Occupancy Restriction of Course Registration in Dankook University

Dankookians (Students of Dankook University) are dissatisfied with the registration process for classes. Most were unable to apply for the courses they wanted, and some could not meet the minimum credit requirements for the semester. Those who failed to register for their required classes are worried about the forced gap in their studies and concerned they will not be able to graduate on time. Complaints about the course registration process have always existed, but this year the problem seems to have grown more heated, especially in some departments.

Dankook University’s (DKU) course registration system allows you to input the lectures you want in the automated course planning assistant. Then students log in at 10 o'clock of the course registration day and double-click on the name of the lectures they wish to select. Both the Jukjeon and Cheonan Campuses offer a two-day registration system. On the first day of registration, students can register for common liberal arts subjects, such as Global English, and basic required courses for their major. On the second day, students completing a double major can register for their second major related courses, and students needing to retake a class can also register for them on this day. While this seems reasonable, there are many problems with this system. Students posted their dissatisfaction on Everytime or by making suggestions on DKU’s Voice of Customer (VOC) site. The software department was at the center of the most recent complaints. The incident began when a second year software department student posted an opinion on Everytime entitled, "Increase class size or offer more classes.” The comments highlighted the issues plaguing the registration process. First, the number of required classes offered is insufficient. There are too many students for the limited number of required classes on offer. Second, class size limits for major classes is too small. Only the lucky secure the coveted spots. Students complain if their computer is half a second too slow they cannot take the class they want and are unable to fulfill the minimum credits they need for the semester. By the time students reach their final year, they end up having to request prioritized entry to the class, but even then, students of double majors often fail to secure a spot in the class due to a backlog in priority students. This problem is not limited to the Department of Software but has impacted all departments at DKU.

▲ A post in Everytime regarding the civil complaint about occupancy restriction of course registration. (Photo from Everytime)

So what do Dankookians think about the course registration process? The Dankook Herald (DKH) surveyed 50 students to find out. First, about 95% of respondents said they had problems with the course registration system. 21 of them thought the fixed number of students permitted to register in major or major related classes was insufficient for the number of students required to take the classes. 20 students responded that class size limits and the number of classes offered for each student year of study is the problem with the course registration system. Others pointed out that, “Students with double majors have a really hard time registering for required classes due to the class size limits and the fact that they can only register after students majoring only in this subject have made their course selections.”

It is clear that many students have been inconvenienced by the current course registration system. They have suggested increasing class sizes to the VOC and others went so far as filing a complaint with the Ministry of Education. In response, the Division of Students at DKU said, “Despite classes being taught remotely, increasing class size is not always the best solution as it impacts the quality of learning for the students.” They also pointed out that new classes were created specifically for double major students, so they should no longer have a problem accessing the courses they need. When it comes to the software department, the Division of Students said they already increased class size and will increase the numbers permitted through the forced entry process. They also pointed out that students from other departments can take popular classes during the vacation semesters. They also promised to develop a ‘Demand Forecasting System for classes’ to better predict the number of classes required to satisfy enrollment requirements. They also committed to increasing the limit of online classes to more than 60 students. The limit to offline classes will increase to 49. While the software department is working on their problems, many other students are still petitioning the Student Council to focus on increasing class sizes. Students in the Department of Law sought help from their student council last year and after consultation with the professors, they were able to come to an agreement to solve the problem. But many departments have yet to follow suit.

When our survey respondents were asked if they had solutions to the course registration problem, about 12% of them were resigned to the fact that they would simply take the class next year or use the system of forced registration during their senior year. This is not a real solution. So what is it the students need to solve these problems? According to our survey, students who changed their own major should be allowed to register in the undergraduate basic courses as soon as possible with the sophomores and juniors, or at least allow them to register on the same day as the freshman. Next, a specific number of sophomore students should be allowed to register through forced entry just as senior students. Finally, class size should be increased especially for students with double majors, so they do not give up on their dual programs. These solutions are realistic and possible.

As the results of the survey illustrate, many Dankookians have problems with the course registration system. However, to date, DKU has not offered comprehensive solutions to the problem. It is essential they urgently address the needs of the students, so that those who fear graduation delays, can rest assured their concerns are being taken seriously and more importantly, are being dealt with.

정소연, 서영진, 오유준 dankookherald@gmail.com

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