want," he said. "I think as we play this out, the proof will be in experiencing it two or three times. Remember people had issues about available courses even before this priority system," he said.
Gong holds firm in her position to support most units completed over athletic and school affiliation.
"I hope a lot of student protest so they have to change it back. It's sad that my tax dollars go to the school that is basically catering to an elite group."
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