University of Virginia Library

Registration, Grade Delays Create Confusion

By Peter Shea
Cavalier Daily Staff Writer

'Students returning to the University
for second semester have encountered
two major problems but their whipping
boy, the Registrar, denies all guilt.

Student complaints center around two
simple but vital areas: finding out what
grades they received in their courses last
semester and trying to get into classes for
this term.

Not Responsible

Herbert R. Pickett, the Registrar,
claims, however, that his office is not
responsible for any of the difficulties,
despite the fact that the Registrar takes
care of registration and grade reports.

The problem of enrollment concerns
the fact that no official class rosters have
been given to the instructors. Thus, they
do not know how many students are
enrolled in their class which presents
problems for students trying to add the
course: and some students do not feel
sure they are enrolled.

"No Problems"

In regard to the registration problem,
Mr. Pickett said that "there have been no
unforeseen problems. As a matter of fact, there
have been no problems."

Mr. Pickett explained that last spring the
University's Registration Committee decided to
implement a new procedure for registering for
second semester classes.

Past Procedure

In the past, students registered for that
semester in September when they registered for
first semester. However, problems arose since
the students who failed to return to the
University were still registered for classes in the
spring.

Mr. Pickett explained that these "ghosts,"
along with the students who decided after
September not to take a certain course, still
remained on the instructors' official class
roster, taking up places in the course and
preventing live students from enrolling in the
course.

In order to make the rosters more accurate,
the Registration Committee decided to have the
students sign up for their spring courses in
December and to verify their intention to take
the classes when they returned to the
University in February.

Schedules Verified

Mr. Pickett explained that a student should
know in which courses he is enrolled by the
courses listed on the schedule card which he
received in the mail during exams. As long as he
turned in the verification card by yesterday
afternoon, the Registrar stated, he is enrolled in
those courses.

Mr. Pickett conceded that some problems
have arisen because a number of students
turned in their verification cards before they
left for semester break. Some of these students
have not returned to the University but will
appear on the rosters, thus creating the same
problem as before, but to a lesser degree.

Problem Solved

Irby Cauthen, Dean of the College, said that
he intends to eliminate this problem in the
future by making the students verify their
schedules on a set date after semester break.

According to the schedule, class rosters will
be distributed to the instructors on Friday.
Dean Cauthen said that, since the deadline for
adding courses has been delayed until next
Tuesday, this will give those students who
desire to add a course time to make the
arrangements with the instructor involved.

Despite the fact that the Registrar distributes
grade reports, Mr. Pickett whitewashes his
office and blames the faculty for the confusion
surrounding the grades for courses last semester.

Grading Period

He explained that the faculty need at least
48 hours to grade all exams and thus no grades
could be computed before January 29. The
grades at that time are unofficial and include
incompletes and absences.

Following the final grade deadline, there is a
10-day period during which grades can be

changed. Therefore, Mr. Pickett explained, his
office will not send out final reports until
February 12.

Usually instructors post the "tentative"
grades so the students can find out what they
received in the courses. However, many
instructors refuse to do so because they are
deluged with appeals from students asking them
to change the mark.

Marks Released

In order to aid the students in determining
their grades, Dean Cauthen's office attempted
to distribute records of the "tentative" grades
to those students who wanted them. This plan
resulted in much confusion, however, as crowds
mobbed the table set up. Also, since some of
the instructors had not submitted their
tentative grades, the confusion was increased
rather than eliminated.

Mr. Pickett said there is nothing his office
can do until the grade-change deadline is
reached. He stated that he will suggest that the
faculty be strongly urged to post all grades
despite the resultant pressure which will be
applied by those students who would like to get
their grades raised.

Dean Cauthen agreed with the Registrar,
saying that he will "recommend very strongly"
that instructors post all grades in the future.
Students who still do not know a grade can
check with the Dean's office.