THE SUMMER SEMESTER SCRAMBLE

he big challenge is

getting into classes this
summer, not getting through
them. Registering by
telephone, what a novel
idea...if it worked. We
respectfully wait until our
allotted time to register only
to find that all courses are
full, then anger begins to
swell. Nevertfieless, we
patiently bide our time,
knowing that we will get
signed into our classes at
the beginning of the semes-
ter. Right.

Isn’t it wonderful to walk
into a class, add/drop form
in hand, joined by 70 other
students, only 35 of whom
will be admitted, all drooling
over the chance get a seat.
This drama has become the
highlight of our summer. We
write Our names on a scraps
of paper and throw our fate
to random chance, and
three or four more students
get added to the roster; the
rest of us shuffle out, heads
hung low, to repeat this
melancholy performance in
yet another class.

Of course, at least five or
six of the lucky 35 will drop
out before the end of the
semester, their parents
paying the bills while they
waste their summer eating
cheezies and watching
soaps by the poolside, not
giving a tinker’s cuss about
passing their courses,
because they don’t feel the

a4 Editorial

economic crunch of their
education. Some of us are
living off of student loans
which we will have to pay
back and we NEED three
courses.

More courses could be
added, or at least there
could be a reasonable
dispersement of classes
from the fall and winter
semesters, which often have
classes as small as eight or
nine students. What gives,
are students in the summer
semester less worthy of
knowledge than students of
fall or winter? | thought this
was supposed to work on a
supply and demand basis, it
is not hard to recognize that
when 30 extra students are
in class, maybe administra-
tion could add another
section. And another thing,
what about the David Lam
campus? Millions of dollars
were spent to complete the
building, so that it could be
closed for the summer. Now
that’s money well spent.

The teachers must be as
frustrated as the students—
they have to deal with all our
grovelling and pleading and
ultimately our scorn when
we don’t get into their
classes. It must be an
overwhelming feeling to
walk into a classroom and
tell 35 of 70 students that
they have no chance of
getting educated this
summer. Teachers must be

oe ui
Pe

yelling at administration right
now about adding more

sections, with administration ©

shouting back; due to
budget cuts, Douglas can
only offer so many courses
this summer. Perhaps
students without classes
could spend their unwanted
spare time drafting letters to
our beloved federal govern-
ment. A few less election
signs would free up some of
our tax money.

Regardless of the rea-

 

sons, the bottom line is a
whole bunch of students are
not going to get classes this
summer. If we sound bitter
it’s because we are, and so
are a lot of other students.
We are sincere in our quest
for summer learning, if only
we could get a chance to
prove it. What happened to
those promises for accessi-
ble education? WE RE-
QUEST YOU COME UP
WITH A BETTER PLAN
FOR NEXT SUMMER. @