Editor,
I am a senior here at UNM, and I have just registered for classes for next semester. I am writing this letter to express my disappointment in the manner in which the University Honors Program has had its option for early registration removed.
I also want to point out some problems with upper-division courses in general at UNM, specifically in the sociology and Spanish departments, because these are the departments I deal with.
First, I must comment on the way that the Honors Program's Preview Night is run and its unavoidable influence over my ability to register for classes. Although I would have willingly attended the one-and-a-half hour lock-down session in which almost every Honors professor tries to sell their class to me, I could not afford to miss my Spanish class and could not go.
Since I could not attend, I was forced to wait until April 24 to register for Honors classes. One of the two classes offered that fit into my schedule and that I actually had interest in was full. Fortunately, the one other class was not closed quite yet, so I was able to register for it.
I am writing partly to vent and partly to beg the Honors department to make some changes. I would appreciate a more diverse time slot schedule for Honors classes. Having three classes that all begin and end at the same time and two more that follow suit in another time slot make it difficult to find a class that will fit into one's schedule. Also, I would greatly appreciate not being punished for being unable to attend Preview Night.
Get content from The Daily Lobo delivered to your inbox
As for the number of upper-level classes in the Spanish and sociology departments, they are seriously lacking. I do not know if the departments are attempting to weed out the serious students who are willing to sacrifice from the rest of the pack, but whatever their logic for maintaining the current system, it is ridiculous, and it is not working.
Instead of having my tuition money spent on metal and iron statues that are aesthetically pleasing to a select few, I would greatly appreciate it if it was being spent on expanding these departments to allow for more classes at different times.
I remember being a freshman and how easy it was to register for classes any time I wanted them. I am not asking UNM to work around my individual schedule. However, as a senior, I should not be punished for my hard work at this University and for my part-time job with an embarrassing lack of upper-division classes, all of which are offered at only a couple different times.
Nancy Wilson
UNM student
