SGA against changes to add/drop

The Student Government Association passed a resolution on Feb. 19 strongly opposing the proposed changes to the registration schedule.

"The current Add/Drop Dates benefit all students," states the resolution, "removing the Add/Drop Date could negatively affect all students; especially the students effected by the Texas Legislature bill stating that students who enroll in public colleges and universities beginning in fall 2007 and thereafter may not withdraw from more than six classes during their undergraduate college career."

The resolution also states that "By moving the dates, a student could lose their academic freedom and impede their ability to succeed."

Bacak said that he would like to see the administration deal with the issue of late registration separately from the add/drop period.

"I am hopeful that the administration will hear the voice of the student body and that [students] don't want add/drops to move," said Bacak.

Currently the ACAC is reviewing the proposal to change the late registration and add/drop schedule. The ACAC is a recommending body of ACC's shared governance structure.
The ACAC has discussed the issue at its last two meetings and will likely take it up once more at their March 5 meeting.

Vice president of workforce education and business development and co-chair of the ACAC, Mike Midgley explained that the ACAC is gathering input from faculty, employees, and students. The ACAC can take as much time as it needs to review the proposal, and it can send the proposal back to a committee if the ACAC feels that more work needs to be done on the proposal, explained Midgely.

Eventually the ACAC will make its recommendation to Kinslow, said Midgley. Whether or not the ACAC approves the proposed changes, Kinslow makes the final decision on whether to implement the changes to the schedule.

To go into effect by next fall, the new registration deadline dates would need to be sent to the Publications and Creative Services department by March 29, the last day to include new information in the Fall 2010 Student Handbook and Course Catalog.

"It is a pretty rare circumstance when the recommendations aren't taken, but certainly that is a possibility," Midgley said.

Currently, students have three days after the first class day to register for class and make changes to their schedule by adding and dropping courses, but if the new schedule is approved, students would have to register and make all changes to their schedule before the first day of class.

Bacak said the SGA will send a copy of the add/drop resolution to Kinslow and to the ACAC.

In the resolution the SGA states that "the current Add/Drop Dates benefit all students in planning for classes, work schedules, coordination child services, and allows all student to voice their academic freedom by being able to choose their own professors and classes once they have been able to meet the professor and review the classroom environment."
"I think that the administration has their own views on how this should be pursued," said Bacak, "and right now I don't think that is in line with the Student Government's views."