Illinibucks
If the Campus gave out each student an allocation of "Illinibucks" which could be used for sole purpose of moving to the head of the line, there would be various benefits and problems at the same time. University has many systems that are priority basis or first-come-first-serve basis. I think both basis have different pros and cons, but I like priority basis better when it comes to academic areas. People might complain about things that are based on priority, but it definitely has some good sides and if Illinibucks beome a thing, many people would think the same way I think.
There are a lot of classes to choose and take in U of I and people value every classes differently. As a Statistics major, at the time of registration, I want to register specific stat courses that I want to learn about. Also, there are some courses that are interesting to me or some gen-eds that I am required to take. Usually, registration is based on priority basis: grade, honors, and major. Usually, University gives registration priority from upper grade to lower grade, and honors get the earliest possible registration. If school let students utilize Illinibucks to earn the priority of registration, students may use it to be on a waiting list of specific courses that are already full. It is very hard to find an open spot for courses that are full. You have to check every minutes or hours to see if there is any seat open, and it is very hard to track unless you sit down and check the status every single minute. I think students will use Illinibucks practically and easily for registration.
Moreover. Illinibucks can be used in TA sessions or advisor meetings. Many students are in need of help from TAs or advisors to consult or ask some questions. I am the one who use TA sessions regularly to ask problems or concepts that I don't understand, or have advisor meeting to talk about academic concerns. When you go to TA session, there are many students came to ask questions and you always have to wait to ask one single question. Also for walk-in advisor meetings, you might have to wait about an hour to consult about your academic or major-related questions. One time, since there is no scheduled advising meetings, I had to wait for an hour to ask one question about my major. If students are allowed to use Illinibucks to earn priority in TA sessions or advisor meetings, people will easily get helps and not wasting time waiting.
For the price matter, it is hard to set a price because if you set the price too low, everyone will easily buy Illinibucks and its value would depreciate. However, if the price is set too high, students' budgets are not that high and they will complain that it is too expensive for students and may argue that school discriminate people by class. Higher price for Illinibucks will make students work harder and not spending too much money on Illinibucks.
There are various situations that you just want to use Illinibucks and get over with. If Illinibucks become a real thing, many students might benefit from it but some students may not. I think Illinibucks can arise many problems and it may bring worse consequence. There might be a reason why school is not offering buy-your-priority such as Illinibucks.
There are a lot of classes to choose and take in U of I and people value every classes differently. As a Statistics major, at the time of registration, I want to register specific stat courses that I want to learn about. Also, there are some courses that are interesting to me or some gen-eds that I am required to take. Usually, registration is based on priority basis: grade, honors, and major. Usually, University gives registration priority from upper grade to lower grade, and honors get the earliest possible registration. If school let students utilize Illinibucks to earn the priority of registration, students may use it to be on a waiting list of specific courses that are already full. It is very hard to find an open spot for courses that are full. You have to check every minutes or hours to see if there is any seat open, and it is very hard to track unless you sit down and check the status every single minute. I think students will use Illinibucks practically and easily for registration.
Moreover. Illinibucks can be used in TA sessions or advisor meetings. Many students are in need of help from TAs or advisors to consult or ask some questions. I am the one who use TA sessions regularly to ask problems or concepts that I don't understand, or have advisor meeting to talk about academic concerns. When you go to TA session, there are many students came to ask questions and you always have to wait to ask one single question. Also for walk-in advisor meetings, you might have to wait about an hour to consult about your academic or major-related questions. One time, since there is no scheduled advising meetings, I had to wait for an hour to ask one question about my major. If students are allowed to use Illinibucks to earn priority in TA sessions or advisor meetings, people will easily get helps and not wasting time waiting.
For the price matter, it is hard to set a price because if you set the price too low, everyone will easily buy Illinibucks and its value would depreciate. However, if the price is set too high, students' budgets are not that high and they will complain that it is too expensive for students and may argue that school discriminate people by class. Higher price for Illinibucks will make students work harder and not spending too much money on Illinibucks.
There are various situations that you just want to use Illinibucks and get over with. If Illinibucks become a real thing, many students might benefit from it but some students may not. I think Illinibucks can arise many problems and it may bring worse consequence. There might be a reason why school is not offering buy-your-priority such as Illinibucks.
For the examples you gave, let me give some background information that might shed some light on how things work now. I learned just yesterday that the Econ department now has about 1100 majors. Back when I first started to teach this class in 2012, it had about 800 majors. I don't have the equivalent numbers for the Statistics department, but I believe that it too has experienced a strong growth in majors. So we'd want to know if capacity has increased in these departments at the same rate or if capacity is lagging some. You reported that it is difficult to get into courses for the Statistics major. That would suggest that capacity is lagging.
ReplyDeleteNow let me give you a hypothetical that I don't know whether the Banner software can support or not. But imagine with Illinibucks you could buy early registration for just one course, and then registered later for your other courses. If it were possible, do you think that would be fairer than the current system? And would it promote efficiency in that students would then prioritize which course they wanted to get into the most?
It's good that use TA sessions. May I ask whether in those courses the professor also has office hours? If so, do you utilize those as well? As a general rule the demand for office hours increases near a high stakes exam. That is predictable. Perhaps it is possible to add office hours then, though maybe its easier for some courses than for other. One question to consider is whether online office hours might work and if the supply of TAs who staff the online sessions might come from undergraduates who have previously taken the course. Would you view that as a reasonable way to address the congestion you referred to or not?
Still a different possibility is that students are put into study groups and the study groups act as an alternative to seeing the TA. Would that be effective or not? I can imagine a mixture where one member of the student group goes to see the TA while the rest do not. And that responsibility then rotates so each member of the study group takes a turn at it. Could that work?
I think if school let students to buy early registration for one course with illinibucks, that would be efficient and helpful. Because you can buy only one, not many people would be converged to specific courses. Every students value each subjects differently and that would help to guarantee course that you are majoring in.
DeleteFor stat 440 that I am currently taking, there is professor office hours but it is only once a week and only for 2 hours. I have a class during his office hours and I only have a choice of TA sessions. I think online office hours would be helpful because you don't have to visit TA physically and there would be a queue in order. I personally think piazza is a good way to ask some questions to TAs, professors, and other students.
I don't think study group would work well because every student's schedule is different and it would be hard to gather once or twice a week.